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Tuesday, August 19, 2014

Let's make Wireless Gamepad / Controller for Famicom / NES Part 2: Hardware


What hardware do I need to get this project done faster? I need 2.4Ghz transceiver module which I can connect microcontroller to. The same module for a gamepad and receiver. I need very small and thin module to fit inside a gamepad case.
I thought to use ever popular module with NRF24L01 transceiver ic. But I don't have small one, one with 8 2.54mm pin connector is huge and will never fit inside a gamepad.

But I do have really small module with NRF24L01 clone ic called BK2421 (made by BEKEN). Module called RF-2400-NANO made by INHAOS Technology Co. This will fit nicely. It has the same configuration registers, but has 2 register banks. Second bank is only to configure BK2421 ic.



OK. Now I need a microcontroller to make it all work. I have 2 spare MSP430G2452 in VQFN package. This is enough to make proof of concept.

Also I need a battery for gamepad, lithium rechargeable battery. I will use MCP73831/2 charging ic from Microchip to charge this battery from USB.

In the next part I'll make schematics for transmitter and receiver modules.

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