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!!