Wireless sensor bar tutorial (56k warning)

[redryno1221]

This tut is for people with a moderate soldering skill and some patience. This tut will allow you to choose whether you want your sensor bar to be completely wireless or a hybrid in case you want to use the power from the wii. DO NOT RUN THE SENSOR BAR ON THE BATTERY AND HAVE IT PLUGGED IN YOU CAN SERIOUSLY DAMAGE YOUR WII, SENSOR BAR, AND/OR THE BATTERY MAY EXPLODE!

Disclaimer: I accept no responsibility for what you do to your game consoles, controllers, and/or accessories. Please look at the whole tut and make sure you read the entire tutorial to evaluate whether you can accomplish it. Thanx.

What you need:
    1.Soldering iron/solder
    2.triwing screwdriver
    3.Sensor bar (obviously)
    4.hot glue gun and glue
    5.wire
    6.Switch (optional)
    7.330ohm resistor (band colors are {orange}{white}{brown}{gold}
    8.electrical tape
    9.Dremel

1.First thing you need to do is locate the screws on the underside of the sensor bar

2.Now remove the cover and it should look similiar to this

3.identify the positive and ground points and solder the 330ohm resistor to the positive point.

4.solder the black wire from the 9volt cap to the negative point and then attach another 6in wire to the resistor

5.now remove the leds off the right side and fold them over to the left so you can add a switch

6.i cut a hole for my switch into the back of the case (this step will vary depend on the switch you use, if you use one at all)

7.i placed my switch in the slot i cut to make sure it fit and it can be switched on and off easily

8.again these next steps will vary depending on switch/size and placement. but now you can solder the red wire from the 9volt cap to the switch along with the wire that was previously attached to the resistor.

9.After it's wired up make sure no of the wires are covering the holes for the screws

10.you will now need to add hot glue on and around the switch to keep it in place when it's being switched on and off

11.the next step depends on whether your going to keep or cut the original wire but you may need to cut the wire support pictured below

12.now close it up and make sure nothing is shorting out the wires and the case closes completely and ENJOY :P

[PspKicks316]

Nice tut. Stickied ;D

[Tri-edge]

NICE! I am so going to radio shack tomorrow and buying the parts so I can do this 

[redryno1221]

Nice tut. Stickied ;D

Thanx

[Tri-edge]

This would have beeen so much cooler if I didn't already buy a wireless sensor bar 

[Skullmaster]

How does it transmit the data back to the wii?!?!?!

[Tri-edge]

the wii doesn't use the sensor bar for data, it only needs it to determine where the tv is.
Update!
I took a much better picture with my macbook's isight.

[Rory]

How does it transmit the data back to the wii?!?!?!

The wiimote transfers all the data back. The Sensor bar is just invisible light O_O.
But yeah. It's why if you point the wiimote at lights it moves on the tv.

[redryno1221]

How does it transmit the data back to the wii?!?!?!

the button presses are connected to the wii via bluetooth and to determine where the wiimote is pointing it uses the IR leds in the sensor bar (assuming the bar isn't moving) the ir sensitive sensor that is inside the wiimote knows where you are pointing. try this...go to the settings and set the sensitivity and you can see the leds inside the sensor bar and how it works...

[aquatsr]

Wait so you're telling me the wire on the sensor bar is just for power? Damn.

[redryno1221]

^yup just supplies power to the leds

[RuskiSnajper]

I am also confused , i would never figure out that the wire is just for power , lol

so these system is actually simpler , but i think , if the whole system to be even better , there should be some actual sensor in the "sensor bar" ... maybe motion plus will replace that?

[Jumbo]

I am also confused , i would never figure out that the wire is just for power , lol

so these system is actually simpler , but i think , if the whole system to be even better , there should be some actual sensor in the "sensor bar" ... maybe motion plus will replace that?

Please dont bump topics older than 2 months.

Thanks

[Tri-edge]

Please dont bump topics older than 2 months.

Thanks

sticked topics are meant to be bumped.  He's okay

I am also confused , i would never figure out that the wire is just for power , lol

so these system is actually simpler , but i think , if the whole system to be even better , there should be some actual sensor in the "sensor bar" ... maybe motion plus will replace that?

I doubt it, all the wii motion plus is going to do is be able to take more accurate readings, the only reason why the sensor bar is there is to tell the wii where the tv is.

[Jumbo]

sticked topics are meant to be bumped.  He's okay

Dang missed that sticky 1 r look stupid naow

[ColdSoldier]

one question...

could it run on less than 9v, say like 5v or better yet, 3v.

the reason i ask is because i want to use recharchable double a's instead of 9volts.

[cusinnd]

Good tutorial.

[redryno1221]

Good tutorial.

Thanx

one question...

could it run on less than 9v, say like 5v or better yet, 3v.

the reason i ask is because i want to use recharchable double a's instead of 9volts.

Yes it can be run on less power but you gonna need to switch out the resistor...use *this calc* in order to use the right resistor for whatever voltage you are planning on using...

[tomqman]

wow great tut, this has to be the cheapest wireless bar out there

[djsv103]

Thats really cool, i might end up doing this to my cousins wii.

[twiiges360]

do you know if there is a way to do this vise versa using the new wide wireless sensor bar making it hardwired using the wire connected the factory wii sensor bar?