Streaming Video to a SNES?!?

I just have to ask from an engineering standpoint…

How possible is it to send a 160x120 10fps video stream over controller input to a SNES?

Again, over CONTROLLER INPUT.

Don’t look anything up, I just want to know from a pure engineering standpoint.

i think you would exceed the bus limit for data transfer but i could be wrong. let alone the problem of getting the data converted and pushed to the tv. possible in theory yes plausible semi just cant see the need for it or a want for it. other than using it as a tool to cheat a speed run i cant think of a reason to do it.

With an extremely low colour palette (1 for each button?) It should be possible but 192kB/s through the controller port (160x120x10=192,000) is probably pushing it.

There are two controller ports on the SNES. you can also multi tap one port into 2 controllers. If you had 4 simultaneous controllers streaming video data, then it might be more possible.

Your first step is seeing how the psu would handle it as constant encoding isn’t SUPPOSED to happen on theystem itself. Both the system and cart’s had processors on them. Then, you’d need to see if the controller bus is midi or not. An easy trick back in the day was to just make it a midi bus and not worry about it. Low power, low use, cheaper, easier. If its not midi, you have a chance. Then, its a 6502 right? At least on the main system? I forget what chip was in the carts but it wasn’t very fast either way. 4-7mhz.

Go look up the Bad Apple demo. Yes the vocaloid thing is a demo now. But it can make video and full animation a thing on full on shit boxes like the bbc micro and the acorn electron. Ifbyou do this, that’ll be how to do it.

The snes also had other peripherals, and not only controllers right?
Like a light gun (and a mouse in mario paint?)

So, the controller input ports are maybe more general than just sampling the 12 (i think?) buttons on the controller. That could imply a higher data transfer rate.