Reading an N64 controller with a microcontroller

October 17th, 2012, 02:36 Posted By: wraggster

We’ve seen NES, SNES, Sega, and just about every weird controller Atari put out connected to microcontrollers, but connecting the N64 controller to a project has remained one of those seldom-seen, rarely copied endeavors, not often tackled by makers around the globe. [Pieter-Jan] decided to throw his hat in the ring and givereading an N64 controller with a PIC a try, and we’re pleased to report he’s been completely successful.
One of the difficulties of reading an N64 controller is simply the speeds involved; with only three pins on the controller port, the N64 controller uses a serial protocol to send 32 bits of controller data at a fairly fast rate. Armed with a PIC18F ‘micro, [Pieter] realized that programming in C would be too slow, he needed to go all the way down to the bare metal and program his micro in assembly.
Every time the N64 controller data needs to be read, the console sends out a 9-bit polling request. The controller responds in turn with a 32-bit sequence informing the console of the status of all the buttons and joysticks. Once [Pieter] got his micro sending the correct polling response, it was only an issue of parsing the data returned from the controller.
Right now, [Pieter] has a small demo board rigged up that flashes a LED whenever the A, B, or Z buttons are pressed. This can be expanded to the remaining buttons and joystick, but for now we’ll just enjoy [Pieter]‘s demo after the break.

http://hackaday.com/2012/10/16/readi...crocontroller/

For more information and downloads, click here!

There are 0 comments - Join In and Discuss Here

Forum Info

Users online:

Guests online: 10013. Total online: 10013.

You have to register or login before you can post on our forums or use our advanced features.

