I need help getting this thing hooked up.

[pLover]

No, I'm not almost done the portable, however I did just snag a screen on eBay, but I want to hook up the SNES to the TV and play it with the new PC board controller. So I need help. I know how to hook in the power plug, but I have a problem, and a few extra questions.

First off, I haven't hooked up the L and R buttons to my controller boards, will the be a problem? Secondly, I'm assuming using ribbon cable to hook up the power plug to the board will work and not overheat or anything, right?

Now to the other, and slightly bigger issue. The A/V plug is missing two leads. I'm not sure if they are all essential to hook the A/V into the TV, and if they aren't, I'm not sure which ones are. So I need some help on that.

So here's the plug with the missing leads. In case you can't see in the picture (because the picture quality sucks) I made little circles there. The yellow circles are the leads that SHOULD be there and ARE,and the red circles are the ones that SHOULD be there but AREN'T.

And here's how the leads plug in and correspond to the board. Same as before, yellow = there, red = gone

And on a side note, I'd like to hook up a power LED. I'm pretty sure I hook it to the areas with blue circles around them (in the second picture) but I'm not sure of A) which leg goes where, and B) If I hook it up wrong, (wrong place, wrong way, etc) if it will fry the board. So I also need help on that.

Thanks to all who can help me!

 

[Bibin]

This again?

Please tell me what you think "ribbon cable" is. If you mean tearing off a strand of wire from a ribbon, like a hard drive or floppy one, then it is NOT a ribbon cable.

 

[XCVG]

This again?

Please tell me what you think "ribbon cable" is. If you mean tearing off a strand of wire from a ribbon, like a hard drive or floppy one, then it is NOT a ribbon cable.

Okay, you're right. Technically, a ribbon cable is like the thing on a CD-ROM drive or LCD screen. But what do people call those cables for floppy and hard drives? Ribbon cables. Usually when someone says ribbon cable that's what they mean. That's the common usage. What do you suggest we call it?

Sorry, I just like being counter-argumentative.

First off, I haven't hooked up the L and R buttons to my controller boards, will the be a problem? Secondly, I'm assuming using ribbon cable to hook up the power plug to the board will work and not overheat or anything, right?

Shouldn't be a problem BUT it might be. Some people have trouble with power when they use ribbon cable. I recommend speaker wire or a similar wire around 16-18 AWG.

Now to the other, and slightly bigger issue. The A/V plug is missing two leads. I'm not sure if they are all essential to hook the A/V into the TV, and if they aren't, I'm not sure which ones are. So I need some help on that.

I didn't bother with the AV plug at all for testing my N64p board. Just get a really cheap video cable from a thrift store or basement and cut it up and solder it on. If you really must, however, both the wiki and GameSX have pinouts for the plug so you can see if it's important or not.

And on a side note, I'd like to hook up a power LED. I'm pretty sure I hook it to the areas with blue circles around them (in the second picture) but I'm not sure of A) which leg goes where, and B) If I hook it up wrong, (wrong place, wrong way, etc) if it will fry the board. So I also need help on that.

Just connect it between power to the board and ground. Also, connecting to the wrong places probably won't fry the board, connecting the LED backwards definitely won't. Also, use a resistor or you will probably kill the LED.

 

[pLover]

Bibin: I posted this before I asked for help in the CBox. And ribbon cable is (technically) the kind of stuff on an LCD, as XCVG said. But I'm talking about standard wire (You know, the kind that comes all together and you can cut strands off)

And XCVG, thank you for all of your help, but your answers raise one more question: What do you mean by "video cable"? Can't the video signal travel from the SNES board to a pocket TV through a standard wire?

 

[XCVG]

A video cable is a cable that you use for connecting TVs and VCRs and DVD players and such. Most kinds have video and audio in the same cable with a red, white, and yellow plug on each end. Cut it in half and solder it up. Don't forget ground either!

 

[pLover]

So are you telling me that the book is wrong and a video signal cannot go through a standard wire?

 

[samjc3]

So are you telling me that the book is wrong and a video signal cannot go through a standard wire?

no. what gave you that silly idea? he is saying, that for testing, its easier to leave the jack on and jut cut the video cable an hook it to the screen that way.

 

[pLover]

Ooooh, ok. That makes WAY more sense.

 

[PalmerTech]

Actually, ribbon cable as use din computer cable is an acceptable term. People use it for LCD connectors and such now, but the proper term for those are "FFC"s (Flat Flex Connectors).

 

[Bibin]

This again?

Please tell me what you think "ribbon cable" is. If you mean tearing off a strand of wire from a ribbon, like a hard drive or floppy one, then it is NOT a ribbon cable.

Okay, you're right. Technically, a ribbon cable is like the thing on a CD-ROM drive or LCD screen. But what do people call those cables for floppy and hard drives? Ribbon cables. Usually when someone says ribbon cable that's what they mean. That's the common usage. What do you suggest we call it?

It's a ribbon. However, if you tear off a wire, that wire is not a ribbon. It's a wire. It can be referred to by gauge, material, composition, etc. Just say wire! Once you break off a strand, that strand is no longer a ribbon.

Usually PLover, though, it does not matter what kind of wire you use as long as it is not too thin so as to prevent signal loss, or in worse high voltage cases, arcing. You can learn a lot by giving things a try and seeing how it works, just be cautious!