Nintendo NEVER Used This Expansion Port, So Modders Did

[@IcebergTech]

"Hello, lawyers? Yes, they're doing it again. Modders this time. Yes, the NES. No, not since 1995. Yes, every penny they have. Thanks!"

[@JB-mm5ff]

Ironic that the best future for retro Nintendo gaming exists in the universe where they bankrupt themselves and go out of business.

[@hyxlo_]

hello Iceberg tech 👋

[@ErnestJay88]

"Stop modding our 39 years old console or $10 million lawsuit incoming !" -Nintendo Legal Dept.

[@polocatfan]

modding is legal you asshole

[@rsmith02]

There's no legal basis to oppose mods on a system not for sale anymore.

[@Cameront9]

The port was used in America in a small trial run of a system that let you pick lottery numbers online. It was only in a small test market.

[@oussama7132]

right, the only console with an expansion port that wasn't used is the WiiU gamepad

[@heavenlyderpfowl1180]

If I remember correctly it was for minnesota

[@ZogTheStartrucker]

If i recall it was supposed to be a modem right? Playing multiplayer NES games online would be so cool tbh

[@VectrexForever]

@@oussama7132 the one on the Playstation Vita was also never used

[@thelightwielder]

@@ZogTheStartrucker Gauntlet 2 would've been perfect for it

[@daviannajones5648]

I love how intent modders are to slightly increase the bass and quality of their 40 year old 8-bit soundtracks

[@NoahErickson]

Because Castlevania and Mega Man absolutely slap.

[@BiGuyJedi]

God forbid we use external audio amplifiers "don't touch a hair on SOTN's Theme!!"

[@Druid_Plow]

They're not 40.... Yet....

[@Geert890]

Bit more than slightly tbf 😳

[@AndreasRohdin-MrGamer]

Having made music in FamiTracker. The audio actually slaps with the right gear and playback.

[@yogidemis8513]

As a 80s kid and now 45, I'm stoked to see the Nes world is still thriving. My 6 year old daughter is getting into the Nes and learning how to play Zelda, she's always asking for help but I tell her "I don't know, we never had help in the 80s, you just have to play and figure it out." Long live the Nes!!

[@s.m1nd]

That’s the exact lesson I’m teaching my 6 year old. He started playing last year when he was 5 and seeing him go from crying because he couldn’t beat Super Mario Bros. to getting to level four and five with more patience, has been great to see 🥹🥹🥹

[@Dogeathotdog1]

We had magazines and good ole Nintendo Power lol

[@LordmonkeyTRM]

Timo not to be confused with Temu

[@richardwang9315]

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣👍

[@WiiNV]

L🤭L

[@TBGAMESTARWorld]

👍

[@LaAnkhaHuasa]

Temuco

[@leatherhidegaming]

Which brings us to today's sponsor...

[@TheDeelunatic]

On the potential this device, maybe there's a way to give Microphone support for those games that utilized it on the Famicom side. Or for Homewbrew.

[@ChuckFinley-m5e]

I’d love to see a way to video out through one of the NES Hub’s addon DP ports, instead of having to futz around with an HDMI mod or buy an expensive upscaler like a Retrotink or an OSSC.

[@mjdxp5688]

That would be kind of difficult. For a game like The Legend of Zelda which used the microphone, you'd need to somehow connect a Famicom Disk System which isn't possible on the NES, and you'd also need to design a controller with a microphone to use it.

[@xxHANNONxx]

I’m really impressed by the audio difference, I never knew such a thing existed.

[@cybernoid001]

@@mjdxp5688 I mean, the disk system just piggy backed on the standard cart insert. So in theory, the expansion port could be used to route into a cart since the extra pins for a 72 pin game could connect to the expansion port and then put the game data into a custom mapper chipset. Lot of custom hardware, but possible. Just impractical

[@TheDeelunatic]

@@mjdxp5688 Considering the device this video is about give controller inputs, I'd say it's possible.

[@kikujade]

just the solderless expansion audio has me sold on this thing.

[@jackmcslay]

Nintendo DID use nte expansion port - on the NES diagnostic unit delivered to repair shops to diagnose defective NES consoles and accesories, the expansion port allowed to upgrade the units to diagnose SNES hardware as well

[@Yellowsam4145]

...never let you get one yourself. Unless you repaired a NES yourself.

[@yavorchernaev39]

Do you think the port can be used, somehow, to output rgb video, because the internal rgb mods require adcanced soldering? 🤔

[@JeremyBrown-um6vm]

The port was also used for the NES Miracle Piano.

[@Cameront9]

@@JeremyBrown-um6vmso how did it work if you had a later model nes that covered the port?

