SNES Controller to NES Adapter

NinjaWarrior · November 9, 2023

I'm trying to find the how to make a Adapter For SNES Controllers on the NES & Vice Versa

Like this, Don't know if my wording is right on YouTube

NinjaWarrior · November 29, 2023

Wow, Really

BigO · November 29, 2023

Do you have a specific question that isn't answered by the video? In the first seconds he pretty much gave all the necessary technical information (which matched what thought I had read at some point so I assume he's correct).

He said that the two types of controllers produce the same signals. Therefore, the adapter will be a completely passive device which serves to route the compatible signals to a connector which is mechanically and electrically compatible with the target console's connector.

Further, I think he was suggesting to splice together the appropriate ends of controller extension cables for the two systems. I stopped the video at that point.

If I were to do this for myself, I'd acquire connector spinouts for the two systems.

Then I'd acquire the referenced extension cables.

Then I'd cut the extension cables in half.

Then I'd strip back the outer sheath of the cables, and about a half inch of the insulation on each of the wires in the cables.

Then I'd use a multimeter to trace out which color wire matched up to which function from the pinouts and make a table of that information.

Then I'd use the data from the table to tell me which color of wire from one cable half needed to connect to which color of wires in the other extension cable half so that the signal made it from the controller end to the correct spot in the console end of the cable.

Then I'd probably wonder why I did all of that work to play a console that I wasn't all that fond of. 🙂

Stephen Moss · November 29, 2023

As @BigO stated the video indicates the output from both controllers are the same, so how you would proceed depends if you want one adaptor that goes both ways or one each way and whether or not you want to keep the controllers in tact.

Personally, of the top of my head (not really being familiar with either console) my suggestion would be...

As both consoles appear to use different connectors would try and get hold of extension cables if they exist and rewire the controller end of each into a 9 way D plug to create a controller-console lead for each system.
Then I would try and get the a socket for both controller types so I could connect the controllers directly, or if in that is not possible cut the end of the controllers cable and re-wire them to a 9 way D plug.
Then...
1. If using all D connectors, use protoboard or design a PCB that links the two 9 way D sockets together, pins 1 to 1, 2 to 2 and so on. Then you can plug either controller and either system controller-console lead together by plugging them into the D connectors or
2. If using the original system controller sockets use protoboard or design a PCB that links one(or both as applicable) controller sockets to a the 9 way D socket. The you could plug one or both controllers in to the adaptor and the applicable controller-console lead to the D socket lead depending on which console you wanted to use the controllers on.

ZippyOasys · November 30, 2023

There's always this alternative:

BigO · December 2, 2023

On 11/30/2023 at 11:32 AM, ZippyOasys said:

There's always this alternative:

I have one of those. It's much better in the hand than the iconic square-cornered controller.

[Edit] I just looked at pricing on those. Uh, yeah. I'd almost expect to buy a complete system for what some people are asking for these dogbone controllers. Maybe I should check pricing on systems and ultimately clear out some closet space.

Edited December 2, 2023 by BigO