Crazy 72 pin connector mod idea from a n00b...plausible?

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Crazy 72 pin connector mod idea from a n00b...plausible?
by on (#44950)
There must be other applications out there for 72 pin connectors...how are famiclones getting ahold of ones that make better connections, for example? I realize it would not be as simple as just slapping one of those on a toaster NES though, since they are vertical. But I thought, is there a such thing as a 72 line ribbon cable? If so, perhaps one could scarf two 72 pin tension connectors from a couple of old famiclones, connect them with a ribbon cable (somehow...haha), then put one of the connectors on the motherboard and attach the other one so it faces just like the regular 72 pin connector does. The major problem would be fastening it in place tightly. (and finding 72 pin connectors that would connect to a ribbon cable easily, and finding a 72 line ribbon cable, if that even exists...lol)

Sound plausible?

*edit* I'm aware of the flipping-the-72 pin connector idea, but I thought I'd try to come up with an alternative just for the heck of it..
Re: Crazy 72 pin connector mod idea from a n00b...plausible?
by on (#44955)
ZomCoder wrote:
There must be other applications out there for 72 pin connectors...how are famiclones getting ahold of ones that make better connections, for example?

Probably a similar design to the NES toploader.

Quote:
I realize it would not be as simple as just slapping one of those on a toaster NES though, since they are vertical. But I thought, is there a such thing as a 72 line ribbon cable?

Find a parallel ATA ribbon and a floppy ribbon, and you have two wires left over.

by on (#44958)
It's plausible, but I expect that you'd likely need to strip and solder both ends of the ribbon cable. NES connector pitch (distance between pin centers) is in metric, 2.5mm versus the standard .1" (2.54mm). The Famicom however is .1". Those bastards. :)

If you find a good source for straight (vertical) 72-pin connectors, that would be cool to hear about too.

by on (#45030)
I have a bunch of simple famicom system to nes game converters that I want to play with desoldering and putting them in nes systems. Then you would just cut a hole in the back of the nes and plug the cartridges in there... I've seen it done on some website with a game genie connector too. I think it would be important for the cartridge to be supported enough.

I did solder one on a nes motherboard, but I never put it back in the nes case. It did work well enough out in the open.

-Michael

by on (#45304)
So I've been poking around the internet a bit for equipment that would do the job for this mod, but have so far been unsuccessful. I've only found things that are 2.54 mm pitch, haven't found any connectors or ribbon cables that sport the 2.5 mm pitch.

So I was thinking of a possible alternative, that may be more doable by an electronics n00b. So say I took two old famiclone 72 pin connectors (vertical kind). Presumably these connect through a PCB with pins. Is there a kind of wire I could individually solder or even wrap around the pins? That would be somewhat painstaking, but perhaps it would do the job. My only reservation would be---what sort of wires should I get, and how do I know if their electrical properties will not hurt the NES's motherboard etc..?

*edit* after that it would be a simple matter of jerry rigging some way of fastening one of the vertical connectors so it points towards the front-loading door, and fastening the other one onto the motherboard so it doesn't slide off easily.

by on (#45314)
Should work. I'd go for ribbon cable or thicker if you really wanna play it safe.