PC to SNES Mouse

[Electric Rain]

I have an SNES mouse, but it's left click is pretty weak. (And the right click is going to.) So, while it might be easier to buy another or replace the switches, I think it would be cool to use a PC mouse in place of it. So how could I make an adapter for that?

 

[Sebi]

What is SNES?
Mouse contains a small processor, when the SNES use different communication, You can't replace with regular type.
Maybe a new push button available in Your country (most of case this is a small microswitch).

 

[MrMikey83]

SNES is "Super Nintendo Entertainment System".

I have never seen the SNES mouse before, but I wouldn't think it would be too different from an ordinary mouse. If its too different, you might be able to swap the circuit boards. The way I've seen most mice set up, the buttons are on separate circuit boards from the IC. Dunno if this helps...hope you figure it out though.

~Mike

 

[Electric Rain]

I really bad need schematics for this thing. I've been jast staring at my "Mario Paint" game for the longest time. And I can't play it because my buttons on my SNES mouse don't work. I want an adapter that plugs into my SNES controller port, and I can plug a pc mouse (standered mouse port, not USB) into an use it in place of the SNES mouse. I've searched the internet over 1000 times and I don't get anything that comes close to what I need to know. So, can you guys PLEASE help me?

 

[tech_dragon]

I hope this is allowed but it may help.

this might help to get someone started on schematics for an adaptor or modification. here are some specs on the SNES game port where the mouse plugs into.

7 pins...

1 +5v White
2 Data Clock Yellow
3 Data Latch Orange
4 Serial Data Red
5 N/C -
6 N/C -
7 Ground Brown

more detail can be found at http://www.gamesx.com/controldata/snesdat.htmI hope this is allowed if not someone please delete this and let me know.

 

[mxsixmike]

ditch snes and get a emulator that way you can use the computer mouse the only way i can think off

 

[Electric Rain]

Well, I already have Mario Paint on emulation. But let's face facts, emulation just isn't as good as the real thing. 'Sides, I need pratice at soldering. So if anyone can give me schematics, thanks.

 

[Electric Rain]

Oh COME ON!!! Can't someone please help me out here??? I mean, if nobody can provide me with schematics, then can you help me try to figure in out? Let's face it, this will be cool once I get it built... but I need to know so things. Really... all I need is something to decode the output of PC mice, and SNES mouse schematics. From there I should be able to figure it out on my own. If someone can PLEASE help me, then I think I'm going to put up a website and sell video game... stuff and schematics. I'll spare you the details. But this is one of the things I want to sell. So, maybe if I can get some help... ... okay I don't really know where I'm going with this. But anyway, HEEEEEEEEEELLLLLLLLPPPPPPPP!!!!!!!! :shock: :? :x :cry: :evil: :twisted:

 

[anomie]

Re: I hope this is allowed but it may help.

I don't have schematics for you, but i do have more protocol information than you're likely to find anywhere else (googling for information lead me here). Unfortinately, i don't have voltage, timing, or logic-level information to go along with the protocol.

The SNES controller port has 7 pins, laid out something like this:

   _________________ ____________
  |                 |            \
  | (1) (2) (3) (4) | (5) (6) (7) |
  |_________________|____________/

The pins are:
1: +5v (power)
2: Clock
3: Latch
4: Data1
5: Data2
6: IOBit
7: Ground

The SNES reads the port in a serial manner. First, Latch is toggled 1 then 0, which signals the device to latch state in preparation for output. Then Clock is set active, Data1 and Data2 are sampled, and Clock is set inactive. The SNES may repeat this read cycle as many times as it likes before latching again, and there may be an arbitrary delay in between each read cycle.

IOBit is simply that, a single bit I/O channel. The 'default' value is 1, and either the SNES or the device may set it to 0 (but if one side sets 0, the other cannot set 1). IOBit of controller port 2 is also connected to the PPU H/V Counter latch; guns set this to 0 when they see the TV's electron gun, and the SNES reads the latched values at the end of the frame to determine where the gun was pointing.


The mouse outputs 32 bits of data on Data1, if more reads are attempted then the mouse presumably outputs 1 bits until the next latch. The bits are "00000000 rlss0001 YyyyyyyyXxxxxxxx". 'r' and 'l' are the left and right mouse buttons. 'Yyyyyyyy' and 'Xxxxxxxx' are the movement deltas since the last latch, in sign-magnitude format (Y/X set is up/left). 'ss' are known as "speed bits", but what this signifies is unknown. The value is initially 0, and is incremented mod 3 if a read cycle is attempted while Latch is 1. If these speed bits are not emulated, the game will likely report an electronics error in the mouse.

I would not be surprised to find 4 of the 4021 chips mentioned at http://www.gamesx.com/controldata/nessnes.htm inside the mouse.

