psion.community

You can run Psion software on modern hardware in two main ways: emulate the original hardware with MAME plus a Psion ROM image, or run OPL programs directly on a modern device with OpoLua. The Psion Community site (psion.community) lists both under its Emulation section, alongside a collection of Psion ROM images on GitHub. Which one you want depends on whether you need the full original environment or just want to run OPL code.

Emulating the hardware: MAME + Psion ROMs

MAME emulates many Psion models, so it reproduces the actual machine — its screen, keyboard layout, and operating system — rather than just running individual programs. That makes it the right choice if you want to use the built-in applications, test software against real EPOC behavior, or work with anything that depends on the original OS.

The two pieces you need:

• MAME — the emulator itself, which supports a range of Psion models.
• A Psion ROM image — the firmware from the original device, which MAME loads to boot that model. Psion Community points to a collection of Psion ROM images hosted on GitHub.

The general flow is: install MAME, obtain the ROM image for the model you want, place it where MAME expects ROMs for that system, then start that system from MAME's machine list. The exact ROM filename and directory are defined by MAME's driver for each Psion model, so check MAME's own documentation for the specific machine rather than assuming a single universal path.

What to watch out for with ROM images

ROM images are copyrighted firmware. Psion Community links to a GitHub collection, but hosting or downloading them does not by itself settle the legal question in your jurisdiction. If you own the original hardware, dumping the ROM yourself is the cleanest route; otherwise, treat third-party ROM collections as something to assess yourself before relying on them. This is a general caution, not legal advice.

Running OPL on modern devices: OpoLua

OpoLua runs OPL — the Psion programming language — on modern devices. If your goal is specifically to run or write OPL programs rather than to recreate a whole Psion, this is the more direct path: no ROM image and no full machine emulation involved.

Use OpoLua when:

• You have OPL source or applications you want to run on a current computer or phone.
• You are learning or testing OPL and don't need the rest of the Psion environment.
• You want something lighter than booting a complete emulated palmtop.

Use MAME instead when the program depends on the original OS, on system APIs beyond OPL, or on the exact behavior of a specific Psion model.

Choosing between them

Related resources on the same site

If emulation is only part of what you need, Psion Community also indexes material that supports these workflows:

• Psion Software Index — a searchable index of EPOC16 and EPOC32 software, useful for finding something to run once your emulator or OpoLua setup works.
• Documentation — a collection of Psion-related documentation, which helps when you need model-specific details.
• SIBO C SDK — the EPOC16 SDK packaged with the TopSpeed C Compiler, and CTRAN, a modern SIBO object-oriented C preprocessor, for development rather than emulation.
• Codeberg — source code for the site and other Psion-related software.

For connectivity between a real Psion and a modern machine — a separate problem from emulation — the site lists plptools for POSIX-compatible systems and Reconnect for macOS.

Psion Community is a resource hub for owners and developers of classic Psion palmtop computers. It gathers connectivity tools, software indexes, emulation resources, development documentation, and device manuals in one place, and it points visitors to a Discord server for discussion and to Codeberg for contributions. It is aimed at anyone who still uses, repairs, emulates, or writes software for these machines, from the original Organiser through the Series 3 and Series 5 families to the netBook.

Who it is for

The site describes itself as a resource for "all Psion users old and new." In practice that covers a few distinct groups:

• Existing owners who need help keeping a working device usable, for example transferring files or finding a manual.
• Retrocomputing enthusiasts who want to run Psion software without original hardware, using emulation.
• Developers interested in EPOC16/EPOC32 software, OPL, or hardware projects that modernise these devices.
• Researchers and tinkerers looking for service manuals, schematics, or SDKs.

What the site covers

The homepage is organised into five sections, each a curated set of links rather than original articles.

Connectivity

Tools for getting data on and off a Psion from a modern machine:

• plptools — connectivity software for POSIX-compatible systems.
• Reconnect — connectivity software for macOS.

Software

• Psion Software Index — a searchable index of EPOC16 and EPOC32 software.
• RMRSoft — listed alongside the index as a software source.

Emulation

• Psion ROMs — a collection of Psion ROM images hosted on GitHub.
• OpoLua — an OPL implementation for modern devices.
• MAME — emulation covering many Psion models.

Development

• Documentation — a collection of Psion-related documentation.
• Codeberg — source code for the website itself and other Psion-related software.
• SIBO C SDK — the EPOC16 SDK packaged with the TopSpeed C Compiler.
• CTRAN — a modern SIBO object-oriented C preprocessor.
• OPL Language Server — tooling for the OPL language.

Devices

A device-by-device reference list, with Wikipedia links and, where available, user guides, service manuals, and schematics. The models named are:

How to get involved

• Discord — the site's stated discussion channel, linked from the homepage.
• Codeberg — the contribution route; the site says it welcomes contributions there, and hosts its own source code in the same place.

Practical notes

The site is a link directory, so the depth of any topic depends on the external project it points to. Manuals and guides are versioned where the listing says so (for example "Series 5mx User Guide, Version 1.1"), which matters if you are matching documentation to a specific hardware revision. Some resources are language-specific: the Series 5mx Pro manual and the Revo handbook are available in German, while the Series 3c, 5mx, netBook, and Series 7 guides listed are English. The homepage does not state pricing, membership requirements, or login restrictions for the site or the linked projects.

