diff --git a/src/emu/fileio.c b/src/emu/fileio.c
index abfbdc5509e..6e6e5e748c8 100644
--- a/src/emu/fileio.c
+++ b/src/emu/fileio.c
@@ -384,6 +384,17 @@ void mame_fclose(mame_file *file)
 }
 
 
+/*-------------------------------------------------
+    mame_fcompress - enable/disable streaming file 
+    compression via zlib
+-------------------------------------------------*/
+
+file_error mame_fcompress(mame_file *file, int compress)
+{
+	return core_fcompress(file->file, compress);
+}
+
+
 
 /***************************************************************************
     FILE POSITIONING
@@ -604,7 +615,6 @@ int CLIB_DECL mame_fprintf(mame_file *file, const char *fmt, ...)
     FILE ENUMERATION
 ***************************************************************************/
 
-
 /*-------------------------------------------------
     mame_openpath - open a search path (multiple
     directories) for iteration
diff --git a/src/emu/fileio.h b/src/emu/fileio.h
index 8a25ac8a75c..2bd0c48e800 100644
--- a/src/emu/fileio.h
+++ b/src/emu/fileio.h
@@ -98,6 +98,9 @@ file_error mame_fopen_ram(const void *data, UINT32 length, UINT32 openflags, mam
 /* close an open file */
 void mame_fclose(mame_file *file);
 
+/* enable/disable streaming file compression via zlib */
+file_error mame_fcompress(mame_file *file, int compress);
+
 
 
 /* ----- file positioning ----- */
@@ -170,4 +173,5 @@ const char *mame_file_full_name(mame_file *file);
 const char *mame_fhash(mame_file *file, UINT32 functions);
 
 
+
 #endif	/* __FILEIO_H__ */
diff --git a/src/emu/inptport.c b/src/emu/inptport.c
index 5bd1491f7da..fff9bca81da 100644
--- a/src/emu/inptport.c
+++ b/src/emu/inptport.c
@@ -3973,6 +3973,9 @@ static time_t playback_init(running_machine *machine)
 	if (memcmp(machine->gamedrv->name, header + 0x14, strlen(machine->gamedrv->name) + 1) != 0)
 		fatalerror("Input file is for " GAMENOUN " '%s', not for current " GAMENOUN " '%s'\n", header + 0x14, machine->gamedrv->name);
 
+	/* enable compression */
+	mame_fcompress(portdata->playback_file, TRUE);
+
 	return basetime;
 }
 
@@ -4044,7 +4047,8 @@ static void playback_port(const input_port_config *port)
 	{
 		analog_field_state *analog;
 
-		/* read the digital value */
+		/* read the default value and the digital state */
+		port->state->defvalue = playback_read_uint32(port->machine);
 		port->state->digital = playback_read_uint32(port->machine);
 
 		/* loop over analog ports and save their data */
@@ -4168,6 +4172,9 @@ static void record_init(running_machine *machine)
 
 	/* write it */
 	mame_fwrite(portdata->record_file, header, sizeof(header));
+
+	/* enable compression */
+	mame_fcompress(portdata->record_file, TRUE);
 }
 
 
@@ -4228,7 +4235,8 @@ static void record_port(const input_port_config *port)
 	{
 		analog_field_state *analog;
 
-		/* store the digital value */
+		/* store the default value and digital state */
+		record_write_uint32(port->machine, port->state->defvalue);
 		record_write_uint32(port->machine, port->state->digital);
 
 		/* loop over analog ports and save their data */
diff --git a/src/emu/inptport.h b/src/emu/inptport.h
index 3701687f158..86ccb51756b 100644
--- a/src/emu/inptport.h
+++ b/src/emu/inptport.h
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@
 
 /* INP file information */
 #define INP_HEADER_SIZE			64
-#define INP_HEADER_MAJVERSION	2
+#define INP_HEADER_MAJVERSION	3
 #define INP_HEADER_MINVERSION	0
 
 
diff --git a/src/lib/util/corefile.c b/src/lib/util/corefile.c
index 3d9303ef32f..157ee455991 100644
--- a/src/lib/util/corefile.c
+++ b/src/lib/util/corefile.c
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@
 
 #include "corefile.h"
 #include "unicode.h"
+#include "zlib.h"
 
 #include <stdarg.h>
 #include <ctype.h>
@@ -53,10 +54,21 @@ enum _text_file_type
 typedef enum _text_file_type text_file_type;
 
