Hacking the GameCube

Dragorn

Edit history:

Dragorn: 2005-12-26 11:37:36 pm

2005-12-26 11:37:14 pm

I thought it was just a surprise party!

Several nights ago, whilst I was playing merrily away on my trusty GCN, the first- and fourth-player controller sockets spontaneously fried. Any controller plugged into them is not recognized by the system. This is a rather aggravating situation, because the system is otherwise functional; however, I can’t play any game that requires input from the first socket (i.e. most of them). I think that my three options here are:

1. Replace it (obviously not something I really want to do if it’s avoidable)

2. Repair it (Nintendo charges 50 bucks for GCN repairs, plus however much it would be to ship it to them; this looks like a ripoff to me, seeing as you can get a bundle pack w/ a brand new system, controller, and game for only $100)

3. Take the outer shell off the system and cut and switch the wires for the first and second controller sockets (so that the first physical socket corresponds to the second one internally, and vice versa). Of course this might not even work or be conceivable, but it would be my ideal solution; 99% of my GameCube’s use comes from single player, and I would be content with a system that just had a functioning first-player socket. (I plan on getting a Revolution next year anyway and could just use that for multiplayer.)

So now I must inquire… has anyone ever taken apart or gone inside a GCN? Does the idea seem feasible?

Thread title:

Several nights ago, whilst I was playing merrily away on my trusty GCN, the first- and fourth-player controller sockets spontaneously fried. Any controller plugged into them is not recognized by the system. This is a rather aggravating situation, because the system is otherwise functional; however, I can’t play any game that requires input from the first socket (i.e. most of them). I think that my three options here are:

1. Replace it (obviously not something I really want to do if it’s avoidable)

2. Repair it (Nintendo charges 50 bucks for GCN repairs, plus however much it would be to ship it to them; this looks like a ripoff to me, seeing as you can get a bundle pack w/ a brand new system, controller, and game for only $100)

3. Take the outer shell off the system and cut and switch the wires for the first and second controller sockets (so that the first physical socket corresponds to the second one internally, and vice versa). Of course this might not even work or be conceivable, but it would be my ideal solution; 99% of my GameCube’s use comes from single player, and I would be content with a system that just had a functioning first-player socket. (I plan on getting a Revolution next year anyway and could just use that for multiplayer.)

So now I must inquire… has anyone ever taken apart or gone inside a GCN? Does the idea seem feasible?

grndino

2005-12-27 12:20:18 am

One of my two cubes has no shell on it. It's all soldered together - not much (that I can see) in the way of wires. Isn't there a used game shop around where you live? Used cubes go for cheaper than playstations where I live.

Sir VG

2005-12-27 12:34:32 am

Fucking Weeaboo

If only I kept the fried gamecubes from my time of modding mine. Yes, I modded my Gamecube (Qoob Pro, FYI). Total blast. ^^

I think if you find a DRE Gamecube on eBay, you might be able to replace sockets on yours...but no guarantees as I've never done that.

Tub

Edit history:

Tub: 2005-12-27 12:42:02 am

2005-12-27 12:39:01 am

m00

there's no vendors warranty on that thing any more? then try to fix it, it can't get worse, can it?

if you can't fix it, you can still decide whether to buy a new one, buy a used one, dig out the old n64 (or something) or focus on other hobbys until the revolution is out.

repairing it for $50 is no option if you do a quick price check on ebay.

Ritch

Edit history:

Ritch: 2005-12-27 04:45:15 pm

2005-12-27 04:44:55 pm

Yer i think you should try to fix it as you have nothing to lose really! If you can't get it working, a used Cube is in order! Unless you just decide to wait for the revolution and do something else in the mean time.

Dragorn

2005-12-27 06:41:05 pm

I thought it was just a surprise party!

Well I took the shell off last night, and… I can’t fix it. The sockets are all soldered directly to a circuit board, with no wires involved. So that is beyond the scope of my abilities. Also, someone else mentioned that since two different sockets died simultaneously, it probably means that some integrated circuit that they both share is what got fried. So my solution probably wouldn’t have worked anyway. Oh well. Replacement cube ftw.

Amazing Ampharos

2005-12-30 03:55:34 am

There might be a general action replay code that makes 2nd controller slot act like the 1st one.