NES Controller Idea

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z3wb
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Joined: Wed Feb 20, 2008 5:43 am

NES Controller Idea

Post by z3wb »

I've had this idea in my head for a while. I don't know if it's been done before or what, but I want to make an NES controller with a built-in flash drive that holds the entire NES library and has a TV-out. Basically, you hook it up to your PC with a USB cable, put all your NES ROMs on it, plug it into the TV, and a menu pops up where you pick which game you want to play. I know someone did something similar to this using the Super Joy 3, but I heard the Super Joy 3 doesn't have the entire NES library on it, and a lot of the games are hacked. Would it be possible put a functional NOAC into an NES controller where it could emulate NES ROMs from a flash drive? If so, how would I go about doing it? And if not, are there any alternatives to using NOAC?
bicostp
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Re: NES Controller Idea

Post by bicostp »

z3wb wrote:I've had this idea in my head for a while. I don't know if it's been done before or what, but I want to make an NES controller with a built-in flash drive that holds the entire NES library and has a TV-out. Basically, you hook it up to your PC with a USB cable, put all your NES ROMs on it, plug it into the TV, and a menu pops up where you pick which game you want to play. I know someone did something similar to this using the Super Joy 3, but I heard the Super Joy 3 doesn't have the entire NES library on it, and a lot of the games are hacked. Would it be possible put a functional NOAC into an NES controller where it could emulate NES ROMs from a flash drive? If so, how would I go about doing it? And if not, are there any alternatives to using NOAC?
The closest feasible thing you can get is a NOAC with a 9999999-in-1 cartridge.

You would need to find a motherboard that can fit in the NES controller that supports TV out. There is the <a href="http://www.via.com.tw/en/initiatives/sp ... ico-ITX</a> form factor, but it's undoubtedly expensive. (It has about the same footprint as a playing card but is a full x86 motherboard.) It would need an adapter circuit to interface with the TV. Then, power would be an issue, as it would require batteries or an AC adapter.

Or you would have to come up with something based around flash memory and ICs that can accept a USB drive, read FAT32 partitions, load .nes ROM files, and finally load them into memory. The NES uses a ton of mappers and some cartridges have more memory or extra features than others, making this a daunting task.

Really to have something like what you're describing, the easiest thing to do is put a USB encoder, thumbdrive, and small hub in a NES controller and play on your PC.
goodie
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Post by goodie »

You could do something like that with the PowerPak. Unfortunately it only works on a real NES, so you won't be able to fit it in a controller.
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phiberosmosis
Posts: 5
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Re: NES Controller Idea

Post by phiberosmosis »

z3wb wrote:I've had this idea in my head for a while. I don't know if it's been done before or what, but I want to make an NES controller with a built-in flash drive that holds the entire NES library and has a TV-out. Basically, you hook it up to your PC with a USB cable, put all your NES ROMs on it, plug it into the TV, and a menu pops up where you pick which game you want to play. I know someone did something similar to this using the Super Joy 3, but I heard the Super Joy 3 doesn't have the entire NES library on it, and a lot of the games are hacked. Would it be possible put a functional NOAC into an NES controller where it could emulate NES ROMs from a flash drive? If so, how would I go about doing it? And if not, are there any alternatives to using NOAC?
Check this out. A little mods to this would work

http://forums.benheck.com/viewtopic.php?t=14764
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