Has anybody modded NES controller ports to teh front of a Famicom before?

[MasonSushi]

I just was wondering if anybody has done it? The ports are naturally there, but they just run the wire out the back of the system. Just steal some ports off a busted toaster NES and turn them sideways and install on the fron of the system. I think it would look cool.

[ericj]

I've never seen it, but it'd be a really tight fit (if it would even fit at all) since the 7 pin ports are so deep. I've suggested many times just to use the 15 pin expansion port to connect 2 7-pin NES ports through it. That way you don't have to chop up your Famicom.

[satoshi_matrix]

a better option would just be to go with the AV Famicom, which is what you're suggesting already made up nice by Nintendo.

[michaelthegreat]

1) Get yourself two nes extension cables:

http://www.estarland.com/index.asp?page=NintendoNES&product=30228

2) take apart your famicom.
3) cut the ends off the extension cables.
4) Solder the extension cables to where the famicom controllers attach.
5. Play famicom games with nes controllers.

[133MHz]

Excellent idea and it would end up pretty neat if heatshrink tubing is used, but you'd lose the 2nd controller microphone.

[punkpolitical]

Why not just mod a 'nintendo four score' with a 'neo geo extension cable'. It would only cost like $20 thats what i did. I got a four score for 12 bucks off ebay and a neo geo extension cable from tototek.com. Cut the cords solder the wires and there you go.Play your famicom with all of your favorite NES accessories.

http://video-games.shop.ebay.com/Accessories-/139969/i.html?_nkw=nintendo+four+score&_catref=1&_dmpt=Video_Games_Accessories&_fln=1&_trksid=p3286.c0.m282


http://www.tototek.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=23&products_id=58&zenid=aae95f7dc81d4f0ed10b31d1148e211a

[ericj]

Exactly the same thing I did. Works great! Did you wire yours for 4-player use and for the zapper, too? I only ask because it's a little more difficult than simply "cutting the cords and soldering the wires" to enable the zapper & player 3 & 4 ports.

[punkpolitical]

Exactly the same thing I did. Works great! Did you wire yours for 4-player use and for the zapper, too? I only ask because it's a little more difficult than simply "cutting the cords and soldering the wires" to enable the zapper & player 3 & 4 ports.

No. Im new to this stuff (got my first famicom 2 months ago). How did you wire it up for zapper & 4-player?

[ericj]

Everything has to bypass the IC in the 4-score since the NES controls 4-player mode differently than the Famicom. It simply will not work right just wired up through it.

You have to cut some PCB traces (easily identifiable when looking at the 4-score's PCB) and wire up D2 & D3 iirc on the NES ports for players 2-4 for the Zapper to work on them. Ports 3 & 4 are piggybacked off ports 1 & 2.

Note that when you wire it this way, you lose the Turbo and the 2-4 player switch functionality. In the future I may enable it, but it didn't seem worth the bother at the time I made it. Turbo would be easy to enable with a quick rewiring. The 4-player switch would be, too, but isn't really worthwhile since the IC is bypassed and 4-player mode is always available. Guess you could always use it as a power switch and install a led in it or something.

[punkpolitical]

Well that looks quite a bit harder but awesome. Im a noob to this stuff. Not sure where you cut the traces. I think i will keep it the way i have it for now. i like having the turbo buttons and all i need is player one and player two but i would like to use the zapper but oh well. Still this is the best way to use NES controllers one your FAMICOM.

[Elrinth]

@ericj

I've recently purchased myself a four score and the necessary neo geo cable (which fits into my sharp twin famicom).

Now I'm curious. You write I'd have to cut some paths on the PCB. Can you please make it clear on the picture where those are?
You say it's easy to see, but I must be blind, because I can't find them!
You talk about D2 and D3, did you have some sort of schematics for this? (I didn't open up mine yet, I'm still charging my camera so I can take photos of my progress)
Also if you got any tips for improvements over the one you made, I'm all ears. I'm okay with leaving out autofire and the possibility to switch between 2 and 4 players aswell.
But it would indeed be sweet if my NES Zapper would work. If possible ofcourse.


Thanks in advance for any reply. Oh and sorry for resurrecting this thread, but this was the best thread I found about this.

[ericj]

I've been meaning to make another one of these, but haven't run across a cheap enough FourScore. I'd try some different things this time around, like wiring it to work with the turbo and 2/4 player switches. I'm also not entirely sure if the P3 & P4 ports work. I never cared to actually test it out since I didn't have any FC games that supported it at the time.

To enable the zapper to work, you have to wire up D3 & D4--they are unused by the NES, but the pins are there (they're the ones without any traces). 133MHz posted a great schematic on here somewhere for how to wire up the NES ports to the DA15 connector.

As for which traces to cut, I can't recall off-hand, but remember that it was simple to figure out when looking at the PCB. If you could post a clear pic of one, I can show you where. Bear in mind that I directly wired each port from the DA15 cable, completely bypassing the IC. There are other ways to wire it up that would be quicker.

[Elrinth]

I made a few pics of it... Will they do?

http://elrinth.com/mod/DSC00484.JPG
up to
http://elrinth.com/mod/DSC00497.JPG

I somehow misplaced my solder pen + iron, I'll have to borrow my big brothers tomorrow. Will I need additional tiny thin cables or will the neo geo cable fix it all? Ofc I still have the original cable from the four score over to use from, maybe I'm safe on thin cables already.

I think this one shows best: http://elrinth.com/mod/DSC00492.JPG

I put the pictures as external links cause they are 3 meg+ in filesize.

Oh and incase my server does not work for you, I also put the last pic on dropbox: http://dl.dropbox.com/u/5145312/pics/DSC00492.JPG

[MarioMania]

Just get a AV Famicom

[Elrinth]

Or I could try to modify these things I already purchased. Still need some guidance before I start.