Super Nintemu: A Raspberry Pi Emulation Console

Morph-X

Hi everyone, this is me posting something for the first time, so please bear with me. First of all i'd like to express my sincerest appreciation and thanks to everyone involved in and around RetroPie. Although i have been a gamer for almost 30 years now, RetroPie, amazing as it is, has really blown me away thus far.

It's fantastic to see and read about the great builds many of you are presenting here. Truly inspiring and i can see there is a lot i can learn. Nonetheless, i'd like to show you my self-titled "Super Nintemu".

A Raspberry Pi 2 built into a European Super Nintendo.

Compared to other projects it seems i'm quite primitive and simple as far as cabling and connections concerned, but oh well.

Goals i set for myself and this build:

A nicely looking Super Nintendo, one of which the plastic hadn't turned yellow yet;
The original POWER button to be functional;
The original RESET button to be functional;
Like the original, a red LED power indicator;
To have a cartridge present with a custom designed "Super Nintemu" label;
USB ports instead of the original controller ports so i can easily change controllers for the different emulators;
Power en HDMI input ports in the back.

POWER button
Using a simple micro USB extension cable i connected the + wire to the original power switch. Simply but effective the switch does nothing more than interrupt the power input.

RESET button
Since the original RESET switch of the SNES is integrated in its mainboard, i mounted a new switch in the console, positioned precisely beneath the RESET button of the console. I connected this switch by soldering the cables to the 2-pin RUN header on the Raspberry Pi, again a simple power interrupt, but it does exactly what the RESET button is supposed to do.

LED power indicator
Using a 1.8V LED and a small resistor, connected to the POWER switch and the GND connected to the GND of the micro USB port on the Raspberry Pi, the LED gets powered when switching on the console.

Cartridge with custom "Super Nintemu" label
I cut the original cartridge socket out of the SNES mainboard, just so i can insert the cartridge. Obviously i had to remove the cartridge eject mechanism, the cartridge locking mechanism is still present, since it's operated by the POWER button. Keeping the cartridge socket did present some difficulties with placing the Raspi, but nothing serious.

USB ports
Instead of the original controller ports i mounted two USB ports. This gives me the opportunity to change controllers easily and quickly. I use NES USB, SNES USB and N64 USB controllers, depending on the games and systems i'm playing. Quite honestly, i wouldn't know how to connect and configure the original controller ports to the Raspberry Pi anyway. ;-)

Power and HDMI input
I didn't want any cables to hang out of the console, i really wanted to create a power and HDMI port in the back, like the original SNES has its ports. So using a small piece of aluminium mounted to the console, i could then attach position the ports to it. Like stated earlier i use a simple micro USB extension cable for the power input. The same goes for HDMI input, also a HDMI extension cable. To finish it i placed a little dark grey backplate, like the original SNES has.

If you want more detail and a better look at my Super Nintemu, there's a video on YouTube in my channel, you can check it out if you like:

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I already made a second Super Nintemu for a friend of mine. And currently i'm working on a "Nintemu", a Raspberry Pi 3 built into a NES. I'll show that one too when it is finished. Also, a Nintendo 64 is waiting for a mod.

All Raspi consoles i build for someone else will be based on a clean and ROM-free RetroPie installation. Also, please know that i'll donate 10 Pounds for every install of RetroPie i do. It's the least i can do.

Thank you for reading! Comments are greatly appreciated. Have a good one! ;-)

Greetings,
Morph-X from the Netherlands

Ekstreme

Very slick.

obsidianspider

This is really nicely done. Did you print the cartridge label yourself or have someone make it? I'm looking to make a label for the project I'm working on after I get the screen working that will be mounted in the cartridge.

demesauce

That looks really clean. Only recommendation I have is changing the function of the power switch. If you just cut power, by using the switch, you will eventually corrupt the sd card. Get something like the PowerBlock, or a Mausberry Circuits switch: http://mausberrycircuits.com/collections/frontpage/products/shutdown-circuit-use-your-own-switch

Using one of those will send the shutdown command to the Pi and safely turn off the machine

Morph-X

Thank you for your kind words.

@obsidianspider
I use Photoshop for the design and to make sure the measurements of the label are correct. Then i laser printed it on glossy label paper (A4 size) so i only had to cut it out and apply it to the cartridge. To remove the original label i placed the cartridge for a minute or 2 in boiled water so it would come off nicely. Also, nice project you got going. I love the idea of mounting a display in a cartridge. I'll keep an eye on your topic.

@demesauce
Thank you. Of course you are right, but i always shut down the system via the RetroPie menu before actually switching it off.

Darksavior

@demesauce
I've had zero issues with my sd card over the year+ I've had my sfc pi. If you shutdown before cutting the power, it'll be fine. I went the cheapest on my setup, so I have nothing in between power/reset/controllers. They're all wired directly to the pi.

jamesbeat

I kinda hate to see an old SNES get 'butchered', because they aren't making any more of them.
However, it looks like you did a nice job.
My concern is not so much the conversion process, but the fact that the Pi will be obsolete a year or two from now.
Then you just have a hacked up SNES with an obsolete board in it that will never get used, and one less SNES in the world.

I think it's important to consider future upgrades. The way you have done it is relatively sympathetic, and as long as you intend to upgrade it as newer and better Pis come along, I see nothing wrong with it.

I had this conversation with myself when I was considering doing this to a PlayStation.
They are more common and lower in value than a SNES, so I'm not too worried about it.

Morph-X

@jamesbeat
Thank you for your comment and thoughts. I understand your concern and i respect it, but honestly i do not agree. You should know, i tried finding a defective SNES, but nothing to be found in my country, really.

