Source for male/female internal controller connectors?

Started by Rupert, March 07, 2017, 07:09:18 am

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Rupert

So, this question is a long shot: Does anyone know of an aftermarket source for the internal P1 & P2 connectors on the famicom?

Reason I'm looking for them.

I was planning on building a one adapter fits all/switcher box, that would let me use NES/SNES & Famicom external port devices on, well, my NES, SNES & Famicom.

However, I've just found out that some games on the famicom don't respect the external port as player 1 (or 2). Most notably for me, Super Mario USA.

So, my second thought would be to connect my Famicom to this system via the original P1 & P2 ports inside the system & even, if possible, allow my original famicom controllers to plug in on the front end for use on the NES & Famicom (though I intend to mostly use SNES controllers, ala 8bitdo).

But, in order to do this I either need to solder cables directly to the motherboard (least preferable method), cannibalize some busted up famicom controllers for their connectors (not preferable) or find a source of male & female connectors that will mate with the originals (most preferable).

Anybody got any idea where to start looking, or if these things are just too custom to the famicom to bother?

Rupert

So, In case anyone else would like to follow in my footsteps.....

I found out that standerd 5 pin internal USB header connectors will plug right into the Famicom twin's internal controller ports. (skipping the microphone pin on P2 of course).

I don't have my red & white Famicom in hand to confirm it works on the standard ones as well, but I suspect it does.

I've successfully built a replacement cable using these USB header cables that accepts P1 via a NES or SNES female connector (and will be soldering up P2 shortly).

Unfortunately this solution doesn't support the microphone or, I believe, the NES zapper (missing 2 data pins) but that just means I gotta get a Japanese light gun  ;D

Some pictures to show what I'm talking about: https://imgur.com/a/2HDRh


P

Ah thank you for sharing your discoverings! It's good to know that the Twin (and hopefully red & white Famicom) is using standard headers.


Famicom Controller Port Pinout (front)

Port I     Port II
  _____     ______   
|12345|   |123456|
  ¯¯ ¯¯     ¯¯  ¯¯
P I   1: +5V, 2: CLK $4016, 3: P/S, 4: Data $4016.0, 5: GND
P II  1: +5V, 2: CLK $4017, 3: P/S, 4: Data $4017.0, 5: GND, 6: Mic $4016.2
Note: P/S is latch and comes from the $4016.0 output on both controllers.

This is the pinnout for the connectors from my own notes that I believe is correct. As you can see the rightmost pin on controller II is the microphone pin.

All light guns for Famicom and NES use the same data pins, and are available in the Famicom expansion port so that's not a problem. The NES controller ports however do has some data pins that is not available in any port on a Famicom, which makes things like the Power Pad not compatible with the Famicom.
For the microphone you could wire a 3.5 mm mic port to the mic pin, I guess you need some extra circuitry that is in the Famicom controller II for that though.

leadedsolder

May 19, 2019, 02:56:47 pm #3 Last Edit: June 04, 2019, 11:30:24 am by leadedsolder
I am also looking for a source on these connectors.

Nintendo appears to have reused them (except in 8- and 9-pin formats) for the Famicom BASIC keyboard (P2 and P3). I'd like to be able to create a new board that will reuse the internal connectors, so it can be easily returned to stock. Rather not cut and splice.

iFixit's photos make the original red & white Famicom connectors look nearly identical: https://www.ifixit.com/Teardown/Nintendo+Family+Computer+(Famicom)+Teardown/3199#s15586

The top of the connectors on my keyboard say "AMP" but searching Digikey for TE AMP and Amphenol turned up nothing that could even be considered close. I think they are also 2.50mm instead of the 2.54mm/0.100" that a normal pin header is.

edit: I actually measured these; pin to pin is more like 2.00mm

P

Why do you think they are 2.50 mm?

I haven't checked myself, but I was told that the controller connectors are standard 2.54 mm male headers with a retaining clip, 5 pin and 6 pin for controller I and II respective. It's also shrouded on all four sides which I haven't found any of, but I haven't searched that hard, and I'm not sure if even that matters. Any 2.54 mm male connector with clip might work (unless it's really 2.50 mm).

leadedsolder

To eyeball it, I put a 2.54mm breakaway pin header next to the female connector on the board. It doesn't line up but it's very close initially.

On my keyboard, and the iFixit pictures of their red & white, the male (wire) side of the connector is actually some kind of forked teeth and the female (board) side is like a metal spring contact. Not pin headers at all, I wish they were. :(

I think it's different on the original Famicom than the Twin, your pictures of the Twin definitely look like a regular 2.54mm pin header. I uploaded a picture from iFixit since it's hard to see unless you download their image and zoom in.

P

QuoteTo eyeball it, I put a 2.54mm breakaway pin header next to the female connector on the board. It doesn't line up but it's very close initially.

You are talking about the keyboard's internal connector here, not the Famicom's controller connectors?

Quoteyour pictures of the Twin

I see no picture of the Twin in this thread.


In worst case you might have to solder in a standard pin connector. But there goes not having to mod it.

leadedsolder

Yes, the keyboard's internal connectors, but they look like the same part. I don't have a red & white original Famicom to measure against.

The Twin picture was here:
Quote from: Rupert on January 15, 2018, 12:02:55 pm
So, In case anyone else would like to follow in my footsteps.....

I found out that standerd 5 pin internal USB header connectors will plug right into the Famicom twin's internal controller ports. (skipping the microphone pin on P2 of course).

I don't have my red & white Famicom in hand to confirm it works on the standard ones as well, but I suspect it does.

[..]

Some pictures to show what I'm talking about: https://imgur.com/a/2HDRh

P

I see, yeah that looks like it's different from the red & white Famicom. Now I see the keyboard PCB and it do looks like P3 needs two-pronged fork-pins that goes on both sides of the female pins, and the red & white Famicom have something similar, though with less pins. I don't know where to find such connectors, or what to search for in an electronic parts store. I hope it's not proprietary stuff.

leadedsolder

Yeah, other than the "AMP" writing on the P2/P3 I have nothing to go on. So far I have not had much luck looking into parametric search on Digikey and Arrow.

P1 (a normal boring pin-header connector -> DA15 -> Famicom) has this logo, which I don't recognize, but I doubt it will help me figure out what P2 and P3 are.

leadedsolder

I finally found a battery for my el-cheapo electronic caliper and it reports there's a pin-to-pin spacing of 2.0mm.

The vertical-mount 8-pin connector is 19.6mm wide, and the 9-pin right-angle is about 21.6 - 21.8mm wide (it has a bit of a flare).

Sorry for the earlier inaccuracy. I'll post again if I can figure out what this part might be now that I know the correct pitch.

P


leadedsolder

Apologies for posting without having solved the mystery, but I visited a connector vendor in Akihabara while I was on vacation over the summer, and brought my pictures along with me.

I don't have any functional Japanese, but he said that the logo on the keyboard connector is most likely Tyco (now TE - I think TE AMP might be the family after all.) He didn't have a catalogue, and the other vendors I checked in the area didn't have one either.

xlnc526

I think that you are looking for this "LATTECH 10 Sets JST XH 2.54MM 6 Pin Female Single Connector with Flat Wires 200MM 1007 26AWG" you can find it on Amazon.

saimen10

Hello,

I can confirm that the mentioned JST XH 2,54mm connectors are matching with the Twin Famicom's. Though I had to cut the edges with a sharp knife a little bit.

But I was still not able to find a connector alternative for the Famicom's controller ports. They are definitely different to the Twin Famicom, what I found surprising.

Regards