Hardware Feedback Nintendo Switch Cartridge Switcher

[Animeboynz]

Recently I saw a video about a GBA SP cartridge swapper thing where you could insert 3 cartridges at the same time and use a little switch to swap between them. My initial response was why doesn't something like this exist for the switch so that docked mode players can just swap between games while still on the couch (Using IR for like spare buttons on your TV remote or something). I am an electronics novice and I wasn't sure exactly how to accomplish this but after looking at a cartridge pinout I decided that the best way to move forward would be to have the data pins of all cartridges connected at all times and just swap which cartridge is actually getting power. Took me about 4 hours to create a prototype (but I honestly have to clue if it will even work).

It essentially uses an Arduino to trigger MOSFETs on both the 3v3 and the 1v8 line for each cart. The back side also has an attiny85, whose only job is to check if any of the cartridges are actively being swapped and if so it will disconnect and reconnect the "Cart Detect" pin to ground. The ribbon cable on the side of the cartridge will most likely be directly soldered on because of the direction of the connector and the space constraints. If it prototype ends up working I'll probably end up 3d printing a case that would replace the back plate on the dock to enclose and hold all this together. Would love some feedback on if this could work or why it won't.

 

[Hayato213]

Looks cool.

 

[linuxares]

Looks neat but a fair warning. Nintendo is relentless of third-party addons. This probably will be fine, but so you know.

 

[Hayato213]

Looks neat but a fair warning. Nintendo is relentless of third-party addons. This probably will be fine, but so you know.

I do agree with you with this, they did shut down the Dragoninjector.

 

[linuxares]

I do agree with you with this, they did shut down the Dragoninjector.

Yepp and all other projects he had planned for the Switch sadly

 

[Aheago]

Recently I saw a video about a GBA SP cartridge swapper thing where you could insert 3 cartridges at the same time and use a little switch to swap between them. My initial response was why doesn't something like this exist for the switch so that docked mode players can just swap between games while still on the couch (Using IR for like spare buttons on your TV remote or something). I am an electronics novice and I wasn't sure exactly how to accomplish this but after looking at a cartridge pinout I decided that the best way to move forward would be to have the data pins of all cartridges connected at all times and just swap which cartridge is actually getting power. Took me about 4 hours to create a prototype (but I honestly have to clue if it will even work).
View attachment 313339View attachment 313340View attachment 313341View attachment 313342
It essentially uses an Arduino to trigger MOSFETs on both the 3v3 and the 1v8 line for each cart. The back side also has an attiny85, whose only job is to check if any of the cartridges are actively being swapped and if so it will disconnect and reconnect the "Cart Detect" pin to ground. The ribbon cable on the side of the cartridge will most likely be directly soldered on because of the direction of the connector and the space constraints. If it prototype ends up working I'll probably end up 3d printing a case that would replace the back plate on the dock to enclose and hold all this together. Would love some feedback on if this could work or why it won't.

I’d buy this, I like to get all my games as physical copies and would be super useful to have a few of my most played games docked at all times

 

[Animeboynz]

Yepp and all other projects he had planned for the Switch sadly

If this does end up working as intended, I have no plan to sell this. But rather I'd make it open source so that anyone can build it from like $25 of parts. And it saves me from Nintendo coming after me.

 

[randy_w]

I think the proper way to do it is by switching CS signal instead of power. Might be some interference issue if multiple cartridges are connected to the same data bus but only one is receiving power.

 

[Draxzelex]

This looks really cool. I'm interested to see if this could really work.

 

[Aheago]

Any news on this project?

 

[Sanras]

I think the proper way to do it is by switching CS signal instead of power. Might be some interference issue if multiple cartridges are connected to the same data bus but only one is receiving power.
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Thanks, I was looking for this to test something like a “microsd to cartridge“ adapter kind of thing.