Total threads: 207,456
Total posts: 751,262

Go to the forum

Buy Nintendo

Nintendo Switch

Nintendo Wii U

Nintendo Wii

Nintendo Gamecube

Nintendo 64

Super Nes

NES

3DS

Nintendo DS

GBA

Gameboy

Virtual Boy

Nintendo Flash Card

Advert

Nintendo News

European Commission called to investigate into Joy-Con drift
Nintendo Switch sales overtake 3DS as Nintendo raises forecasts again
Nintendo discusses Switch growth plans as console enters "middle of its lifecycle"
Pokémon World Championships 2021 cancelled
Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury launch 190% bigger than Wii U original
Nintendo reportedly raises damages sought in Colopl lawsuit to $47m
Larper64 v0.4
Cemu v1.22.4
Visual Boy Advance GX v2.4.2
Snes9x GX v4.4.9
FCE Ultra GX v3.4.8
Vvctre v43.0.2
The Pokémon Company takes measures against Sword and Shield hackers
Sonic 3 AIR homebrew release for the Nintendo Switch
Beta Ocarina of Time assets found on F-Zero X development cart, includes early versio
Québec law firm files latest Nintendo Switch Joy-Con drift lawsuit
Switch expanding the console market, says Interpret
Chrono Trigger (SNES) finally get an Arabic translation!
Star Fox Exploration Showcase v7.16 Now available!
Nintendo goes after Game & Watch hacking videos with copyright claims
Sonic 1 and 2 (2013) for the Nintendo Switch
Tencent confirms 1m Nintendo Switch shipments in China
Nintendo blocks videos by Game & Watch hacker
Nintendo Switch accounted for 87% of consoles sold in Japan last year
The Definitive 16-bit NBA Jam is Here!
Vvctre v42.1.3 - Nintendo 3DS Emulator for Windows
m64p (2021/01/04)
Swiss r994 - Homebrew Utility Software For Nintendo Gamecube
Article: Nintendulator 0.985 beta (2021/01/06) - Nes Emulator for Windows
Atmosphère 0.17.0 released; Fusée now supports Mariko units
[RUMOR] SciresM speculates on Switch Pro details through datamine information
LEGO City: Undercover has been delisted from the Wii U and 3DS eShops
Article: melonDS v0.9.1 - Nintendo DS Emulator for PC
Swiss r990
Vvctre v42.1.2
puNES v0.107
Gearboy v3.2.0
Battle Kart 64 - Expanding the Battle Mode in Mario Kart 64
Gurren Lagann NDS game now available in English!
FUZE Player for Nintendo Switch gets release date; includes 27 games for $0.99
Nintendo leak allegedly reveals Switch security details, tactics used against hackers
First Nintendo Vs. System Game in 30 Years!
Nintendo leak allegedly reveals Switch security details
New “Gigaleak” documents detail Nintendo’s internal plans for dealing with homebrew
Minecraft in Super Mario Galaxy
Animal Crossing: New Horizons | Games of the Year 2020
Atmosphère 0.16.2 released for the Nintendo Switch
Vvctre v42.1.1
Cemu v1.22.2
Final Fantasy IV: Ultima v20k NG+ Edition
Tapework Disco Puzzle (Kickstarter) (NES & Dreamcast Game)
Alwa’s Awakening (WIP) (NES Game)
PVSnesLib V3.1.0 (SNES Misc)
Project Blue FC Regular Edition (NES/Famicom Game)
Rgbds V0.4.2 (Game Boy Misc)
The Last Super (SNES Game)
Petris (Commercial) (Game Boy Color Game)
Vvctre v42.1.0
m64p (2020/12/15)
Nintendo has updated Swapnote on the 3DS, despite its discontinuation
Nintendo is having a Super Nintendo World Direct
Nintendo and Sony share prices rise to record highs
Christmas comes to Pac-Land!
Star Fox Exploration Showcase 7.00 released!
SMK Mirror Mode - A new twist on a old classic!
Developer shows off SNES raytracing through the custom-made SuperRT chip
Nintendo Switch Online NES/SNES games for December revealed, includes Donkey Kong
Nintendo Indie World Showcase December 15th roundup - Among Us releases on Switch tod
Capcom leak reveals that Nintendo paid $6 million for timed exclusivity
What started as a simple roster update became a monster! A monster jam, that is!
Nintendo Switch firmware update 11.0.1
Cemu v1.22.1
Nintendo will reveal the next Smash Bros. character at The Game Awards tonight
The Nintendo Switch sold over 1.3m units in China this year
Vvctre v41.1.1
Star Fox: Scored Edition Released
European consumers organisations collaborate on call for Joy-con drift reports
SX OS 3.1.0 Beta released with OFW 11.0.0 support & MissionControl 0.4.0
Ore ga Omae o Mamoru - Metroidvania For Girls?!
Nintendo reportedly sends cease and desist to custom Joy-Con charity campaign
Nestopia UE v1.50
Vvctre v40.0.5
From Below, A Brand New Homebrew for the NES
SX OS returns after TX arrests with beta version 3.1.0, supports OFW 11.0.0
Nin v0.8.0
Switch News: Atmosphere 0.16.0 is out with support for FW 11.0.0
Ryan Hernandez sentenced to 3 years in prison after hacking Nintendo
m64p (2020/11/30)
Nintendulator 0.985 beta (2020/11/30)
melonDS 0.9 beta for macOS x86_64 released!
Nintendo Switch firmware version 11.0.0 out now
122 in 1 Super Nintendo SNES Multi Cart Game Cartridge for PAL EUR Console Gray
Aquaria ported to the Nintendo Switch
Vvctre v40.0.4
uCON64 v2.2.1
'Doom Eternal' Nintendo Switch release date announced
Super Mario Unlimited updated with new Deluxe version
Super Mario Maker for the Wii U will be delisted next year, online services to shut
Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity ships 3 million
Someone has ported DOOM to the new Game & Watch
Vvctre v39.3.1
Switch: Return To Castle Wolfenstein ported to the console
