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SNES controller to Atari and Commodore adapter

SNES controller to Commodore/Atari adapter

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This project creates a simple convertor/adapter from SNES controllers to Atari/Commodore.

The adapter introduces only <1ms of lag.

Follow the instructions to build one. The total price for the build should be under 10$. All components can be found cheaply on Aliexpress.

The firmware is actually supports 2 controllers, so if you know what you're doing you can connect 2 controllers with only one arduino, or build 2 copies if you want a cleaner build.

Disclaimer

you can damage your vintage hardware if you don't know what you're doing. You're building this at your own risk!

I assume you:

  • have basic experience with Arduino, and know how to program a board.
  • know how to solder and have a soldering station
  • know at least basic electronics
  • have and know how to use a multimeter

Further notes

The sampling on the SNES controller is done at 1000Hz exact. I went overboard and adjusted the timings until I got the exact number. That's why we have only <1ms lag. You can push it even further but not by much, maybe by a 100-200Hz.

snes2c64.stl

3d file for the enclosure.

Standard Tesselated Geometry - 63.17 kB - 09/13/2024 at 18:06

Download

  • 1 × Arduino Nano V3 You can find these cheaply with any usb type you want.
  • 1 × Camepad Cable For Sega Genesis 2 Use that title to find the suitable cable. Don't get the NES cable as those have fewer wires. Can be found easily on Aliexpress.
  • 1 × Female Connector Socket Slot for SNES If you get the same one as in the pictures, you can 3d print the enclosure that will fit it.

  • 1
    Identify cables on your cable

    Depending where you got your cable from, the wire colors probably won't match with mine, so you have to map each pin with a wire color.

    Multimeter probes don't fit so grab another wire to probe each pin. With multimeter set to continuity, in one hand hold a wire (on one end of the cable) to the multimeter probe. With the second hand (and a lot of dexterity) hold a short wire pressed to your multimeter probe and try to plug it into each pin in the connector side of the cable until you find the connecting pin.

    Write down which pin is connected to which wire. You can find pin numbers on the wiki page: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atari_joystick_port. Note that the view is as looking at your commodore/atari port, not at the cable! So when you count the pin number on your cable, you have to mirror it!

  • 2
    Soldering

    Solder the SNES connector as (NOTE: SNES pin numbering starts from the square side, and the last pin number is on the rounded side) to the Arduino pins:

    • 1 -> 5V
    • 2 -> A0
    • 3 -> A1
    • 4 -> A2
    • 7 -> GND (on the other side of 5V pin)

    If you printed the enclosure, now it's the time to pull the cable through the hole on the bottom.

    Solder the cable to the Arduino pins:

    • 1 -> D12
    • 2 -> D11
    • 3 -> D10
    • 4 -> D9
    • 5 - not connected
    • 6 -> D8
    • 7 -> VIN
    • 8 -> GND
    • 9 -> not connected

    Check the pictures if you're having trouble.

  • 3
    Flash the firmware

    Open Arduino IDE, connect the board, select the COM port and board "Arduino Nano".

    Get the code from the github (link in the links section) and flash it. It's the snes2c64.ino file you need.

View all 5 instructions

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