Making longer cords for FC and SFC controllers

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Paar
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Making longer cords for FC and SFC controllers

Post by Paar »

Hi. I would like to make longer cords for AV FC a SFC controllers as they are rather short. First I thought that I could butcher some extension cable but those are low quality. They are stiff while original cables are more flexible.

I would like to build my own cables and want to ask if you can help me with it. I know that I need three things.

1. Connector for PCB. Are original connectors standard or would I have to replace them with different ones?
2. Flexible cable with 5 cores. Where I can find quality ones?
3. Wire pins that will be placed inside the controller connector on the other end of the cable. I plan to use original connector from the controller. Are those pins standard?

EDIT: I have thought it would be nice if I could add some pictures. So here they are (it's Super Famicom controller).
Attachments
Wire terminals.
Wire terminals.
PCB connector (female).
PCB connector (female).
Cable to PCB connector (male).
Cable to PCB connector (male).
Info on the official cable.
Info on the official cable.
lidnariq
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Re: Making longer cords for FC and SFC controllers

Post by lidnariq »

The wire terminals are definitely standard - e.g. http://www.digikey.com/products/en/conn ... urpose/336

I'm having a lot of trouble figuring out what to search for to find that 1x5 connector, though.
Paar
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Re: Making longer cords for FC and SFC controllers

Post by Paar »

About the PCB connector... I thought that I could use an alternative, i.e. this:

http://www.conrad.com/ce/en/product/740 ... archDetail

http://www.conrad.com/ce/en/product/740 ... ggest=true

It has 5 pins and pitch of the pins is 2mm as well.
lidnariq
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Re: Making longer cords for FC and SFC controllers

Post by lidnariq »

If you're willing to desolder the connector on the SNES controller PCB, you can basically do whatever you want...
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krzysiobal
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Re: Making longer cords for FC and SFC controllers

Post by krzysiobal »

As 5x1 cable use USB - they are thin, cheap and in many lengths. You only need to search for one with 4 wires + one ground metal shield.
Paar
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Re: Making longer cords for FC and SFC controllers

Post by Paar »

I would have never guessed that it would be near impossible to find a cable with 5 conductors and with diameter of 4mm (0.157"). I can see that there is one on DigiKey.com but shipping is too pricey and I have no idea if the cable is good quality.

http://www.digikey.com/product-detail/e ... ND/6245013

USB cable is a possibility but I'm not a big fan of using metal shielding as a conductor.
calima
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Re: Making longer cords for FC and SFC controllers

Post by calima »

Would ethernet work? There seem to be a variety of thicknesses.
Paar
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Re: Making longer cords for FC and SFC controllers

Post by Paar »

Ethernet cables are unfortunately very stiff (at least to my experience). They are designed to be fixed in one place.

On the other hand original cable from a SNES controller is very flexible, almost like a string of cotton. Makes sense since you're still moving the controller from one place to another.
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Memblers
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Re: Making longer cords for FC and SFC controllers

Post by Memblers »

I suppose the most authentic solution would be to use cables from NES and SNES controllers.

I don't know what this type of cable is called, which makes it hard to look up. Closest thing I've seen were wires used in headphones, that seemed similar, but not the same. (image). There is a cotton string, the copper itself can be stretched a bit and is wound up with some kind of nylon type stuff beneath the insulator (it's been a long while since I cut into an NES cable, but hopefully that's accurate enough). I just use extension cables now, they have nylon threads mixed in with the copper strands (not as stretchable but seems OK, but there is very little copper) and something like talc powder between the insulators. But there are like 5 different NES extension cable manufacturers, believe it or not.
Paar
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Re: Making longer cords for FC and SFC controllers

Post by Paar »

Well, I have found a cable that perhaps could be used as a proper replacement. By description it's very flexible and has right dimensions. It's shielded but that shouldn't be a problem.

http://www.conrad.com/ce/en/product/323 ... archDetail

What do you think?
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Memblers
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Re: Making longer cords for FC and SFC controllers

Post by Memblers »

When I read very flexible I wonder "compared to what", but it's probably good enough, the data sheet says "preferably for applications in motion". Let us know if you try it.
Paar
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Re: Making longer cords for FC and SFC controllers

Post by Paar »

Alright, cable and all connectors are on their way.

Last thing - do you know where I could find that golden crimp that holds the cable in the port connector?

EDIT: The cable arrived today and I must say it's perfect fit. It's even more flexible than the original cable. Very nice quality. I'm starting to believe that this can work.
Paar
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Re: Making longer cords for FC and SFC controllers

Post by Paar »

I have run into a potential problem with the plug wire terminals. Those I have found are all described as D-Sub socket terminals. They look similar but are a little shorter. See the picture - the original terminal is 12mm long but the D-Sub terminal is around 9mm long.

That would mean that the terminal could travel in the plug and put a strain on the wire possibly damage it.

I have contacted technical support on European DigiKey but they were not able to find a terminal with similar length.
Attachments
Original socket terminal
Original socket terminal
Paar
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Re: Making longer cords for FC and SFC controllers

Post by Paar »

I have some update. Now I have everything I need except the wire terminals. I know where to get those - I have found Chinese supplier who is willing to sell me 1000 pieces of those. That's a lot and it's not cheap. I won't buy it just for myself but I would be willing to do so if there were more of you interested in those cables.

The goal is to build replacement cable for NES and SNES controller (and maybe N64/Gamecube) that is both longer and high quality while using original controller plug. That way you wouldn't need to use those low quality extension cables that can damage you controller port on the console. It is possible to build 4 meters cable (around 13 feet).

Would you be interested?
tepples
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Re: Making longer cords for FC and SFC controllers

Post by tepples »

I'd be interested in adapters to plug Super NES controllers into NES, particularly things like the Capcom Fighter Power Stick and Super NES Mouse. This would be an extension cable with a Super NES controller receptacle at one end and an NES controller plug at the other.

You could bundle a mouse, an adapter, and a multicart of homebrew mouse games (which ROM I could provide).
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