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NES Controller MP3 player hack

Posted by Hemos on from the good-stuff-to-look-at dept.

Skadet writes "Martin Kersch of Germany made great use of a boring Saturday afternoon by transforming an ordinary USB Stick and NES Controller into an MP3 Player (original German). He even hacked the buttons on the controller to work with the mp3 player, "Start" is On/Play, and the directional pad functions as the song changer/volume control. Do you remember those NES Controller Belt Buckles? They should integrate these MP3 Players into those things."

72 comments

  1. PLEASE use nyud.net by un1xl0ser · · Score: 5, Insightful

    http://www.techeblog.com.nyud.net:8090/index.php/t ech-gadget/nes-controller-mp3-player

    Seriously folks, this is silly.

    --
    v4sw6PU$hw6ln6pr4F$ck 4/6$ma3+6u7LNS$w2m4l7U$i2e4+7en6a2X h
    1. Re:PLEASE use nyud.net by The+Hobo · · Score: 0, Offtopic

      What's even sillier is the fact that there's no actual story, or in a case like this the usual 'step by step' photos, just the article "summary" handed to us by the submitter, which of course, has no original content... as they say, business as usual

      --
      There is another kind of evil which we must fear most, and that is the indifference of good men. -- Boondock Saints
    2. Re:PLEASE use nyud.net by talon001100 · · Score: 1

      I cant believe so many people on here are downing this guy for being creative and inventive. Yeah sure theres a million kinds of mp3 players out there, and the thing is simple in design , but COME ON! i applaud the guy for being creative. and hell yes i'd carry one around with me if i had a NES controller mp3 player. because NO ONE else would have one, and i know almost everyone(of the 80's generation) has played a NES.

    3. Re:PLEASE use nyud.net by Viper+Daimao · · Score: 3, Informative

      in his defense, my internet filter at work blocks nyud.net because it's an anonymizer so I'm grateful he posted the original link.

      --
      "In the game of life, someone always has to lose. To me, if life were fair, that someone would always be Oklahoma." -DKR
    4. Re:PLEASE use nyud.net by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      no one is criticizing the guy who did the work, just the usual shit-talking about the editors (which in this case the fact that the story summary IS the article behind the link deserves some ridiculing)

    5. Re:PLEASE use nyud.net by erlenic · · Score: 2, Informative

      What about those of us stuck behind a Microsoft DNS server? We can't use this silly nyud.net thing. See http://wiki.coralcdn.org/wiki.php/Main/FAQ#SERVFAI L.
      I'm glad he posted the original link, so I can get to it.

    6. Re:PLEASE use nyud.net by Valegor · · Score: 1

      I have no use or desire for an MP3 player, but I would buy this one in a second if it were cheap. Hell if there were actual instructions I would attempt to build it.

    7. Re:PLEASE use nyud.net by Iron+Clad+Burrito · · Score: 1
      Seriously folks, this is silly.


      Truth. Boingboing called, they want their content back.
    8. Re:PLEASE use nyud.net by un1xl0ser · · Score: 1

      Use a DNS server that doesn't have a bug. :-P

      --
      v4sw6PU$hw6ln6pr4F$ck 4/6$ma3+6u7LNS$w2m4l7U$i2e4+7en6a2X h
    9. Re:PLEASE use nyud.net by petermgreen · · Score: 1

      They claim to have a workaround in place for if its purely a ms server, if there is a ms server delegating to a unix server though then the workaround won't work.

      but anyway which would you preffer
      1: a slashdotted site that noone can access?
      2: a non-slashdotted site that requires you to edit the url to visit it if you are on a shitty network?

      --
      note: i'm known as plugwash most places but i screwd up registering that here somehow in the past and now can't register
  2. Some features better than others... by A+Boy+and+His+Blob · · Score: 4, Funny

    Switching the keylock on and off gets a little cumbersome, up up down down left right left right B A start.

    1. Re:Some features better than others... by frenetic_wimp · · Score: 0

      FINISH IT!

      --
      get a Free BSD!
    2. Re:Some features better than others... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      It's actually up up down down left right left right B A *SELECT* start, you friendless bastard...

    3. Re:Some features better than others... by drinkypoo · · Score: 1

      It's actually up up down down left right left right B A *SELECT* start, you friendless bastard...

