Nintoaster Build

**DISCLAIMER** Last Update: 5/2/2023 | Last Reviewed: 10/08/2024

This build is to be used only as a guide. I'm sure there will be steps that might be questioned or could be done in a better way. I am not an electrical engineer or machinist. So please deviate if needed.

I'm not responsible for any damage you may do to yourself or system. Please pay attention when dealing with Mains Voltage. Shock or even death may occur if you don't know what you're doing! Read and understand all schematics before you attempt anything.

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I wanted to document my Nintoaster build for various reasons. There aren't many guides or documentation on building one other than the video by VomitSaw on YouTube and random forum posts. VotmitSaw is the original creator and mastermind of the Nintoaster. Full credit goes to him and I use his video throughout the build. I wanted to see someone else's take on his build, and how they went about doing it.

I won't cover EVERY detail of the process but I will document as much as I can if its relevant. I don't want to repeat too many steps that are already covered in VomitSaws How-To video. Viewing his video is a prerequisite before you start. I will show and use his schematics from his video to create various circuits and construct the Nintoaster.

So please watch and review his video before starting!

This is a general list of items that you will need for this project. You may or may not need some of these items or you might need items not listed depending on your toaster and over all design.

You will need quite a few specialty tools to get this project done. Such as a Dremel, tin snips, heat gun, multimeter and soldering iron just to name a few. As you can see, the cost of this project can skyrocket if you don't already have these items, so keep that in mind.

1) Toaster

• I bought a rare brand new vintage Sunbeam toaster. It's very similar to AVGNs' Nintoaster. Pick one that fits your style and needs. But also large enough to fit the NES inside.

2) NES Model 1

3) Wire

• Various gauges and colors from 22 to 24 AWG. You will need at least 30 Feet. Yes, 30..in 22 gauge to wire the 72 pin cartridge connector to the NES board. The other gauge's are to connect various items such as the video amp, LEDs etc. Having various colors will help with wire management. I used solid core wire on the 72-pin connector, but I don't recommend that since it makes positioning the NES more difficult. I bring this up later on.

4) Game Genie 72 pin connector or equivalent.

• Game Genie connectors are preferred because they have less of a "death grip" like some aftermarket connectors. However, prices for Game Genies have gone up since the time I published this.

5) Perf Board

• You will need this to create circuits, LED array, 72 pin cartridge connector base and many more things.

6) Epoxy / Hot Glue

7) Heat Shrink Tubing

8) 10k Ohm Potentiometer / Variable resistor

• Used to control the brightness of the LEDs. Not required but recommended.

9) 5mm Orange LEDs

10) Various Resistors / Transistors

• You'll need: 33 ohm, 220 ohm, 150 ohm resistors and a 2N4401 transistor

11) Momentary Push Button Switch

• To turn on / off the system

12) Plexiglass

13) Thermal Paste

First thing is to disassemble your NES from its original case. There are guides on the net on how to do this. What we need is the bare mother board, controller ports and the reset button. You also have to remove the RF modulator and expansion port thats on the NES board.

After you take apart your toaster, there are a couple things to look for. Where will the NES board be mounted? Is there enough room for the board and the other items that need to be installed? Toasters are like snowflakes, they're all unique, so it may take some trial and error in finding the right one.

Once you determine that everything will fit into the toaster, the next step is figuring out where to mount the 72 pin cartridge connector.

Use your tin snips/aviation snips or whatever tools you have and remove any metal, heating elements or anything that may get in the way. Try not to remove too much, you may need to keep some items to mount things to.

Put a game cart on top of the perf board to see how much of the game you want showing from the top of the toaster. Measure and measure again, then mark where you want it. I then made brackets out of cheap metal flashing for the board to rest on, then held them in place with epoxy.

Next, you need to fit the game genie connector to the perf board. This was probably the second most tedious and difficult part of the build so far. You have to bend and fan out the pins to make them line up on the perf board. If you're not paying attention, you can break a pin off when trying to slide the connector onto the the board. Like I did. Luckily, I was able to cut into the connector and solder in a piece of copper wire to act as a new pin. I got lucky, so be careful!

Depending on your toaster, you'll have to determine how you'll turn the system on and off. Since my toaster is from the 1980s, I have a mechanical latch system that holds the switch down. If you have a newer toaster you'll likely have an electromagnet system. In that case, take the electromagnet out, then I'd use two small earth magnets to keep the switch down, which is easier than dealing with the electromagnet. In my case, I had to glue and epoxy pieces of perf board to make a sort of mount for my switch. You'll be making and fabricating many things so be ready.

