Wiibrew Forums - Hardware Poking at the Wiis inner workings with a soldering iron. You break it, you get to keep all of the pieces.http://forum.wiibrew.org/list.php?7Tue, 10 Mar 2026 04:12:01 +0100 Phorum 5.2.23 http://forum.wiibrew.org/read.php?7,74455,74455#msg-74455 Wii component quality across console revisionshttp://forum.wiibrew.org/read.php?7,74455,74455#msg-74455
It is well known that the Wii has poor component image quality. Gamecube component is much clearer:

Example : [retrorgb.com]

Apparently, some of the later Wii hardware revisions had slightly better image quality than the earlier ones via component though.

I've been told that these are probably the later models - RVL-101 - the ones that had no Gamecube ports.

Does anyone have any more in depth information as to exactly which hardware revisions have this 'upgrade' in image quality?

Cheers]]> andykara2003 HardwareFri, 19 Sep 2014 08:49:07 +0200 http://forum.wiibrew.org/read.php?7,74349,74349#msg-74349 Does anyone have a dev unit?http://forum.wiibrew.org/read.php?7,74349,74349#msg-74349
They are generated by the console (not copyrighted), so there shouldn't be any legal issues.]]> JoostinOnline HardwareSat, 17 May 2014 01:33:45 +0200 http://forum.wiibrew.org/read.php?7,73702,73702#msg-73702 Making my very own Wiimotehttp://forum.wiibrew.org/read.php?7,73702,73702#msg-73702
I want to make my very own Wiimote with Motion Plus functionality as an experimental project. To do this I need some equipment:

- Bluetooth
- Microcontroller
- Accelerometer
- Gyroscope
- IR camera
- etc.

I want to use an AVR microcontroller since I have some exerience with AVRs. The AVR will communicate with the Bluetooth module using UART. I am thinking about using a RN42 class 2 Bluetooth module. I can read on the Wiimote site that: "The Wii Remote uses (and, at times, abuses) the standard Bluetooth HID protocol to communicate with the host..." and "The Wii Remote actually uses a fairly complex set of operations, transmitted through HID Output reports, and returns a number of different data packets through its Input reports, which contain the data from its peripherals."

Anyone know if I will be able to communicate with the Wii U using this RN42 module and a microcontroller?

Thanks for any response!]]> Mikrogut HardwareMon, 16 Sep 2013 14:14:20 +0200 http://forum.wiibrew.org/read.php?7,73565,73565#msg-73565 Tony Hawk Ride Boardhttp://forum.wiibrew.org/read.php?7,73565,73565#msg-73565
working on a system to use different controller types to navigate a 3D scene. Did some work on Kinect, Android smartphone and using Brian Peeks WiimoteLib for a Wiimote and Nunchuk. Now I just discovered a friend owing a board from Tony Hawk Ride. Is there a way to use its sensors on a PC? Using Win 7 x64 and like to code in C# but after all any working implementation is more than welcome. All I could find on the web was:

http://cycling74.com/forums/topic/tonyhawkrideshredcontrollerhackjitter/

But I don't know this language nor did the original poster upload anything or responded to requests in the thread.

Hope one might help,

Cya]]> Hilarius HardwareFri, 16 Aug 2013 22:00:02 +0200 http://forum.wiibrew.org/read.php?7,73335,73378#msg-73378 Re: Missing (some) wiimote connection attempts - is it improper page scan configuration?http://forum.wiibrew.org/read.php?7,73335,73378#msg-73378
2) Likewise, is the correct approach to double the default page scan window (making it now as long as the interlaced (two back-to-back) scans in page scan type 1) or is the proper approach to use the default page scan window but specify page scan type 1?

3) Also: I'm far from an expert, but have been studying the BT spec quite a bit. I may have missed it, but don't see any way to directly query a remote controller, or any event resulting from a remote command that includes the remote controller page scan type. Is this something that requires specialized diagnostic equipment to sniff from the radio transmission itself?