[@JeremyBrown-um6vm]

​​@@Cameront9No idea, I got my NES when it came out and I was in Highschool. I remember seeing the Miracle Piano being advertised on TV for $500. I don't know if they were selling it when the later models came out but I doubt it, at $500.

[@ThomatoSauce]

If they can somehow add a microphone accessory that mimics the Famicom Mic (for games like FDS Zelda and Takeshi’s Challenge), and give the option between the Hori 4-players adapter and the Four Score (because yes, some games only support one or the other) this add on could make the NES the ultimate way to experience the entire 8-bit Nintendo catalogue.

[@greenaum]

The Famicom mic is pretty much just the Select button (or it might be the Start button) on pad 2. It couldn't digitise sound at all, just detect it or not, and quite slowly. A lot like the light gun, it was pretty useless hardware wise.

[@customsongmaker]

​@@greenaumI thought it was for karaoke

[@RadikAlice]

@@customsongmaker Is that a Takeshi's Challenge reference?

[@PhirePhlame]

​@@customsongmaker I think it did also replicate the sound input to the TV, iirc, but as far as the game knows it's just on or off like any button.

[@EarthPoweredHippie]

Hasn't this been done already???

[@neoradjoao7701]

regarding the famicom disk system adapter, I have already made one, it works perfectly

[@johnrickard8512]

Why am I not surprised?

[@bdhale34]

@@johnrickard8512 You shouldn't be in the slightest, we have the datasheets for every single ic and componant the NES ever used, we know literally every wire and circuit and what it does.

[@apollolux]

Re simultaneous inputs - "2 Players, 1 Controller" is a surprisingly common speedrun category. This would make it exponentially easier to do it if it doesn't get patched out or if it gets patched such that it's done cleanly and intentionally.

[@WackoMcGoose]

I actually kinda wonder if this would legitimize a certain strategy that is currently banned due to requiring hardware alteration of the controllers: pressing Up+Down or Left+Right at the same time, which has some !!Fun!! effects in certain games. ...Eh... the strat would likely remain banned as you're still depending on non-stock hardware to do so...

[@Armand79th]

Anything that ruins a speed-runner's day is a bonus.

[@HedleyLamarr]

​@WackoMcGoose this was my first thought (simultaneous inputs) as soon as he mentioned the overlap. Good to know it's already being recognized and called out already.

[@menhirmike]

Looking forward to someone finding a Tetris technique that makes DAS and Hyper Tapping look like ancient history.

[@cyberyogicowindler2448]

@@WackoMcGoose In Atari 2600 "Kangaroo" it makes you fall through the floor by pressing up and down simultaneously.

[@wannytiggah]

As someone else said, there WAS another homebrew device that use the port, the ENIO (Extended NES I/O). It was back in 2012, and apparently it was sold in very low quantities. The official websites (of both the developer and the online shop that sold it) are now defunct, only being archived.

[@suspendedhatch]

To fix the controller overlap, add a software option to assign wireless controllers to port 2, 3, or 4.

[@muharremsuz]

Isnt it can be fixed by plugging wired controller on 2nd port?

[@0JayDoubleU]

@@muharremsuz EXACTLY! That was like my automatic next thought when i heard this.

[@muharremsuz]

@@0JayDoubleU i think its possible but with 2 wireless controllers its impossible to play with a wired controller. So its not ideal solition

[@0JayDoubleU]

@muharremsuz it is an ideal solution anyway if it does work that way. Its good for if u only have 1 wired controller and want to play 2player games.

[@GreyMatterShades]

They could also solve it by adding a software feature where you can switch to any unassigned port via the shoulder buttons or some button combo.

[@aplsed]

Still waiting for the day somebody makes an American Famicom Disk System to use for that expansion port

[@YF501]

Muramasa is I think

[@captaineldeezee1336]

yes! rather niche, but it be cool. think of the possibilities. imagine a dual disk expansion, could allow the NES to turn into a proper microcomputer, maybe? or add save to disk support for games.

[@Bakamoichigei]

That's not how the FDS works though.... You put a RAM cartridge in the console and then _that_ is connected to the drive. You can already _do_ that. The NES expansion port doesn't connect to anything the FDS needs access to. 🤷‍♂️ The NES expansion port is little more than a collection of discarded I/O and buses the Famicom had, it's almost like NOA said "Well, we'd better stick them _somewhere_ in case we need them after all!" Unlike the EXT ports on the Super Famicom and N64, which were designed from the ground up with cartridge/data bus access in mind. And yes, Muramasa has an FDS interface for the NES... But it's just an NES cartridge version of the Famicom RAM adapter. I kinda want one, but I already have an AV Famicom, so w/e.

