PiZero & USB NES Controller
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I'm a newb to the Zero (but not to the Pi nor RetroPie). I finally got a Zero and I want to put the Zero inside the NES controller for a family member as an all-in-one system. (You know where you solder straight to the GPIO and get creative to fit it all together inside)
Clearly I am not a pioneer here, but all the photos I see on the wiring from NES PCB to Pi Zero GPIO is different then what I have. I bought a NES controller from Amazon and it is USB not the original plug. I have standard 4 wire USB not the 5 wire NES I keep seeing. Did I buy the wrong model?
I don't want to fry this zero putting the wrong wires in the GPIO. Can anyone point me in the right direction. I can't find any images in a simple Google search.
Thanks for any help in advance.
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@unkis17 you need to remove the circuitry that is on the board. Any resistors, capacitors, wires, and chips. If there is a black blob you need to put on a mask and a dremel and sand it off. There is a chip in that blob. Or you can take a razor or exacto knife and cut every single trace leading to that blob.
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@edmaul69 - I am not home now, but I know there are a few components on that board. I know there is two small caps because I have already desoldered them and resoldered them on the other side of the board so I could get the Zero to lay flat. I also remember a crystal on the back side of the PCB (the side where the button's don't touch). On the facing side there is a small round black dot if remember correctly.
I will have to post some photos later tonight of the PCB controller I have.
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Well if its a USB NES controller your kinda reinventing the wheel here. Just solder the USB leads from the controller board directly to the USB leads on the Pi Zero. The controller should be recognized as a straight up USB controller.
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@Shakz - I have never used the GPIO pins so I am not sure where the USB wire go (I have only plugged in hats / shields) . I understand 5V & GND go to GPIO pins 2 & 6, but where will the Data + & Data - wires go in the GPIO?
The Examples I have seen with the original NES Controller are soldered elsewhere so users can load the NES controller driver in Retropie.
I like this suggestion also b/c I believe I won't have to remove the components like edmaul69 had suggested, which to me means less chances of ruining something.
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@unkis17 You should not need to use the GPIO headers at all. You should be able to desolder the usb cable from the controller. Then use your own shorter wires to solder the controller usb out to the rpi zero usb in pads.
http://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0270/0585/files/PiZeroConnections_large.jpg -
@Shakz - I can't see the JPG link you attached, but I think I understand what you mean. To clarify you want me to solder direct to the Zero on the bottom where the little gold pads are. I see there are two pads under the micro USB connections. If this is the correct idea, then I need to get power off of PP1 and PP6. Then I need to solder Data + and Data - to PP22 and PP23. Is this correct?
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@Shakz - Just a thought here. If I solder directly to the Zero USB pads then I will loose the ability to plug a device into this port? I ask because I was thinking a second player could play on this system if they plug a controller into the Zero using a OTG cable.
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@unkis17 Honestly m8 I am not sure. Never tried what you are doing before ;-)
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