|
Post by doublehacker on Oct 19, 2019 21:13:50 GMT
I was asked to make a NES controller work on a TG16, so I'm starting that project and going to keep updates on here.
Currently I have the prototype hardware made and am finishing up the code for how I think it should work. I still need to buy a TG16 to test this on. I've made NES controller mods before, so that part is done, I just need to make sure the TG16 side works.
Let me know if you have any questions or comments. I'd like to know if anyone would really care to play their TG16 with an NES controller?
|
|
|
Post by gredler on Oct 19, 2019 21:42:36 GMT
Will the nes controller be modded to have turbo switches? Maybe a Beeshu would be best?
|
|
|
Post by dshadoff on Oct 19, 2019 22:04:52 GMT
Will this be:
a) an alteration to the NES controller's board/cable b) a module which sits between the TG16 and the controller, and translates mappings from one standard to the other c) something altogether custom, which doesn't attempt to be a TG-16 joypad (i.e. if the NES controller is something other than a joypad)
A NES controller converter might be interesting (or SNES or Megadrive converter), because there are several nice modern wireless joypads available for those systems (but not for the PC Engine). Might be nice, even if just for that reason alone.
|
|
|
Post by doublehacker on Oct 19, 2019 22:09:39 GMT
Will the nes controller be modded to have turbo switches? Maybe a Beeshu would be best? I wasn't going to at least for the first version. I'm building this as a converter to go between the NES controller and the TG16. Maybe on a second version I'll add switches to the converter to turn on turbo. if the NES controller has turbo built into it, then it will work.
|
|
|
Post by doublehacker on Oct 19, 2019 22:10:54 GMT
Will this be: a) an alteration to the NES controller's board/cable b) a module which sits between the TG16 and the controller, and translates mappings from one standard to the other c) something altogether custom, which doesn't attempt to be a TG-16 joypad (i.e. if the NES controller is something other than a joypad) Answer B It'll be a module, probably about 1x3 inches.
|
|
|
Post by dshadoff on Oct 19, 2019 22:19:24 GMT
I built something like that many years ago (around 1992), then shelved it and lost it... it used a clock generator (555), a serial-to-parallel shift register and latch (probably 74HC595), and an up-counter to count 8 bits in order to latch (74HC4017).
The latched outputs were then sent to the 74HC157's inputs (i.e. acting as a joypad).
Of course, it couldn't do 6-button or turbo modes though, and I couldn't find NES controller sockets back then (or probably now either).
|
|
|
Post by doublehacker on Oct 19, 2019 22:29:04 GMT
I built something like that many years ago (around 1992), then shelved it and lost it... it used a clock generator (555), a serial-to-parallel shift register and latch (probably 74HC595), and an up-counter to count 8 bits in order to latch (74HC4017). The latched outputs were then sent to the 74HC157's inputs (i.e. acting as a joypad). Of course, it couldn't do 6-button or turbo modes though, and I couldn't find NES controller sockets back then (or probably now either). Very cool. If you do build it again all the controller sockets are on eBay now.
|
|
|
Post by dshadoff on Oct 19, 2019 23:01:46 GMT
I'm not sure how far along you are with your hardware, but I had also been doing some controller-type hardware development earlier this year; there are several topics in the "Personal Projects" forum here. You may (or may not) find something useful to you there.
|
|
|
Post by doublehacker on Oct 24, 2019 16:04:43 GMT
I'm not sure how far along you are with your hardware, but I had also been doing some controller-type hardware development earlier this year; there are several topics in the "Personal Projects" forum here. You may (or may not) find something useful to you there. I'm going to try the microprocessor route first. I have a prototype I'll show here and a PCB I designed that's on the way. The PCB will have surface mount parts to be much smaller. I bought a TG16 today to test this with. Its off ebay, so will take a week to get to me I'm calling the prototype PCB the powergrafx converter, because as an engineer I'm super creative lol
|
|
|
Post by dshadoff on Oct 24, 2019 16:47:42 GMT
I'm calling the prototype PCB the powergrafx converter, because as an engineer I'm super creative lol Looks good ! Funny you should say that about the name - I am sending a prototype out to a few friends and it has an even more engineer-tastic name. I’m sure that you’ll be fine acquiring the data from the NES controller, but I don’t think I see a 74HC157 multiplexing the output... are you using one, or trying to poll the SEL line and attempt to multiplex by the MCU ? That would be hard, as Arduino is notorious for GPIO lag, and the TG16 will read the port about 1 microsecond after toggling that line. Dave
|
|
|
Post by doublehacker on Oct 24, 2019 18:01:06 GMT
I was hoping to do everything in the microprocessor, but I did jot down a design with a 74HC157 as I was going through ideas. I'm planning to poll the SEL line and then turn on the buttons presses that correlate to that being high/low. Of course this is the theory part. Once I have the TG16 in hand I can hook it up to an oscope and logic analyzer and really see what is happening. Then yes, will have to work on the GPIO timing. Hopefully won't have an issue with fake presses where you press the "I" button and get an fake "UP" press as well. That will be the fun part
|
|
|
Post by Arkhan on Oct 25, 2019 2:58:06 GMT
OK I have to ask, what is the draw to using an NES controller instead of a TG/PCE one?
Am I missing something?
I am asking only because of all the old-game-consoles-ever, the PCE's pads and buttons are literally my favorite ones and I can't imagine making my thumbs bleed with an NES dogbone controller and soldier blade, lol.
If it works with the NES Advantage though.... that is a different story.
|
|
|
Post by dshadoff on Oct 25, 2019 4:16:09 GMT
I'm not sure about doublehacker's specific situation, but I mentioned earlier that there are modern wireless controllers for the NES, but not the PCE, for a start.
|
|
|
Post by Arkhan on Oct 25, 2019 5:39:47 GMT
Yeah, he said someone asked him for it. I'm just curious really.
I tried some of those new NES controllers and didn't like the button feel.
|
|
|
Post by doublehacker on Oct 25, 2019 16:06:48 GMT
Yeah, he said someone asked him for it. I'm just curious really. I tried some of those new NES controllers and didn't like the button feel. Yes, I was asked to do this project. The person who asked seems to like NES controllers more and would rather pay a cheaper price for a NES controller than a TG16 controller. For me, it's the engineering challenge. I'm an electronics designer and for my personal projects I like to build things with the video game consoles I grew up with. It's fun to make them do things they were never designed to do. I never had a TG16 growing up, but played it at a friends house. I do have an NES Advantage to test with and an off brand NES turbo controller. I also tend to build mods that don't destroy consoles. I have found a few websites showing how to gut an NES controller and make it into a TG16 controller, but then you destroy it as an NES controller. That's why this is going to be a plug in converter. So the user can easily change between consoles.
|
|