      There's actually about nine zillion versions of that fucking code, you anonymous bastard...

      --
      "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
    4. Re:Some features better than others... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Either "about nine zillion" or "exactly two", depending on the amount of hyperbole you're comfortable with.

    5. Re:Some features better than others... by thexgodfather · · Score: 0

      He linked his myspace on slashdot is that a desperate cry for help or just a shameless publicity stunt?

    6. Re:Some features better than others... by drinkypoo · · Score: 1

      Either "about nine zillion" or "exactly two", depending on the amount of hyperbole you're comfortable with.

      I know from personal experience that you can fudge the code several ways on the original Contra and get things done. The original is UUDDLRLRBASeSt. You can also do UUDDLLRRBABASt, and several others. In Super C you type RLDUABSt (1 player) or RLDUABSeSt (2 player) for 10 lives or UUDDLRLRBASt (no Select) for 30 lives. Other Konami games use other variations of the code for other things. Some variations of the code are entered during gameplay; entering a code for an older game will kill you in a newer one.

      In other words, you don't know jack about shit.

      --
      "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
  3. I'm just trying to picture this... by afaik_ianal · · Score: 2, Funny

    Walking down the street with a NES controller strapped to your belt: Yep, that's gonna be a good look... Why is it I can't picture anyone but Steve Irkle doing this?

    1. Re:I'm just trying to picture this... by AndroidCat · · Score: 1

      Darn, and I was wondering what up up down down left right left right B A start would do on her controller.

      --
      One line blog. I hear that they're called Twitters now.
    2. Re:I'm just trying to picture this... by Takeel · · Score: 1

      Walking down the street with a NES controller strapped to your belt: Yep, that's gonna be a good look... Why is it I can't picture anyone but Steve Irkle doing this?

      It worked for Captain N.

    3. Re:I'm just trying to picture this... by Kusunose · · Score: 1

      With Game Boy Micro 20th Anniversary Edition and Play-Yan, you can achieve that.
      It looks like a Famicom controller, not a NES controller though.

    4. Re:I'm just trying to picture this... by dex.pdx · · Score: 1

      Walking down the street with a NES controller strapped to your belt: Yep, that's gonna be a good look... Why is it I can't picture anyone but Steve Irkle doing this?

      You have obviously never seen a hipster...

  4. ... tis by lordsilence · · Score: 1

    sacrilege!

  5. And if you can't find a USB stick by afaik_ianal · · Score: 1

    If you can't find a USB stick, then you can always get one of these, although the music selection is a little bit limited...

  6. Was I the only one to think of this? by Killjoy_NL · · Score: 2, Funny

    CAPTAIN N

    (and later in the series, the lame gameboy)

    --
    This is the sig that says NI (again)
  7. No need to read the article this time by llamaluvr · · Score: 3, Insightful

    "Skadet of Slashdot made great use of a boring Monday morning by transforming an ordinary blurb on Techeblog into a front-page Slashdot article. He even hacked it to include hyperlinks, with a special add-on link to display the blurb in its original German. Do you remember when you actually had to click the links to really know what the story was about? More Slashdotters should integrate the entire article's text into the summary.

    --
    Insightful: 76, Off-Topic: 379, Flamebait: 24, Funny: 152, Interesting: 201, Underrated: 55, Troll: 9, Total: 896
    1. Re:No need to read the article this time by yincrash · · Score: 2, Insightful

      wouldn't techblog have copyrights on their text. this is a pretty blantant reuse of the text.

  8. A few good hacks by Gridpoet · · Score: 2, Interesting

    here are a few more good NES controller hacks i've seen.

    http://zieak.com/projects/nintendo_mouse.htm http://www.engadget.com/entry/1234000170054942/ http://www.hackaday.com/entry/1884557466834213/

    Enjoy!

    --

    -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
    This is MY galaxy...go find your OWN!

    1. Re:A few good hacks by Filip22012005 · · Score: 1

      Then, there's this:

      http://www.alldumb.com/item/12004/

      --
      When the policeman of the tie, rule you violate, hello punishment of the kitty?
  9. You need a remote control by axonis · · Score: 1

    Now if you modded the new Xbox 360 wireless controllers that would of been cool....

