So gooood. 
Thanks uXe!

There are two parts to the ENIO project - the EXP board, which is the breakout for the NES Expansion Port:

http://enio.chykn.com/wiki/index.php/ENIO_EXP_Board

and the CPU board, which translates between the NES and USB / Ethernet:

http://enio.chykn.com/wiki/index.php/ENIO_CPU_Board

the problem is the lack of software written to support the CPU board, not a lack of hardware... in terms of what else you would possibly want to connect to the EXP breakout board, try every Famicom Expansion peripheral ever!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Ni … ccessories

I think I've seen that also, seems like a good deal if you plan to work with the expo port, its a non-standard connector type. Would be useful if you want to interface other hardware to the port but didn't seem to do anything by itself. Until there are other hardware projects that use it, I con't know what I would do with it.
Yogi

I saw them for sale for $20 bucks on some site I stumbled onto yesterday. I don't know how legit the site was though.

Here's the topic that talks about how to mod the NES to have a separate output for expansion audio (vrc6, 7). Yes, powerpak will playback the .nsf with expansion audio created in fami or mml... at least it works for me.
http://chipmusic.org/forums/topic/3203/ … kvrc6vrc7/
here's a youtube vid to help:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Z507Pxc … r_embedded
Also used this to make sound output stereo
http://www.alone-music.co.uk/2011/10/ne … nd-why-to/

Audio expansions are just one part of this badass project. I want to know more about the development of the ENIO praaaaject.

You can also compose for expansion audio with mml:

http://ppmck.wikidot.com/what-is-ppmck

I know, it all sounds absurd but the thought of NES sound expansion got me thinking about how it can be "practically" implemented.

I spent a good part of my day researching NES audio expansion and quickly found out a whole bunch of things...I saw people with Powerpaks that were able to emulate chip expansion when they use Famitracker, people talking about audio expansion here on the forums using the ENIO, others modding Powerpaks with additional chips for sawtooths on the NES with subpar results, others like No Carrier reported they had no issues with it.

Just a whole bunch of options and possibilities. I know that in order to utilize chip expansion, first you need software that allows it and as far as I know, Famitracker is the only program that allows you to write for additional NES chips...I don't use Fami but I'm trying to gather as much knowledge as possible.

What I'm getting at here is it's probably unrealistic to see an update of Pulsar that adds FM synth abilities, but some of these chips allow the NES to use more pulse channels. I'm not saying I wan't Neil to jump to my expectations but I would love to see the NES's triangle channel bypassed for a more useable third pulse channel. I know nothing of coding trackers, but all the channels in Pulsar share the same instrument editor page...In my mind it would seem like a realistic thing to code Pulsar to allow a third pulse with the right expansion.

As I understand the ENIO project it's a breakout board for the expansion port of the NES. There are plans for other hardware but it's still a WIP.
  As to expansion audio, I have seen a simple mod to the exp port pins/mother board connections to route the cart audio to the on board audio path. I know PowerPak users can take advantage of this, but it has limited use with official NES game titles.
Yogi

I hate to necrobump but I'm very intrigued by this ENIO board. I would kill for an audio expansion on my NES. Does anyone have any experience with using a VRC6 or VRC7 in them?

any ENIO news?

The real challenge is probably getting 100 other players on the server to begin with.

Though if you were to develop an NES MMO for the ENIO, I suppose it would be prudent to add ENIO emulation to an emulator and let people play that way. That'd make it easier to develop for, and expand your potential user base a lot.

that's really cool.  too bad it costs four thousand fucking dollars just to get the thing to read -> "Reads from $4017"  that's way too much money for a old nintendo!

Yes and no.  Sorry - I hate that type of response, too.  No in that you will not see 100 other players on the same screen.  Just not possible.  Yes in that 100 people will be able to play on the same server, but they will be broken up into parties.  Dragon Warrior 3 is a perfect example.  You go to a certain place and assemble your party then go out into the world.  There will be places where you can battle party vs. party or player vs player and stuff like that.

http://chipmusic.org/forums/topic/8586/ … ooooohhhh/

Hey, I helped you make an on-topic topic!  No need to thank me.   But if you do want to thank me, just call me an asshole or talk about the ENIO.