wraggster
November 30th, 2011, 22:53
http://hackadaycom.files.wordpress.com/2011/11/funtendo1.jpg
For those of us who can’t be bothered to dig out or N64 whenever we want to playOcarina of Time or our NES whenever we get the urge to play Battletoads, emulators are a godsend. There is a problem, though. A keyboard doesn’t provide the right experience as a the classic NES ‘brick’ or the N64 tritopus controllers. Enter theFuntendo (http://www.gadgetgangster.com/news/54/518), a breakout box that converts all your well-loved controllers to USB.
The Funtendo uses the Gadget Gangster Propeller Platform (http://www.gadgetgangster.com/find-a-project/56.html?projectnum=257) with a terminal block module. Putting together the electronics is fairly easy; just strip the ends of the controllers and screw them down to the terminal blocks. N64, NES and Wii Classic Controllers are supported by the Funtendo. Going for the Classic Controller over a Super Nintendo controller reduces the complexity of the build. The Classic Controller can play SNES games and uses an I2C bus, making it easier to wire.
For interfacing the controllers to the computer, the Parallax Propeller Tool (http://www.parallax.com/ProductInfo/Microcontrollers/PropellerGeneralInformation/PropellerMediaPage/tabid/832/Default.aspx), Parallax serial terminal, and PPJoy (http://ppjoy.bossstation.dnsalias.org/) convert button mashing into readable buttons for the emulator. The build may take more time than pulling an NES out of the attic, but even with a large project box it takes up much less space.
http://hackaday.com/2011/11/30/funtendo-connects-all-your-nintendo-controllers-to-a-pc/
For those of us who can’t be bothered to dig out or N64 whenever we want to playOcarina of Time or our NES whenever we get the urge to play Battletoads, emulators are a godsend. There is a problem, though. A keyboard doesn’t provide the right experience as a the classic NES ‘brick’ or the N64 tritopus controllers. Enter theFuntendo (http://www.gadgetgangster.com/news/54/518), a breakout box that converts all your well-loved controllers to USB.
The Funtendo uses the Gadget Gangster Propeller Platform (http://www.gadgetgangster.com/find-a-project/56.html?projectnum=257) with a terminal block module. Putting together the electronics is fairly easy; just strip the ends of the controllers and screw them down to the terminal blocks. N64, NES and Wii Classic Controllers are supported by the Funtendo. Going for the Classic Controller over a Super Nintendo controller reduces the complexity of the build. The Classic Controller can play SNES games and uses an I2C bus, making it easier to wire.
For interfacing the controllers to the computer, the Parallax Propeller Tool (http://www.parallax.com/ProductInfo/Microcontrollers/PropellerGeneralInformation/PropellerMediaPage/tabid/832/Default.aspx), Parallax serial terminal, and PPJoy (http://ppjoy.bossstation.dnsalias.org/) convert button mashing into readable buttons for the emulator. The build may take more time than pulling an NES out of the attic, but even with a large project box it takes up much less space.
http://hackaday.com/2011/11/30/funtendo-connects-all-your-nintendo-controllers-to-a-pc/