[@Bakamoichigei]

​@@captaineldeezee1336Famicom, Disk System, Family Basic Keyboard, and the Famicom Data Recorder tape deck. It'd be like having a C64 with arguably better games. 😏👌

[@kumarp3074]

I haven't tried it but have read that you can use a Famicom->NES cartridge adapter to the connect the FDS RAM adapter to a American top loader or a side loader if the top cover is removed.

[@Choochinc]

The NES modding community really has some mad scientists in there. In the time I've spent on some forums, there are some guys there trying to put 2 PPUs in the same system to double the graphics capabilities. This system's architecture is so fascinating that things like that even work.

[@MaxOakland]

That’s fascinating. How would 2 PPUS work? And would it mean you could have 2x the sprites?

[@diablo.the.cheater]

@@MaxOakland magic, very dark and damp magic, dank magic if you will.

[@johnrickard8512]

​@@MaxOaklandThe only way I see that working is for them to be building an NES with dual monitors. I assume this is so that they can have the full Punch-Out experience. That is the only thing one could do with dual PPUs. However, the NES's CPU is surprisingly fast enough to drive something like that. This is of course because of the graphics architecture of this console, where the graphics hardware has its own banks of memory.

[@shemlesh]

its not really black magic, its mainly a bit of hardware to remap the second PPU into a free part of the address space, then leverage the reset so they can draw alternative frames, like 3DFX's SLI on the voodoo

[@scikoolaid]

It makes sense, since the SNES is something like that

[@slincolne]

Nintendo must have had some real plans - the inclusion of this in every production unit was a cost that they would have avoided if there was no expected requirement. It would be interesting to find out from Nintendo the plans they had which kept the connector.

[@brentr9161]

I think they were intending some sort of cassette functionality like they had in Japan. The biggest clue to this is excite bike which had the option to save and load tracks, but only through cassette tapes. The US manual says that saving and loading are not functional, but programmed in with potential for future accessories.

[@customsongmaker]

The plan was the floppy disk drive, but they scrapped that after Japanese markets defeated the copy protection and played for free.

[@MaxOakland]

I think the FDS was planned for America but mappers proved to be better

[@Tempora158]

@@customsongmaker Piracy was part of it, but the real reason was the capacity of affordable ROM chip storage started to exceed the capacity of a FDS floppy disk, so the FDS add-on was killed around the same time the NES debuted in America, and thus the cartridge format was resurrected on the Famicom.

[@customsongmaker]

@@Tempora158 yeah but Nintendo never released a console that reads CDs for a reason.

[@m1a8x2]

Those initial shots of the console are breathtaking.

[@MachoNachoProductions]

Thank you 🙏

[@yeolemillinial8295]

i got a thing from 10 years ago that you plug in the ext port for japanese sound channel and it allows to use japanese 15 pin peripherals too. there was also a device that paired with that that allowed to run roms over a network and even play games over a network multiplayer but i didn't not get that part. its called the Extended NES I/O (ENIO)

[@yeolemillinial8295]

so this device is similar but of course the enio has no bluetooth controller connections. i wonder if they will add in application for it to act like the enio CPU board which allowed for ethernet connectivity. seriously look this up it might blow your mind

[@yeolemillinial8295]

enio exp was like 12 bucks by itself, because of that i have a hard time finding a 60 dollar price point as a value, but the enio IS NOT IN PRODUCTION, its a defunct product that this new device can learn from.

[@Deadguy2322forreal]

It’s pretty clear from some of the frankly dumb things he says that Tito has nearly zero knowledge about systems pre-Xbox.

[@KJImpakt]

Under the feature review, you mentioned how 2 controllers could be used at the same time. I realized how that could actually be utilized functionally, as it would save people on team play for single player games or 2-on-2 tournaments or tag team by letting players use their own personalized controllers at a friend's without having to share and wear down the functionality faster of any individual controller. I do understand the drawbacks of having the setup at the same time, but it opens up just as much with how it is now. Thought I'd throw in my 2 cents.

[@Buguese]

I remember hearing that the port underneath was used for like,two things 1 was by the Minnesota lottery so you could gamble "online" And 2, console service/repair shops, nintendo themselves to plug in a "console diagnostic" computer to see what in it wasnt working

[@Bakamoichigei]

@@Buguese Yeah, as I recall the Control Deck testing station measured the unregulated and regulated supply voltages, as well as the reference clock frequency, which are among the signals available at the port. Wonder what they did when servicing the later revisions which covered the port...just snap that blanking panel out to access it? 🤔

[@Buguese]

@@Bakamoichigei lmao,probably Cause I remember like,one time I saw a cousin of mine get his ps1 serviced in mexico,they full on took it apart to get access to the parallel port in the back to run some diagnostic cause the later "model 2" ps1 got rid of the port

[@scootscootriot]

12:32 your “con” is actually a good example of actual constructive feedback. Very good idea!