Thank you.]]> ags000 HardwareSun, 21 Jul 2013 17:19:47 +0200 http://forum.wiibrew.org/read.php?7,73335,73377#msg-73377 Re: Missing (some) wiimote connection attempts - is it improper page scan configuration?http://forum.wiibrew.org/read.php?7,73335,73377#msg-73377 tueidj HardwareSun, 21 Jul 2013 12:28:06 +0200 http://forum.wiibrew.org/read.php?7,73335,73373#msg-73373 Re: Missing (some) wiimote connection attempts - is it improper page scan configuration?http://forum.wiibrew.org/read.php?7,73335,73373#msg-73373
Still hoping someone else has seen this or can explain or point to other ways to confirm my suspicion and/or that my solution is robust.]]> ags000 HardwareSat, 20 Jul 2013 20:05:47 +0200 http://forum.wiibrew.org/read.php?7,73335,73372#msg-73372 Re: Missing (some) wiimote connection attempts - is it improper page scan configuration?http://forum.wiibrew.org/read.php?7,73335,73372#msg-73372 ags000 HardwareSat, 20 Jul 2013 18:37:42 +0200 http://forum.wiibrew.org/read.php?7,73335,73335#msg-73335 Missing (some) wiimote connection attempts - is it improper page scan configuration?http://forum.wiibrew.org/read.php?7,73335,73335#msg-73335
I'm wondering if this is due to improper setting of Page Scan Interval, Page Scan Window, or Page Scan Mode on my host controller? I'm using PSM R1, which is what I saw the wiimote announcing in a request. I could try to set the host controller page scan to continuous, but wouldn't that leave no bandwidth for the data communication?

Thanks.]]> ags000 HardwareTue, 16 Jul 2013 19:19:58 +0200 http://forum.wiibrew.org/read.php?7,73327,73327#msg-73327 Is a delay/wait required to stop LEDS from blinking after connecting a Wiimote?http://forum.wiibrew.org/read.php?7,73327,73327#msg-73327
1) Once an HID connection is established, I originally attempted to cause the LEDs to cycle from LED1, then LED2, 3, 4, and repeat. I sent output report 0x11 with the single data byte holding the proper value (bits 4-7 representing LEDs 1-4, respectively, and bits 0-3 cleared). I then verified that the setting was received by the wiimote by sending output report 0x15 and reading the current state of the LEDs from the 3rd data byte of the reply input report 0x20 . The LED values in the received input report matched what I had set, but the LEDs kept blinking as if I had not set a value.
2) After experimentation, I determined that by slowing down the cycling through each of the LED settings the flashing would stop and the desired pattern would be displayed (at a slower speed due to the inserted delay). The delay needed to be something greater than 1/2 second between sending the next LED setting.
3) Further experimentation showed that if I send an initial LED setting and then delay (at least 1/2 second) before sending any others, I could remove the delay between any subsequent changes to the LED settings, achieving the pattern in full-speed - limited only by the speed of my BT stack implementation.

This seems to indicate there is some additional "initialization" time that must be observed after sending the first output report to stop the LED flashing.

Questions:

1) Has anyone else seen this?
2) Is it documented? (I did not find it anywhere. If not, should it be?)
3) Is there any known explanation for this?

Thanks.

* to clarify: I'm sending
a2 11 10; a2 11 20; a2 11 40; a2 11 80; repeat;]]> ags000 HardwareTue, 16 Jul 2013 00:56:50 +0200 http://forum.wiibrew.org/read.php?7,73110,73304#msg-73304 Unexpected LED initialization behaviorhttp://forum.wiibrew.org/read.php?7,73110,73304#msg-73304 ags000 HardwareSat, 13 Jul 2013 18:45:00 +0200 http://forum.wiibrew.org/read.php?7,73110,73121#msg-73121 Re: How to pair a Wiimote? (LEDs continue to blink)http://forum.wiibrew.org/read.php?7,73110,73121#msg-73121You only need to store the link key if you plan on always enabling authentication, to avoid sending a link_key_request_negative_reply and then responding to the PIN request (which will cause a new link key to be generated every time). For a non-wii host device there are no advantages to using authentication after the initial pairing has been performed.]]> tueidj HardwareTue, 25 Jun 2013 00:08:12 +0200 http://forum.wiibrew.org/read.php?7,73110,73117#msg-73117 Re: How to pair a Wiimote? (LEDs continue to blink)http://forum.wiibrew.org/read.php?7,73110,73117#msg-73117
Is there anything I need to do with the link key I receive in the Link Key Notification Event?

