N64 Your Mame In Style

[Scott84]

Hey Guys, i have been toying with a really cool idea for a mame machine with a cool pluggable n64 interface.

I was thinking of taking the shell of an N64, taking the front part of the system (the front face of the console that has the four ports and the light, and the knobs on the ends).... cutting that out from the rest of the shell and cutting a piece of wood to match it perfectly. So it would essentially look like an n64 is stuck in the wood, but only the front of the system showing. Its hard to explain, the idea in my head.

I would buy 4 USB to N64 controlers, open them up, and stick them in where the original controller ports from the system would go.

I think it would look fairly neat if someone did this. It could obviously work for other systems. If this isnt an original idea, someone please link me to someone who has already done this.

Anyone think this is cool? or am i crazy?

[logik]

Sounds sweet, go for it!

[Scott84]

Right now im planning my mame machine and controls and the features i would want it to have. Due to school costs, car insurance, gas, girlfriend, dvd addiction..... i have very little money left for mame. PLanning on a July Mame Construction though.

[SpamMe]

Cool idea.

I'm using these:
http://www.jandaman.com/games.mvc?p=n64psxusb&Category_code=N64

You should be able to snip the female plug they come with right off, and wire the the stock plugs from the n64 shell right up to them.
The disadvantage, though, is that you'll be unable to use most (maybe all) 3rd party n64 controllers, and only a few of the original controllers will work with them, and they don't support rumble or memory packs.
 There's an adapter called the adaptoid that's much more compatible, but also 3 times as expensive (and you'd need 4 of them, so $120 total). 

[yalborap]

if you're going for really insane, I'd also reccomend getting an extra, cracking it open, and taking a look at the wiring. shorten the USB cord, slap a female plug on it instead of male, do the same to the n64 side...if it worked you'd be able to use n64 ports instead of USB ports. if it didn't...well, that's why I said only get one. if it works you can always get more.

I honestly have no idea if this'd work, but it'd be worth a shot.

[Trimoor]

You can build a circuit to connect four controllers to the parallel port fairly easily.  It even supports rumble and memory packs.  I built it, and it works great.

[url]http://www.st-hans.de/N64.htm[url]