    --
    bæ8Ã0sÃOE?5r©oÂÃ?âz:ÃÃAÃ?ÃOEÂ6fXÃ?]Â
    1. Re:You need a remote control by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      'would have'

  10. How by Simon+Lyngshede · · Score: 1

    This is stupid. I like the idea of building an mp3 player from a normalt USB stick, the NES controller is less interesting. So, can I go build an mp3 player now? NO, the article sucks, it just "Oh, oh, oh, look what I did". For all we know it doesn't even work.

    Tell me how you build the bloody thing. What hardware did you use. I doubt that the NES controller has the parts and just need you to plugin the USB stick.

    Stupid story.

    1. Re:How by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I really doubt, that he built the mp3 Player from a normal USB stick.
      AFAIK he just took one cheapo player, removed the casing and put it in an NES Controller Case.

    2. Re:How by MyDixieWrecked · · Score: 3, Insightful

      I agree.

      is the summary lying? they said the buttons were mapped to do stuff.

      http://www.futurenews.at/uploads/NESAMP3.jpg

      look at that picture. the A and B buttons aren't even attached to anything.

      perhaps it's just start/select and the D-pad that are mapped?

      this kinda reminds me of that guy who claimed to have connected a USB keyboard to a PSP's USB port and written drivers to get it working. only pictures, no technical details. no proof.

      --



      ...spike
      Ewwwwww, coconut...
    3. Re:How by Stevyn · · Score: 1

      The article/blurb never mentioned anything about the A and B buttons. This doesn't look that complicated. It seems more Dremel skills are needed than electrical engineering. All you'd have to do it break apart the MP3 player and wire the switch contacts over to the D-Pad switch contacts. It looks cool, but its got to be a lot bigger than the original. I would have liked it more if a better battery system was used. A rechargeable cell phone battery packed in there might have been a little cooler and to get some more life out of it.

    4. Re:How by hotgigs · · Score: 2, Funny

      This reminds me of all the stoners back in High School who would make a bong out of anything... perhaps this is the geek version... "Check out what I made into an MP3 player... "You put your songs in it..."

      --
      I'm not clever enough for a sig...
    5. Re:How by martin_at · · Score: 5, Informative

      Just to clarify that: It is beyond me why some of the Slashdot folks are calling this a fake. All I did was disassemble an ordinary USB MP3 stick (a SHE MP-101 BD, to be exact), cut the NES controllers PCB to size, and wire the buttons to the MP3 players button contacts. The holes for the headphones and USB connector where indeed done using a dremel tool. This is of course not wizardry, but I still think its pretty cool to have a custom player like that. If you don't like it, don't read it (I wasn't expecting to find this on slashdot anyway). Btw., as anyone with at least basic www knowledge should be able to recognize: .at stands for Austria. I am not from Germany. But then again, flaming is so much easier than thinking.

    6. Re:How by narcc · · Score: 1

      It's clear that he used one of those USB/MP3 players that are all-too-common. If you've never seen one before: Check this out

      Also, there is no reason to doubt that someone could, in fact, make their own MP3 player with parts they can buy. Just because you don't understand it doesn't mean it's impossible. (After all, how do you think these products get into the stores? Magic?)

      This fellow? No. It's clearly one of those MP3/USB Flash Drives (or whatever the popular term for them is now) stuck inside an NES controler. Look at the photos -- No Magic Here. Still fun though.

      --
      Required reading for internet skeptics
    7. Re:How by neomunk · · Score: 1

      I like it. Just disregard the trolls, they just like to hang around at swat at anything cooler than them.

  11. But..but.. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    That would take actual skill and ability! We can't be having any of that.

    Now, I'm off to put a MiniITX board into something odd and submit it to Slashdot!

    1. Re:But..but.. by Maavin · · Score: 0

      No, it only takes more dedication and love for detail.

      Skill and ability would be needed to add some circuitry (perhaps some Atmel uC) and a detachable cable, so that you can switch the thing to be either used as a cool retro looking MP3 player OR for its original use (with detachable cable)

      Hm... strangely I now have the urge to look for a NES controller at eBay...