Thanks.]]> ags000 HardwareMon, 24 Jun 2013 15:02:46 +0200 http://forum.wiibrew.org/read.php?7,73110,73115#msg-73115 Re: How to pair a Wiimote? (LEDs continue to blink)http://forum.wiibrew.org/read.php?7,73110,73115#msg-73115 tueidj HardwareMon, 24 Jun 2013 13:10:25 +0200 http://forum.wiibrew.org/read.php?7,73110,73110#msg-73110 How to stop LEDS from blinking after pairing a Wiimote.http://forum.wiibrew.org/read.php?7,73110,73110#msg-73110
I have two modes that I'd like to support:

First, a pairing mode: press the sync button under the wiimote battery cover, then command my local controller to inquire, connect, and finally pair with the wiimote. This seems to work. I think it is actually establishing a bond because after this process, and disconnecting the wiimote, a single button press on the wiimote causes a Connection Request event on my local controller. I presume that indicates that the Pin/BD_ADDR has been stored in the wiimote - indicating a successful pairing.

However, after the (ostensible) pairing, the LEDs on the wiimote continue to blink. Is that because the pairing is not complete, or because I am required to send an output report to the wiimote after connecting to stop the LEDs from flashing?

Second, a reconnect mode: after successfully pairing the wiimote once, I'd like to be able to have it initiate a connection with my local controller using a single button press. This also seems to be working, but the LEDs on the wiimote continue to blink after the connection is established.

Is there some additional configuration/handshake required to complete the pairing and single-button reconnect modes? Or, is it expected that the LEDs will continue to blink until some report is sent?

Thanks.]]> ags000 HardwareMon, 24 Jun 2013 05:41:54 +0200 http://forum.wiibrew.org/read.php?7,73034,73109#msg-73109 Re: Writing BT stack to connect with Wiimote - problems connectinghttp://forum.wiibrew.org/read.php?7,73034,73109#msg-73109
I still don't understand why I cannot send an ACL packet with PB=02. But I'm past that obstacle.]]> ags000 HardwareMon, 24 Jun 2013 05:26:22 +0200 http://forum.wiibrew.org/read.php?7,73034,73105#msg-73105 Re: Writing BT stack to connect with Wiimote - problems connectinghttp://forum.wiibrew.org/read.php?7,73034,73105#msg-73105
I tried setting the host buffer size to match the controller reported buffer sizes. This returned a success status.

Then I tried issuing the same command to establish an L2CAP channel - and same symptoms: no response at all.

In frustration (perhaps desperation) I decided to fiddle with the LLID bits. I'm still confused by the description in the spec, which seems self-contradictory to me.

As it turns out, if I issue the connection request (for an L2CAP channel) using PB of 00, I get a response! With PB=03 or 02, no response. This is really confusing. And, the response is sent with LLID = 20. I just don't understand this. (NOTE: to try to simplify, I'm testing using a USB BT dongle on my desktop, not the wiimote).

So once I send the (L2CAP) connection request (PSM==01), I receive an extended features request, then a configuration request (for MTU size). I do get a connection response with successful status. I wasn't prepared for all this traffic, so hadn't coded responses. Ultimately, the connection was terminated (reason==0x13, Remote User Terminated Connection).

So I still can't figure out the proper use of LLID, but I have successfully created my first L2CAP channel.

BTW, both the host and remote device report a version of 04, or BT 2.1 + EDR.

Still don't understand the LLID flag.]]> ags000 HardwareThu, 13 Jun 2013 07:43:07 +0200 http://forum.wiibrew.org/read.php?7,73034,73101#msg-73101 Re: Writing BT stack to connect with Wiimote - problems connectinghttp://forum.wiibrew.org/read.php?7,73034,73101#msg-73101
With controller to host flow control disabled, wouldn't you expect the value of num_ACL_data_packets to be ignored and irrelevant? (I'll still try it, though). I did try values of 0 for both ACL data and synchronous data, thinking this would indicate unlimited buffers. It may be the buffer size that is the problem, even if 0 buffers is an acceptable parameter value.