[@MatSpeedle]

The modern retro scene is just the best thing ever! The imagination and skill of modern modders never ceases to amaze me.

[@stevemelo]

This is awesome!! I can see this becoming a valuable asset for the current CTWC (Classic Tetris World Championships) - Enabling players to use any controller on original NES hardware. - Team Play 2 on 2

[@TheBroz]

Hold on, wouldn’t using non original hardware be kinda missing the point of the CTWC? There’s been alternate controller options for the NES for ages but CTWC only allow the original, dog bone, Hyperkin and goofyfoot. Also why on earth would classic Tetris players want to mess around with the latency of Bluetooth?

[@stevemelo]

@@TheBroz I never said that it would be allowed or top players even wanting too use different controllers, especially rollers. I'm just saying... It would easily open the door for that option that's all. I can actually see it being very useful in 2 on 2 competitions, especially if the same 2 players can control the same input off 2 different controllers. I've seen some instances where top players are just messing around and taking turns after one player gets a Tetris.

[@adoggewokepupper]

About time to see the expansion port have a moment to shine!

[@TheAceWolfe01]

Makes the NSO NES controllers even more useful.. Especially with the official joycon charging stand (which I am convinced they released because those controllers exist!)

[@danielburleson563]

If they released it for that reason it would have been forever ago when they released The controllers. Most people speculate that they're releasing it this late in the Nintendo switches life because the switch two will have a different rail system so it won't be able to charge Joy-Cons. So to allow you to continue to use your Joy-Cons, they're selling an official charger.

[@laurigardner6227]

Among the many things talked about some I even saw adverts for was: 1. NES modem so people could connect to BBSs. 2. Cassette drive for saving games. 3. Expansion for the disk system that would plug in at the bottom. None of these saw the light of day besides some adverts here and there. Just as an aside with new consoles that no-one has done before: There was no idea what people would be looking for or want so it was better to place an expansion slot to add value than have to re-engineer an entire factory when people said they would say want a better video out connector (which was a huge thing in the European market as high end customers used SCART and antenna out was considered lower class)

[@werpu12]

The Famicom disk drive did exist in japan but it used the module slot, not sure if the Famicom had the expansion port, probably not, they might have added it for the us version with future plans to bring the disk drive over, which never saw the light of day!

[@Galaxy-Being]

That's some midi magic.

[@MadContendery]

what the fuck do midis have to do with this

[@boyandthebubble]

NES designer in 1983 - hmm... lets put an expansion port here, for future updates. Dunno what for, but why the hell not? NES Hub designer in 2024 - hmm... lets put an expansion port here, for future updates. Dunno what for, but why the hell not? Nes Hub Expansion designer in 2065 - hmm... lets put an expansion port here, for future updates. Dunno what for, but why the hell not?

[@74810Eric]

People in 2077. I can use the NES with a few expansions to fully operate my spaceship.

[@ROARROARROAR-w7x]

It's called innovation and future proofing. See, I don't think that Asia had much of an economy besides farming. So when technological advancements came along, they had more people working in the field than anybody. So they advanced and perfected technology a lot quicker than Western society Because they had more people in that industry working in it. And I love them. Whoever says video games started in the West, is a moron lol 😹💯❤️

[@NovocaineTV]

9:38 i am going to buy this purely for the shared controller support. My daughter and I are always sharing the controller. i will do the jumps and she will move or vice versa. This is perfect.

[@shaylanmackay3930]

two things missing from this device. 1. wifi to emulate or simulate 56k modem and 2. the Famicom Disk Drive I would love to see this happen. 8-)

[@sqlexp]

A handle or some protrusion(s) to easily pull it out without breaking the board.

[@technerd9655]

I'd rather ethernet support than wifi

[@bedwablackburn]

Akumajou Densetsu without the expansion audio makes me weep (CV III JP) I love the expansion audio

[@snookers5123]

This is doable by adding a resistor to a section where the expansion slot is. No real cost necessary if you're handy with a soldering iron!

[@bedwablackburn]

@snookers5123 my NES is resistor modded. I've been looking for a good mod that does a better balance eventually

[@customsongmaker]

And you need a subwoofer too

[@ShadowEclipse777]

VRC6 chip is a powerhouse

[@dravenlee4473]

As a kid, that port fascinated me. Since we were stupid little kids, I remember someone saying you could play Genesis games with it and half of us believed it to the point of breaking off the plastic to see if you could fit a cart on it. Glad to see someone put it to use.