Using the provided amp circuit schematic, I built my video amp on a piece of perf board. I made sure to cut it to size so it fits nicely in the corner of the NES board. You'll see it more in the following steps.

*Update Note 2/14/2023*

Be sure to use a shielded coax type wire for the video line coming out of the video amp. You want to use that to reduce the chance of any video interference. The RF signal from the NES isn't great to begin with, so you want to reduce any interference as much as you can.

Before I began to solder, I wanted to check to see if the NES will fit with the outer shell of toaster in place. Turns out, the capacitors were getting in the way of the shell. So, to fix I decided remove more of the toaster chassis to make some more room. (I later had to bend the Caps down, I still didn't have enough room). Be sure to double check things along the way to correct any issues. Last thing you want is to be completely done and the NES and it not fit...so always double check EVERYTHING.

For soldering the 72-pin connector, I decided to to use 22 gauge solid core wire. I've heard from many others that using too small of gauge wire could cause issues with some games. The length of the wire also comes into play. You must keep the wires as short as possible. The downside to using this wire is it makes bending the NES into place more difficult. The wire can be stiff, so bending the wires little by little is required. If I could do it again, I wouldn't use solid core, makes positioning the board way more difficult.

Patience is needed when soldering the 144 connections. Cutting, stripping, tinning and soldering will definitely test it. Take your time! Its very easy to make a solder bridge during this step. Check for any shorts/bridges along the way. If you mess up here, the NES will not work!

Pretty straightforward step. It's time to epoxy the connector and acrylic game guides into place. Measure your acrylic and use a heat gun to make a slight bend for the top. Trim to make it fit.

This is where your measurements from earlier come into play. This is your last chance to get it right. I used J-B Weld Clear and Original for this, its just what I had around. I don't have many photos of the process same with the acrylic. Its covered in VomitSaws video.

I will say, the perf board should have some support for it. Over time, pushing down and pulling out games will put stress on the board and epoxy. To help with that, I glued in small pieces of acrylic underneath the perf board.

Please review the how-to video on this step. It's important, study it, know it.

I mounted the 7805 and heat sink to the toaster chassis to help dissipate heat. You may need to use a bigger heat sink for your build. Don't forget to add thermal paste to the 7805 and the heat sink. If not, the heat will not transfer fast enough away from the 7805 and you'll have major overheating issues.

The power supply I used was rather large. In hindsight, I should have used a smaller one. Nonetheless, it works just fine and it fits.

Some AC adapters can be a pain in the ass to open. They weren't designed to be opened. I used my Dremel and carefully cut it open to I could solder my power wires to it. Be sure to follow the provided schematic.

Also, in hindsight, it may be beneficial to add a fuse before the mains voltage reaches your NES as another safety buffer.

For the RCA connectors and reset switch, I decided to use the male and female connectors to hook everything up. Otherwise, if and when I need to open the Nintoaster again, it'll be easier to take it on and off without having to solder everything back on. Its not necessary, but it comes in handy during this build. Just be sure the exposed metal connectors don't short to anything.

Next, cut one piece of acrylic that will be installed in the opening where the bread slice used to go. After cutting three rectangle holes to the size of the controller ports and reset button (I highly suggest you find someone with a laser cutter, band saw or use a Dremel)…epoxy the ports into the holes in the acrylic. You can either do it under the acrylic or on top. I chose under it so the ports are less visible. Be sure to make a mount for the reset button as shown.

I used Orange LEDs with 2.2 forward voltage. I sanded the lights to get a more diffused glow. I wired all 6 in parallel, then wired it through the potentiometer to control the brightness. I provided a schematic of what I did. If you have a better way of wiring the LED's then feel free to deviate. I know some electricians might have a better solution, if so drop me a message.

For these LEDs, I had to use 150 ohm resistors. I then soldered everything to a piece of perf board and used epoxy to mount it. I placed a couple pieces of Kapton tape behind the array to make sure it doesn't short to the chassis. Be sure to check your grounds for the LED's.

Since there was room on the perf board where the cartridge connector is mounted, I soldered each LED on to that as a base. Then mounted two other LEDs on their own mount.

Be sure to test the system every step of the way. Once everything is good. Do a once over of the system. Secure all wiring, or anything loose. Last thing you need is a pinched wire or short. Then reassemble your toaster and enjoy!