 
+typedef struct _zlib_data zlib_data;
+struct _zlib_data
+{
+	z_stream		stream;
+	UINT8			buffer[1024];
+	UINT64			realoffset;
+	UINT64			nextoffset;
+};
+
+
 /* typedef struct _core_file core_file -- declared in corefile.h */
 struct _core_file
 {
 	osd_file *		file;						/* OSD file handle */
+	zlib_data *		zdata;						/* compression data */
 	UINT32			openflags;					/* flags we were opened with */
 	UINT8			data_allocated;				/* was the data allocated by us? */
 	UINT8 *			data;						/* file data, if RAM-based */
@@ -79,6 +91,8 @@ struct _core_file
 
 /* misc helpers */
 static UINT32 safe_buffer_copy(const void *source, UINT32 sourceoffs, UINT32 sourcelen, void *dest, UINT32 destoffs, UINT32 destlen);
+static file_error osd_or_zlib_read(core_file *file, void *buffer, UINT64 offset, UINT32 length, UINT32 *actual);
+static file_error osd_or_zlib_write(core_file *file, const void *buffer, UINT64 offset, UINT32 length, UINT32 *actual);
 
 
 
@@ -198,6 +212,8 @@ file_error core_fopen_ram_copy(const void *data, size_t length, UINT32 openflags
 void core_fclose(core_file *file)
 {
 	/* close files and free memory */
+	if (file->zdata != NULL)
+		core_fcompress(file, FALSE);
 	if (file->file != NULL)
 		osd_close(file->file);
 	if (file->data != NULL && file->data_allocated)
@@ -206,6 +222,102 @@ void core_fclose(core_file *file)
 }
 
 
+/*-------------------------------------------------
+    core_fcompress - enable/disable streaming file 
+    compression via zlib
+-------------------------------------------------*/
+
+file_error core_fcompress(core_file *file, int compress)
+{
+	file_error result = FILERR_NONE;
+	
+	/* can only do this for read-only and write-only cases */
+	if ((file->openflags & OPEN_FLAG_WRITE) != 0 && (file->openflags & OPEN_FLAG_READ) != 0)
+		return FILERR_INVALID_ACCESS;
+	
+	/* if we have been compressing, flush and free the data */
+	if (file->zdata != NULL && !compress)
+	{
+		int zerr = Z_OK;
+		
+		/* flush any remaining data if we are writing */
+		while ((file->openflags & OPEN_FLAG_WRITE) != 0 && zerr != Z_STREAM_END)
+		{
+			UINT32 actualdata;
+			file_error filerr;
+		
+			/* deflate some more */
+			zerr = deflate(&file->zdata->stream, Z_FINISH);
+			if (zerr != Z_STREAM_END && zerr != Z_OK)
+			{
+				result = FILERR_INVALID_DATA;
+				break;
+			}
+
+			/* write the data */
+			if (file->zdata->stream.avail_out != sizeof(file->zdata->buffer))
+			{
+				filerr = osd_write(file->file, file->zdata->buffer, file->zdata->realoffset, sizeof(file->zdata->buffer) - file->zdata->stream.avail_out, &actualdata);
+				if (filerr != FILERR_NONE)
+					break;
+				file->zdata->realoffset += actualdata;
+				file->zdata->stream.next_out = file->zdata->buffer;
+				file->zdata->stream.avail_out = sizeof(file->zdata->buffer);
+			}
+		}
+		
+		/* end the appropriate operation */
+		if ((file->openflags & OPEN_FLAG_WRITE) != 0)
+			deflateEnd(&file->zdata->stream);
+		else
+			inflateEnd(&file->zdata->stream);
+		
+		/* free memory */
+		free(file->zdata);
+		file->zdata = NULL;
+	}
+	
+	/* if we are just starting to compress, allocate a new buffer */
+	if (file->zdata == NULL && compress)
+	{
+		int zerr;
+		
+		/* allocate memory */
+		file->zdata = malloc(sizeof(*file->zdata));
+		if (file->zdata == NULL)
+			return FILERR_OUT_OF_MEMORY;
+		memset(file->zdata, 0, sizeof(file->zdata));
+		
+		/* initialize the stream and compressor */
+		if ((file->openflags & OPEN_FLAG_WRITE) != 0)
+		{
+			file->zdata->stream.next_out = file->zdata->buffer;
+			file->zdata->stream.avail_out = sizeof(file->zdata->buffer);
+			zerr = deflateInit(&file->zdata->stream, Z_BEST_COMPRESSION);
+		}
+		else
+			zerr = inflateInit(&file->zdata->stream);
+		
+		/* on error, return an error */
+		if (zerr != Z_OK)
+		{
+			free(file->zdata);
+			file->zdata = NULL;
+			return FILERR_OUT_OF_MEMORY;
+		}
+		
+		/* flush buffers */
+		file->bufferbytes = 0;
+
+		/* set the initial offset */
+		file->zdata->realoffset = file->offset;
+		file->zdata->nextoffset = file->offset;
+	}
+	
+	return result;
+}
+
+
 
