Console Controllers to USB: One Chip to rule...some of them

[2600]

I recently finished another project and have some more parts leftover.

I had some more people ask me for my NES or SNES controller to USB and while I was there I went back to my code.  I'm in the tail end of editing and testing my code and added a few things.
-Support for two controllers at once. (Done)
-Support for switching between NES mode and SNES mode. (Done)
-Support for other console gamepads ? Genesis? 2600?  Don't have any of these, but I've been thinking of adding this.


Anyone else interested in this?  I just have extra chips and would prefer to just to sell the chips since I sell them at cost and it means less effort on my part.  If a couple people wanted them, I'd buy the Clock and two Caps required as well, but to save on cost and effort it probably would have to be a one time thing.

[Adeptus]

Cool... I was about to build a parallel convertor, but USB would be so much cooler 
How much is the cost of "at cost"? (including the other components... can be surprisingly hard to find certain components around here)

[SteveJ34]

I'm interested......

From your message I understand you have acquired the chip(s) and other electronic components that enable an NES or SNES pad to be converted to USB and then have written a Windows Driver to make use of it.

Is that correct?

Is there a thread somewhere that speaks more to the electronic modification modifiation requirements for this "project"?

[Stingray]

I'm interested......

From your message I understand you have acquired the chip(s) and other electronic components that enable an NES or SNES pad to be converted to USB and then have written a Windows Driver to make use of it.

Is that correct?

Is there a thread somewhere that speaks more to the electronic modification modifiation requirements for this "project"?

What he said. I'm interested, but I'd like more details on what exactly it is that you have there and what exactly it is that I need to do to make it work.

-S

[2600]

What we've got is a microcontroller that I programmed to convert the NES or SNES controller signals into USB.  No drivers are required per se, just an OS that supports USB joysticks.  I've tested it on all flavors of windows and OSX.  Basically, you've got a microcontroller, 2 capacitors, and a clock that need to be connected.  You also connect the appropriate connections so that the output of the NES or SNES controller (5 wires) connects to the microcontroller and the microcontroller outputs USB (5 wires).

I've got one inside of a NES controller and soldered the connections.  Someone had mentioned support for multiple controllers to put in an external box so I put that in with this update.

Cost - The chips are $6-7.  Three extra components are required and are about $.50-$1 each, plus whatever it costs to ship if I have to order them.  I sold a few before for $9-10 with everything, but at the time I had everything now I just have the microcontrollers.

This is for the byoac'er who wants to byo.  I'm just helping to do it using USB.  Knowing how to solder is a requirement.

[Tahnok]

Impressive! So, you could hook this up to original ports and not need to modify the controller, right (I think I read that right)?

How many controlls can connect to a single box? Any chance of hooking of an NES four-score (4 player adapter).

Any chance of eventually releasing the code and circuits (or, maybe releasing the compiled code, if you don't want the source around)?

Anyway, I'm not in the market right now, but in the future I will probably look for something like this.

[2600]

Impressive! So, you could hook this up to original ports and not need to modify the controller, right (I think I read that right)?

It's not that impressive, nor original.
You don't have to modify the controller or you can if you want to.

How many controlls can connect to a single box? Any chance of hooking of an NES four-score (4 player adapter).

Currently, 2 NES or 2 SNES, but only two are active.  I've got it so you can switch it on the fly with a switch, but don't have time time to write the software to switch it via software.
Thinking about it now, I don't know why I picked 2.  Never had a four-score or played 4 player NES or SNES games, so maybe that's why.  Wouldn't be hard to add it, but not sure if I have time.  Could also make it 2NES and 2 SNES, but just thinking out loud.

Any chance of eventually releasing the code and circuits (or, maybe releasing the compiled code, if you don't want the source around)?

Can't and won't. 

Can't because >90% of the code I did for work.  They don't mind if I give a few people this or any of it's modifications I do to it as it's non-competing as long as I don't release the source and all chips are protected so that the contents can not be read by a programmer.

Won't because it would only take a few lines of code to compete with GrooveyGameGear, Ultimarc, etc and I'm against that for a few reasons.  They may not be worried, but I don't want to risk my source for 49-way ball tops, AVGA, etc