[@pseudotasuki]

Apple engineers: This connector will be used to output high-resolution video signals on laptops. Intel engineers: Also PCI-e. Vintage console hackers: And hardware expansion for the NES.

[@heiseheise]

Yeah, it does make me wonder what electrical reasoning there was for Timu to choose mini-displayport (a rather esoteric connector for 2024) vs the elephant in the room, USB-C. I'm sure there must have been one - maybe there was just a warehouse filled with millions of bins of old mini-Displayport for 2 cents a port vs 3 cents a port for USB-C? Heh.

[@pseudotasuki]

@heiseheise I was thinking pin count, but ISB-C actually has 2 more. Being esoteric also reduces the chance that people will try to plug something in which might get damaged, or damage the console.

[@AdhamOhm]

​@pseudotasuki That's what i was thinking: people might mistake the USB-C for a power or data port. Protection circuits against that sort of thing could be added, but that would increase the cost. So Mini-Displayport was probably the logical way to go. Its far less likely that a layperson would mistakenly plug something in.

[@pseudotasuki]

@@heiseheise I just remembered a relevant experience. Last year I installed an exhaust fan for a laser cutter and was surprised to see that its controller connected via USB-C. But that surprise turned to confusion when I found the dncsuded adapter that converted USB-C to Molex (the kind that was used to deliver power to hard drives before SATA). That… is nonsensical, so I tested the pins and it was delivering 12 volts! That's more than double the baseline of the USB standard. It could easily fry anything someone plugged in.

[@heiseheise]

@@pseudotasuki wow - that is a crazy amount of volts to be putting through something that people look at, and assume would just charge their phones. If I'm reading some online sources correctly - most modern, well-made phones have overvolt protection, and don't allow power delivery to happen at rates that would damage the phone/battery - but dumber electronics with USB-C on it, like a cheap bluetooth headphone setup, might get fried immediately

[@0xEARTH]

I think that, depending on the firmware's capabilities of course, something REALLY fascinating that could be done is potential "network support" via a homebrew menu somewhere on an expansion block. My vision is this; with the expansion plugged in, it boots up to a homebrew menu of some form to allow some stupid things like an internet protocol that the expansion itself would handle. Once you choose your options, you can tell it to boot from the cartridge (or, depending on the setup, could go *full* homebrew and allow ROMs via SD); this could allow you to, as an idea, do something similar to Dolphin Emulator's NetPlay system, where a specific password system could be utilized to play two (or 3+ if BlueRetro's Multitap is on) player games over the internet, all on actual NES hardware. I imagine, of course, a LOT of the heavy lifting would be done via the expansion for this, as I don't know if the NES could even *handle* some of the stuff I'm talking about here, but if done properly that can bring a whole new community of people to the NES.

[@JamesTDG]

13:03 my priority for controller support: Wired USB controllers! There's some decent USB versions of NES controllers out there that could work as nice replacements for the NES controllers, or more importantly for me, I get to use my old white xbox 360 wired controller with my NES

[@DylanMatthewTurner]

9:14 What if you plug into P2? Couldn't you do wireless as P1 and Wired as P2 without overlap?

[@myjunkinyourtrunk1872]

wireless overlap might be handy playing with your little kids

[@ZeroHourProductions407]

I'm sorry, did you say mini-displayport? Not USB? Now, if the video output could be routed out of a mini-DP on the expansion port, that's more than worth the price to me, since I'd been wanting a good way to connect an NES to a modern TV.

[@ClayMcDonald]

That would be amazing but is the expansion port capable of handling outbound video?

[@TheSpooniest]

​​@@ClayMcDonaldNot by itself, because there are no pins dedicated to the purpose. But in theory it might be possible to route video signals to the port's "general" pins using a scheme similar to Krikkz's RGB Blaster. This would require two devices, one plugging into the game (to route the video signal into the pins) and one plugging into the expansion port (to pick up those signals and route them out to a port). But in theory it might work.

[@AcidicThought]

I mean, 1st generation Thunderbolt used the same connector.

[@Sun-ut9gr]

Never seen a TV with DisplayPort 🤔

[@ZeroHourProductions407]

@Sun-ut9gr Me either. But there are no shortage of display port to hdmi adapters and converters on the market.

[@Bro3256]

Controller overlap is actually possible with the Famicom expansion port since controllers that plug into that port mimmick controller 1 and while for the most part its not very useful there are a select few games that technically make the feature handy such as Namco's Star Wars game where pressing up and down at the same time is required to access the level select.

[@KLondike5]

As part of a school project to communicate with companies, writing to Nintendo about that port was what I chose. They actually sent a letter back to me about it answering in a vague way about it being a future use sort of design.

