"Poor Man's TurboTap" Hardware Project for Genesis/SNES Controllers

[roflmao]

If you look up the user Hit-Japan on ebay he often sells PC Engine hardware and software for fairly reasonable prices (though they have crept up a bit over the past year).  I Just got a tap from him for $15 shipped.  It's sitting on my desk right now since my Duo is out for repair.

[Flavor]

I looked at a bunch of info and thought about this in my sleep last night.

I think I will start with building a "Genesis controller -> PC Engine" adapter.  In my mind, this would be a cable that would plug into your PCE and have a Genesis port on the other end.  I will try to get this working with the 6-button Genesis controller.

Once that works, I will have to figure out how feasible and useful it is to build this as a single-controller converter or if it would be better to build it into a TurboTap style device like my initial idea.

In the meantime, keep the ideas coming.  Tell me what you'd want to see from a project like this.  Thanks!

[soop]

I looked at a bunch of info and thought about this in my sleep last night.

I think I will start with building a "Genesis controller -> PC Engine" adapter.  In my mind, this would be a cable that would plug into your PCE and have a Genesis port on the other end.  I will try to get this working with the 6-button Genesis controller.

Once that works, I will have to figure out how feasible and useful it is to build this as a single-controller converter or if it would be better to build it into a TurboTap style device like my initial idea.

In the meantime, keep the ideas coming.  Tell me what you'd want to see from a project like this.  Thanks!

Well I guess if you figure out the Genesis one, a Snes one would be neat.  I have a couple of Super Advantages that would be nice to use on Street Fighter II.

[roflmao]

In the meantime, keep the ideas coming.  Tell me what you'd want to see from a project like this.  Thanks!

Wow, a 6 button Genesis controller adapter would be awesome!

[Duo_R]

as far as converting NES for cost it really isn't that high, a 35 cent chip, a cable that costs about 2 bucks and a NES controller. If it is more about converting a Genesis controller that I completely understand.

Try NES controllers, easier to convert and have a more similar button layout. See the link in my signature for instructions. Hopefully u can get a tap on the cheap.

I do agree that NES is much more similar as far as layout goes.  However, Genesis is appealing for cost reasons.  The way I am thinking about doing it, I would not have to mod the actual Genesis controller at all.  The main downside is that the Genesis doesn't have a SELECT button, so maybe the A or C button would be SELECT.  Also, the Genesis controller socket is much easier to source.

I see old NES controllers for sale constantly often times at cheap prices, Genesis controllers not nearly as much. Do you mean cost issues with modifying a NES pad, or the actual cost of the controllers themselves?

Yea, I mean that (as far as I can tell) the cost of building an interface to the NES would be higher than what I'd need to build to interface with Genesis.  I am still in the early design phase, though, so this sort of input is helpful.

I have seen Genesis controllers sell on eBay for like $2 each, so I think that's cheap.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/120879810907

[Flavor]

as far as converting NES for cost it really isn't that high, a 35 cent chip, a cable that costs about 2 bucks and a NES controller. If it is more about converting a Genesis controller that I completely understand.

Well, I don't want to confuse the situation here.  I know that people have converted NES gamepads to work on their PCE.  However, that's not what I'm talking about.  Those mods (at least the ones I've seen) are modifying the actual game controller.  This does 2 main things that I want to avoid:
1)  The controller becomes unusable on the original system.
2)  A non-technical person can not easily make use of the project.

What I am talking about is building a converter.  You take your original/unmodified controller, plug it in to the converter cable, and plug the cable into your PCE/TG16.  Anyone can do it, and when they're done, they can plug the controller back in to their NES/Genesis/etc.

So, if I wanted to do this converter for NES/SNES, the connector to plug the controller in to is not easy to find/buy.  That means if I wanted to make the converter cable for others, it's going to be a problem.

I don't want to limit the project to being only useful to me.  Once it works, if other people are interested in such a device, I want to be sure that all the parts are available.

I guess what I'm saying is that I would like to steer away from relying on removing parts from something else.

[DragonmasterDan]

Well, I don't want to confuse the situation here.  I know that people have converted NES gamepads to work on their PCE.  However, that's not what I'm talking about.  Those mods (at least the ones I've seen) are modifying the actual game controller.  This does 2 main things that I want to avoid:
1)  The controller becomes unusable on the original system.
2)  A non-technical person can not easily make use of the project.

What I am talking about is building a converter.  You take your original/unmodified controller, plug it in to the converter cable, and plug the cable into your PCE/TG16.  Anyone can do it, and when they're done, they can plug the controller back in to their NES/Genesis/etc.

So, if I wanted to do this converter for NES/SNES, the connector to plug the controller in to is not easy to find/buy.  That means if I wanted to make the converter cable for others, it's going to be a problem.

I don't want to limit the project to being only useful to me.  Once it works, if other people are interested in such a device, I want to be sure that all the parts are available.

