Hardware You can point the Wii Remote at the sun and it works as a sensor.

[Krakening]

So I recently heard that candles can act as a sensor bar for the Wii... well... I think I discovered something else. It's not as accurate, but It actually works. If your Wii is located in a room with lots of windows (mine has 3), and at any specific time of the day where the sun shines directly into your room, it can actually act like a sensor. I tried this many times and figured out the best time to do is is during sunset (that is when the pointer accuracy is the best). Has anybody else also noticed that?

[EDIT 1] Okay, i just tried something new right now. When I connect the sensor bar to the Wii (while it's on), turn on the Wii U, switch the TV source to Wii U, and sync my Wiimote to the Wii U, the Wii U actually registers the Wii pointer even though the sensor bar is connected to the original Wii, and there is no sensor bar connected to the Wii U. I might post more edits as I dig deeper into this, but this is actually quite interesting...

 

[smf]

I've noticed that sun light messes up the wii motes working, I've never managed to use it as a reliable replacement for the sensor bar

 

[IncredulousP]

Many infrared light sources work: candles, sun, inefficient light bulbs, tv remotes with buttons pressed down, probably lighters. Go nuts finding these sources. It might help to whip out a digital camera/phone and looking for invisible lights that pop up (for instance, the lights coming out of the sensor bar and tv remotes).

 

[Krakening]

I've noticed that sun light messes up the wii motes working, I've never managed to use it as a reliable replacement for the sensor bar

That's probably because your Wii's sensor bar is pointed directly towards the sun. That can mess up the infrared signal, since infrared light is also being emitted from the sun.

 

[Deleted User]

[EDIT 1] Okay, i just tried something new right now. When I connect the sensor bar to the Wii (while it's on), turn on the Wii U, switch the TV source to Wii U, and sync my Wiimote to the Wii U, the Wii U actually registers the Wii pointer even though the sensor bar is connected to the original Wii, and there is no sensor bar connected to the Wii U. I might post more edits as I dig deeper into this, but this is actually quite interesting...

The Sensor Bar is just working with the infrared light, so it's powered when it's plugged in. All it's doing is emitting the light, not reading any data. That's why other sources can work, too.

 

[IncredulousP]

To add, the sensor bar for wii/wiiu is just a few infrared LEDs, which is why you can sync to the wiiu but still use the Wii sensor bar.