Guide Gamecube Breakout Box

[The Next Guy]

So you are making a portable and everything is going well. Half way through you decide that you want the ability to have multiple controllers connect to your portable; oh no, you don't have any more room but for one extra port because you didn't plan it out in the beginning. Or perhaps you made your design small on purpose but the added functionality would be cool.

Well, I have a solution for ya, make a breakout box. Some advantages in having a breakout box include:

• More space for other components such as batteries
• Removable player ports for solo playing
• Less weight to your portable
• Slightly less wiring

This guide does not include disabling the internal player one port, but such a thing can be done just by wiring up a simple switch. Connect P1 Data of the Wii to the center of the switch, connect P1 Data from the internal controller to one side, and P1 Data from the external controller to the other side. Connect all wires listed on the right to their respective places on the Wii. Below is the wiring diagram:

The above connector is called a DIN 7-Pin connector, you can find these on Amazon or eBay for cheap. If you do not care about rumble functionality, you may omit the 5.0V line and use a DIN 6-Pin connector. Of course if you want, you can use any connector you want as long as it has 7 Pins or more. Such alternate connectors may include: USB Type C, VGA connector, CAT-6 (Ethernet) etc.

(This guide is for use on BitBuilt and other approved forums by The Next Guy or BitBuilt staff. Any duplication by non BitBuilt staff or The Next Guy will be considered unlawful)

 

[Ikeprodigy]

This is great stuff man! I understood everything but the part where you talk about the switch.

Connect P1 Data of the Wii to the center of the switch, connect P1 Data from the internal controller to one side, and P1 Data from the external controller to the other side.

I understand P1 data from an external controller and P1 data from the internal controller parts but what is P1 data to the Wii? I may be over thinking this a little bit...

 

[The Next Guy]

Well, on The Definitive Wii Trimming Guide , in the GameCube controller section where you can see RA1, you will notice numbers on the pin. On the pin labeled 1 (second pin on the top row of pins on RA1) is P1 Data. The other P[X] Data pins I label in my diagram also follow the same rule.

 

[Ikeprodigy]

Well, on The Definitive Wii Trimming Guide , in the GameCube controller section where you can see RA1, you will notice numbers on the pin. On the pin labeled 1 (second pin on the top row of pins on RA1) is P1 Data. The other P[X] Data pins I label in my diagram also follow the same rule.

Ohhh. Thank you once again!

 

[jefflongo]

Would it be feasible to cut off the USB end of the official Nintendo Wii u adapter to serve this purpose?

 

[Noah]

Would it be feasible to cut off the USB end of the official Nintendo Wii u adapter to serve this purpose?

I've read that the Wii U GameCube adapter actually works with Wiis, the second USB port is just for rumble.

 

[The Next Guy]

If you are only talking about using the case then yeah sure. Inside the Wii U adapter, there is a board inside that converts the GC signals to USB. I'm not sure if the Wii can pick up those signals through Nintendont yet unless they already wrote the code to support which is entirely possible. If you, however, you just wanna use the case just chop off the USB and gut the ports from the board.

 

[jefflongo]

I've read that the Wii U GameCube adapter actually works with Wiis, the second USB port is just for rumble.

Yeah I'm aware the white cable is just for rumble. Are you saying you can just plug the adapter into the USB port and start using it..? If so how would you switch the p1 port?

If you are only talking about using the case then yeah sure. Inside the Wii U adapter, there is a board inside that converts the GC signals to USB. I'm not sure if the Wii can pick up those signals through Nintendont yet unless they already wrote the code to support which is entirely possible. If you, however, you just wanna use the case just chop off the USB and gut the ports from the board.

I was assuming the way to go would be to cut off the USB connector and hook up the wiring to the DIN-7 connector but sounds like this would be overly difficult because of the board which converts the signal to USB?

 

[The Next Guy]

I have no idea how to switch the P1 port using the USB controls. As for the USB, just remove the ports from the board and chuck that board away. The ports have the same 6 connectors as the one in my diagram. If you want the switching functionality just remove the ports from the board and wire directly to the ports. Be careful not to pull the pins out of the port. As verification purposes, when I say port I mean the GC Port.

 

[jefflongo]

I have no idea how to switch the P1 port using the USB controls. As for the USB, just remove the ports from the board and chuck that board away. The ports have the same 6 connectors as the one in my diagram. If you want the switching functionality just remove the ports from the board and wire directly to the ports. Be careful not to pull the pins out of the port. As verification purposes, when I say port I mean the GC Port.

I've wired up controller ports before, I was just wondering if it would be possible to use the adapter to retain the housing and to make the wiring a bit easier.

 

[Shank]

I've wired up controller ports before, I was just wondering if it would be possible to use the adapter to retain the housing and to make the wiring a bit easier.

But why would you waste an adapter when you get ports for free from almost every Wii you dismantle?

 

[jefflongo]

But why would you waste an adapter when you get ports for free from almost every Wii you dismantle?

I was going to do it simply for the enclosure. Could pick up a generic adapter for like 10 bucks