[@ErnestJay88]

it supposed to be used with "NES Disk Drive" or even "NES NETWORK MODEM" like famicom disk system (floppy disk) and even Famicom Network System. But since it didn't sell well in Japan, Nintendo cancel release any NES expansion.

[@jesuslovesyoujohn314-21]

I love that people are still using these systems and adapting them.

[@benvasquez2964]

Im not gonna lie, thats looks pretty sweet looking. Very simple yet very useful too. Awesome

[@mikemurphy5898]

8:50 FINALLY! A simultaneous left/ right input when speed running Super Mario Bros!

[@3DJapan]

It wouldn't be hard to design a 3D printed shell for it. I'm kind of surprised the author didn't do that.

[@adamcoe]

I mean really, the entire console itself *is* the cover, given that this thing goes in the bottom, and after that I would think it would be very rare to pick up or move it. I assume anyone buying this thing (vs just using an emulator) has a mint condition NES sitting on a well-dusted shelf so it's not like it's gonna get all grimy with dirt or something.

[@bluemew22]

If you really wanted to be a cheapo you could probably carve out channels in the cover you have to remove to reach the port and fit that around the Hub, too.

[@digitalmagicAR]

Wow that is awesome! Back in the day Nintendo was slow to release a 16 bit system. They had officially stated they would make a 16 bit system when the public was ready / needed one, or something similar (it's been a long time so I forgot the exact quote). Meanwhile Genesis and TurboGrafx were raking in the dough with better looking games. I argued for Nintendo to utilize the little known expansion port of existing NES. Time went by and they eventually released the Super NES and so the expansion port was never to be used and remained mostly unknown. Finding a video about it and even someone utilizing it was pretty cool! Thank you

[@ardentdrops]

Maybe a minor gripe I have is using a standardized connector in a non-standard way. What an odd choice to use displayport connectors.

[@ActualRealKayamariOfficialVEVO]

It's got a high pin density, is cheaply obtainable as an off the shelf part, and miniDP is generally not that commonly used. Not saying it isn't common but besides certain laptops and enterprise graphics cards you hardly ever see it so it's a pretty smart choice I think. Designing a connector from scratch for this purpose is a lot of work and with how many connections the expansion port has I doubt it'd be easy.

[@megacherv]

While I agree it is odd they're not just using USB C, the miniDP connector was used for both Thunderbolt 1 and 2 many years ago

[@ardentdrops]

Yeah like I said it's a minor gripe. I understand the extra engineering costs associated with standards compliance or making bespoke connectors. Not a decision I would make but I respect it.

[@ActualRealKayamariOfficialVEVO]

that does make me curious what you would use instead, any particular connector in mind or would you go for something original? genuine question for the record.

[@Lonewolf_121]

​@@ActualRealKayamariOfficialVEVOusb c has a total of 24 pins, mini dp has 20, so they could have just use usb c

[@Izhkoort]

A good use of control overlap would be using 2 different kind of controls for someone with movement difficulties/restrictions that would need a special set of controllers

[@ProximitySound]

Several Homebrew games support expansion audio! Former Dawn (just funded on Kickstarter) is one of the most recent.

[@ced1106]

Almost mistook you intro for a yt ad :P Thanks for the video !!!

[@noot1375]

Oh my god, a video sponsor that is not only short and sweet but RELEVANT to the video? Pinch me, I must be dreaming.

[@ToxicSpork]

I have never wanted anything more in my life than that clear NES

[@charlesdoesmore5488]

1:34 and also not to be confused with Temu.

[@frikifectonotengo6609]

All glory the unused expansion ports in old consoles.

[@helloofthebeach]

It's so refreshing to see sponsorships that are actually relevant to the channel, rather than yet another War Thunder plug.

[@nikkiofthevalley]

Yeah, maker channels usually get sponsorships that are actually relevant. PCBWay and JLC are the major two that do the most sponsorships across a wide variety of maker channels.

[@dividion8102]

It's especially funny that the ESP32 is more powerful than the NES console. I agree that a 3D-printed cover would be a great improvement, but it also looks like they didn't leave themselves much room to clip one on. A couple of notches near the "nes hub" and "darthcloud" would've made it pretty easy. Those spots look like they're free of traces.

[@WJCTechyman]

Although, I guess it depends on what version of the ESP32 is being utilized, but maybe there is a way to do online play...to an extent. Interesting either way. It is so fascinating what the retro gaming community is coming up with and some of these sound incredibly cool. I mean, I am getting a Flippy Drive for my GameCube and can't wait to try it out.

[@jdaywork2693]

Awesome how creativity continues to be unleashed by classic consoles!