Vvctre v39.3.0
m64p (2020/11/18)
Cemu v1.22.0k
Celebrate Super Mario World 30th anniversary with Super Luigi World!
Star Fox Exploration Showcase Update
Nintendo orders cancellation of Smash Bros tournament over mod use
Luma3DS 10.2.1 released with Firmware 11.14.0 support & more
Nintendo publishes Animal Crossing guidelines for businesses
Nintendo suing yet another Switch hack reseller
Cemu 1.22.0 released
Nintendo faces yet another Joy-Con drift lawsuit
Animal Crossing New Horizon's Winter update
Firmware Nintendo 3DS gets a new firmware update for version 11.14.0-46
Swiss r963
A look at Zelda: Remastered, an HD pack for the original Zelda NES game!
More Nintendo Leaks: Pokemon Sun & Moon Source Repos & Wii Firmware with TV Remote
Shakedown: Hawaii (Commercial) (Wii Game)
Nix: The Paradox Relic V1.6 (Commercial) (NES Game)
GB Studio 2 (Game Boy Misc)
MegaZeuX Wii V2.92b (Wii Misc)
Priiloader V0.9 (Wii Application)
The Switch had the second-best October sales in the US of any console ever
Might and Magic Restoration Released
Secret of Evermore 25th Anniversary celebration
Zelda 2 Redux now officially released!
Elvira's Monster Party
EightBound - UPDATE OF DOOM (1.3) Released
Zelda: Remastered Released (Mesen HD Pack)
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Return to New York Has Been Updated
Dragon Quest III Delocalized Has Arrived!
There is an ImPacster Among Us...
Presenting a Brand New Translation of Princess Tomato for the NES
Sonic Improvement Vol.2 updated
Kinnikuman: Dreammatch
Dr. Garfield now available
Pokemon Factory Adventure - A new hack of Pokemon Red
What Lies Within?
Porco Rosso Enhanced Edition is now out!
Star Fox Exploration Showcase
A New Ghibli Arcade Experience - The Secret World of Arrietty (Donkey Kong NES Hack)
Super Mario Kart - Epic Racers
Heathcliff released for NES
Pokemon Gold and Silver 97: Reforged - Now released!
RockNES v5.64
bsnes-mt v1.3.3
Virtual GameBoy v5.8
Nemulator v4.3.1
iNES v5.9
No$gba v3.03
Swiss r927
Vvctre v39.0.1
mGBA v0.8.4
Sixtyforce v2.0.2
Hhugboy v1.3.0
m64p (2020/11/01)
BetterJoy v6.4b
Cemu v1.21.5 - Nintendo WiiU Emulator for PC
October Nintendo Direct Mini reveals No More Heroes Switch ports, new Story of Season
'Ghostrunner' Nintendo Switch release date announced
Nintendo Switch sales hit 68.3 million, closes in on total sales of the Nintendo 3DS
Nintendo drops price of single Joy-Cons in the US
Nintendo raises forecasts as H1 profits triple to $2.8bn
Shakedown: Hawaii (Commercial) (Wii Game)
Nix: The Paradox Relic v1.6 (Commercial) (NES Game)
Where is my body? (Kickstarter 2) (Game Boy Game)
GB Studio 2 (Game Boy misc)
MegaZeux 2.92e released
BS Fire Emblem, the Satellaview Fire Emblem title, translated
Ring Fit Adventure set for official release in China
Crash n the Boys: Fighting Challenge Arrives at Last
Seal of Rimsala reaches version 2.0!
Kirby's Dream Land, in Color!
Brazilian Portuguese Translation of FINAL FANTASY III - NES
English Translation of the GB Memory Multi Menu Released!
Castle in the Sky (SMB1 hack)
Final Fantasy IV - Ultima (VERSION 11.1)
Super Mario Kart - The Impala Battles updated
Super Wario Bros. 3 Censored Editon
Final Fantasy 5 Spoof v1.10!
Virtual Boy Sacred Tech Scroll Version 1.0 out now!
Nintendo isn't throwing in the towel on mobile just yet
Animal Crossing is the most-discussed game on Twitter so far this year
Animal Crossing drives Nintendo Q1 profits up 500% to $1bn
Goldeneye 64 remake shut down by James Bond licence holders
Pokémon Snap had a different kind of focus
Sealed copy of Super Mario Bros. breaks record for most expensive game ever sold
Nintendo reportedly stops sale of digital download codes for EMEA retailers
Nintendo condemns abuse as allegations spread across Smash Bros. community
Snes9x GX v4.4.8
Super Mario Bros. 3: The Forgotten Worlds for FDS
Metal Max 3 v1.0 English Translation
Cemu v1.19.2c
mGBA v0.8.2
Swiss r845
SameBoy v0.13.3
m64p (2020/06/28)
Vvctre v34.7.3
Release of Manall's FF1

The DCEmu Homebrew and Gaming Network

Welcome to the DCEmu Homebrew and Gaming Network. This Network of sites is owned and ran by fans of all games consoles, we post news on all the consoles we cover about hardware aspects, gaming and Homebrew. Homebrew and Emulation are software thats made using free and legal tools to play on games consoles. This Network is the only worldwide network of sites where coders can upload and post comments they deserve for all their hardwork. We have a Network that currently supports PSVita, WiiU, Nintendo Wii, Xbox360, PS3, PS2,PS1, Snes, N64, Gameboy, Nes, Xbox, Gamecube, Nintendo DS, PSP, GBA, Dreamcast, Sega Saturn,3DS, DSi, Switch, PS4, Pandora, xboxone, GP2X, iPhone, Windows Phone, iPad, Android and also Mobile Phone Emulation. When new consoles appear we will expand to cover those consoles. We also cover Theme Park News and news and reviews of Beer, cider, lager, wines and spirits. news of their own releases and get the credit and Please help DCEmu become stronger by posting on the forums every day and make our community larger.

Main

Social Media

Links of Interest

The DCEmu Homebrew & Gaming Network

News Archive

DCEmu Newcomers