NES controller on I Pac ?

[mhienton]

I know this isn't really an Arcade Controls question but I think it goes along with the spirit of the site and from reading the posts in this forum I see that there are some very bright people here so I figured this would be a good place to ask my question.

I am curious if the I Pac can be used to connect an NES controller to a PC via USB. I am a newbie and don't know much about how all this stuff works yet (I am doing my research though). I haven't come across anything about an NES controller interfaces to a PC with USB. It seems that the NES controller operates differently than Arcade controls. The best site I have found describing how they work is here http://www.gamesx.com/controldata/nessnes.htm . What I would idealy like to do is build a computer (using the mini itx motherboards inside an old NES case so I can play my NES emulator at my TV). I would like to be able to just plug in an NES controller into the player 1 or 2 inputs on the console (I don't want to modify the controllers) (Basically I would wire the Player 1 and 2 inputs on the NES to the I Pac and when the controller is connected it would basicallly be wired to the I Pac, I don't know how to better explain that, Hopefully you catch my drift). I know there are many NES to Parallel Port plans out there but I would really like to use the USB port if possible. Does anyone know if it would be possible to wire up the NES controller to the I Pac to use it on a PC with USB? Thank you for your time,
Matt

[Mike]

The answer is no it can't. A nes controller uses timing to send it's button pushes. It's not a simple switch like what would connect to an ipac. I rewired so far my nes controllers and my atari controllers to connect to a keyboard decoder. basically I cut a new circuit board which has just simple on/off switches. I got the stuff to do it from radio shack. You can't use an ipac though you have to do a keyboard hack. you'll have too many wires with an ipac. Anyways it has the same feel as the original controllers and I didn't damage anything so I can always switch them back.

[emotionisdead]

Oddly enough, I had the same project in mind.  My plan thusfar is to buy a VIA EPIA Mini ITX Motherboard.  In case you didn't know, it is a motherboard that is 17cm by 17cm in size.  It comes with video out, svideo out, composite out, sound, lan connection, and an 800mhz fanless processor.  It all costs around 120.  Other than that, all you would need is a harddrive, and memory both of which could be had cheap.  As far as controllers are concerned, I have already done several SNES and NES controller to parallel port hacks in the past.  I was thinking, since the female controller ports on the front of the NES have all the wires running out the back of them, it wouldn't be hard at all to hack them to a parallel port.  All in all it's a pretty straight forward project.  The only problems I could see would be with software.  Booting right into the emulator, having a menu set up....  I don't know too much about NES emulator stuff...   Anyways, I'll be starting my project later this month.  Maybe I can post some pictures somewhere or something....

[kelroy]

Solution:
nes controller to ipac

[Ginsu Victim]

http://www.retrousb.com/

[Silverwind]

Yes there is a way to do it.  I don't have the link on this computer I will have to post it later.  You have to remove the NES chip and then directly solder/wire to the contacts.

The retrozone USB is pretty slick though, but a little more $$.

[javeryh]

I seriously doubt mhienton is going to check this thread for an answer since he asked the question like 7 years ago and it was his only post.   

[heemid]

2600 used to have a kit for under $10 that supported 2 NES/SNES controllers. I bought several and wired them into a 4-way worked great.

[Silverwind]

I found it.

http://dawgslair.com/joypad/joypad%20hack.html

Hook up a NES or Genesis controller to a keyboard encoder.   Nice writeup at the dawgslair.