[@Rabbitlord108]

Now I want more expansion port accessories for the SNES.

[@MaxOakland]

The SNES has an expansion port?

[@InvaderTAK1989]

@@MaxOakland Of course it did, what else did you think the Satellaview's base unit plugged in to? EDIT: Looks like the stupidly rare LifeCycle Exertainment Bike also used the expansion port. Not seeing anything about a Europe release for that thing, though, just a North American release.

[@Rabbitlord108]

@@InvaderTAK1989 I know Rerez talked about it. And the amount of games that used the thing is INSANELY small.

[@stuffdo_er]

What an incredible time we live in. What a great piece of hardware.

[@trudownsouth8490]

Use duct tape to cover it. Now there are no cons. Its PERFECT!

[@TtEL]

Con: Duct tape doesn't match the clear plastic case

[@trudownsouth8490]

@TtEL Use invisible tape then. PERFECT

[@jonuschurchill7130]

Double controller isn't a flaw, it's a team building exercise.

[@trexslapfight]

That shell is beautiful.

[@kyslem]

Man, those product shots at the beginning of your videos have always captured my attention, but this time they’re something else. I’d love to see a making of of these, I keep wondering how you shoot them!

[@tigheklory]

HAA HAA! I had this page open in my browser for weeks and I see this video and I'm like "BETTER ORDER THIS RIGHT NOW!!!" before the Tito army buys them up! Awesome video Tito!

[@PhirePhlame]

As a side note, early NES systems from what I recall didn't come manufactured with the "permanent" cover over the accessory slot. I guess at some point they decided they had no plans for it.

[@RossHouck]

I think an honest CON would be the fact you would have to permanently modify your NES case. It's minor, there are ways around it (use a sacrificial shell, etc), but it is a forever change to something that isn't made any more.

[@kendrakirai]

You mean removing the breakaway port cover? I don't think anybody would really mind that so much seeing as how it was in fact made to be removed permanently, rather than the shell modifications that were never intended in order to fit new components internally.

[@magnus87]

I'm glad to know that someone is taking the idea of ​​Chykn80 and creating a spiritual successor to ENIO.

[@DragonHiss4]

I'd cross my fingers that the board could one day give us an RGB out like the PC Engine's expansion port, but not knowing what it actually gives access to, I don't know if that's feasible. Awesome board either way!

[@kristiansvensson172]

What song is playing in the intro @ 0:50? Thanks!

[@chukozkorrea714]

Remake of goodbye horses

[@Macksimas-i2m]

Somewhat obviously. 😆​@@chukozkorrea714

[@zaca211]

The whole custom port thing really hit home. Im doing a project that involves interfacing with a GPIB port and those connectors are hard as hell to find.

[@superblitz]

just need HDMI support, that is still in production.

[@johnnylochs6704]

Excellent timing!! Your vids are always fantastic and the production quality is top notch.

[@videostash413]

Wi-Fi is a huge flaw. Updating should be done in a better way like sd or usb. Tech should never be dependent on an online connection.

[@thejackofclubs]

holy crap the production value with the spinning console in the beginning

[@ToxMod]

Had my headphones when listening to “Expansion Audio” 😮 wow

[@customsongmaker]

It didn't even get to the good part and the bass drop. Also listen to the NES Pac-Man Championship Edition

[@coganaj]

9:31 Such a shared control input example would work well with the board game style party NES video game "Anticipation" (which was said to be developed by Rare and published by Nintendo in 1988 according to Wikipedia and which could go for as little as $4-$10 dollars on eBay for the cartridge-based game pak only), for in a 4-player Anticipation game, player 1 would have to buzz in on the direction pad of controller 1, while player 2 would have to buzz in on the A or B button on controller 1, while player 3 would have to buzz in on the direction pad of controller 2, while player 4 would have to buzz in on the A or B button on controller 2.

[@ILikeYellow7]

At 9:12 wouldn't moving the wired controller to port 2 make you able to use wireless and wired simultaneously?

[@polandman07]

Or you could plug the wired one into port 2

[@ILikeYellow7]

@polandman07 yeah that's what i said

[@symeonsays]

yeah i was thinking the same thing! does the nes assume the 2nd port controller is player one if no other controller is connected to the 1st port?

[@vinson3725]

I was yelling at him through the screen about that, how can he not know something so obvious

[@MrTowelsplug]

I was thinking of a YT video title and thumbnail for "Trying to beat _____ with 2 people one character" or some type beat

[@DerfJagged]

I don't know how the heck you manage to pull off the flying and flipping NES with the NES HUB being inserted into it. Mad production icing!

[@smashpro1]

The one con I can think of is a lack of support for the top-loader NES.

