NES Controller for Playstation mod possible?

#1

I want to attempt a mod that would be able to hook an NES controller to a playstation (I plan to use a converter for PS1 to GC).

Although spending $20 for converters or purchasing an FGwidget converter would be the easiest and logical way to solve this, I think attempting a mod would be more interesting.

For materials I have:
[LIST=1]
[]Original PS1 controller
[]NES controller
[*]Tools (Soldering equipment, pliers, etc.)
[/LIST]
I was thinking that I would disconnect the cord from the playstation controller and then match the necessary pins to the NES controller (Playstation GND to NES GND, VCC to VCC, etc.)
Is this the right way to go about the project or can i just shove the PS PCB inside of the NES controller?

#2

It would not work, The NES controller uses different protocols or “speaks a different language” than the PlayStation Controller

A FG Widget could (key word could) work, assuming NES pads can be adapted to SNES and vice versa.
As the NES and SNES have the same pin out and simular protocols. Although the SNES pad uses a 16 bit encoding while the NES uses 8 bit encoding, or other words the SNES know more words and bigger words than the NES. The D-pad, Start, Select, A & B works fine, but Y, X, L R would be gibberish to the NES.

Another method is to gut out a NES pad, remove the encoder chip from the NES pad’s PCB, and wire each signal and ground to a common ground PSX pad.
You have total of 9 lines, 4 for the d-pad, 2 for start and select and 2 for A & B, and last a ground line.

A MC Cthulhu would be a better choice than a stock PSX game pad, regardless which way you go about this.
You can also skip any converters and use a GC cable if you want to use the NES pad on game cube.

#3

I’ve done DS’s second method with a db15 cord and the PS PCB in a project box. Worked fine. Go look for my Saturn to 360 thread in the info sticky. It’s the same idea.

#4

Thanks for the responses

#5

FGW Converter works just peachy with NES inputs.

#6

I though it would, but I was not 100% certain it would work.

#7

So just that I’m clear what the OP is asking…He wants to use the NES pad on a GameCube console, and since he had a PS1 to GameCube converter, thought to stuff the guts of of PS1 pad into the NES pad. If you are going to go through this much trouble with a mod, I say go ahead and do the mod the most elegant way possible, which would be the MC Cthulhu with GC cord. You could also go one step further and install a 6 or 12 inch RJ-45 cord to the MC Cthulhu and use a RJ-45 coupler to switch between multiple types of console cords.

#8

Thanks for the input, the whole point of my project was to use spare parts just lying around but if i want to do this project i’ll use the above methods

#9

The hardest part will be making everything fit inside the NES pad, I’m not sure exactly how small the MC Cthulhu is.

#10

You going about it wrong, don’t try to mod the NES pad, use the MC Cthulhu to make a Multi system converter.
The NES pad only has so much room, and unless you can chop a MC Cthulhu pad to its most basic parts (it is possible but not easy), fitting in a existing NES pad a nightmare.
Use the FG Widget Converter with the Cthulhu to make a converter, snag a NES extension cord and keep your NES pad stock.

As Toodles confirmed the NES pad can take advantage of the SNES mode on the widget converter.

To Rictorxix, it sounds more expensive not to just go with parts on hand, but in the long run taking the extra time and money does pay off

#11

This is also sexier but less DIY geeky.

http://www.retrousb.com/index.php?cPath=22&osCsid=918a728789a67951f0e69b0fc5b83e48

#12

I saw the pics of the NES controller and the Saturn Pad and that looks like what I will be doing. Did you purchase a DB15 cable and then stripped off insulation of one end to expose wire for padhacking?

#13

Yep, the cord was slightly too large for the case to close. I had to widen the NES cord hole a little with a dremel.

#14

I think that A will need to be mapped to X.

If you took the nes pad and wired a SNES cable to it respecting the same pinout, the A button will trigger X.

You will have to double check. FYI if you plan to use a FGWidget.