Wiimote vertical range improvement?

eXtremeDevil

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After a few years of non-gaming, I'm trying to use my old Wii again. My current TV is 43 inches and I've notice that in games like The House Of The Dead, which include calibration options, the vertical range is not so good. If the sensor is at the top of the TV, I can't reach the botton when pointing, and when the sensor is at the bottom, I can't reach the top when pointing. I've tried using candles, placed at the vertical middle of the screen, on its left and its right, to see how the Wiimote would behave, but the light sources seems to far apart from each other (horizontally) to actually make an accurate pointing. I hope my explanation is understood, english is not my native language.

In conclusion, is there a decent workaround for the vertical range rather than actually putting the sensor bar on the middle of the screen? I'm about to desist but I thought maybe here someone may have an idea for the matter.

Thanks!
 

eXtremeDevil

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I thought it actually needed to be far... I'll try tomorrow and report here, thanks. Is that the only solution? I could use that but more like a temp situation.
 

newo

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So we assume the bar is working and the wiimote is working. Maybe its the app?

Try to use another game or https://wiibrew.org/wiki/Visual_Controller_Test to see how far the pointer can go. I know alot of game avoid the very edge of the screen because that is the least accurate. Also there should be a controller test thing in the wii settings that allows you to see the 2 lights of the IR - if they are dim when you try to aim higher you have passed the range that the sensor can track. The wii/IR setup was probably not designed for such a big tv - I dont have a huge tv so I dont know - still rocking a 32 inch.
 

sley

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I remember there being a setting in the Wii Menu to change the sensitivity of the sensor bar, did you try increasing that?
 
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eXtremeDevil

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So we assume the bar is working and the wiimote is working. Maybe its the app?

Try to use another game or https://wiibrew.org/wiki/Visual_Controller_Test to see how far the pointer can go. I know alot of game avoid the very edge of the screen because that is the least accurate. Also there should be a controller test thing in the wii settings that allows you to see the 2 lights of the IR - if they are dim when you try to aim higher you have passed the range that the sensor can track. The wii/IR setup was probably not designed for such a big tv - I dont have a huge tv so I dont know - still rocking a 32 inch.

Yeah, maybe it's the game, also the way of pointing the Wiimote when targeting like a gun is different to general use. I've used the testing thing and everything is OK.

I remember there being a setting in the Wii Menu to change the sensitivity of the sensor bar, did you try increasing that?

You mean light sensivity? Yes, it makes no difference


I guess this is it, I can't reach the whole vertical area from top to bottom when aiming the Wiimote like a gun with generic gun-like adapters, at least with games with calibration options, where I can see this behaviour. For general use, the range is not so bad, also I don't have a lot of distance on my living room. Maybe some day I can have a bigger house with an extra, less large TV, or a larger living room, to properly play Wii hehe
 

emcintosh

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The wiimote does not know where on the picture on the screen you are pointing, only where you are pointing relative to the LEDs in the 'sensor bar'.

You may need to use a wider sensor bar so that the wide movements you make to point at different places on the screen correspond to smaller changes in the position of the LEDs. You can try this using separate infrared sources e.g. candles, and if this solves your problem, try modifying your sensor bar (or using two sensor bars and blocking the LEDs on one side, so you can move the remaining LEDs further apart).

Or you could try moving further away from the screen so the IR camera in the wiimote will be able to see all of your TV - if you're too close, pointing at the bottom of the screen might mean the LEDs are above the region the camera can see.
 

eXtremeDevil

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The wiimote does not know where on the picture on the screen you are pointing, only where you are pointing relative to the LEDs in the 'sensor bar'.

You may need to use a wider sensor bar so that the wide movements you make to point at different places on the screen correspond to smaller changes in the position of the LEDs. You can try this using separate infrared sources e.g. candles, and if this solves your problem, try modifying your sensor bar (or using two sensor bars and blocking the LEDs on one side, so you can move the remaining LEDs further apart).