[@MachoNachoProductions]

This is true, competent forgot to mention this

[@MagisterHamid]

The top loader never had an expansion port right?

[@RyujinRazZ3672]

As the Nes was my first console to ever own/play as a wee little lad. I can't begin to express how utterly and absolu-UUUTELY frekkin COOOL it is to see this so many years later. Ya'll rock, my dudes... nuthin but epic!

[@tree_alone]

8:15 friends not included

[@masamune..]

I love the production level on this. Well done!

[@I_am_Mister_Y]

I wanna know if they're gonna give it a Wii bar adapter to use a Wiimote as a Zapper, since modern TVs aren't compatible with light guns.

[@Zeaiclies]

@@I_am_Mister_Y You can use a light gun with a modern TV it's an easy Mod.

[@I_am_Mister_Y]

@Zeaiclies Fo shizzle? Since when? Nobody told me.

[@leonordeborbon2121]

Share control unlocks a new competitive mode, P1 tries to play, P2 try to get a game ovef

[@leonordeborbon2121]

Handicap it on how many buttons is P2 allowed to use

[@nacho90000]

"timo" means scam in spanish 😅

[@bryanbetancourt7836]

Where??

[@Lonewolf_121]

​@@bryanbetancourt7836Spain, probably

[@wariodude128]

Pretty sure the reason we never got a Disk System is because by the time Nintendo might have been gearing up to get one released, Famicom/NES cartridge manufacturing costs suddenly became cheap to create. Which basically cut the FDS off at the knees as a previously cheaper alternative. Throw in battery saves negating the other big feature and you're left with the extra sound channel it offered as the only real loss we never got. Oh well.

[@neoradjoao7701]

For the famicom disk system adapter, I have already made one, it works perfectly

[@nonsensenimrod]

the way he casually says, "the hub" throughout the video was entertaining

[@penguinsushi8442]

We got the NES expansion port used before GTA 6 released. What a weird timeline

[@Deadguy2322forreal]

Dumb comment. The port has been around for almost 40 years and had already been used by other home brew devices.

[@penguinsushi8442]

@@Deadguy2322forreal Oh? TIL. I don't keep up with NES homebrew at all.

[@zanicnight]

Having two controllers in one port is interesting. I don't know how it can get used, but I'd imagine the Speedrunning community might come up with something. I know games like Super Mario having it if you press left and right on the controller at the same time mario can build crazy speed. It would be interesting to see it at ADGQ as a tech showcase. Having two runners playing a game live with 2 controllers in the same port to do some TAS only strats.

[@SlickTater]

2:29 THANK YOU FOR SAYING IT RIGHT!!

[@gamephreak5]

He didn't. It's 8bitDO! like saying NintenDO! NOT DOO! You're saying it wrong and he's saying it wrong!

[@SlickTater]

@@gamephreak5 you couldn’t possibly be more incorrect. There are many official sources, like a speaker that says the name of the company when you turn it on, that pronounce it -doo and literally zero that pronounce it the other way. You may want it -doh and you are free to say it any way you please, but if it’s anything but -doo, you’re just categorically wrong

[@emerelle3535]

Hearing the Audio difference was wild. :D

[@Jamers0n]

[@weston596]

I bet HeavyW8Bit would have tons of fun with one of these. That man programmed TWO ROMs to make music with using the built in soundsystem on the NES, and the second one, NESK-1, can use a four-controller system as a "keyboard" to play live music with.

[@Inugamiz]

Nintendo did used that port, just not outside Japan.

[@fraggle200]

Cons... I have one. BlueRetro has a shortcoming when running it off 1 main chip, being unable to use multiple switch pro controllers as they all appear as the same controller. This is where individual 8bitdo bt adapters have the edge as they're a 1:1 pairing instead of a 1:4 pairing of the blueretro adapter.

[@goodBEan]

8:24 now I can play nes shooters with mouse and keyboard

[@shadowunifer]

This was used in Japan for a sat based system.

[@FlameBunny]

Then Nintendo Sues all modders for modding a console thats older than life itself.

[@Artur_Iozzi]

Never happened. Never will.

[@FlameBunny]

@@Artur_Iozzi it might, Nintendo hates any kind of mods, new or old consoles, they hate it as much as they hate fan made games.

[@Artur_Iozzi]

@@FlameBunny fact: no company has more fan games out there than Nintendo. Also rom hacks. The community is thriving. There's specific reasons Nintendo will go after one of those projects. Also, many if not most of the times it's not actually Nintendo but copyright trolls. Just ask Kaze Emanuar, one of the most prolific hackers out there. The guy who's rewriting the entire code for Super Mario 64. He has proof it's trolls, not Nintendo, trying to take content down.