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NES Arcade controls
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Jack Burton:
There's definitely some games on SNES that would benefit from an arcade setup.  There are a wealth of shooters and fighting games that were only released for the console.  R-type III immediately comes to mind. 

Personally though, I would use the joystick and buttons that are in the red tent vs. cocktail cabinets.  Technically, they are vastly inferior to using a controller, or even better quality joysticks and buttons.  However, the springy, spongy feel of the joystick gives games like a VS super mario bros. a whole new level of drama when trying to navigate what would normally be simple obstacles.   It just feels more arcade-y and right.  

One other thing.  Did you know the SNES controller is the same as the NES controller plus the extra buttons?  There are adapters out there that will adapt the plug on a SNES controller to work with the NES.  There's no input delay or anything, it's just a physical adapter.
Blanka:
Just buy 2 NES Advantage sticks. They are both NES suited, and Arcade savvy!
MaximRecoil:

--- Quote from: Blanka on March 07, 2012, 02:26:37 am ---Just buy 2 NES Advantage sticks. They are both NES suited, and Arcade savvy!

--- End quote ---

Those aren't even remotely arcade-quality joysticks and buttons.

@kuehnau: One option is to get yourself a PlayChoice-10 machine, and I'm pretty sure there are modifications you can do (custom EPROMs I believe) to play NES games on it. By doing this you already have the arcade controls, RGB video quality, and an arcade monitor (or 2 arcade monitors in the case of the Punch-Out style PC-10 machines).

With an NES, you are stuck at composite video quality, which isn't great by any means. It may look fine on a TV with a decent comb filter while sitting on the couch, but it is not so good when viewed close up while playing an arcade machine. There is an RGB mod for the NES (which involves getting ahold of a PC-10 GPU), but from what I've read, there doesn't seem to be any perfect way of doing; there are various designs for the mod (making an RGB amp seems to be the tricky part) and mixed results from people who have attempted the mod.

With a PC and an emulator, you get an RGB video signal, but not one suitable for an arcade monitor (because it is at least 31 KHz instead of 15 KHz); and using a PC monitor with NES graphics looks bad. Of course you could get an ArcadeVGA or use a software solution to output a 15 KHz video signal, but of course it is emulation and not real hardware.

A Famicom Titler would be ideal for what you are trying to do, as it is officially licensed hardware and it natively generates an RGB video signal, the same as the PC-10 does. You'd still have to do an RGB mod because it doesn't have RGB outputs, but it is a lot more straightforward than with a NES, because the RGB signal is already there internally; you just need to tap into it.

To control a NES game with arcade controls you'd need to hack a NES controller, or do what this guy did and build your own logic board which mimics the innards of an SNES/NES controller.
kuehnau:
Alright, I'll try my best to address everything from the new responses.

About the controller question; sometimes I get anal about stuff, I know it might not make sense to other people, but it was a thought I had. I didn't want a ugly ass, hacked into NES pad inside the cabinet, because much like my computer, I am planning on keeping it as tidy as possible on the inside.

When I first thought of the NES controllers, I noticed they have a lot of pins on the end of the connector. I had briefly thought that maybe each pin on the connector was supposed to represent a button (please keep in mind I am a electrical newbie), which I quickly realized if that was the case, there wasn't enough pins. After looking at the diagrams for the NES controllers I realized each pin had a purpose but not the ones I had thought. I had wanted to be able to just splice the arcade controls into the NES controller cable and that be it, I now know that's not a possibility.

I know about the logic board, there is no way I am even bothering with that. I am starting this project because it seems the simplest for me and I want to take baby steps, like I said before,  I am brand new at all of this and it's a little intimidating.

I had thought about using the computer for just NES emulation, but then I would have wanted it all set up so you didn't see Windows and it had a nice front end and all this other stuff. When I looked online, I couldn't find a NES Emulator Front End. Does MAME run other roms then just arcade games? If that was the case, then I might reconsider using MAME just to run NES games for my NES cabinet.

I also didn't want to dick around with a I-Pac just yet. I am sure it's really easy, but so is soldering some wires to a NES controller. After doing some math, I'd end up saving some money using a NES VS a computer (not taking the PowerPak into account of course) .

I am aware of the NES advantage controller, but I just feel like it wouldn't look as good. I had thought about trying to think of a way of just incorporated the NES advantage into the cabinet so it looked like normal arcade controls. I don't know how that'd work though. If someone has any insight on this though, please feel free to comment. With that being said, I have been looking for arcade buttons that look or mimic the start and select buttons (in shape and color) and have had no luck. I have also been looking for buttons with printed letters on them (A and B) but haven't seen any yet, if anyone knows something I don't, please let me know.

I do not want to get a reproduction NES system because a lot of them suffer from incorrect colors, sounds and some incompatibility issues with games. I can buy a old NES front loader for $20.00 and repair the 72-pin connector for free.

As for the cabinet, right now I got a feeling I am going to be building it. I honestly didn't really want to and I have been scouring my local area and the internet for cabinets I might be able to buy or pick up, but they are either too far out of my way or way too expensive. I am trying to do this as cheap as possible and I don't want to drop $300.00+ on one of those damn arcade cabinet kits so many sites sell. One guy 4 hours away from me had a TMNT 4-Player cabinet he'd sell me for $30.00 with everything intact, but I just couldn't find a chance to go out there.
HaRuMaN:
Hack the controllers.  Always my first choice.   ;)
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