Or you could try moving further away from the screen so the IR camera in the wiimote will be able to see all of your TV - if you're too close, pointing at the bottom of the screen might mean the LEDs are above the region the camera can see.

I already know that trick, as I stated on the first post. I can't move further away on my current living room. And also, if I'm not wrong, wider sensor bar wouldn't solve the vertical range. I tried placing candles on the vertical middle of the TV, on both sides, but this were way too much distance for the light sources, and the Wiimote didn't behave as usual, but rather as separate sensor bars.
 

The Real Jdbye

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I already know that trick, as I stated on the first post. I can't move further away on my current living room. And also, if I'm not wrong, wider sensor bar wouldn't solve the vertical range. I tried placing candles on the vertical middle of the TV, on both sides, but this were way too much distance for the light sources, and the Wiimote didn't behave as usual, but rather as separate sensor bars.
Try moving them closer together than the normal sensor bar, since you say you don't have a lot of distance.
 

eXtremeDevil

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Try moving them closer together than the normal sensor bar, since you say you don't have a lot of distance.

Thanks for the suggestion, but like I said, after reading a lot on the net, if I'm not mistaken, distance between IR lights makes no difference on the vertical range. It should improve the horizontal range, I guess. What I need is my IR lights below the top of my TV, or above the bottom of it. In other words, in the middle of the image. That or maybe try from a further distance, but I can't do that on my current living room.
 

gZa

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Can you try another WiiRemote, I acquired an unofficial one and that was terrible with IR stuff.
 

JuanMena

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I know you've said that distance won't solve it.

But have you tried using a longer "Wii Sensor Bar"?

Like you can literally break apart one, and put the IR leds farther from each other instead of you getting farther from the TV.

As far as I know, the "Wii Sensor Bar" just sucks energy to power on the IR leds.



I might be wrong, but just like we can mod the "Wii Sensor Bar" to work in reduced spaces, maybe you can get it to work in bigger screens:
https://gbatemp.net/threads/mini-wi...k-computer-monitor.594416/page-2#post-9645095
 

yuyuyup

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You're supposed to set the settings whether it's on the top or bottom. Do this.
wiibarpos9ition.png
 
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eXtremeDevil

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Can you try another WiiRemote, I acquired an unofficial one and that was terrible with IR stuff.

All my devices are official.

I know you've said that distance won't solve it.

But have you tried using a longer "Wii Sensor Bar"?

Like you can literally break apart one, and put the IR leds farther from each other instead of you getting farther from the TV.

As far as I know, the "Wii Sensor Bar" just sucks energy to power on the IR leds.



I might be wrong, but just like we can mod the "Wii Sensor Bar" to work in reduced spaces, maybe you can get it to work in bigger screens:
https://gbatemp.net/threads/mini-wi...k-computer-monitor.594416/page-2#post-9645095

I tried with candles and different distances from each point, it made no difference on the vertical range.

You're supposed to set the settings whether it's on the top or bottom. Do this.
View attachment 299524

I tried both, and I always miss the pointer either on the top part of the TV or the bottom part.
 

yuyuyup

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You should experiment by doing this: place the wii remote on a pedestal pointing at the tv in the way you would want. Then, move the ir sensor bar around in front of the remote while looking at the screen for the cursor to pop up. Then you can find the sweet spot. The angle of the sensor bar is important even by tiny degrees, you might end up putting a wedge underneath to cause a better angle.
 

eXtremeDevil

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I guess I can experiment with angles; so far the optimal position (vertically) is in front of the screen, blocking the image.
 

The Real Jdbye

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Thanks for the suggestion, but like I said, after reading a lot on the net, if I'm not mistaken, distance between IR lights makes no difference on the vertical range. It should improve the horizontal range, I guess. What I need is my IR lights below the top of my TV, or above the bottom of it. In other words, in the middle of the image. That or maybe try from a further distance, but I can't do that on my current living room.
Vertical and horizontal range are tied together. If they're too close together or too far apart it just won't track reliably in either direction.
Are you sure the sensor bar isn't just getting occluded by something like your table when you move it too far?
 
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