Also, with 50 million SNES' sold worldwide we're not exactly talking rare heritage here. So i wouldn't worry too much about a couple of hundred SNES' worldwide being modded. In years from now i'm sure there will be plenty SNES' to be found. They don't break down easily so no reason for people to throw them away.
The Pi turning obsolete may be true. But as long as it's alive, this console is actually being used unlike my real SNES because i have a couple of more games of different consoles i can play on it as well. My real SNES is doing nothing more then collect dust in the basement. So in terms of play value, it's actually okay.

The NES i'm currently working on actually was defective. It had some hardware issues and simply wouldn't do anything. So maybe you're happier with that mod. ;-)

Darksavior

@jamesbeat
I gutted a perfectly working sfc and a few carts so I could put usb sticks in them to load roms from. I expect flowers at the funeral.

PetroRie

You did a great job! I like it how you installed the USB ports in the front.

jamesbeat

@Morph-X said in Super Nintemu: A Raspberry Pi Emulation Console:

@jamesbeat
Thank you for your comment and thoughts. I understand your concern and i respect it, but honestly i do not agree. You should know, i tried finding a defective SNES, but nothing to be found in my country, really.

Also, with 50 million SNES' sold worldwide we're not exactly talking rare heritage here. So i wouldn't worry too much about a couple of hundred SNES' worldwide being modded. In years from now i'm sure there will be plenty SNES' to be found. They don't break down easily so no reason for people to throw them away.
The Pi turning obsolete may be true. But as long as it's alive, this console is actually being used unlike my real SNES because i have a couple of more games of different consoles i can play on it as well. My real SNES is doing nothing more then collect dust in the basement. So in terms of play value, it's actually okay.

The NES i'm currently working on actually was defective. It had some hardware issues and simply wouldn't do anything. So maybe you're happier with that mod. ;-)

I wasn't critcizing you, sorry if it came across that way.
What I was talking about is the dilemma of modding a perfectly good system, as I intend to do a similar thing with a PSX.

I actually collect consoles but never play them. I love owning them and having them on display, but I only use emulators because, well, I'm lazy.

When I buy a console to add to the collection, I always buy one that is in good cosmetic shape, but is non-working.
I figure that if I'm not going to actually use it, it doesn't need to work.
I leave the working ones to the people who will actually use them.
(Plus, broken ones are cheaper lol)

Morph-X

@PetroRie
Thank you! The USB ports are quite practical as well! Yesterday for example, after playing a SNES game for a while, i switched from my USB SNES to my USB NES controller to play some NES Tetris. It's awesome to be able to switch controllers on the fly.

@jamesbeat
Don't worry, i didn't think you were criticizing. ;-) I'm glad you share your thoughts and i respect them. Just gave you my thoughts on the topic in return. Again, i do not take the consoles for granted. I put lots of hours into modding them, so it doesn't just "die" for functional reasons. And seeing as i game almost 10 hours a week on my raspi console, it's not in vain.

msxer

Very nice! Yesterday I picked up a defective SNES console for €10 and I'm going to do something similar.

Step one is cleaning up the discoloration to make it look a bit newer :-)

Morph-X

@msxer
Thank you!
Are you planning to post your project here? I'm really curious to see how you "de-yellow" your SNES. I have one at home with which i'd wanna do it if it works properly. Furthermore, i'm interested to see how your project will come along. Good luck!

msxer

@Morph-X said in Super Nintemu: A Raspberry Pi Emulation Console:

Are you planning to post your project here? I'm really curious to see how you "de-yellow" your SNES. I have one at home with which i'd wanna do it if it works properly. Furthermore, i'm interested to see how your project will come along. Good luck!

Yes, I will post the end result here at least. And maybe some intermediary results :-)

For the de-yellowing I have seen people online getting great results using hydrogen peroxide gel (like the stuff that is used to bleach hair) and sunlight or UV-light. So I have bought a large bottle of this stuff and I'll be applying it to my SNES during the weekend (hopefully, if there's enough sun).

Darksavior

@msxer took me around a week. Did both sides because it was getting too brittle. Should notice a different after a day or two.

msxer

@Darksavior said in Super Nintemu: A Raspberry Pi Emulation Console:

@msxer took me around a week. Did both sides because it was getting too brittle. Should notice a different after a day or two.

Did you submerge your case in the peroxide gel (and keep it submerged) or did you apply the gel onto the case and leave it in the sun?

Darksavior

@msxer submerged in a mix of peroxide gel/cream and water. I've watched too many people screw up with the paste mix and plasric wrap. Ugly blotches. I even saw one that removed a bit of the nintendo logo. Dipping it is the safest way. Nintendo logo intact.

Ekstreme

I have an original gameboy I've been meaning to do this too. I was planning on rubbing the cream all over, then putting it in a blown-up zip lock back outside in the sun,

msxer

@Darksavior said in Super Nintemu: A Raspberry Pi Emulation Console:

@msxer submerged in a mix of peroxide gel/cream and water. I've watched too many people screw up with the paste mix and plasric wrap. Ugly blotches. I even saw one that removed a bit of the nintendo logo. Dipping it is the safest way. Nintendo logo intact.

What mix-ratio did you use for the peroxide gel and water? And did you make a fresh mix daily or did you just leave the plastic in the same bath for a few days?

@Morph-X: sorry for kind of hijacking your thread. I'll create a new thread to post my de-yellowing results in when I have the time to post my progress.

BTW: since I haven't received the security screwdriver yet to open up my SNES, I took it to a local repair shop to open it using their tool. The guys there were really friendly and offered to check if the SNES I bought as being defective (for just 10 Euro) really was defective using their power supply, TV cable and game. It turned out my SNES works fine. So I have some second thoughts about breaking it to build in a Raspberry Pi.