 /***************************************************************************
     FILE POSITIONING
@@ -218,6 +330,10 @@ void core_fclose(core_file *file)
 int core_fseek(core_file *file, INT64 offset, int whence)
 {
 	int err = 0;
+	
+	/* error if compressing */
+	if (file->zdata != NULL)
+		return 1;
 
 	/* flush any buffered char */
 	file->back_char_head = 0;
@@ -312,7 +428,7 @@ UINT32 core_fread(core_file *file, void *buffer, UINT32 length)
 				/* read as much as makes sense into the buffer */
 				file->bufferbase = file->offset + bytes_read;
 				file->bufferbytes = 0;
-				filerr = osd_read(file->file, file->buffer, file->bufferbase, sizeof(file->buffer), &file->bufferbytes);
+				filerr = osd_or_zlib_read(file, file->buffer, file->bufferbase, sizeof(file->buffer), &file->bufferbytes);
 
 				/* do a bounded copy from the buffer to the destination */
 				bytes_read += safe_buffer_copy(file->buffer, 0, file->bufferbytes, buffer, bytes_read, length);
@@ -322,7 +438,7 @@ UINT32 core_fread(core_file *file, void *buffer, UINT32 length)
 			else
 			{
 				UINT32 new_bytes_read = 0;
-				filerr = osd_read(file->file, (UINT8 *)buffer + bytes_read, file->offset + bytes_read, length - bytes_read, &new_bytes_read);
+				filerr = osd_or_zlib_read(file, (UINT8 *)buffer + bytes_read, file->offset + bytes_read, length - bytes_read, &new_bytes_read);
 				bytes_read += new_bytes_read;
 			}
 		}
@@ -555,7 +671,7 @@ const void *core_fbuffer(core_file *file)
 	file->data_allocated = TRUE;
 
 	/* read the file */
-	filerr = osd_read(file->file, file->data, 0, file->length, &read_length);
+	filerr = osd_or_zlib_read(file, file->data, 0, file->length, &read_length);
 	if (filerr != FILERR_NONE || read_length != file->length)
 	{
 		free(file->data);
@@ -596,7 +712,7 @@ UINT32 core_fwrite(core_file *file, const void *buffer, UINT32 length)
 	file->bufferbytes = 0;
 
 	/* do the write */
-	filerr = osd_write(file->file, buffer, file->offset, length, &bytes_written);
+	filerr = osd_or_zlib_write(file, buffer, file->offset, length, &bytes_written);
 