Is there any way to test behavior of a working wiimote interface - to see what happens if a connection (link) is established but no L2CAP channels are established for a minute? I still don't understand why the successful connection is disconnected (every time) just seconds after the connection is established.]]> ags000 HardwareWed, 12 Jun 2013 22:15:58 +0200 http://forum.wiibrew.org/read.php?7,73034,73100#msg-73100 Re: Writing BT stack to connect with Wiimote - problems connectinghttp://forum.wiibrew.org/read.php?7,73034,73100#msg-73100 tueidj HardwareWed, 12 Jun 2013 20:41:34 +0200 http://forum.wiibrew.org/read.php?7,73034,73099#msg-73099 Re: Writing BT stack to connect with Wiimote - problems connectinghttp://forum.wiibrew.org/read.php?7,73034,73099#msg-73099
When I tried to set the host buffer size with the Host Buffer Size command, there was no response. It was as though the command I was sending was incorrect. Eventually, after sending other commands, I finally got a Hardware Error Event. This is what I sent to the controller:

01 330C 07 4000 20 0100 0100

Which I believe indicates:

UART HCI command; Host Buffer Size command opcode; parameter length; 64 bytes ACL data buffer size; 32 bytes synchronous data buffer size; 1 ACL data buffer; 1 synchronous data buffer

Is there something wrong with this? Some improper setting (or understanding on my part) may be why the controller never sends ACL data to the host.]]> ags000 HardwareWed, 12 Jun 2013 16:54:03 +0200 http://forum.wiibrew.org/read.php?7,73096,73096#msg-73096 Computer as a wii remotehttp://forum.wiibrew.org/read.php?7,73096,73096#msg-73096forum.wiibrew.org] I was wondering if anyone has successfully accomplished the feat using an actual computer, beit Windows or Linux. It sounds like Rikmer and his/her repliers had things nearly down with Android (only stopped by Android security problems), but it doesn't sound like they ever tested things on an actual computer. Please tell me if any of you have tried this (and how to do it if you succeeded ;) )]]> Matchlighter HardwareWed, 12 Jun 2013 06:26:12 +0200 http://forum.wiibrew.org/read.php?7,73034,73090#msg-73090 Re: Writing BT stack to connect with Wiimote - problems connectinghttp://forum.wiibrew.org/read.php?7,73034,73090#msg-73090- hci_reset
- hci_read_buffer_size
- hci_read_bd_addr
- hci_host_buffer_size
- hci_write_pin_type(0 = variable)
- hci_write_page_timeout
- hci_write_scan_enable(2 = page scanning enabled)
Additional optional commands (things the wiimote doesn't care about but are good practice):
- hci_write_cod
- hci_change_local_name


"The event code 0xFF is reserved for the event code used for vendor-specific debug events." Manufacturer specific stuff, for example the wii uses it to signal when the red sync button on the front panel has been pressed.]]> tueidj HardwareTue, 11 Jun 2013 23:06:56 +0200 http://forum.wiibrew.org/read.php?7,73034,73089#msg-73089 Re: Writing BT stack to connect with Wiimote - problems connectinghttp://forum.wiibrew.org/read.php?7,73034,73089#msg-73089
Quote

The Read_Buffer_Size command must be issued by the Host before it sends any data to the Controller.

I can see this is good practice, but will violating it cause a problem? Since the data packets from the wiimote are so small, I was simply going to use buffers sized for the MTU size (48 bytes). I presume there would only be an issue if I attempted to send a data packet larger than the controller's buffer size. I will test it later just to be sure.

I also noted that upon power-up of the local controller (but not on reset) an event packet is sent by the controller. I presume this is some manufacturer-specific information (I will contact the manufacturer to verify) - have you heard of such a thing? I don't recognize the event code 0xFF. The byte sequence is:

04FF1FC302000F000D000010000037000100004E0100000000000000000000000000]]> ags000 HardwareTue, 11 Jun 2013 22:02:55 +0200 http://forum.wiibrew.org/read.php?7,73034,73088#msg-73088 Re: Writing BT stack to connect with Wiimote - problems connectinghttp://forum.wiibrew.org/read.php?7,73034,73088#msg-73088 tueidj HardwareTue, 11 Jun 2013 21:04:17 +0200 http://forum.wiibrew.org/read.php?7,73034,73087#msg-73087 Re: Writing BT stack to connect with Wiimote - problems connectinghttp://forum.wiibrew.org/read.php?7,73034,73087#msg-73087
I was able to send ACL data (based on the "Number of Completed Packets Event" received) with the BT dongle. However, I never received any ACL data (there was never an acknowledgement of the connection request). This is how I got into the LLID and BT version issue. I observed that if I use the LLID (PB flag) of 11 (which appears to be correct for v4.0 but not v1.2 as you point out) with the BT dongle (which is v4.0) then I receive the "Number of Completed Packets Event" (but still no acknowledgment of the connection request). If I use the LLID (PB flag) of 0b10 (which is valid for v1.2 but not v4.0) then I get neither the "Number of Completed Packets Event" nor an acknowledgment of the connection request from the BT dongle.

