NES Retro Media Center

Yester day I could not sleep, so what was I doing? Yes! I was soldering the secound RetroUSB chip and I also removed the big connection socket for the power button and the led.

On the other end, the end that was connected to the moder board the pinout looked like this:

1. GND
3. GND
5. USB_VD2+
7. USB_VD2-
9. +5VSUS
11. USB_VD5-
13. USB_VD5+

I used pin 9 for both of the ports and I connected them to a 2mm socket.

…and today I had time to test it and everything worked!

input: RetroUSB.com RetroPad as /devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:10.1/usb3/3-1/3-1:1.0/input/input4
generic-usb 0003:F000:0003.0001: input,hidraw0: USB HID v1.00 Gamepad [RetroUSB.com RetroPad] on usb-0000:00:10.1-1/input0

input: RetroUSB.com RetroPad as /devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:10.2/usb4/4-2/4-2:1.0/input/input5
generic-usb 0003:F000:0003.0002: input,hidraw1: USB HID v1.00 Gamepad [RetroUSB.com RetroPad] on usb-0000:00:10.2-2/input0

Today I was put in a very hard situation, I was forced to choose if I was going to build my NES to USB converter or to buy it. I so wanted to build it my self by using a PIC microcontroller but since I did not have a programmer and was only to program two chips it was alot cheaper to buy the converters. From what I could see from forums RetroZone was the best place to go and so I did. As soon as they arrives I will put out some pictures cause I will install the converters in a special way.

Since I did a bit of reasearch on how to build and program the NES to USB converter it is ashame to let it go to waist. Ther for I will post some good links here.

• The PIC18F4550 from Microchip is a really nice microcontroller to use for this USB project.
• Microchip also have very good programmers and debugger tools, PICkit 2.
• If you like DIY, like me please have a look at this article at www.diyife.com.
• And here are some information about programming it on a Mac!
• The software and alot of more information on how to do this you can find here.
• Also if you like YouTube, MungedToastFaces has posted alot of good videos.

As I said before, I will use the original NES controller as a remote. And today the controllers arrived. These where also bought at Ebay for 150 SEK ~ 25 USD.

Since I want the ability to easily change the controller if it breaks I will not convert the controller to USB as many other have done with help of www.retrousb.com. I will convert the port on the NES instead and as a bonus I will keep the outside of the console untouched.

For a cuple of days I bought a broken NES at Ebay, (Tradera in Sweden). It is payed and I am just waiting for it to arrive. Same feeling every time “hope I do not get scammed” :)

72 SEK ~ 11,70 USD

My main goal with this homepage is to keep me working on my current project, a Media Center within a Nintendo Entertainment System. And of course get some ideas from the readers? ;)

The idea is to use a VIA Pico, Nano or Mini ITX mainboard and make a nice Media Center. As a remote I will convert the standard Nintendo controller into a usb mouse. Also it is important that the system has a low power consumption.

From what Google have told me about this I am quite alone with this HTPC (Home Theatre PC) project. This is the only ones I have found so far:

• The Nintendo PC
• Build a Nintendo NES PC
• The “NESPC”