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  • Author Author: tariq.ahmad
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Hack Like Heck - Andy Goodenberger – Portable Emulator with Swappable Controls

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A Hack Like Heck Project Video

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For the Hack Like Heck challenge, I designed a portable emulator that you can easily change the controller. So, if you are playing a NES game, you can use a NES controller. Or if you are playing a SNES game, then you can use a SNES controller and so on.  At the heart of it is a Raspberry Pi Zero W that drives a 5”, 800x480 LCD screen with 18 of its GPIO pins.  Other features include a speaker and headphone jack, a safe power off button and a USB power out so you can charge your cell phone.

 

The parts that I used for this project include:

  • Raspberry Pi Zero W
  • 32GB SD Card
  • 5" 800x480 Display TFT Display from eBay
  • Adafruit TFT Friend
  • Battery Pack
  • Class D Amplifier
  • B503 50K Ohm Wheel Potentiometer
  • USB Hub
  • SNES Controller
  • NES Controller
  • Male Micro-USB connector
  • Female Micro-USB connector
  • The Speaker was cut out of an old birthday card that sang a song when you opened it.
  • The Power Switch, Off Button, LED, Resistors and Headphone jack I had laying around from previous projects.

 

You can find links to the parts that I used on my github page.

 

I have put all the .stl files on my Thingiverse page.

 

Thanks for this opportunity to meet the Ben Heck Show crew and I had a lot of fun creating this video.

 

P.S. I just saw the 12-18 min requirement. I easily had that much footage, but I cut a lot of it out to save on length. Now I wish wouldn't have. Oh well... I still think that it is an entertaining video.

  • Congrats Andy, as a replicate-able original build this was my #1 pick for the competition! I believe the overall standard at the top was very tight, congrats to Matt obviously! This project also has great potential to move forward , definitely would enjoy seeing this progress much further, ties in with many of my own multi peripheral ideas.

  • in reply to agoodenberger

    Simpler is often better: less to go wrong!

     

    Congratulations on the prize, buddy! Keep building and creating!

  • in reply to airbornesurfer

    Thanks @

     

    I started out trying to make a similar design to the GoPro style buckle mount. But it just got to big and difficult to print with correct tolerances, that I scrapped the idea for this much simpler design.

  • in reply to tariq.ahmad

    Thanks @

     

    I have gained a ton of knowledge from the open source community and I am therefore compelled to give back to it by posting all the information needed to recreate my projects on my github page.

  • I love that dovetail connector! Very novel!

     

    Well done!

  • Appreciated your straightforward presentation and thought your concept and design was ingenious.

     

    It never feels the same when you're not using the original controller...

     

    And you shared on Github and Thingiverse which was really cool!

     

    :-)

  • in reply to agoodenberger

    ha that's fantastic! A solid core design just lends itself to solid expansion, very well done man!

     

    I have been looking into old psx peripherals hardware versus software hacks, i.e using 2 ps1 controller back into 1 controller to get more motion tracking, gyroscope/accelerometer data etc.. that's is the plan anyway ..

    other peripherals like buzz [1 usb x4 controllers] would probably just need a minor software controller profile adjustment for your dovetail system.. sweet!

  • in reply to agoodenberger

    AWESOME! You really made a nice quick swap system. Even though you can't play N64 games on a Pi0, it would be cool to develop a system based off a Pi3 eventually! Just would need to modify the case design a bit and you would be good to go! These would make really nice kits to crowdfund!

  • in reply to nobble

    Check out the video of the Multiplayer capabilities:

  • in reply to nobble

    Thanks @

     

    That is the plan for the USB hub stand that I made. With it, I am able to connect up to 4 controllers at once. The N64 is my favorite retro console, but sadly I don't think that the Raspberry Pi zero is the best for emulating it.