Hacking My External Wiikey install (PICS!)

[cardyology]

So, I installed my Wiikey over the Wiikend. I decided to go for a wiikey as It seemed like the best chip on offer plus it only required 6 solder points to install.

Before you look at these pics, please bear in mind I am a total n00b when it comes to hardware hacking, and I havnt done any soldering since I was 16 (im now 24)

I had a few practise attempts on an old DVD drive untill I thought I was ready to do the actual Wii. I think I've made a pretty good job of the whole mod and it all works perfectly so Im happy!

I decided I'd rather do as little work inside the console as possible to avoid frying the wii with my soldering Iron or just generally destoying something so, with this in mind, I opted for an external install. I also wanted to be able to remove the Modchip easily should I want to in the future. Therefore, I decided to use a kind of dongle method, similar to one I saw on another forum done by a german guy (thanks, you deserve props

) using a male/female 9pin Dsub connector as the connection point. This way, I could disconnect the dongle whenever I like and the console will work just like a normal, un-modded wii.

Sooo, on with the show,.

Here is a pic of the soldering I did. its not the best job ever, but it works fine, no shorts etc.

Here are the wires after soldering them to the DVD drive, taping them down and labelling them 1 - 6

Here is the back of the console, after I fitted the wires, positioned the DVD drive back in its place and soldered the other ends to my female 9pin Dsub. In retrospect, I should have put the wires through the casing before soldering as it was very difficult topush the Dsub + wires through the hole.

Here is the other end, my Wiikey, with the points soldered to a Male Dsub (points 1,2,3,4,5 & 6... doh!) and mounted in my dongle casing which is an empty Oral-B dental floss container. Its all I had to hand at the time

Here is a shot of the Dsub port I installed. To make the hole in the Wiis plastic casing, I used a crappy old soldering Iron I had & melted my way through. Not the best way but again, it worked for me!

Here is a pic showing both...

More pics! (note the XCM cable - a must have if you got a Wii60 combination and only one component input on your HDTV...

And finally, here is paper mario, booted up on my Pal -UK Wii. Its great!

In retrospect I could have done various things to make the install more seamless. Better planning, using a proper cutting tool to cut the case, mounting the Wiikey on some track-board etc etc... I know my cutting/soldering is not really up to scratch but like I said, its all worked for me!

More pics at my flickr! - Flickr!

Please give me some feedback on my work. Im very proud of it, maybe a little too proud. I think I need some constructive critsism!

Thanks for looking!

 

[Opium]

That's pretty awesome. Nice work with it

 

[squirt1000]

Pretty good job there, I like the idea of an external mod but cant be arsed with all the hassle involved. Im gonna be popping a wiikey into mine tonight when my soldering iron is returned

Ill post pics when its complete

 

[darrrren]

good job ! just strip the wires less next time . i havent looked but wouldnt it be possable to diconnect one of the wiis usb connections and solder the wires to that and make a usb wiikey dongle ?....

 

[Scorpei]

Pretty nice job, but you used quite a lot of wires (like I did the first time) and you made your hole in the Wii waaaay to big

. Personally I now no longer install the D-sub inside the Wii;
http://wii.scorpei.com/Guides.html
But just route the cable (inside heatschrink) via the hole for the memory card cover.

Also, you didn't really get the Wii's D-sub centered now did you

? Lastly (sorry, you wanted critisism) your module looks like one good jolt wil rip it open.

 

[Scorpei]

good job ! just strip the wires less next time . i havent looked but wouldnt it be possable to diconnect one of the wiis usb connections and solder the wires to that and make a usb wiikey dongle ?....

USB only has 4 pins, this is not enough for the Wiikey, other then that it should be possible.

 

[DjoeN]

use an ethernet connector, this has 8 wires

 

[Scorpei]

use an ethernet connector, this has 8 wires

Possible, personally I dislike using ethernet cables/plugs. For one because they have clips that break waaay to easily, and of course they have 1 pin less then the 9-pins D-sub (not that that matters right now).

 

[kristijan08]

cool dude, nice goin!!!

hows the xcm cable quality? was actually lookin at pickin one up! (i have ps2/wii/maybe gettin 360)

 

[avant1277]

that's an impressive job for your first installation, congrats!

 

[darrrren]

good job ! just strip the wires less next time . i havent looked but wouldnt it be possable to diconnect one of the wiis usb connections and solder the wires to that and make a usb wiikey dongle ?....

USB only has 4 pins, this is not enough for the Wiikey, other then that it should be possible.

yes your right. but five connections is possible so i suppose wiinja or other chips would work or the wiikey without the update connection

 

[Scorpei]

good job ! just strip the wires less next time . i havent looked but wouldnt it be possable to diconnect one of the wiis usb connections and solder the wires to that and make a usb wiikey dongle ?....

USB only has 4 pins, this is not enough for the Wiikey, other then that it should be possible.

yes your right. but five connections is possible so i suppose wiinja or other chips would work or the wiikey without the update connection

Well for five you intent do use the shield? It might be possible but I wouldn't recommend it

. You could better use either a gamecube controller port of maybe the memory card slot (rather shamefull though). Personally I suggest you either use the method described on my page (similar to that here but explained to a higher extent) or doing the same but routing a wire (heatschrink or tape it) to the outside of the Wii without cutting (for example via the memory card dust cover holes).

 

[cardyology]

Thanks for all the support guys!

Im not about to start offering this service to all my buddies incase I make a mess of their consoles, but if I was going to do it again I would make quite a lot of changes. I know the size/shape/position of the hole for the Dsub really sucks. I was impatient and its reflected in my work

Maybe use proper tools or like scorpei said, just run the wire out the console and dont mount it in the plastic.

My soldering could be improved on but I guess that just takes parctise but I never solder in day-to-day situations. Anyone know any good sites that have some projects to do on there?
Doing this install has got me really interested in learning and doing some more cool electronics stuff.

When I plugged in my Wii after installing and saw it worked, I got the same great feeling as when I first successfully softmodded an xbox or downgraded my PSP fw. Complete elation.

Also, scorpei, thanks for your critisism, I do appreciate it & agree with your advice. Thanks for the guide on your site. I looked at it for a while before doing my mod (ages actually. I was shitting myself about the soldering

) and found it to be one of the most helpful around, so cheers!

 

[Hit]

Handy when nintendo patches chip then you only have to wait for Wiikey V3

 

[CYatta]

Really nice, love the concept. One thing though. Should've used the female for the Wii. With the Male for the wii, if you end up touching the pins, something bad might happen =X. With the female that can't happen (unless you...get a paper clip, bend it, and, YOU GET THE IDEA).

 

[thomaspajamas]

congratulations! that looks awesome

 

[eelw]

I used a Firewire port for my external (1st ModCheap and then Chiip) mod.

 

[TheStump]

^ pics plz

 

[eelw]

http://pics.bbzzdd.com/users/eelw/IMG_3362.jpg

 

[Louse76]

I say not bad but...

The exposed leads on the wire soldered to the board are WAAAAY too long. I know this because I made the same mistake my first time. You want the tiniest bit of wire exposed, so you have no exposed metal.

And a little cleaner cut for the exposed port would be good, but overall, good job dude!