SNES controller hack

[_JMFR]

does anyone know how to hack a snes controller? i was wanting to build a snes cab, and was wondering if anyone knew how to hack them so i can set up arcade controls for them

[Jack Burton]

All you have to do is solder a wire onto the pcb for each button and then solder to ground on the board and daisy chain it to each button.  It's pretty much the same thing you do for any controller hack, except it is much easier on the SNES.

I would recommend going the emulation route for the snes though.  That way you have all the games, and you can set up a nice front end to switch between them.

[Ginsu Victim]

An old PC, ZSNES, and a huge amount of ROMs is way better than hacking a SNES controller and using carts.

We can still help you do it if you're dead-set on it, but the alternative is much better. (My cab has every SNES game, and in the living room, I have a computer that's just SNES and NES with a SNES pad hacked to work with it)

[Dazz]

I use a couple RetroUSB - SNES on my cabinet.  Sure beats tearing up a perfectly good SNES controller.

[Ginsu Victim]

RetroUSB is a nice option, but overpriced compared to just hacking one to parallel (plus, controller hacks are fun to do). Plus, the OP appears to be looking to hack a SNES controller into a control panel.

[SavannahLion]

does anyone know how to hack a snes controller? i was wanting to build a snes cab, and was wondering if anyone knew how to hack them so i can set up arcade controls for them

You really don't need to hack an SNES controller to accomplish that. The SNES uses a ridicilously easy protocol and it's so well documented. If I recall, the NES actually uses a CD4021 IC which can be had for less than 50 cents and the SNES is basically two of these IC's daisy chained together. I'm kind of surprised the hacking community didn't hump all over these things much sooner.

To this day, I kind of wonder what I was thinking taking all those controllers apart but never thinking to build my own cabinet with it.

[_JMFR]

I use a couple RetroUSB - SNES on my cabinet.  Sure beats tearing up a perfectly good SNES controller.

im not using an ACTUAL snes controller, i bought one of those nes/snes duplex deals that plays both. ive got a couple extra cabs layin around and i thought it would be cool to have A dedicated nintendo cab. does that retro usb cable hook up to the system or the controller?

[_JMFR]

You really don't need to hack an SNES controller to accomplish that. The SNES uses a ridicilously easy protocol and it's so well documented. If I recall, the NES actually uses a CD4021 IC which can be had for less than 50 cents and the SNES is basically two of these IC's daisy chained together. I'm kind of surprised the hacking community didn't hump all over these things much sooner.
[/quote]

im new to hacking...lucky for me im a pretty decent solderer when i worked on guitars and amps cabs.

where can i dind theses IC's??

[abzman2000]

http://www.digikey.com/scripts/DkSearch/dksus.dll?Detail&name=MC14021BCPGOS-ND

this is the IC in one of my nes controllers, but I think any 4021 will do


http://www.gamesx.com/controldata/nessnes.htm

this demonstrates the daisy chain effect and how to wire it, it is also documented in the book here: http://www.amazon.com/Hacking-Video-Game-Consoles-ExtremeTech/dp/0764578065/ref=pd_bxgy_b_img_a

[SavannahLion]

im new to hacking...lucky for me im a pretty decent solderer when i worked on guitars and amps cabs.

where can i dind theses IC's??

Digikey is an excellent resource. If it's cheaper, you can move to a 16-bit version of the 4021 (Don't know the number off the top of my head). Just go with whatever works for you.

You can find schematics you can work from at places like
http://www.gamesx.com/controldata/nessnes.htm
http://www.zero-soft.com/HW/USB_NES_old/
and so on and so forth. It's a pretty easy circuit. I use the NES and SNES circuits to cut my teeth on schematic design software and circuit emulators. A few times I've bread boarded with the 4021 just for shits and giggles but never soldered any circuit into stone. I have a keener interest with the Genesis controllers and the six button controller is a hair more complex than the SNES controller.

[Blanka]

All nice and well, this keeps us from killing one of those 2 trillion controllers out there on the world, but where to get a cable and a decent plug for less then it would cost to buy and kill a second hand controller?

[SavannahLion]

All nice and well, this keeps us from killing one of those 2 trillion controllers out there on the world, but where to get a cable and a decent plug for less then it would cost to buy and kill a second hand controller?

Good point.

Extensions cords?

[abzman2000]

Extensions cords?

it seems to me extension cords are rarer than the controlers themselves, do alligator lips fit in the controller holes?