 	/* return the number of bytes read */
 	file->offset += bytes_written;
@@ -755,3 +871,110 @@ static UINT32 safe_buffer_copy(const void *source, UINT32 sourceoffs, UINT32 sou
 		memcpy((UINT8 *)dest + destoffs, (const UINT8 *)source + sourceoffs, bytes_to_copy);
 	return bytes_to_copy;
 }
+
+
+/*-------------------------------------------------
+    osd_or_zlib_read - wrapper for osd_read that
+    handles zlib-compressed data
+-------------------------------------------------*/
+
+static file_error osd_or_zlib_read(core_file *file, void *buffer, UINT64 offset, UINT32 length, UINT32 *actual)
+{
+	/* if no compression, just pass through */
+	if (file->zdata == NULL)
+		return osd_read(file->file, buffer, offset, length, actual);
+	
+	/* if the offset doesn't match the next offset, fail */
+	if (offset != file->zdata->nextoffset)
+		return FILERR_INVALID_ACCESS;
+	
+	/* set up the destination */
+	file->zdata->stream.next_out = buffer;
+	file->zdata->stream.avail_out = length;
+	while (file->zdata->stream.avail_out != 0)
+	{
+		file_error filerr;
+		UINT32 actualdata;
+		int zerr = Z_OK;
+		
+		/* if we didn't make progress, report an error or the end */
+		if (file->zdata->stream.avail_in != 0)
+			zerr = inflate(&file->zdata->stream, Z_SYNC_FLUSH);
+		if (zerr != Z_OK)
+		{
+			*actual = length - file->zdata->stream.avail_out;
+			file->zdata->nextoffset += *actual;
+			return (zerr == Z_STREAM_END) ? FILERR_NONE : FILERR_INVALID_DATA;
+		}
+		
+		/* fetch more data if needed */
+		if (file->zdata->stream.avail_in == 0)
+		{
+			filerr = osd_read(file->file, file->zdata->buffer, file->zdata->realoffset, sizeof(file->zdata->buffer), &actualdata);
+			if (filerr != FILERR_NONE)
+				return filerr;
+			file->zdata->realoffset += actualdata;
+			file->zdata->stream.next_in = file->zdata->buffer;
+			file->zdata->stream.avail_in = sizeof(file->zdata->buffer);
+		}
+	}
+
+	/* we read everything */
+	*actual = length;
+	file->zdata->nextoffset += *actual;
+	return FILERR_NONE;		
+}
+
+
+/*-------------------------------------------------
+    osd_or_zlib_write - wrapper for osd_write that
+    handles zlib-compressed data
+-------------------------------------------------*/
+
+static file_error osd_or_zlib_write(core_file *file, const void *buffer, UINT64 offset, UINT32 length, UINT32 *actual)
+{
+	/* if no compression, just pass through */
+	if (file->zdata == NULL)
+		return osd_write(file->file, buffer, offset, length, actual);
+	
+	/* if the offset doesn't match the next offset, fail */
+	if (offset != file->zdata->nextoffset)
+		return FILERR_INVALID_ACCESS;
+	
+	/* set up the source */
+	file->zdata->stream.next_in = (void *)buffer;
+	file->zdata->stream.avail_in = length;
+	while (file->zdata->stream.avail_in != 0)
+	{
+		file_error filerr;
+		UINT32 actualdata;
+		int zerr;
+		
+		/* if we didn't make progress, report an error or the end */
+		zerr = deflate(&file->zdata->stream, Z_NO_FLUSH);
+		if (zerr != Z_OK)
+		{
+			*actual = length - file->zdata->stream.avail_in;
+			file->zdata->nextoffset += *actual;
+			return FILERR_INVALID_DATA;
+		}
+		
+		/* write more data if we are full up */
+		if (file->zdata->stream.avail_out == 0)
+		{
+			filerr = osd_write(file->file, file->zdata->buffer, file->zdata->realoffset, sizeof(file->zdata->buffer), &actualdata);
+			if (filerr != FILERR_NONE)
+				return filerr;
+			file->zdata->realoffset += actualdata;
+			file->zdata->stream.next_out = file->zdata->buffer;
+			file->zdata->stream.avail_out = sizeof(file->zdata->buffer);
+		}
+	}
+
+	/* we read everything */
+	*actual = length;
+	file->zdata->nextoffset += *actual;
+	return FILERR_NONE;		
+}
+
+
diff --git a/src/lib/util/corefile.h b/src/lib/util/corefile.h
index cf9571cb9be..944ad19e97a 100644
--- a/src/lib/util/corefile.h
+++ b/src/lib/util/corefile.h
@@ -55,6 +55,9 @@ file_error core_fopen_ram_copy(const void *data, size_t length, UINT32 openflags
 /* close an open file */
 void core_fclose(core_file *file);
 
+/* enable/disable streaming file compression via zlib */
+file_error core_fcompress(core_file *file, int compress);
+
 
 
 /* ----- file positioning ----- */
diff --git a/src/lib/util/png.c b/src/lib/util/png.c
index 5917ebbdca5..2346419c2df 100644
--- a/src/lib/util/png.c
+++ b/src/lib/util/png.c
@@ -809,7 +809,7 @@ static png_error write_deflated_chunk(core_file *fp, UINT8 *data, UINT32 type, U
 	memset(&stream, 0, sizeof(stream));
 	stream.next_in = data;
 	stream.avail_in = length;
-    zerr = deflateInit(&stream, Z_DEFAULT_COMPRESSION);
+    zerr = deflateInit(&stream, Z_BEST_COMPRESSION);
     if (zerr != Z_OK)
     	return PNGERR_COMPRESS_ERROR;