Converting an NES controller to USB?

C

carl67lp

Supreme [H]ardness
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I found a site that talks a bit about doing an NES-to-USB mod, but they mention that a kit must be purchased (for ~$17) to perform the conversion. I suspect I could get the parts from my local Radio Shack and could do things myself, but I haven't found any information on the Web that talks about it.

Anyone have any good links or tips?
 
hmm i had a good link for htis...told you what to buy and everything...ill look into it
i got my controller on my printer port....people are a amazed when they see me playing zelda on the computer :D
 
darknite said:
hmm i had a good link for htis...told you what to buy and everything...ill look into it
i got my controller on my printer port....people are a amazed when they see me playing zelda on the computer :D
Click to expand...

Yeah, printer port is fine too (and I suspect would be easier to do). Just so long as it'll work in MAME, as I suspect it will.
 
yah..its actually really simple...the only thing was getting the right lines from my printer cable.
i jsut used a multimeter from one end and touched all teh wires till i got the right one
works like a charm....but not hotswappable....benefit of usb (ithink)
 
$17 isn't really that bad - a quick check shows that PIC chip selling for $6 on its own & somebody took the time to program it (and you're going to pay at least $20 to get a programmer).
 
ameoba said:
$17 isn't really that bad - a quick check shows that PIC chip selling for $6 on its own & somebody took the time to program it (and you're going to pay at least $20 to get a programmer).
Click to expand...

And what exactly would you use to program that chip?
 
ameoba said:
$17 isn't really that bad - a quick check shows that PIC chip selling for $6 on its own & somebody took the time to program it (and you're going to pay at least $20 to get a programmer).
Click to expand...

I was beginning to suspect that some reprogramming was needed, reading a bit on a different site. I think I'll end up just going the DB25 route and be done with it.
 
TheCommander said:
And what exactly would you use to program that chip?
Click to expand...
My friend used to do that stuff...Isn't it with basic stamp or something of that nature?
And that's really cool I'm gonna have to try it.
 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PIC_microcontroller

The USB kit has a PIC controller in it - essentially a small processor with a bit of RAM and a program burned into it. They're programmed similarly to other programmable logic devices - a special piece of hardware connected to a computer that sends the data to the chip in such a way that it gets burned into it.
 
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