A smartpi touch pro 3 setup with a raspberry pi 5 and 7" touchscreen running Plexamp
It took me all evening even with the help of AI to get this raspberry pi touchscreen Plexamp station up and running just the way I want it. All I wanted was a way to play music from our plex server on a Bluetooth speaker without having to use a phone! Geez!
The #OpenSFC controllers are available now for early access for Ko-Fi members in 4 colors
Stock heading to @1uprestorations.bsky.social and Retro Upgrades for full launch. ETA ~2 weeks
Green controllers coming post launch (ran out of funds 🫠)
ko-fi.com/starlightk7/...
#SuperFamicom #SNES
A very messy workbench indeed. Several SNES controllers in various stages of disassembly and customization are prominently featured along with a messy array of buttons, tools, and other miscellaneous supplies.
Messy workbench = happy workbench
The current family.
A blue and green SNES controller
A blue and green SNES controller
Not done, but I'm tired. A couple of things to clean up on this (including Dpad performance), but that will have to wait for another day. #retrogaming
A blue SNES controller shell
Finishing up this controller tonight hopefully
A Sony PVM-14N5U with a digital to analog OTA tuner box hooked up via S-Video showing Olympic downhill skiing
I have 1 TV in the workshop dedicated to my OTA digital to analog converter box. It actually doesn't look bad at all over S-Video. I'm tempted to wire it into the TV wall... #MilanoCortinaOlympic2026
A JDM-001 dual shock 4 controller with an orange and black shell and clear blue buttons
Customizing this JDM-001 DS4 was a lot more complicated than an NES brick or a 6 button Sega controller, but it was still a lot of fun!
Bottom shimming NES controller pads with conductive tape dots
Revisiting the first custom controller I ever built. Trying some bottom shimming with conductive tape to see if I can use these clear replacement pads to build a decent controller. Initial testing is going well, but how long will it hold up?
A custom membrane combination in a Sega Genesis 6 button controller. Red Game Gear pads with height spacers for XYZ. Retro Unit pads for ABC and Start. And the "heavy" Hoskinson Dpad variant that has been bothering me for a while.
Bottom shimming a Dpad with conductive tape
Shimming the Dpad button with O.1mm plastic spacers
Getting things dialed in juuuuust right. I just 1cc'd SSF2 with this controller! It's still not as sensitive as I'd like, but maybe that's not this dpad's destiny. Workable moderate sensitivity here with this "heavy" Hoskinson dpad once tuned in with top and bottom spacers. 👀Alt
A mostly cleaned PCB
Ok, that's enough for now. The main stick is going to be replaced, but I'll reuse the c-stick.
Hey, a cheap used T3 GameCube controller. Fixing it up should be fun, easy, and cheap right?
"Oh crap, that's really dirty" I said upon opening the shell. That's not a good first sign.
OMG, the buttons are stuck to the shell with gunk and hair
The horror of an analog stick absolutely covered in gunk and hair
Me thinking to myself:
GameCube modders must have all the fun!
The fun:
🤢🤮
I have dreamed a dream, but now that dream is gone from me
A disassembled 8bitdo M30 controller
8bitdo pads in a Sega Genesis controller. OEM start membrane from a low mileage controller.
Another prototype color. White for 8bitdo
Shucking the unshuckable 8bitdo M30, for science! XYZ are a little stiff for my liking, but this Dpad works, especially if you're a little heavier handed. The goal would be to get 8bitdo to sell these with their other repair parts to avoid ruining a perfectly good M30. #SEGA
Teaching my 6 year old son how to piano roll in Sonic 2 because I want him to have all the things I never had growing up
8 different SNES dpads
So a SNES Dpad walks into a bar
A picture showing Sega Genesis membranes with some silicone glue and conductive contact pads.
Shimming the bottom of these Old Skool pads has actually produced some impressive early results. This is just a proof of concept so far, but I'm excited to continue looking at this.
Old Skool pads installed in an OEM 6 button Sega controller
Yellow for a new prototype variant!
Actually...
Some 3rd party Genesis clone controllers
Shucking clone controllers for usable parts is always a fun gamble. And a great way to waste $50.
4 Sega MK-1653 6 button controllers. Each with slightly different internals.
This picture shows a Sega Genesis controller using a Saturn Dpad membrane. In fact, none of these membranes are made for this controller.
1mm hard plastic spacers added to the bottom of the Dpad to make it work with the Saturn Dpad membrane.
A messy desk showing the parts and tools of controller building.
So since different color aftermarket shells aren't out (yet), I've had to come up with a way to differentiate between the MK-1653 prototypes. Green tape by the plug = low mileage OEM. Blue = light Hoskinson Dpad, red = heavy Hoskinson Dpad, black = Saturn Dpad. #SEGA #retrogaming
6 button, 3 button, Saturn, and Game Gear membranes strewn about.
v1 of a Saturn Dpad based membrane kit. This spacer was not thick enough though.
I got through a few iterations of #Sega 6 button controller setups this morning. Dealing with some Dpad membrane inconsistency. Some are great, some are not. Frustrating. #retrogaming
This is all starting to look a bit familiar...
This is a weird Dpad!
2 Hoskinson master system Dpad membranes next to the MK-1470 Dpad membrane. It looks like they could be used interchangeably.
Opening the #SEGA MK-1470 reveals some interesting things. Gold plated PCB contacts (similar to 3 button PCBs), individual pads for all of the face buttons and a Dpad lifted from the Master System(???), which is basically a fairly stiff and clicky NES Dpad membrane. #retrogaming
A disassembled 6 button Sega controller. This is the smaller MK-1937 variant
At first glance, the MK-1937 seems to share the same internals as the standard MK-1653, which is good!
Top left: MK-1937 Bottom left: MK-1653 Right: MK-1470
A couple of interesting 6 button #SEGA controller variants. The mini MK-1937 and the also mini but with turbo and slow MK-1470. The MK-1937 seems to be the NA version of the much more expensive Japanese SJ-6000. And the MK-1470 seems to be, well, just not very good. #retrogaming
A few disassembled and cleaned Sega controllers. A 3 button and two 6 button models.
It's still wild to me that the front shell is such a major component of the Dpad on the #SEGA 6 button controller. I'm keeping everything carefully matched to the controller it came out of as well as noting the orientation of the Dpad parts. #retrogaming
It's been pretty great! I'm still messing around with settings and times and whatnot, but I've done a handful of controllers so far and it's done an amazing job. This is a Vevor 3L, so nothing huge.
An ultrasonic cleaner... Vibin... Get it???
Amazon didn't deliver my Metroid Prime 4 cart today, but we still vibin in the workshop
A hacked together, but ultimately successful little Genesis streaming setup
I got lucky and got a perfect 2nd round against M. Bison!
The workbench has been looking pretty rad lately! #SEGA controller testing continues. It's been a lot of fun learning a new Dpad and trying out the piano style playing technique #retrogaming
Thunder Force 3
Sonic 2
Galaxy Force
Mortal Kombat
I could not help myself. The stock composite out on this little JVC is just magnificent. #retrogaming
