Famicom (not Mini) build (WIP)

obsidianspider

I don't know that you'd have to go crazy with making holes.

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I assume you'll be using some sort of soft shutdown, like a Mausberry, so I'd say go with a micro USB cable that has a female end on it and have that in the AC Adapter hole. For the HDMI, you can get a short male to female cable (Not saying buy from them, but it's an example) and just open up the TV <> Game hole a bit.

I'm just throwing ideas out there. I've not really looked at a dissected Famicom to know what kind of things are in the way inside, but like you, I think you should try to keep the outside as intact as possible.

obsidianspider

@FlyingTomahawk I have four Zeroes actually. Only one in use (as a Pi-Hole hardwired to a USB hub that has Ethernet). I have one that I soldered a full size female USB port and GPIO header to so I can test things with, and also use it to load things on since it's usually connected to a USB hub with a Wifi dongle plugged in. I have two more that were originally destined for my Burger King Gameboy Color and Gameboy Advance projects, but I'm now trying to see if I can strip down a Pi 3 board and cut about 1cm off the end to fit it in the GBA.

MadRikXIV

Looks a similar size to my Mega Drive 2 alteration, the Fami was a second option, if I had located a cheap one...

But, I want a Famicom case as well now, damn it.

Can already see it in my head, another HDMI, Power, Netwok extension cable.

Some nice already square holes, would probably extend the power to the TV game, the HDMI to the AC adapter, network to the RF switch, and a spare USB in the CH1 CH2 port.

Then a Mayflash hidden inside, and a couple of replica USB controllers in the back.

Then somewhere to hide a couple of USB ports...

Best not check eBay for any UK ones, Must avoid making another, SWMBO won't be too pleased :(

obsidianspider

@MadRikXIV said in Famicom (not Mini) build (WIP):

I want a Famicom case as well now, damn it.

Haha, me too. I'm on eBay as we speak.

MadRikXIV

@obsidianspider Hate having a shared eBay account, can I accidentally watch and buy one say at £5...

obsidianspider

@MadRikXIV Haha. I have a few grey Gameboy Pockets that I'm watching, but I've not impulse bought anything yet.

FlyingTomahawk

I am not sure yet as to were I cut holes, if I have to cut. (HDMI and power)
I would love to keep the looks of it as original as possible even the rear part.
I want to use the FC30 Bluetooth controllers which might fit inside the current original controller slots on the side of the body, that would be awesome.
As theme I would go with the Famicom Mini Theme by ruckage, that one would be a perfect match.
It would be nice if I could use the original power slide/button to power up the Pi...need to do some reading regarding that. I saw a couple of PSX and SNES builds that included something like that.

Man I can't wait to get started. Tomorrow I will try to teardown the Famicom and see what is inside.

obsidianspider

@FlyingTomahawk Please post lots of photos of the teardown. You'll have no shortage of opinions on what you should do with the build around here…

MadRikXIV

@FlyingTomahawk Its a case ripe for keeping the look, the only slightly tricky altereation that would look out of place would be extra USB ports.

That could be remedied if just had a single one on the rear with a splitter when needed.

Added one to my watch list now, I enjoyed altering the Mega Drive case, I want another :D

Until I practice my soldering, squeezing a zero into a Gameboy is on hold for a while.

MadRikXIV

@FlyingTomahawk said in Famicom (not Mini) build (WIP):

Here pictures of the controllers.
I took one with flash so that you can see the scars better.

Think I've sold myself on getting one, the controllers, are they screwed or snapped together casing?

Tempted at 2 of these, if the original controllers are easy to crack open, and for my own lazyness, may be possible to open them up, and replace with these, without a mayflash hidden inside the famicom...

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Looks like I can import a Famicom from Japan for about £20

FlyingTomahawk

@MadRikXIV

They are srewed together. It would be no problem to open and close them.
20 pounds is a very good price if shipping is included.

edmaul69

@obsidianspider do you know what place in colorado you got them? Asking because i live there.

edmaul69

@FlyingTomahawk those controllers look good enough for me. Sure i would like them to be minty but i can settle for those.

obsidianspider

@edmaul69 It was via an eBay auction, but they also have a website. They seem to have decent prices and the controllers I bought, even though they were "C" quality were in very good shape. I recently put new membranes in them, but that was really only because I bought a 5-pack when I was redoing the one Super Famicom controller that I bought to put a USB converter inside.

https://retrogamesjapan.com/

obsidianspider

@edmaul69 It's really hard to find just the Famicom controllers since they're built into the unit. I wonder how uncomfortable they are to hold with the wires coming out of the side instead of the top.

edmaul69

@obsidianspider yeah i played with some famicom clone nes controllers and it was awkward. I have all 4 style nintendo branded controllers that have a 9 pin cable so i can use them on my pi and i wanted to have those too. I have this thing for oem controllers. I have 5 pc engine controllers too. A blue normal controller, the korean turbografx16 (not pc engine) shuttle controller, the avenue 3, and the avenue 6, a turbo duo controller. I would love to eventually get all of the pc engine/ tg16 controllers but that is a lot of controllers. The korean controllers and the laseractive pc engine and sega genesis controllers are expensive. I have a lot of controllers i can use for the original console feel

FlyingTomahawk

Found a teardown site.

In this picture you can see that the controllers have some sort of plug that connect to the main board.

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Also the power switch is visible, wonder if I could somehow use that. Any infos on connecting a switch to a Pi Zero? GPIO?

obsidianspider

@FlyingTomahawk I'd use that power switch with a Mausberry (or if there's another variant that's easier to get in Japan). That's essentially the same switch that was in my Super Famicom.

obsidianspider

@edmaul69 Wow, and I thought I was a little over the top for getting a Super Famicom and Genesis 6-button controller to convert to USB "just to have". ;)

I can't say I've ever even seen a TurboGrafx 16 in person, let alone played one.

obsidianspider

I forgot about that funky 15-pin connector from the front of the Famicom. Wouldn't be a bad spot for a USB port if you can get the plastic to look right. I'm not sure if/how that whole assembly comes apart. Maybe you could even make a piece of plastic that has the 15-hole pattern on it like a cover for the port that would keep it stealth until you wanted to use the USB port.