I guess what I'm saying is that I would like to steer away from relying on removing parts from something else.

Ahh, I thought the idea was to make a turbo tap out of another systems multitap. Example, taking an NES 4 score and configuring it to go to a TG or PCE. Thus using original unmodified NES controlers on NEC hardware.

[Duo_R]

Got it, you are building a converter similar to this:

 http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&cd=2&ved=0CF8QFjAB&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.tototek.com%2Fstore%2Findex.php%3Fmain_page%3Dindex%26cPath%3D23&ei=SO2jT-qoIuSmiQLX36DOAw&usg=AFQjCNGQk77Sti_quEcO7BTx4wpYDGnBXg

But Gen to PCE

I think a SNES layout would be better than Gens overall. Yeah the 6 button might be cool for fighting games but everything else might be weird. And with 6 button you will only have Start / Run bit no select (or vice versa)

Snes will work with the layout better

[Flavor]

Yeah, sorry guys.  I guess I was unclear, but in some ways that may have been good.  This way, maybe you have projected your wants on to the project.  That's good for learning about what is most useful/desired.

Duo_R:  I think you could be right about SNES->PCE being a better controller layout.  The upside is that if I get my Genesis->PCE converter working, I think the technique could be adapted to other systems.  The downside is that the only way I see to get cheap SNES sockets is to buy an extension cable and cut it in half.  If the socket itself were readily available, this might be better than Genesis.

DragonmasterDan:  Your thought about taking a 4-Score or MultiTap from some other system is something I have thought about.  It was not what I had planned, but it is an interesting idea.  The more I think about it, though, I just don't know if it's a good way to go.  I think it could be doable, and maybe some of the techniques would be similar to the converter cable approach, but it would be much more complex.

For general appeal to a wider audience (than just myself), the more I hear from you guys, and the more I think about it, the more it seems that the TurboTap aspect of the project may be unnecessary.

The one idea that seems to be most appealing to you guys is the prospect of having a 6-button controller converter (whether that be Genesis, SNES, etc.).  Would you agree, or am I off base with that?

[DragonmasterDan]

The one idea that seems to be most appealing to you guys is the prospect of having a 6-button controller converter (whether that be Genesis, SNES, etc.).  Would you agree, or am I off base with that?

Yeah, there's definitely interest. The lack of a select button on the Genesis six button pad makes it a less desirable option from a usability standpoint than the SNES though.

[DragonmasterDan]

Oh and BTW I saw your signature about the NGPC flash linker. I have an old school bung cart and serial port based linker. Would that linker be able to write to my old bung cart via USB, or would I need a flashmasta cart?

[Flavor]

Oh and BTW I saw your signature about the NGPC flash linker. I have an old school bung cart and serial port based linker. Would that linker be able to write to my old bung cart via USB, or would I need a flashmasta cart?

Well, you would not need the Flashmasta cart, but I have only been selling "bundles" of both.  If you're interested in further discussing that, I'd suggest contacting me through that website and I'll get back to you via email.

The one idea that seems to be most appealing to you guys is the prospect of having a 6-button controller converter (whether that be Genesis, SNES, etc.).  Would you agree, or am I off base with that?

Yeah, there's definitely interest. The lack of a select button on the Genesis six button pad makes it a less desirable option from a usability standpoint than the SNES though.

Okay, okay.  You've convinced me.  

I still say that it may need to be Genesis for logistic reasons, but SNES would be better.

Okay, so assume for a moment that it can be SNES.  What about a box that had 5 SNES ports to plug SNES controllers in to.  On the other side, a round PCE (or TG16) cable would stick out to plug into your console.  This would bring the discussion full circle back to the TurboTap idea, but with SNES controllers instead.  The scope would now include 6-button support AND TurboTap support.

I really like the discussion here.  I know I probably sound a bit schizophrenic going back and forth on ideas, but each time I think we're honing in on something more worthwhile.

[soop]

Agghhh, I agree, but I have NO idea where you're gonna source SNES ports (unless you buy a multitap which probably isn't cheap).  It's just because it's a non-standard connector.

But also, if you go the turbo tap route, you could build an extension cable into it to kill 2 birs with one stone.  It will probably only add $2 to the cost, but people often want them.  I know I wouldn't be without mine.

[vestcoat]

Agghhh, I agree, but I have NO idea where you're gonna source SNES ports (unless you buy a multitap which probably isn't cheap). 

Ask the guy who makes the Retrode. He found a place that makes 'em.

[Flavor]

Agghhh, I agree, but I have NO idea where you're gonna source SNES ports (unless you buy a multitap which probably isn't cheap). 

Ask the guy who makes the Retrode. He found a place that makes 'em.

Actually, I did that.    He had them made special for his project, I think.  However, with that lead, I may be able to work something out, myself.

Thanks for the input guys.  I did some work on getting a SNES controller to work on the PCE.  It's got a long way to go, but I'm pretty convinced that I can get it working.