Hardware Question: Sensor bar - how does it work?

[Lucif3r]

Hai hai.

I have a rather simple question re. the Sensor Bar.
How exacly does it work? What does the cable do?
Some say the sensor bar is nothing but a couple of lights, while others say it actually sends data to the Wii.
So, is the cable only for power, or is it also for data?

If its just power, what current does it use?

Im actually thinking of converting it to wireless if its just power in the cable.
oh, and before you start with "just buy a wireless", where is the fun in that!?!

Ill also sneak in an offtopic question. I never see the 2 dots when changing the sensitivity on the bar, no matter what setting, no matter location. They just dont show.
Whats up with that? The bar does work though...

Oh, and one more question. Is there any hack to get the wiigate to be lit all the time, apart from the connect24/msgboard thing?
If not, what current is the LED using? Going to hardmod it I think

, if theres no softmod for it.

 

[Presto99]

I know for a fact it's just connected to the Wii to receive power so it can make some lights. It's a special kind of light, though I think. If if was any old one it would get messed up by a lightbulb.

But yeah, I've used two candles at the appropriate distance and that works just as well. Candles emit that special light (infrared?) too. The remote judges distance and stuff from the IR sensor on its front and the candles/Sensor Bar and sends that info to the Wii. Make sense? Hope I helped.

 

[Lucif3r]

Fast answer, nice

(it made perfect sense)
Then I just need to find out the current it uses. If Im lucky and it uses 5V, I might just convert it to USB and plug it in the TV

 

[indask8]

The sensor bar only contain 5 IR LED on each sides.

Here is a little video that will explain perfectly all you might want to know on the wiimote/sensor bar:
How the wiimote works.

 

[shortz1994]

easy way to find out the voltage on the IR sensor. take it apart while wii is powered up. an your using it.(IR sensor). use a volt/ohm meter to test the volts being used.

 

[Lucif3r]

Nice video

easy way to find out the voltage on the IR sensor. take it apart while wii is powered up. an your using it.(IR sensor). use a volt/ohm meter to test the volts being used.

Yeah, except I dont have a volt/ohm meter. Its pretty much the only tool I dont have lol.



Edit: You know... Im normally quite good at using google, but today I seem to have lost it... Anyway, it seems the Wii gives the bar approx 7.8v, but its reported to work with 7.5.
So hum... with that voltage its gonna be tricky to fit batteries... I actually expected the bar to run at 3.3v or 5v...

Edit2: Ok, I have Confirmed the obvious - it wont run on 5v... 2 of the Leds glimmers, the rest are pitchblack

 

[Lucif3r]

Ripped apart the wii to check the dvd LED.
The Wii sends approx 5.6v to the LEDs, which then is reduced to ~2.8v.
So its safe to say the leds runs off 3v.

Now if only I could find somewhere to ninja power from without trial and error...

Would be nice if I could keep the flashing though, but having it lit all the time. Cant quite figure out how to do that though :/

 

[Nintendo_Chick]

The sensor bar is nothing but but some inferred leds on a board. look at it through a digital camera to see for yourself.

Spoiler

All you need is some sort of light. Infrared LEDs work best because they can be bright without bothering you, but you can use any light source at all. Point your remote at some lamps and you'll see what I mean.

Easiest way to do it (well) would be to get some LEDs, a small strip board, a resistor, or just buy a premade one. I bought a pack of 5 of these for $4 at radio shack and mounted one on each side to an old ~10 inch tv.

Spoiler

But you can be creative and do whatever you want, just make sure it's bright.

 

[Lucif3r]

Yea, I checked several different guides. The absolute easiest way is to remove 2 LEDs on each side. It will then be able to get enough power from +5v(usb). [edit: each LED runs of 1.25v]
Im not really comfortable with that though, since I seem to have a few issues even in its original state.
Another way is to use both USB and a 1.5v battery.

As for battery, it seems the bar is capable of running through +9v without any issues (according to other people), so easiest way would be to just hook up a 9v battery.

Im planning on building a socket on the bar, so I can switch cables easily (original, USB, or battery).

I just havnt found any electric machine I can strip yet (I KNEW I shouldnt have cleaned!)

The sensorbar is a bit on stand-by. Im currently looking into making my own component cable

I just need to find something I can use as pins in the plug to the Wii.
Again, this is also mainly for fun

I have done one thing though! Ive built my own zapper out of an old soft-air gun lol, I just forgot to add a cut for the nunchuck plug

 

[PolloDiablo]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FVHWd2slhMI

 

[Lucif3r]

Just thought of one thing. Does it matter how many LEDs you use in the sensor bar, or is 2 enough? The original is using 8...
Also, how important is the distance between the leds? In my mind, by placing them closer to eachother it should make the sensor bar work at a closer distance, but I might be completely wrong.

Am thinking of ripping apart some old remotes and ninja the LEDs just for fun (Im getting bored waiting for SS haha)

 

[Lucif3r]

Well I just finished building my own wireless sensorbar
Its using 4 LEDs, and works just as well as the original.
AND it doesnt look like shit tbh

 

[Mr. Prince]

Well I just finished building my own wireless sensorbar
Its using 4 LEDs, and works just as well as the original.
AND it doesnt look like shit tbh

Can you post a pic?

 

[Lucif3r]

Ill see if I can do that later. Right now Im making an on/off LED indicator.

 

[Lucif3r]

Heres one image: http://i42.tinypic.com/16itqgp.jpg
Original ontop of the speaker, home-made below

I was going to show a top-down view, but everything in my room is black (table etc etc) so I couldnt get any good picture without using long exposure, which means Id have to use a tripod, which I have misplaced lol.

 

[rip-it-up]

you can make the blue wii light stay on around the disc slot to, you just have to solder a wire from one of the points inside the front of the wii, to a piece of metal.(wii drive will do)

i did this yrs ago and is still working perfectly.

 

[Lucif3r]

you can make the blue wii light stay on around the disc slot to, you just have to solder a wire from one of the points inside the front of the wii, to a piece of metal.(wii drive will do)

i did this yrs ago and is still working perfectly.

You mean just change the ground to somewhere else?

 

[rip-it-up]

yeah.
i found a how 2 on youtube i think.

 

[Lucif3r]

HAH! works. Awesome *reheats the soldering iron*
Did you remove the original ground or did you let it be?

 

[rip-it-up]

I cant remember mate, did it years ago.
I probably just left it knowing me.

one thing i remember tho is to make sure your wire dos'nt block your disc from going in.