DS phat SNES controller hack questions.

[gamer404]

Hey guys, I'm new here(I don't know if there is an intro thread or what). I have never hacked a console before, but I'm pretty smart and my dad did some electrical work when he was an airplane mechanic. I have a DS phat and I noticed how uncomfortable the controllers were. I though that if I could but a port so I could plug my SNES controller in(same button scheme), it would be much comfortable. When I saw the topic here awhile back about the guy hardwiring his SNES controller into the DS, I knew it was possible. I just don't want to tear up my GBA slot and my orginal SNES controller . I have thought of two ways of doing this:

1. GBA slot convector- Basically, this would plug in to the GBA slot and have a port sticking out of the other side. It would controller the same method as the Guitar Hero Controller.

Pros:
Virtually no risk of tearing up my DS

Much more cleaner and professional

I get to tear up my sisters old Land Before Time Cartridge

Cons:
Much less straightforward. I'm not exactly sure how this will work electronic wise. I don't know if I'll need to use some scripting or what.

Harder to do.

2. SNES Port- I put an SNES controller port somewhere on the DS and wire the ports to the corresponding pinup locations on the mobo.

Pros:
A lot simpler

Cons:
I could tear up my DS
I have to find space to put an orginal port on the DS. That could be hard.


There is my two ideas. I'm also trying to keep this as economical as possible Right now, my price list is:
SNES extension cord($2)
Tri-Wing screwdriver($?)

My dad has wires, soldering irons and other such things.


Thank you,
~gamer404

[jjhammerstein]

Snes ports are kinda big.
Plus, they already have logic in the controller.

I don't know how to do this, but I wonder if there is a way to put your own logic into the controller, send it through 3 wires to a USB port on the DS, and then have a logic decoder (do these exist?) convert it to back to wires that you could connect to all of the DS buttons.


That's a totally out-of-my-ass guess, because I know nothing about intensive electronics.

I'd see if you could figure own how the GH controller works, I think that's your best bet.

[khaag]

http://www.acidmods.com/forum/index.php?topic=13448.0

That might give you a basis to start on. You might have to use 2 USB ports or something that will have 10 pins to connect to. Also, you won't be able to use the logic in the controller to use that method, you'll have to wire each button directly to the corresponding pin on whichever type of port you decide to use.

[jjhammerstein]

Or just find a port that has 10 pins.

I was recommending using custom logic because a 10-strand cord is fat fatty fat fat.



Oh, you could do this:
http://www.cyberresearch.com/images/pro ... 56.600.jpg
That is your easiest solution.

[gamer404]

Hmm... I really don't want to tear up my super nintendo controller, as it is an original. I don't know how much room is in a DS phat, so I'll just need to wait until i get a tri-wing screwdriver. I've though of some possible locations of the port, but it just matters. I think the best bet would be to find out how the GH controller works, like jjhammerstein said. If I could do that, it would be a relatively no-mess option.

EDIT: The SNES ports don't look that big if you strip them down:
http://www.raphnet.net/electronique/4ne ... ectors.jpg

[tysonDS]

Hi mate, sorry for the late post:
(sorry I know this thread is 3 months old), but hopefully I can help out.

A guy called "Noir" saw my SNES controller mod on youtube and did it much better than I ever could. He used a micro sized female/male port to connect his Snes controller into the back of the DS Lite, looks very clean.

Check out his DS Lite on Youtube, I think the name of his video is "Noir how not to mod a ds" - alternatively you can lookup my vid "ds snes controller mod" and click on his name in the list of comments.

Basically, you have to hack that Snes controller up real good. I took a dremel to the PCB and cut all connections to the "logic". Wire all the ground points on the PCB together (that was pretty easy as they're all nearly joined anyway).

Wire from each point of the Snes button, to each point on the DS mobo.

Realistically speaking, I have no idea how you would hook it up with out hacking up the SNES controller, as they have their own timer based logic chip (that requires power) not to mention the end port only has a few pins?

The good news is, once you have modified your DS with a port that is connected to each button point on the DS mobo, you can then connect in any kind of controller you want to, if you wire the controller in the same way. Snes controller, nes controller, 6 button arcade stick yadda yadda.

Good luck with it, and here's a tip, use the smallest gauge wire you can find! I used normal hookup wire and my DS became a big fat sandwich.

I now use that micro copper wire (it's real tiny stuff) but it's a bit of a pain in the butt cause it's all the same colour, gotta use sticker labels so I don't get lost.