How To - Build the PRS-Tech SNES-Zero

[garthster]

Ok, I am at a bit of a loss on my SNES-Zero build.

I got everything buttoned up hardware wise, after some serious hdmi cable issues partly due to both recommended cable having become unobtainable. Pi was stuck in a reboot loop but I rectified this by changing cables.

I got all the software updated and my SNES Zero recognizes keystrokes while in the emulation station interface for a while.....

I am having consistent issues with the controller functions dropping out.

I should note that this has also been an issue with just the keyboard connected before I got the controller keys programmed. The system seemed to stabilize when I exited emulation station, so I would boot the pie, exit emulation station and perform all my updates remotely through ssh.

I removed the optional usb wires from the pi to eliminate a poor solder job as a variable, but the issue persists.

The buttons will suddenly stop responding if i play around in the menus for too long (or just let it sit there) and even more vexing is that the buttons do not respond at all when I fire up a game. This problem seems to completely freeze the pie, disallows me to use either the software controls or ssh to shut the pie down, leaving no option but to perform a had reboot and try again. This is my first pi build and I'm prolly missing something simple, but at this point it has become a very frustrating issue.

[Percoseth]

I got this together and everything works great, except the X button. I've checked my solder and everything looks fine. It's really odd. Has anyone seen everything work but a single button?


Edit - Ok, now that I'm not half asleep, I've thought to try a few things out. I doubled checked my siolder job, everything looks good. I tried bridging GPIO 37 and 34 to make sure there isn't a problem with the board and still nothing. It doesn't recognize the button push.

[garthster]

Ok, so I finally sorted out that I have a bad raspberry pi in my build and have replaced it.

I have moved on to getting the player two paddle working and I am having no end of grief. no matter what I do both the gpio controller and usb gamepad control both players to some extent or suffer a loss of function.

Is anyone else having this issue?

[marcushg]

This is the hdmi adapter that I bought. Any one can provide insight has to how I need to wire the diode. Looks alittle different and I'm not 100% sure...

Yeah I think it’s basically the same as the instructions tell you. The last pin to the positive wire... I’d use a voltmeter and check though, I don’t remember how exactly I wired mine. I don’t wanna be responsible for frying your tv somehow.

8F8DAE98-65E4-400A-AE63-CF66E50369CA.jpeg

ok, i fried my TV HDMI ports... can someone just tell me how to wire the diode with this kind of adapter?? does it have to connect the two sides?? (hdmi male and female)
is it possible i also fried rpi zero??

[Diddledirt]

I had zero luck with the 10ft cord. It worked fine with 3ft and 6ft. As soon as I got 10ft. Boot loop. I ended up just running a 24g wire from the USB power insterter along the length of the cord. It could be the cord but I have 3 of them and they all do the same thing. I have a 4th coming of a different brand. We will see if it works.

Update. It was my pi. New one out of the worked fine with the 10ft cord. Side note. Double check your pi before you solder it one. I just fried my snes board trying to get the old one off

[davidepinoli]

Hi all, i'm Dave from Italy
i'm interested in building a Snes zero using a clone usb controller.
i figured out that the usb of the pad can be soldered directly to the pi zero board, so i can avoid to code the gpio and adding the PRS-Tech SNES-Zero Board:
i found this tutorial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gzJvF4k3KhI&t=400s
I would like to power this pad via hdmi instead via microusb (probably i can fit the pi zero inside the "original" case), using the instruction of this thread.

My question is:
if i buy the hdmi adapter and i solder the Bat42 diode, will the raspberry power on or i have to "bridge" some wires on the board?
can the pi automaticly find out that the power is comming from the hdmi or i have to "guide" the 5v from the hdmi cable to the right spot?

I'm a noob so maybe i have just sad some blasphemy in soldering stuff.
Sorry for my orrible english
Bye

[Diddledirt]

Kinda wierd update. I don't know if any of you are having the same problem. My 55" 2015 Samsung smart TV does not like this setup. When ever it's connected it reboots consistently. When I have it hooked up to my 2011 Coby 42" TV it works the way it's supposed to. Does anyone else have this problem?

[Diddledirt]

Hi all, i'm Dave from Italy
i'm interested in building a Snes zero using a clone usb controller.
i figured out that the usb of the pad can be soldered directly to the pi zero board, so i can avoid to code the gpio and adding the PRS-Tech SNES-Zero Board:
i found this tutorial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gzJvF4k3KhI&t=400s
I would like to power this pad via hdmi instead via microusb (probably i can fit the pi zero inside the "original" case), using the instruction of this thread.

My question is:
if i buy the hdmi adapter and i solder the Bat42 diode, will the raspberry power on or i have to "bridge" some wires on the board?
can the pi automaticly find out that the power is comming from the hdmi or i have to "guide" the 5v from the hdmi cable to the right spot?

I'm a noob so maybe i have just sad some blasphemy in soldering stuff.
Sorry for my orrible english
Bye

Good morning. Yes you would need to do some more soldering. You would need to follow the power part of the instructions. You would still need to solder a wire from gpio pin1 to the HDMI point(look at the instructions to see which one)

Good luck
JLo.

[Diddledirt]

Last thing I will probably write here. If your TV has anynet+ on the HDMI port your plugging into. This setup will not work. You will either get a boot loop or not turn on at all. I have a 2015 smart Samsung TV. As soon as I turned off the anynet + it worked flawlessly with it running I turned it back on and the screen went blank and said No device detected.

I hope this helps those who were as frustrated as me when this awesome toy didn't work.

JLo

[mazzic]

Alright, so it's been a while and I tried it again from scratch. Everything seems to work fine and I can also do the steps in the "GPIO for buttons" tutorial. The only issue I have is that the D-Pad doesn't seem to work properly. Could this be a solder issue? How do I find out? I'm still new to soldering and using electronic parts. I have a multimeter, but I'm not sure how to test for soldering mistakes.
After putting so much effort (and money!) into this project, I don't want to abandon it without successfully completing it.