Pi Inside an SNES.

A Former User

So I had an amazing idea.
I would get a retrode, open it up, hook it up to the raspberry pi using the gpio pins, then modify the code of EmulationStation so that it could recognize the Retrode and it would have an "insert Catridge" tab.

Ok, maybe scratching the gpio pin part. I do not know how to solder at all.
But maybe modifying ES's code to recognize the Retrode....

Sounds like a good idea. Anyone with me?

Darksavior

Seems like a lot of work. I'll never understand the elitism with using carts. I satisfied my nostalgia in my sfc pi by soldering a 128gb USB stick to a cart, and soldered 4 pins on the cart slot that goes to a USB port on my pi. My original plan was to have one cart per console, but I found this stick on sale...

A Former User

@itsnitro said in Retro game stuff talk:

HOLY MAJIKARP.
You won't believe what came in the mail today.
I recently purchased an SNES that was broken so that I could put my Pi in it. But now I really want to play on it.
http://imgur.com/gp1NHuB.jpg

TheMattCoffee

The Retrode idea is good but I had the idea of leaving the original cartridge dock from the SNES Mainboard in and hock that up to the Pi.

My Idea is that you have multiple SNES cartridges with USB drives or SD cards in it with different OS' installed on them and swap between them when you want to watch something with Kodi after playing on Retropi. I know that you can install Kodi next to Retropi and run it from the menu. But it's just for the effect. A little bit of showing off 😉

I'm new to Raspberry, bought my first one two days ago and had just Retropi installed, but my browser history is full of how to put it inside a console etc. And my head is even more full of ideas on what to do with it. 😁

Darksavior

@TheMattCoffee
Not really a new idea... I stumbled onto a tutorial like 2yrs ago of someone doing the same thing. He used sd cards. I found out the hard way how that's not the ideal way to go around it. The process was unreliable. Sometimes the sd card wouldn't read. I have zero issues with usb, so I'm using that. Less wires too.

TheMattCoffee

@Darksavior Thanks for the hint. I've searched a bit and couldn't find anything but I guess I have to keep looking for some tutorials or experiment on my own.

Darksavior

@TheMattCoffee https://imgur.com/a/1RUwa
I didn't really go with that "tutorial". It just gave me ideas on what to do. My sfc/snes is almost nothing like his. I'm using his pi placement, though.

A Former User

I wanted to make the SNES usable, as in making the games work.
I would hook up the original catridge slot to the gpio pins on the Raspberry PI, but I know nothing about soldering.

obsidianspider

@itsnitro If you want to play SNES cartridges on the SNES, then don't put a Pi in it.

If you want to do this project with no soldering at all, you're going to have a rough time of it.

If you're afraid to solder or are intimidated by it, get some junky old electronics scrap and practice on that. A good soldering station where you can regulate temperature will give you much better results than a cheap soldering iron with no settings.

A Former User

Alright then, but I'm getting ahead of myself a little bit. I first just want to put the pi inside the case, then go on with the other stuff.

space cadet

Yeah definitely learn soldering. Will be a fun learning process!

lilbud

@space-cadet Make sure your practice soldering first, like on some scrap wires. I burnt myself several times and have a big drop of solder on my shoe.

Darksavior

This post is deleted!

hotmetal007

i just finally finish my Retropie Suprefamicom :D

alt text

:D

Darksavior

@hotmetal007 Nice. Are you using the gamecon driver with your snes pads? If so, do NOT update to retropie 4.2.2. The new kernel breaks it. Buzz already knows about it. Not sure when he'll fix it.

hotmetal007

@Darksavior thanks! :3

A Former User

Ok, so I got the screwdriver I need, and I took apart the SNES. Looks pretty good.
I'm thinking of scrapping all of the ideas I had and instead will just use the case itself.

jokey carrot1

@itsnitro if you conected the retroede through ub i think it will be recognized as a usb drive then use this video

to setup loading from usb

obsidianspider

@itsnitro It's easy to wire up the factory controller ports to an adapter from Raphnet. The reset button can be wired to GPIO to do whatever you'd like. The power switch can be connected right up to a Mausberry. You have lots of options. What are your new goals for the project?

A Former User

Alright, so here's what I want to be done in this project.

Fit a Pi inside an SNES.
Make the Power and Reset Buttons work.
Make the cartridge slot actually usable.

Number one is halfway there. I've taken apart the SNES and I am close. There is one part, however, that is bothering me. I cannot seem to take apart the backplate where all of the slots should go.
Now I would 3d print a new one if I had a 3d printer, yet I don't. So i've really stopped there.