      --


      Crivens! I kicked meself in me own heid!
  12. This is how... by tinkertaylor99 · · Score: 1

    He must have used one of those USB sticks that's also an mp3 player already with a headphone cable that has the controller on it, then just connected the buttons to the NES controller with wire. next please.

    1. Re:This is how... by AcidLacedPenguiN · · Score: 1

      Actually, It kind of looks like a Nomad Muvo, with its casing intact. . .

      --
      disclaimer: I've been known to store numbers in my ass for which to dig out when quantities are required.
  13. Extended battery life.... by TechDogg · · Score: 0

    To get 30 hours of battery life instead of 3, all you have to do is: "up,up,down,down,left,right,left,right,b,a,b,a,sta rt". Trust me, it works!!

    --
    Got MILF? It does a body good!
  14. Some cool NES hacks by karthik_r085 · · Score: 1

    http://us.gizmodo.com/gadgets/nes/index.php

  15. Useless... by mekkab · · Score: 3, Informative

    A link like this is a far greater use than a simple "Hey, I put an mp3 player in an unlikely spot! Here are some pictures and absolutely no explanation!!"
    This is like having the Phantom console make the slashdot front page! Oh, wait. Nevermind.

    /Now if he had put Linux on a toaster, then we'd be all ears...

    --
    In the future, I would want to not be isolated from my friends in the Space Station.
  16. Is it me... by bibi-pov · · Score: 1

    ...or is this mp3 player laid on top of a "copy control" vinyl disc ? :-)

  17. I want my minute back by jweller · · Score: 1

    or a how2. anyone can stuff a bunch of crap into a box it didn't come in, take a pic and say it's something cool.

  18. Is this for real? by Phoenix · · Score: 1

    Or is this yet another case of phantom-ware? All we have are a few pictures of an old NES controller with a headphone cable coming out of it.

    Big whoop, my little sister could do that. Heck! I have a picture of her with a sandwich in the VCR. What's stopping me from posting that as a VCR hack that'll toast a sandwich like a Quiznos sub?.

    Now I'm all for hacking stuff like that but without any notes to tell us how it was done, it's just a waste of bandwidth. Even if I had no intention of doing it, just to be able to say "Ah-ha! so that's how he did it." is more of an interesting read than simply "Oh look, a NES controller with a USB port on it...whoopty-freaking-do."

    Hell, the Furby hacking article a few years ago was more interesting than this because they TOLD you which chip they replaced and how to attach the audio in port for recording new audio for the Furby to say. In fact it gave people ideas on how to turn a toy into a tool for helping autistic children by hacking it.

    Phoenix

    --
    -- Wiccan Army, 13th Airborne Division "We will not fly silently into the night"
    1. Re:Is this for real? by epedersen · · Score: 1

      if you look at it the USB stick already had a head phone jack on it. I think he started with one of the USB sticks that can play mp3's already, then replaed the buttons with the ones on the controler. If that is the case, yes I think that this is real.

    2. Re:Is this for real? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Well if thats the case then its just boring..., and its not really a "hack".

  19. IPOD killer: The NES MP3 belt buckle. by denis-The-menace · · Score: 3, Funny

    Coming soon:
    It's the NES controller with built-in MP3 player. Wireless headphone included.

    Also in development:
    The NES MP3/phone. Only vibrates when someone calls. Wireless headphone included. Also vibrates when you press the B button.
    tagline: "Reach out and cum someone"

    --
    Obama's legacy: (N)othing (S)ecure (A)nywhere and (T)error (S)imulation (A)dministration
  20. Looks easy.... by protocoldroid · · Score: 0

    Looks easy to replace the batteries... If you carry a soldering iron around with you :)

  21. fake! by digitallysick · · Score: 0

    it seems like a fake to me, it seems as if it would have to have some type of software or firmware to control the forward, back, stop, play etc, maybe if the guy took apart one of those cheap mp3 players, and then ran wires from the forward, back stop and play functions from it to the controller buttons, maybe that would work (somehow, its not likely)

    1. Re:fake! by narcc · · Score: 1

      That's most likely *exactly* how he did it -- It's not complicated at all. When I was a child (~10) I used to do exactly that. i.e. I'd rip appart those 'hand-held electronic games' and solder in leads to use homemade controlers. The buttons on those things are nothing more than a simple switch (big shock!) so it doens't take much skill or intelligence to 'hack' such a device in the same manner this fellow did. What's Cool about this hack is that he took something from our childhood and made it into something new. Nostalgia is still king :)

      Remember: Just because you can't explain it doesn't mean it's inexplicable!

