OpenSFC Super Famicom / SNES Controller PCB - ENIG (1992+ Model)

This is a set of reproduction boards for the common 1992+ model controller and it\'s shoulder boards; it is designed for repairing stock controllers. This model a single 16-bit shift register, as opposed to the 2 8-bit shift registers found in launch controllers. Please check the model of your donor controller before purchasing. If your donor controller only has a two ICs inside, see other other listing for the OpenSFC 1990 Controller. A picture is provided of several sample builds to give you ideas on the types of controllers you can create. 1991 model controllers with a single 16-bit shift register can also use this variant.
This listing is the official listing for the OpenSFC project. You will receive official support from the project by buying from this listing.
Note for PAL Users:This model does supports early PAL consoles only if you install the Only-P resistors. You can transfer them from your donor controller. Without them, you must remove the diodes from the controller front panel to make it region free. You can find information on how to do this by searching online.
WARNING:You are purchasing a bare PCB. This project requires basic soldering skills to complete. You must be able to solder and desolder a SOP chip as well as a through hole resistors and an SMD 0805 capacitor. Buying a board does not guarantee a successful build as that will depend on your skills, experience and equipment. Please carefully assess the project documentation for the required skills, tools, and materials before purchasing.All parts to assemble the kit are sold separately. A BOM is available in the project\'s documentation. Some parts must be sourced from a donor unit of the same model. No returns can be accepted as soon as solder has touched the board.
BOM (Sold Separately):
Minimum Requirements:• 1x 1991 or 1992+ Model Donor Controllers (with single 16-bit shift register)
• 3x 1/4th Watt Size 220ohm Through Hole Resistors
• Soldering iron
• Solder
• J-Tip + Chipquik, Hot Air, or Hot Plate (for removing IC)
Recommended:• 5mm Hole Punch
• 0.1mm thick sticker paper
Optional:• Clear, Smoked Black, or Transparent Shell by Retro Game Restore or 3D Printed Clear Shell
• New Silicone Pads: stock controller pads are often brown or pale green. If you plan to use a clear shell, white replacement ones will look nicer.1992 Model:

• Features a single 16-bit shift registers with a non-standard pinout
• 3 carbon printed resistors are used as part of input protection
• Desolder and transfer the shift registers. Chipquik will make it super easy.
• Transfer the decoupling capacitor C1.
• If PAL donor board, transfer the Only-P resistors
• Install 220ohm 1/4W size through hole resistors to replace the carbon, as ENIG has no resistance
• For this model, I recommend installing them on the front like so to avoid conflicts with pegs. Be conscious of clearance, they must be • pulled up top to not hit.
• You may also install these on the back like the 1990 model, but in that case due it before installing the cable connector.Sensitivity Tuning:

Making custom controllers is a bit of an art due to micro-tolerance issues. All parts being produced today tend to have ~0.1-0.3mm tolerance ranges; this applies to everything, PCBs, Silicone Pads, Dpads/Buttons, Shells, etc.

When building a custom controller it is possible that the combination of parts you use will have microtolerance issues, leading to decreased sensitivity on inputs. This also effects the stock PCB, which is why 3rd party Silicone pads are notorious for stiff diagonals. As my boards are 1:1 repros of stock, they may encounter the same problems.

Luckily, there is a cheap and easy way to tune these issues to your liking.

Before tuning, turn on and test your controller. I recommend doing something like sliding in Super Mario and also diagonal movements in Zelda. It is possible they will feel stiff, especially with 3rd party silicone pads or cases. Basically, 3rd party pads often are actually slightly big or small compared to the original ones. When you press, that makes them bend differently. I took some mitigations against this by widening the stock contacts a little and minimizing the distance between size, but it occasionally happens on a diagonal.

I recommend taking a 5mm hole punch onto 0.1mm sticker paper. Then start to augment the d-pad like so:

Do it in 0.1mm increments until it feels right to you. Basically what happens here is, each layer of sticker will reduce how hard you must press on the pad to make contact. Usually no more than 0.3mm is needed

If you are using 3D printed parts, tuning is often not necessary since they are naturally thicker. But if you have any difficulty, use this process.

If you want to tune the buttons, put the sticker on the underside of the buttons.

If you want to tune the L/R triggers, you can do the underside of the trigger or the underside of the trigger board.

Once tuned, the controller should feel very comfortable. Feel free to reach out if you need help

Why OpenSFC?
Here are some reasons you may want an OpenSFC board...
Repairing Damage to Original Boards
The original boards were made with carbon printed traces and resistors. Many controllers have damaged or warn carbon these days, and upgrading to an ENIG based board is can recover from the damage as well as make it more durable for the coming years.
Note: A new PCB cannot repair failed chips. Please perform diagnostics before purchasing as the ICs present on this controller are proprietary Mitsumi ICs
LearningYou may want to learn about how controllers for the console work. The ability to build one by hand is an excellent way to gain some insight into how they function.Customization
Some people find joy in customizing a beat-up unit while restoring it, and OpenSFC Controller is a great basis for a custom build.
If you\'re into building a custom unit, please be responsible and choose a rustic unit for your restoration so that we don\'t needlessly deplete the supply of original units in good condition. The IC\'s are usually still fine even in heavily damaged controllers; it\'s the carbon that routinely becomes damaged.
Documentation
This project is Open Source Hardware and all accompanying documentation is public. Please review the documentation when assessing if you have the skills and tools necessary to complete the project.