Uploaded October 2023 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago

---

NOTE: This Video was re-uploaded due to a re-edit.

In this Video, I explain and give a demo on an N64 interfacing project which I worked on many years ago.

I wrote some FPGA code in VHDL that receives the serial signals from an N64 console, from one of the Joystick ports. (Port#4 for my Project) It then translates this N64 Serial protocol into ASCII Hex Data. The data can then be sent to an LCD display, or potentially to an RS-232 computer Serial Port, and displayed on an MS-DOS Hyper-terminal session using a program like PUTTY.

I also programmed a custom N64 ROM that runs on an N64 Flashcart to drive the serial signals I want, out to the serial Joystick ports. (AKA "JOYBUS" ports). This is implemented using DMA transfers to load HEX data into ram, and then writing directly to the N64 PIF chip registers. This allows us to Send/Receive signals to and from the N64 Joystick ports.

I hope you all can enjoy this old N64 interfacing project of mine. This was loads of fun.

NOTE:
*************************************************************************************
JOIN the N64 Development Chat Group "N64Brew" on Discord at the Link below:
discord.gg/nHjbc9d *************************************************************************************

Want to help support the work I am doing?
Say Thanks: paypal.me/ThanksGerry
or
Become one of my dedicated "SUPPORTERS"
behindthecode.ca/become-a-supporter

*************************************************
Thanks for visiting Behind The Code with Gerry!
*************************************************
#n64 #gamedev #fpga #vhdl #retrogaming #electronics #computerscience #engineering #computer #nintendo