SNES Controller Decoding

Electric Rain · Post by **Electric Rain** » Fri Apr 22, 2005 3:36 pm

I'm not making an SNES portable, but I do need info on the SNES controllers for a different project of mine. I need a way to "decode" the SNES's signal into one line per button.

There's lots and lots of info on the SNES controller out there, but I'm just not experienced enough in electronics yet to put it all together.

I think I can use this IC for the decoding. (I might need two...) But I don't know what to do about the clock and latch lines.

What I'm trying to do is seperate the SNES controller's signal into something USABLE. Meaning 12 output lines from the SNES controller. One from each button. Will I need a microcontroller or something to do this? Are there schematics for this on the web? I just don't know what I should do... can someone please point me in the right direction? Thanks.

Rain

P.S. If there's any more info you guys need, let me know... but I don't know really how to explain what I need... I hope I'm being clear enough.

Post by **gannon** » Fri Apr 22, 2005 3:56 pm

just wire up 2 (iirc) 4021 chips to the snes controller port and then input the buttons directly.

Electric Rain · Post by **Electric Rain** » Fri Apr 22, 2005 5:06 pm

Actually, I need to do things the other way around. I have to use the SNES controller for something different. I don't need to make an SNES controller, which is basically what you suggested.

The problem is that all three data lines (clock, latch, data) go right into one of the chips in the SNES. So I can't even extract some of the info from the schematic.

nos_slived · Post by **nos_slived** » Fri Apr 22, 2005 6:12 pm

I think you basically just want to use the controller as it is for other things. Just run new wires from each button.

Post by **gannon** » Fri Apr 22, 2005 6:55 pm

then you need something to decode a 16-bit latch circuit, I'm not sure what IC to use though.

Electric Rain · Post by **Electric Rain** » Fri Apr 22, 2005 9:03 pm

nos_slived wrote:I think you basically just want to use the controller as it is for other things. Just run new wires from each button.

Well, I would do that, but I want to be able to use any SNES controller. I don't want to mod it.

gannon wrote:then you need something to decode a 16-bit latch circuit, I'm not sure what IC to use though.

Hmm... would about the clock signal?

Post by **gannon** » Fri Apr 22, 2005 9:10 pm

You'd have to build a clock circuit that runs the encoder chips in the controller and the decoder chips at the same frequency.

Electric Rain · Post by **Electric Rain** » Fri Apr 22, 2005 10:39 pm

A simple 555 should be able to do this, right?

Electric Rain · Post by **Electric Rain** » Thu May 12, 2005 2:46 pm

A 555 timer that is.

tom61 · Post by **tom61** » Thu May 12, 2005 6:42 pm

NES pads and SNES pads work the same way. There's a NES to to discrete article called 'Ninja NES adapter' that's been posted online. Google for it. If you can't find it, I've got a scan of it somewhere.

Electric Rain · Post by **Electric Rain** » Thu May 12, 2005 9:06 pm

That would be great if you could send that to me! I can't seem to find it on Google. Thanks, you're a big help!

Rain

Electric Rain · Post by **Electric Rain** » Fri May 13, 2005 7:50 pm

Hey guys, look what I found! I guess I can deal with an NES controller, so it looks like this should be perfect, right? Now I just need a programmer...

tom61 · Post by **tom61** » Sat May 14, 2005 2:40 pm

You do need to change the programming slightly to get all 6 buttons. I've forgotten what you need to do though. I know you can plug SNES pads into a NES and vice-versa.

I found the scan on my system, if you still want it. A bit bigger and more complex than the Devcast one, but you can probably get the parts at Radio Shack.

Electric Rain · Post by **Electric Rain** » Sun May 15, 2005 12:00 am

Oh yeah, of course. I still want it. Especially if the one I found won't work with all 6... wait... there's 8 buttons. You didn't include the Start and Select buttons? Well anyway, yeah. I still want it if you could e-mail it to me. Thanks a lot.

Super Mulletman · Post by **Super Mulletman** » Sun May 15, 2005 5:42 pm

Hmmm....this project sounds a little familiar.

Are you trying to use an SNES controller on your computer? 'Cause I've done that, if you want a full guide.