SNES + Teensy = USB/PS3 Gamepad

The Super Nintendo controller is one of the best gamepads ever made. This tutorial will show how you can breathe life into your old SNES controller so you can use it with your PC and your PS3.

You will need the following items:

SNES Controller 
Teensy 2.0 USB Board (http://www.pjrc.com/teensy/ )
USB Cable (http://www.pjrc.com/store/cable_usb_mini_b.html )
Soldering Iron
Solder and Flux
Wire Stripper
Slip Joint Pliers
Needle Nose Pliers
Diagonal Pliers
Knife or Blade
Philips Precision Screwdriver

Step 1: The SNES Controller

Remove the 5 screws from the back of the SNES controller and pull the back of the controller off. We can see the back of the PCB and the wire harness connector. Remove the wire harness. We are going to use the wire harness to attach the Teensy, so be careful when removing it.

Comments

[Macflame]

Could I use a ATMEGA32L-8AU MCU AVR Development Board for this?
e.g. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ATMEL-Minimum-Development-Board-Core-System-Shield-Board-for-Atmega32-Mega32-AVR-/281012534396?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item416da6fc7c

[Tomdf]

Cool! I hadn't heard of these Teeny things, thanks for the intro :D

[Abby_Santi]

this is really cool but im guessing using different codes can this be done with an NES controller also? have you ever tired it?if so would you be willing to post the codes for us to use?

Thank you

[quadcrunk]

does this work with Teensy++

[johnburkert]

yes, but you will need to make changes to the makefile for the different processor and the pin locations are different on the Teensy++.

[quadcrunk]

Ok thanks, I was wondering if you can modify the make file and compile for me because I'm not familiar at all on how to modify the files.

[mdgrover]

Excellent instructable! I'm trying a different approach - using the exact same circuit and code, but keeping the Teensy outside of the controller. I created an SNES controller "jack" by cutting a cheap controller extension cable in half, and connecting the corresponding wires to the Teensy. This allows you to plug the SNES controller into the circuit instead of modding the actual controller. The downside of course is that you have to create some kind of housing for the Teensy, SNES jack and the USB. I'll let you know if it turns out as expected.

[johnburkert]

Very cool. I have a famicom project I am working on with an external teensy and I was going to use one of these:

http://www.hammondmfg.com/dwg9.htm

My local Fry's carries them. Good Luck!

[johnburkert]

I posted a follow-up tutorial using this same hack with a joystick. http://www.instructables.com/id/SNES-Super-Advantage-Teensy-USBPS3-Gamepad/

[pfred2]

So your project is the first half of this?

http://ladyada.net/make/usbgamepad/

[johnburkert]

We go about it differently. They solder directly to the pcb. I read the output and convert. I like my solution better.

[pfred2]

Do you know why they did it their way as opposed to how you did it?

[johnburkert]

Their way takes a lot more time and effort. The only reason to do it that way is if the controller's chip is dead. They are bypassing the chip when they solder directly to the pcb. The advantage of my way is it works with any snes controller (even the super advantage joystick) and it takes less time. But if your controller is busted, then soldering to the pcb is the only way to do it.

[pfred2]

Thanks for the explanation, that would make sense. Though it seems to me that their way would work with any, where as your way would only work with a functional controller.

[mikeasaurus]

Awesome retro hack!