Using NES Controller(s) With the Famicom

[grandta13]

I am considering creating an adapter that would let me connect one or more NES controllers to the Famicom 15-pin port. I would do it in a similar style to this guide. The way I am thinking to make it would be to splice a 15-pin extension cable to an NES extension cable, that way I could use different controllers and I wouldn't have to mutilate any working controllers.

I have a few questions though:

1. Where can I find the schematics for connecting an NES controller to the 15-pin port?
2. Would I be able to use a second extension cable to connect a second auxilarry controller (to work as Player 2)?
3. Are there any other controller types that are compatible with the NES, when wired correctly? If there are then I might consider making a modular connector to allow different controller types to be connected.
4. Where can I get good quality extension cables without paying an arm and a leg? (They will need to be shipped to the US).
5. Do you have any other advice you think I should hear before going into this project?

I would appreciate any advice, information, or suggestions you might have.

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Here's the link in plain text in case the hyperlink above has issues:

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http://www.famicomworld.com/forum/index.php?topic=1559.0;imode

[Ziggy]

I made such an adapter for myself...

viewtopic.php?f=25&t=25087&

It's pretty straight forward to do.

Where can I find the schematics for connecting an NES controller to the 15-pin port?

In the link that I posted above, I provided a link to a diagram that some one drew up on the famicom World forum.

Would I be able to use a second extension cable to connect a second auxilarry controller (to work as Player 2)?

Absolutely. The Famicom's 15-pin port IS the two NES controller ports combined. Making such an adapter will give you two NES controller inputs, identical to what you'd have on an NES console.

Are there any other controller types that are compatible with the NES, when wired correctly? If there are then I might consider making a modular connector to allow different controller types to be connected.

Do you mean to ask, are there any NES controllers that use something other than a NES controller plug? Not that I know of, I'm pretty sure not.

Where can I get good quality extension cables without paying an arm and a leg? (They will need to be shipped to the US).

ebay. You can get them in pairs for cheap.

Example: http://www.ebay.com/itm/2-NEW-6-FOOT-LO ... 27b3f7c83e

There's a few different ones on eBay, some better than others.

Do you have any other advice you think I should hear before going into this project?

If you wanna make it look pretty, use a small project box. I have pictures of the adapter I made in the link I posted above. I wanted to avoid having a messy wad of electrical tape in the middle, so I came up with the box idea.

Another tip, if you use NES extension cables and a FC (or NeoGeo - since it's the same) extrension cable to make an adapter, you'll have the opposites ends of each cable left over. Don't discard them. They're good to make an adapter of the opposite function (use Famicom controllers on a NES console). When I made my first adapter, I was able to sell the unused ends to some one here on RB to make such an adapter for himself. He was very happy about it. I made myself a second NES-to-FC adapter, and thus made a second FC-to-NES adapter. It's been sitting in my BST thread for a while now. I guess it doesn't have high demand. But still, don't throw away the unused ends of the cables, they're perfectly good for other projects. Trade them away or something.

You don't actually have to make an adapter. You could remove the FC controllers from the console. On the FC console, the holes in the back where the controllers wires came out of, you could have some NES plugs coming out of there instead.

Definitely read through the thread I posted above. I threw out a lot of ideas I had. Also, there might be some useful info in the replies as well.

edit: I just noticed that the diagram image in the FC World link is down. No worries. I can make one and post it.

[grandta13]

Thanks for all the advice; I couldn't have asked for a better reply.

Are there any other controller types that are compatible with the NES, when wired correctly? If there are then I might consider making a modular connector to allow different controller types to be connected.

Do you mean to ask, are there any NES controllers that use something other than a NES controller plug? Not that I know of, I'm pretty sure not.

What I'm asking is: were there any controllers designed for other systems (such as the Master System) that use signals that the Famicom/NES can read when wired correctly to its connectors? If there are, then I could also make some adaptors that would allow me to connect other systems' controllers to the NES and Famicom.

[Ziggy]

Thanks for all the advice; I couldn't have asked for a better reply.

Are there any other controller types that are compatible with the NES, when wired correctly? If there are then I might consider making a modular connector to allow different controller types to be connected.

Do you mean to ask, are there any NES controllers that use something other than a NES controller plug? Not that I know of, I'm pretty sure not.

What I'm asking is: were there any controllers designed for other systems (such as the Master System) that use signals that the Famicom/NES can read when wired correctly to its connectors? If there are, then I could also make some adaptors that would allow me to connect other systems' controllers to the NES and Famicom.

Oh, I see what you're saying. No, I've never heard of that. I'm pretty sure not, but I could be wrong.

edit: viewtopic.php?p=959886#p959886

[grandta13]

Like I said, that wire diagram pic is down. I'll throw one up. If a couple of days go by without me posting it, bump this thread up to remind me.