      --
      Required reading for internet skeptics
    2. Re:fake! by captaindredd · · Score: 1

      if you guys were literate enough to read this, one of the links provided,

      " Btw., it is beyond me why some of the Slashdot folks are calling this a fake. All I did was disassemble an ordinary USB MP3 stick (a SHE MP-101 BD, to be exact), cut the NES controllers PCB to size, and wire the buttons to the MP3 players button contacts. The holes for the headphones and USB connector where indeed done using a dremel tool. This is of course not wizardry, but I still think its pretty cool to have a custom player like that. If you don't like it, don't read it."

      the link is the one that says original in german, read that, then wallow in your own stupidity, your all damn retards

    3. Re:fake! by narcc · · Score: 1

      Did you mean to reply to the parent? I was asserting that this project was not, in fact, fake.

      --
      Required reading for internet skeptics
  22. Never meant to be taken literally... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    When they said "Play Your Music," they didn't mean to actually try and play it with a controller...

  23. Slashdot ya been had, by wangotango · · Score: 1

    This is totally bogus.... and anyone looking closely at the photos of the unit already knows it.

  24. IRTFA...and...uh... by louden+obscure · · Score: 0, Troll

    2 bad these dumbass modpoints limit me to posted comments and not headlines.

    --
    Serenity now, insanity later.
  25. Actually, by Prince+Vegeta+SSJ4 · · Score: 1

    walk into a club with one of those things. And when a girl ask you what it is, you can tell her it is a controller for your joystick.

  26. He isn't German by pafrusurewa · · Score: 1

    He's Austrian. The .at URL could have been a hint. Or is this supposed to be a subtle commentary about Americans' knowledge of geography? ;-)

    1. Re:He isn't German by Ed_Pinkley · · Score: 1

      Austria! Well, then. G'day mate! Let's put another shrimp on the barbie!

      (I'm American. It's a joke. Google it.)

      --
      "Long time listener, first time caller."
    2. Re:He isn't German by -Grover · · Score: 1

      Completley off topic, but I have to wonder how many of the people who read slashdot have ANY idea what comes after the ... in your sig, not to mention who did it and why it is SOOOO friggin hilarious. I'm also digging the Pinkly Motors reference...god bless B&T and all they stand for...my morning would be no good without them.

    3. Re:He isn't German by Celsius+233 · · Score: 1

      AmeriWHAA???

      --
      Denham's Dentrifice, Denham's Dentrifice, Denham's Dandy Dental Dentrifice, Denham's Dentrifice Dentrifice Dentrifice.
    4. Re:He isn't German by Ed_Pinkley · · Score: 1

      Thanks. You are the first to say anything. I figure Slashdot is no stranger to obscure humor. I agree with you about B&T. It's the only thing keeping me sane in my little cubical. I swear to god, man!

      Ed Pinkley

      --
      "Long time listener, first time caller."
  27. Errr.....why? by Cougem · · Score: 1

    A remote control for a device you keep on your person?
    Sounds a tad pointless/awkward

  28. I don't mean to flame but... by thexgodfather · · Score: 0

    This is not an article or news or anything at all!! Yeah its a great idea, yeah it would be awesome to build or own BUT where are the step by step instructions! I might as well go buy an old NES controler and put an iPod nano in it... seriously folks

    Now I comission someone to go out there and find/make step by step instructions so I can build one X(

  29. from the looks of it... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    i would say it looks like he stuffed apple shuffle into a NES controller, atleast judging from the headphones he used. big deal... i stuffed one up my rump, wanna pic? ok, so i didnt really, but i could if it would end up on slashdot.

  30. what idiots by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    i think you guys need to shut the fuck up! he was just showing off a little something he did, no need to fucking flame him. he wasnt expecting this to be distributed or anything.

    i think thats a nifty idea and if you could post directions that would be great! ive been wanting to do something creative to my old nes controllers.

    heart the anonymous coward