AFAIK, the mouse does not use Data2 (0 is always returned) or IOBit. If someone finds schematics or dissects a mouse, I would be interested in whatever information is discovered. Hopefully the "Notify me when a reply is posted" checkbox works, otherwise i can be found on the snes9x.com developer forum.

 

[Electric Rain]

Hey, it's been a while for this thread. So, do you guys think I could use a PIC? They are capable of almost anything right? Let me know if that would work please. BTW, sorry about kinda freaking out on my last post and just generally being rude/demanding. :wink: I was anxious back then. :lol:

 

[sanguine]

im willing to give this a try as im also trying to play mario paint
i know the pin outs from the snes but can anyone help me work out what the equivalent is from the pc serial mouse output, that way I can dig out an old serial mouse and carefully take it apart noting which wire goes where and connecting it to the corresponding pin on the snes plug
any help would be greatly appreciated

 

[Someone Electro]

I wod simply replace the microswitches from an old PC mouse.

Hmm... The protocol they use to transfer data is prety simalar to an PS/2 mouse.But not the same!

The best way wod probobly be to wire up the clock directly and have an PIC recive from an PC mouse and then resend then like an SNES mouse wod do.This maybe a probolem since the SNES will get the data a litle bit delayed.

So its way easyer to take the mouse apart and replace the microswitches.

I dont have any consoles (I go the cheap way of using emulators.) But my frend has an SNES and the mouse.So im not to good whith controles since im used to a keyboard.

btw: spekeing of games i gota get an USB joystick since my PC dosent have that good'ol analong game port. :cry:

 

[Electric Rain]

Meh. Forget the joystick. Build an SNES pad parallel port interface. The plans are all over the net, and all you need are a few diodes. I love using my SNES pads with my PC. They've never given me any problems, and they're compatible with every program I use them with. This has been done for many pads, including NES, SNES, N64, Genesis, Atari (all), PSX, PS2... even the Virtual Boy!

A Google search will turn up more than enough info. Also, you can buy a commercially made USB type for a good price at certain online stores. It'll cost you a few extra bucks, but if you have the money, then you can save some time by going that way. (They also have commercially made GC adapters; something that hasn't been done by DIYers yet.) Look into it. :wink:

P.S. Long time no see Someone... and the rest of you for that matter. 8)

 

[m00npie]

I have mario paint on the Zsnes emulator for my PC and it doesnt work, i cant move the littel hand, I looked at my controls and i cant figure out how to get it to work, my mouse works when i press escape and go into the emulators options, but the game doesnt register, and the controls i do have set dont register either

 

[Someone Electro]

Why do pepole keap brigning up this thred?

 

[Electric Rain]

I have mario paint on the Zsnes emulator for my PC and it doesnt work, i cant move the littel hand, I looked at my controls and i cant figure out how to get it to work, my mouse works when i press escape and go into the emulators options, but the game doesnt register, and the controls i do have set dont register either

While in game, press 7 on your keyboard. That should enable the mouse.

Why do pepole keap brigning up this thred?

I have no idea... I'm sorry for making it!

 

[patroclus]

Electric Rain I worked for some months on this project a year ago, and I have a circuit that interfaces a PC mouse to SNES.
Don't think it is an easy task! I needed lot of documentation, TIME, logic analyzer, and LOTS of debugging!

 

[Electric Rain]

... >.> Ahem... could you uh... post the schematics for me...? Maybe? Please?

 

[patroclus]

Sorry, but I'm going to sell some units in order to recover from the investment.
So far, I won't realease the source neither schematics.
If you want a unit, just tell me.

 

[Sinar]

Slightly different requirement.

Electric Rain I worked for some months on this project a year ago, and I have a circuit that interfaces a PC mouse to SNES.
Don't think it is an easy task! I needed lot of documentation, TIME, logic analyzer, and LOTS of debugging!

Hi Patroclus,

Sorry if this is classed as off topic. It is very closely related and perhaps an extension of Electric Rain's original post.

I'm trying to do something very similar to what this thread is about but from a slightly different angle. I'm wondering if your unit could be adapted easily to the purpose. If so, I'd be willing to buy at the right price.

I am trying to find a way to use a PC mouse to provide SNES joypad input signals. The reason behind this is, that I am a big fan of Sim City on the SNES but it does not support the SNES mouse (which I beleive came out two years later). Incidentally Sim City 2000 doesn't support the SNES mouse either).

I would like to be able to use a PC mouse in place of the SNES controller but it needs to emulate the SNES controller's signalling to the SNES. The easiest way I guess would be to take the directional signalling from the mouse and use this to control switches which switched the various direction controls in a control pad. I would use the two or three buttons of the mouse for the most commonly used functions from the game in this case X and Y. A complete set of buttons for input could be provided on a miniature keypad. The speed of movement would need to be adjustable so that the cursor didn't race across the screen.

Any thoughts greatly appreciated.

Thank you in advance for any help.

Sinar