Is this the diagram you're referring to? http://www.famicomworld.com/forum/index ... 2#msg55602
(I don't want to post the image itself since it says to only use it on FW).

Also, I would like to ask where I can get a NeoGeo or compatible extension cable for a fair price. The ones labelled for use with a NeoGeo are unnecessarily expensive, and I don't want to pay $20 for a basic extension cable.

[Hobie-wan]

Here's a 15 pin part.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/15-pin-cable-fo ... 19fa9fd67c

[grandta13]

Here's a 15 pin part.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/15-pin-cable-fo ... 19fa9fd67c

Unfortunately that is still $14 and I have to wait several weeks for shipping from Hong Kong. For a little more I can get an extension cable domestically. And for $15 I can get a proper extension cable from Hong Kong. Thanks for the suggestion, but that's still a bit much if I also have to deal with international shipping.

[Ziggy]

Is this the diagram you're referring to? http://www.famicomworld.com/forum/index ... 2#msg55602
(I don't want to post the image itself since it says to only use it on FW).

Yes, that's it! The images weren't showing up on my work computer, I assumed they were down.

Here's a 15 pin part.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/15-pin-cable-fo ... 19fa9fd67c

Unfortunately that is still $14 and I have to wait several weeks for shipping from Hong Kong. For a little more I can get an extension cable domestically. And for $15 I can get a proper extension cable from Hong Kong. Thanks for the suggestion, but that's still a bit much if I also have to deal with international shipping.

Hey, be grateful. Back when I made mine, those FC/NeoGeo extension cables were NO where to be found. Finding a NeoGeo extension cable on eBay was rare, and when they came up they were super expensive. I got mine from Tototek (China) for $15 each, BEFORE shipping (which was pretty expensive). The only reason it worked out for me was because I was ordering a couple other things from Tototek anyway. So $8.99 plus $5 for shipping ain't no big deal.

Also, the one that Hobie linked, consider that some work is already done for you. You have like a 3-6" wire lead, pre-stripped, and there's a strain releif / lock on the cable end. It's a block type, so it'll lock in place (you wont be able to push or pull the cable). If you use a project box for the adapter, if you cut a trench for it to fit perfectly in place, it'll look real smart. I happened to have grommets on hand for mine, but only because I often do projects like this. Consider the cost of grommets / strain reliefs if you had to purchase them separately.

That's assuming you want it to look decent. If you're going for just functionality, and appearance doesn't make a difference to you, then disregard the above. Although, not that I'm actively hunting them, but I've never seen a steady supply of such cables locally (in the country).

Take these two for example...

http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEO-GEO-Joystic ... 4ae4f97b7a

http://www.ebay.com/itm/2-NEO-GEO-6-Foo ... 4ae4f97b57

Same seller, has a couple of them, but BIN at $30 or an auction for $55. The one from China is $14 shipped, HALF the price of the BIN. If you need it faster, you might be able to send a message to one of the sellers in China and ask if you can pay for expedited shipping. It still might end up being cheaper than $30.

IDK if you read through my thread, but Hobie had a good suggestion in there about finagling a standard 15-pin plug so it'll fit the Famicom port, and those you can get locally no problem. There's lots of other great suggestions in that thread as well, like a way to use NES controllers on a Famicom without the need of the FC/NeoGeo extension cable.

edit: This is where I got mine from...

http://www.tototek.com/store/index.php? ... cts_id=192

I think he's got them even cheaper now then when I bought mine.

[Ziggy]

What I'm asking is: were there any controllers designed for other systems (such as the Master System) that use signals that the Famicom/NES can read when wired correctly to its connectors? If there are, then I could also make some adaptors that would allow me to connect other systems' controllers to the NES and Famicom.

Actually, let me take back what I said. I half remember reading something a while back about the similarities of the NES and SNES controllers.

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

Apparently if you put a SNES plug on a NES controller you can use it on a SNES. I don't know if the reverse is true though, but looking at the schematic in the link, I think it might be possible. If my reasoning is right, NES buttons A and B would map to SNES buttons Y and B. The SNES buttons L, R, X and A are on the second 4021 IC, so they're likely to just be dead if using it on the NES.

And now that I'm thinking about it, I seem to remember something else I once read about. Late in the NES life / early in the SNES life, there was a third party controller (actually I think it was an arcade stick) that had plugs so you could use it on both an NES or SNES.

It'd be awesome if it were as simple as that. You'd be able to take a NES extension cable and a SNES extension cable, cut them both in half and wire one to the other, and end up with a NES-to-SNES controller adapter and a SNES-to-NES controller adapter!

[Hobie-wan]

And now that I'm thinking about it, I seem to remember something else I once read about. Late in the NES life / early in the SNES life, there was a third party controller (actually I think it was an arcade stick) that had plugs so you could use it on both an NES or SNES.

The Nintendo version of the Capcom Fighter Power Stick and the Battlestation II both have cables for NES and SNES.