Psion Community (psion.community) organizes its documentation by device model in a Devices section, so the fastest route is to find your model there and follow its links. Coverage is uneven: some models get a Wikipedia link only, while others include user guides, service manuals, and even circuit board schematics. Below is what each model entry actually points to, based on the site's current listing.

Documentation by Model

How to Locate Your Model's Page

1. Open psion.community and go to the Devices section.
2. Find your model in the list (Organiser, Series 3 family, Series 5 family, Revo, netBook, Series 7).
3. Follow the link for the document type you need — user guide for day-to-day operation, service manual or schematics for hardware repair.

Expected result: you land on the specific document (often a PDF or an external page) for your exact model and version.

Things to Watch For

• Version numbers matter. The site distinguishes, for example, netBook User Guide v1.0 from v1.1, and Series 5mx User Guide v1.1. If a procedure doesn't match your device, check whether a different version is listed.
• Language varies. Some manuals exist in both English and German (Revo, Series 5mx Pro); others are English-only in this listing.
• Not every model has a manual here. Organiser I and Organiser II entries point mainly to Wikipedia and a third-party page (Jaap's Psion II Page), not to official guides.
• Hardware repair resources are rare. Only the Series 5 (service manual + schematics) and Revo/Series 3a (service manuals) have repair-level documentation in this listing.

Related Sections Worth Knowing

Beyond Devices, the site groups other resources that support documentation work:

• Software — Psion Software Index, a searchable index of EPOC16 and EPOC32 software.
• Emulation — Psion ROMs (GitHub), OpoLua (OPL for modern devices), MAME (emulation for many Psion models).
• Development — documentation collection, SIBO C SDK, CTRAN, OPL Language Server.
• Connectivity — plptools (POSIX systems), Reconnect (macOS).

If a manual you need isn't listed, the site states it welcomes contributions via Codeberg.

Psion Community (psion.community) collects the main development resources for classic Psion machines in one place: a documentation archive, the SIBO C SDK bundled with the TopSpeed C Compiler, the CTRAN preprocessor, an OPL Language Server, and source code hosted on Codeberg. These cover both EPOC16 (SIBO) and EPOC32 development, so what you use depends on whether you are targeting an Organiser II, a Series 3, or a later Series 5/netBook-era device.

Documentation

The site links a collection of Psion-related documentation as the starting point for development work. This is the reference material to consult before writing code, since the platform APIs and toolchain behaviour differ significantly between the 16-bit SIBO line and the 32-bit EPOC devices.

SDK and Compilers

SIBO C SDK

The SIBO C SDK is packaged together with the TopSpeed C Compiler. This is the toolchain for EPOC16 development — the platform used by the Organiser II and Series 3 family. If you want to write native C for those machines, this is the package to look for.

CTRAN

CTRAN is described as a modern SIBO object-oriented C preprocessor. It sits in front of the C toolchain to add object-oriented constructs to SIBO C, which is useful when you want more structure than plain C offers but are still targeting the original 16-bit environment.

OPL Language Server

The OPL Language Server supports OPL, Psion's built-in programming language. A language server typically provides editor features such as diagnostics and completion, so this is aimed at people writing OPL rather than native C — a lower-friction route if you are building applications rather than system-level code.

Source Code and Collaboration

Codeberg hosts the source code for the psion.community website itself along with other Psion-related software. The site states it welcomes contributions on Codeberg, so this is also the place to submit fixes or new material rather than only to download existing projects.

Choosing a Starting Point

If you are new to the platform, start with the documentation to identify your target device's OS generation, then pick the toolchain that matches it — the SIBO C SDK for EPOC16 machines, or the EPOC32-era resources for Series 5 and later.

The Psion Community lists two dedicated connectivity tools for linking classic Psion palmtops to modern systems: plptools for POSIX-compatible systems (Linux, BSD, and similar) and Reconnect for macOS. Both are intended to let you transfer or sync data between a Psion and a modern machine. If your setup is Windows, or you need help beyond what these tools cover, the community's Discord is the recommended place to ask.

What the community provides

The Connectivity section of psion.community points to two projects:

These are the only connectivity tools listed on the site, so the practical path depends on which modern OS you use.

Choosing based on your platform

• Linux, BSD, or another POSIX-compatible system → use plptools.
• macOS → use Reconnect.
• Windows → no dedicated tool is listed on the site; the community Discord is the place to ask about workarounds or alternatives.

What you can expect to do

The general purpose of both tools is to move or synchronise data between a classic Psion and a modern computer. The site does not document specific transfer steps, supported cable types, or device-by-device compatibility, so treat the tools as the starting point and confirm details with the community.

Devices covered

The community resource spans the classic Psion line, including:

• Organiser I (1984) and Organiser II (1986–1996)
• Series 3, 3a, 3c, 3mx
• Series 5 (1997), 5mx, 5mx Pro
• Revo (1999–2003)
• netBook (1999) and Series 7 (2000)

Manual and documentation links exist for many of these models (for example, the Series 3a User Guide, Series 5 Service Manual, Series 5mx User Guide, Revo Handbook, and netBook User Guide), which can help you confirm how your specific device handles data transfer.

If you get stuck

The site directs users to join the community on Discord for help with classic palmtop computers. This is the most direct route for questions about cabling, drivers, or platform-specific issues that the two tools don't resolve on their own. Contributions and further resources are also welcomed via Codeberg.