A hidden port of the Nintendo Entertainment System found use. What is this project? / Hebrew
Hello, Habre! This is Viktor Sergeev from MTS Digital. Today we will talk about NES.
39 years ago, the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) went on sale in the US – an 8-bit console with support for two detachable controllers. Not all owners of the console know that it has a 15-pin expansion connector: it is located at the bottom of the device. As you know, Nintendo engineers were going to develop accessories for it. But they (accessories, not engineers) never went on sale. For now, it seems that this port has found a use.
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What is the port and why is it needed
Originally, the 15-pin expansion connector on the bottom of the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) console was conceived as a way to expand the device’s capabilities. As? By adding peripherals. To him planned to connect light guns, 3D glasses, keyboards, additional controllers and other accessories. Modems were still being developed: with them it would be possible to access a specialized network, which was used in the 1980s in Japan.
But the NES expansion port did not see commercial use. On the Famicom, the Japanese version of the console, it was covered with a protective cover. The plastic plug could be removed. Then it was completely abandoned on the NES, the US version of the console. The port was made unavailable to the owner.
But NES fans and electronics lovers remembered the port. Some of them found its application, although very limited. So to speak, just for fun. Some examples are below!
Three interesting projects
Send messages on Twitter (now X)
In 2015, a DIY enthusiast named Trapper McPherron developed an unusual system that allowed Tweets to be sent through the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) console using an expansion port.
McPherron wrote specialized software for the NES that runs on the Twitter API. Sending messages is implemented through the console. The author developed an adapter for accessing the network. It all looked simply magical:
The project is non-commercial: the author created all this just for himself, as mentioned above, just for fun. If there’s a loaf of bread, why not make a trolley out of it, right?
Sound generator for NES
A user with the nickname Perkka2 developed EPSM (Expansion Port Sound Module). This is a sound generator for the NES console that connects through that “forgotten” expansion port. The device is powered by the Yamaha YMF288 sound chip and adds new audio capabilities to the original NES.
The module supports several audio channels, including FM channels, rhythm channels with sampled drum sounds, and there is also stereo.
Features of EPSM:
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three channels of FM sound;
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six rhythm channels with stereo support;
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support for original Famicom games with enhanced audio such as PowerPak and EverDrive N8.
EPSM uses a 3.5 mm stereo jack for audio output. The system disables the NES’s built-in RCA/AV outputs when the original 15-pin connector on the bottom of the console is engaged. Here is the project author’s GitHub.
Modern interfaces for NES
Another project, ENIO, expands the capabilities of the NES. A modern I/O interface is added, so that the old console can be used in a new capacity. As an option, connect to the Internet or add additional modules to improve sound and graphics.
ENIO is based on a chip PIC32. The chip controls data transfer between the NES and external devices. Accordingly, the following are added:
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USB (for example, to connect a keyboard);
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Ethernet (For network functions);
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microSD (for downloading games and storing data).
NES Upgrade in 2024: NES Hub
In 2024, it became known about the creation of a new module to connect to the NES port. Created by DIY enthusiast RetroTime, it’s the most versatile NES expansion port accessory to date. It’s called the NES Hub, and it’s only compatible with the NES-001 version of the console.
What is this module and what does it do? In short, it is a PCB with a lot of features. The NES Hub plugs directly into the NES expansion port and provides:
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connecting four controllers via Bluetooth (an alternative to the original NES Four Score accessory, which is now unavailable);
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the possibility of connecting a controller from SNES;
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experimental support for Famicom peripherals (a Japanese game console released a few years before the NES);
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new audio capabilities – enabled additional audio features in some Famicom games.
It is likely that the NES Hub will support third-party accessories and modules in the future — such as a drive emulator for the Famicom Disk System currently in development called the FDSKey Drive Emulator. It is created by the specialists of Muramasa Entertainment.
RetroTime already has several working prototypes, and the enthusiast plans to send them to beta testers before announcing the mod’s readiness and making the accessory available for purchase (most likely through 8bitmods and a few other niche stores). The cost of the device will be 57 USD. Decent, but enthusiasts usually do not skimp on interesting additions for their set-top boxes.
If you know of any other developments, tell us about them in the comments. Not only for the NES, but also for other consoles, because they also had unused ports. An example is the PS Vita with its proprietary connector.