All NES and SNES use the same synchronous serial protocol, clocked from
the computer's side (and thus timing insensitive). To allow up to 5 NES
-and/or SNES gamepads and/or SNES mice connected to the parallel port at once,
-the output lines of the parallel port are shared, while one of 5 available
-input lines is assigned to each gamepad.
+and/or SNES gamepads connected to the parallel port at once, the output
+lines of the parallel port are shared, while one of 5 available input lines
+is assigned to each gamepad.
This protocol is handled by the gamecon.c driver, so that's the one
-you'll use for NES, SNES gamepads and SNES mice.
+you'll use for NES and SNES gamepads.
The main problem with PC parallel ports is that they don't have +5V power
source on any of their pins. So, if you want a reliable source of power
either a NES or NES clone and will work with this connection. SNES gamepads
also use 5 wires, but have more buttons. They will work as well, of course.
-Pinout for NES gamepads Pinout for SNES gamepads and mice
+Pinout for NES gamepads Pinout for SNES gamepads
+----> Power +-----------------------\
| 7 | o o o o | x x o | 1
6 | N64 pad
7 | Sony PSX controller
8 | Sony PSX DDR controller
- 9 | SNES mouse
The exact type of the PSX controller type is autoprobed when used so
hot swapping should work (but is not recomended).