Snes Cartridge Usb Hub

Intro: Snes Cartridge Usb Hub

A usb hub inside a snes cartridge, just thought it would be a fun and pretty easy project to start with.

When playing retro games (like snes/nes emulators, if it would be regular pc games this would'nt feel right somehow) on the computer hooked up to the big screen tv it's no fun having extension cables for every gamepad lying all over the place.. So I crammed this "usb octopus" inside a snes cartridge, I choosed Mario kart because everyone knows of it, and eveybody loves it =)!

So when it's game on, this hub is lying on the table just giving a nice feel to it.

Purchase of the internet
1 Usb hub ~10$ at Tradera (swedish ebay)
1 Snes cartridge (allready broken) ~ 8$ at Tradera (swedish ebay)
1 Special tool for snes ~ 10$ at Tradera (swedish ebay)

The rest I had at home (dremel and knife, note so self; F THE DREMEL, go with the knife!).

STEP 1: 1 - Prepare the Hub/cartridge

1. The usb hub, I just removed the little black box, inside there is a small circuit board (you'll see it at stage two).

2. Drilled hole in the center of the cartridge, the hole is the same thickness as the male cable from the usb.

3. Holes for the female usb ports (only three, the fourth one will have a usb mini dongle instead). I started making these holes with a dremel but it was to clumsy so I used an old rusty knife instead, worked REALLY good. I'll never use a dremel for cuttting plastic again!

ps. unfortunally I broke my first hub, that's why there is black lines on the sides of the holes. The first one would fit, the second one I used are a bit smaller so now the lines are showing.. I'll clean it up with some chemicals later =p

STEP 2: 2 - Putting It Together

On the first photo you see the stripped hub inside the cartridge. Notice the ..mm.. "stripe" in the females black rubber.. cover.. thing.. it slides perfectly down into the holes, no need too glue it down!

The other photo is a close up on the outgoing cable (male connector). It can't be pulled out and it can't be pushed in, thanks to the little black rubber thingy upclose on the right photo. Bad ass.

STEP 3: 3 - It's Done!

Just screw the cartridge together and make sure the hub stays in place. Either use it at the computer as a regular hub or do as I do, use it as a gamepad hub.. Once again.. BAD ASS!

GAME ON!!

Comments

[abun1991]

Huh... Never seen an SNES cartridge that looks like that. Is it a foreign (non-US) cartridge, because all my cartridges i could use for this would look ugly.

[kristopher.hammar]

Yeah it's the european version (PAL). The console itself also is more round than the us version =)..

[Michaelkukowski]

well there is a slim us version that looks like the pal snes that was released as well

[D4NG3RNL]

I made a wireless connection/linux base with this idea :) I did: 1, 1 - Blutooth dongle 2, 1 - Wi-Fi dongle 3, 1 - 8GB usb stick 4, Last port goes to the middle hole (I closed the other two off with gray paper) Thx for the Snes case idea :D

[nesfreak]

could you send me a build log im interested in your idea

[Houdinipeter]

yeah but it's still really cool. and doesn't instructables say "We have a "be nice" comment policy. Please be positive and constructive with your comments or risk being banned from our site." ?? please be nice! :P

[SinAmos]

That was nice.:) "Rick being banned from our site." -- Careful, that sounds threatening and negative.:) Without constructive criticism, no one is challenged and therefore produced low quality instructables, which in turn drive down readership, which isn't what we want. We at instructables want inspirational, charming, and inventive work that helps the community.

[kristopher.hammar]

Yes I get it, this have been done for years and years already. However, I didn't find anything about it here on instructables, and only one item found that we're similar on google picture search so.. I wanted one, I made one. I didn't see very much about it online so I posted it here. That's it. You wright "We at instructables ......", so I guess you're some kind of admin here? If this is your attitude towards recently added projects, maybe you should "okay" every project before it comes online.. No hard feelings, just saying.

[SinAmos]

My "we" was the royal we, but no worries. We just need to clean up around here as a community. I am not an admin.:) I'm just a loyalist that wants more from the community.

[guitarman63mm]

SinAmos:   I know you posted this quite some time ago, but I agree wholeheartedly.  There's a very big difference between someone making a completely new invention, complete with CAD schematics and metal fab work, and just moving the guts into another case.  There are aesthetic things one can do to improve things, but that's a whole other ballpark in comparison to gutting electronics.

[Father Christmas]

Well, I understand the point being made. This has been done way too many times, but it is always nice to see the differences in people processes and the way they document it.

[dm42]

Well, I found all the materials for just under 20 bucks. I just discovered this website, and I think this will be the first project I try out. Great job! I like it.

[GhostBoyHiro]

wow sick idea dat was goin 2 be my next choice but i modded my NES Controller instead check mines out

[kristopher.hammar]

Thanks for all the comments, I never thought it would be so many responses =)!

[Th3H4rRy]

Very nice, I like the built in Bluetooth dongle, That'll always be handy

[kristopher.hammar]

Absolutely. First I wanted to put a usb memory in there but remembered that to play the games the hub needs to be connected to the computer anyways so it would just be unnecessary =/..

[GorillazMiko]

Nice. It would look pretty cool with some blue LED's in it. :P +5/5 stars

[fwjs28]

yea, LED's would be awesome

[Father Christmas]

The original USB hub had 4 female jacks, but your SNES finished, has only 3??

[dombeef]

There is a mini bluetooth thing in it.