Sunday, June 5. 2005

Wireless NES Controller for PC

The USB cable on my RetroPad is cumbersome in the car. So, I got rid of the wire! I bought a cheapy Targus wireless keypad and popped it open along with an original NES controller I had.



I cut out the controller IC and cable. I trimmed the PCB and glued a AAA battery holder in. I'll be replacing the keypad's original AA battery with a NiMH AAA.



Here's the tricky part. The NES controller uses 8 inputs and one ground for it's switch state input. The keypad uses a 4x5 matrix decoder. So I split the ground trace on the control pad into 2 parts (you can see this cut in the second image below) and gave each ground to a column on the keypad. Then I jumpered pairs of buttons on the control pad and connected each pair to one of four rows on the keypad, effectively giving me / 8 2 0 for A B Sel Start and * 9 3 . for Up Rt Lf Dn.





That's it! I connected the battery, moved a few components around to allow the back to close and we have a working wireless joypad from an original NES controller. Now I just map the keys the joypad generates in our emulator to the proper buttons and I'm playing Dr. Mario in the car.



There are a couple issues. First, this is a cheap RF keypad. It has an effective range of 3-4 ft, but fine for the car or desk. Also, this keypad doesn't like it when you use more than one key at once. So, when playing Super Mario Brothers, while running and you jump, you stop going forward. I think both of these issues can be resolved up upgrading to a more expensive keypad. Cost: $27 (not including the controller) Time: 2 hours


Posted by Ryan O'Horo in Electronics at 14:03 | Comments (12) | Trackback (1)

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Wireless NES Controller for PC
Here's how to turn a Nintendo controller (USB Retropad) in to a wireless version using a targus wireless keypad. The NES controller uses 8 inputs and one ground for it's switch state input. The keypad uses a 4x5 matrix decoder. So I split the ground trace on the control pad into 2 parts (you can see this cut in the second image below) and gave each ground to a column on the keypad. Then I jumpered pairs of buttons on the control pad and connected each pair to one of four rows on the keypad, effectively giving me / 8 2 0 for A B Sel Start and * 9 3 . for Up Rt Lf Dn. Link .
Weblog: MAKE: Blog
Tracked: Jun 05, 15:40

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That's too sad about the key limit. Cool idea though.
#1 Tynan on 2006-03-07 01:22 (Reply)
You could make this work properly by using a multiplexor to make combinations of pressed buttons send a different key each... i.e. a+ right = '3' on the keyboard etc. Then just use software to decode the combinations on the computer.
#2 andrew on 2006-08-26 08:48 (Reply)
If anybody can get this to work without the 1 button at a time limitation, I would love to buy buy one!
#3 Dan on 2006-10-02 15:49 (Reply)
can you put some moure detayeld wier diagrames on??
#4 oscar on 2007-03-19 02:57 (Reply)
I tried this with a labtec keypad. This does support multiple keypresses, up to 4 at a time, but the wireless range was awful.
#5 Joe on 2007-05-23 06:34 (Reply)
If you can help me with information on my project, I'm trying to create a wireless nes controller for classic nes console please email me anything you got that might be helpful diagrams would be awesome if you've done this already. I also am not conserned with price so if there's a more expensive way equalling better range that's the way I'd go. I like this idea too if you perfect it, making it so battery is replaceable lol not glued in & a more expensive wireless better range better function please share that info with me too.
#6 Cool on 2007-07-17 07:36 (Reply)
Did you have any luck creating a wireless controller for NES?
#6.1 Charles on 2009-10-21 17:51 (Reply)
Wow cool I wish I could do that
#7 Blake on 2007-08-09 10:23 (Reply)
I am trying to do a project like that but, transforming a magnetic card reader to wirless card reader, can some one help me?
I have the wirless keyboard a a card reader with a PS/2 interface.
#8 Duarte Oliveira (Homepage) on 2007-10-17 10:46 (Reply)
I am trying to do this but using bluetooth dongles.
#9 Shep on 2009-05-29 16:48 (Reply)
I wish someone would release a high tech wide range newly designed classic NES Style controller even without the buttons if copyright issues wont allow them to use color scheme and button names, no big deal I could always repaint it and make mine look like the same or if they shaped it the same I could possibly just swap cases with the old NES that would be even cooler if they designed it within the same grounds and used the wire hole for led infrared light. And definitely should be done with a true wireless design card not box with a long wire for receiver also would be nice if it was a usb card and a classic nes plug so you could play on pc or nes.
#10 Seej (Homepage) on 2009-10-11 22:53 (Reply)
Let's say you want to have all 8 keys working independently, and wish to simply hack an existing keyboard for the wireless interface. You must use a circuit that supports a matrix of at least 8x1 or 1x8. However, for cost efficiently the most efficient use something even, so you'll be looking at 8x8 or 7x8.

A good compromise would be a matrix of at least 6. Wire A, B, Up, Down, Left, Right on one row. Wire Select and Start on another row. You won't usually use Select/Start with other buttons.

Finally, it may be simpler to try and hack an actual bluetooth or wireless USB Game-Controller. However, these are typically more expensive.
#11 Paul on 2010-01-02 13:43 (Reply)

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