Can I ruin my console with a home made controller?

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Warnang
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Joined: Fri Dec 21, 2018 12:42 pm

Can I ruin my console with a home made controller?

Post by Warnang »

I want to build a controller from scratch (not just painting an existing one) and was wondering if it's possible to brick my console of I messed something up. Does anyone know specifically what I should be careful of?

Side note can I use any 4021 shift register, there seems to be a lot of different codes , as far as I know they're all the same in function but any knowledge on this would also help. The one I'm looking at is CD4021BCN. Thanks.
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rainwarrior
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Re: Can I ruin my console with a home made controller?

Post by rainwarrior »

Yes, if you shorted some wires or otherwise sent too much current through the controller port you could damage it. (Example: I've heard pressing start on a Genesis controller plugged into a C64 does horrible things to it.)

I don't think every possible version of 4021 ICs are valid, but if it's made for 5V operation then it should be fine.
lidnariq
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Re: Can I ruin my console with a home made controller?

Post by lidnariq »

There's only one "generation" of 4000 series ICs, unlike 7400 series ICs. 4000 series ICs are always CMOS, are always comparatively slow, are always capable of operating on 3 to 15V.


The NES controller port is not the best engineered for safety.

1- As always, be careful about not shorting +5V to ground. Inside the NES (right? not famicom?) mainboard, there's no overcurrent protection at all. This is actually less dangerous than:

2- Several of the pins connect straight to the NES's CPU, without any more protection beyond over- and under- voltage protection diodes. Shorting "OUT" or "CLK" to any other pin could kill your NES.
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