Snes controller problem.

[googib0206a]

So a while back I bought some SNES controllers on Amazon for my x16, and when I plugged them in all the buttons except one were working. I had purchased two and both were like this, so I thought they were cheaply built and returned them. Then a few days ago I bought an original SNES controller made by Nintendo and plugged it in. To my surprise, it had the same problem, and I'm beginning to think there may be a problem with my X16. Any ideas of what could be wrong?

[Wavicle]

Which button is not working? Which kernel release are you using?

[googib0206a]

I’m not sure if this was the same button that was broken on the Amazon controllers (it’s been a while since I returned them) but currently the button that isn’t working is the right bumper. I’m currently running on rom version: R47.

[googib0206a]

I'm also hoping to create a new game that relies on the controller, and it would be very annoying if I couldn't utilize that extra button.

[Xiphod]

I went through about 50 SNES gamepads from various vendors. Most of them (over 50%) had issues.

Are you sure you got an actual original-Nintendo SNES gamepad? Some could have fake labels. Or they have the same style and colors as Nintendo but weren't actually sponsored by Nintendo. Asking since of all the actual-Nintendo SNES gamepads that I got, none of them had issue.

For all the rest, the main issue was with the SELECT button. I never had an issue with any of the top "bumper" buttons.

And those results have been consistent across all the X16's I've had and tested with (about 6 total, including the Otter16). Meaning, I do think it is more likely a controller issue than a board issue with the X16.

It's a pain, but I'd give 1 or 2 more controllers a try.

Another thing to consider: I've not had any issue with any wireless SNES gamepad that I've tried. There are various brands and they do tend to be more expensive, but again I've never had issue with any of those (and you can run them while charging).

[googib0206a]

I'm 99% certain that I'm using an official Nintendo controller. I opened it up to see if there was any hardware damage, and from what I could tell the PCB looked pretty legitimate. (also the board looked to be in perfect shape.) Also now that you mention it, I believe the last controller I got from Amazon had a problem with the select button, I think it's just the recent one that has the problem with the bumper.

[Mkopack73]

Has anybody found ones on Amazon that actually work 100%?

I stopped by my local Gamestop store, asked the girl at the counter if they had any SNES controllers... She looked at me like I was an alien then asked "Is that something for the Wii???" I never felt so old.... She told me there were dedicated Gamestop stores that sell "retro" equipment, the closest over an hour away... Yeah no thanks... Not buying something that might not work and then have to make another 2 hour trip to exchange for another try...

There must be somebody who has gotten ones on amazon that actually worked... If so, link please!

[TomXP411]

Has anybody found ones on Amazon that actually work 100%?

I stopped by my local Gamestop store, asked the girl at the counter if they had any SNES controllers... She looked at me like I was an alien then asked "Is that something for the Wii???" I never felt so old.... She told me there were dedicated Gamestop stores that sell "retro" equipment, the closest over an hour away... Yeah no thanks... Not buying something that might not work and then have to make another 2 hour trip to exchange for another try...

There must be somebody who has gotten ones on amazon that actually worked... If so, link please!

I picked up the 8BitDo wireless controller, and it seems to be working. I haven't used it lately, but the last time I tried it, the controller worked fine.

8BitDo actually sells two different wireless SNES units: The SN30 Wireless has a dedicated receiver. The SN30 Pro can be used with a generic USB/SNES receiver. Both worked when I did some basic testing, but I'd have to spend more time to get detailed results.

[doslogo]

Both my original SNES controllers from the 90s didn't work when I plugged them into my new X16. It took me a while before I realized I never tested them with the test program that comes with the computer (on the SD card), and they both worked perfectly. It was just my own programming that had failed to understand how to read the controllers.

Remember that some buttons go to one 8 bit register, and others go to another 8 bit register, and that they are inverted. Some might work because you read them from the correct register.

My SNES controllers are from a PAL SNES, that old version that gets the vertical white bar in the center of the screen. So PAL didn't matter, the controllers worked. Start and Select buttons were very hard to press because of age, but otherwise, perfect.