Hacking why not a homebrew/open-source mod chip?

[JapanLover]

i hardly ever post here as you can tell, but after reading the wiinja review i just felt compelled to share an idea i had... i'm surely not the first person to think of this, but it seems to me that with the wiinja being a rather simple piece of tech (all things considered) put onto a common PIC chip, why not start a project to create an open-source version of this mod-chip ? i know there are plenty of experienced PIC programmers who could probably churn out something like this in a reasonable amount of time (especially if it was a collaboration). if this was done, anyone could buy a PIC and a few wires and mod their wiis for a fraction of the price, and i think everyone could appreciate that.

 

[pelago]

Sounds like a great idea - I'm a big fan of open source.

 

[elderdakkar]

wiinja is just a drive chip. no chance to use it in order to modify the operating system/the way the wii hardware works. not with this kind of chip. this means no homebrew as long as there is no chip with the ability to modify the original bio/os/hardware.

sad but true.

 

[pelago]

I don't think the OP is talking about a chip to run homebrew code on the Wii (although that would be sweet), but instead an open-source chip, designed and built by 'the community' rather than by commercial companies.

 

[AustinS]

does anyone know here know how much a PIC + programmer costs?

Just wondering.

 

[corbs132]

PIC, dirt cheap.
PIC Programmer, make one (hackaday.com) or spend like 20 bucks on one.

 

[JapanLover]

I don't think the OP is talking about a chip to run homebrew code on the Wii (although that would be sweet), but instead an open-source chip, designed and built by 'the community' rather than by commercial companies.

yea, this is exactly what i meant