My hypothesis is that with the BT dongle (v4.0) and an LLID/PB value of 0b11, that represents a complete L2CAP PDU and it is forwarded on by the remote controller (in this case as a signaling command on (fixed) channel 1). That is why I receive the "Number of Completed Packets Event". When I use the LLID/PB value of 0b10, that is a start packet, and the local controller is waiting for the continuation packet. While that may be plausible, that would imply that there is not backwards compatibility, which I find unusual. Also, while I'm clearly not an expert, it seems that the controller could easily recognize an L2CAP B-frame (complete L2CAP PDU) and know that the packet is complete. (if I understand correctly).

This is why I started wondering if there is some flow control setting (on my host controller - not the BT dongle or the wiimote) that is interfering with reception of the ACL data. Since I'm using a UART HCI transport, I only have RX and TX lines, and the RX path through my UART is working because that's the path to receive events from the controller.

Is it possible to validate that the wiimote will maintain a connection (link) with another BT device even if no L2CAP channel is established within some timeout period? I am only seeing the disconnect when using the wiimote, not the BT dongle. (but still, I can't establish an L2CAP channel on either)]]> ags000 HardwareTue, 11 Jun 2013 19:31:53 +0200 http://forum.wiibrew.org/read.php?7,73034,73086#msg-73086 Re: Writing BT stack to connect with Wiimote - problems connectinghttp://forum.wiibrew.org/read.php?7,73034,73086#msg-73086 tueidj HardwareTue, 11 Jun 2013 18:32:53 +0200 http://forum.wiibrew.org/read.php?7,73034,73085#msg-73085 Re: Writing BT stack to connect with Wiimote - problems connectinghttp://forum.wiibrew.org/read.php?7,73034,73085#msg-73085
I'm using the exact sequence to establish the L2CAP channel as in the log you provided (with the exception that the connection handle is different). I'm using:


02 2A20 0C00 0800 0100 02 01 0400 1100 4300

HCI trasport - ACL data
Connection handle 0x002A, PB 0b10, BC 0b00
Packet length 0x000C
L2CAP header - length 0x0008
L2CAP header - channelID 0x0001 (signaling channel)
signal command 0x02 (connection request)
id 0x01
data length 0x0004
PSM 0x0011
source channel ID 0x0043

Is is possible to conduct an experiment with a working wiimote connection? I'm wondering if the wiimote behaves differently (than the BT dongle I was using) in that it will accept a connection but will drop that connection if the HID channels (PSM 11 and 13) are not established within a timeout period. I could understand this behavior since in normal operation the wiimote is always using those channels and does not need to support any others (although from the log I can see it also supports PSM 1 for SDP). (The BT dongle accepted a connection and it was not dropped even though I did not establish any L2CAP channels) I'm trying to break this down into smaller pieces and look for a way to understand what is happening.

I have never received any ACL data. When experimenting with the USB dongle on my desktop, I did receive a Number of Competed Packets event when I sent ACL data to that device (attempting to establish an L2CAP connection but never ACL data back with the connection response.

Is there something that can be interfering with receipt of ACL data? I was wondering if flow control may be an issue.]]> ags000 HardwareTue, 11 Jun 2013 17:27:42 +0200 http://forum.wiibrew.org/read.php?7,73034,73078#msg-73078 Re: Writing BT stack to connect with Wiimote - problems connectinghttp://forum.wiibrew.org/read.php?7,73034,73078#msg-73078The only thing I can think of that might help is to set the page scan type (HCI_Write_Page_Scan_Type) to 1.]]> tueidj HardwareTue, 11 Jun 2013 11:01:03 +0200 http://forum.wiibrew.org/read.php?7,73034,73077#msg-73077 Re: Writing BT stack to connect with Wiimote - problems connectinghttp://forum.wiibrew.org/read.php?7,73034,73077#msg-73077
I am able to inquire and find the wiimote (reports back the BD_ADDR)
I am not able to read the wiimote (remote) name (returns error code 0x04 - "Page Timeout")

Is there something I need to do to make a v4 radio talk to a v2 radio?]]> ags000 HardwareTue, 11 Jun 2013 08:18:41 +0200 http://forum.wiibrew.org/read.php?7,73034,73076#msg-73076 Re: Writing BT stack to connect with Wiimote - problems connectinghttp://forum.wiibrew.org/read.php?7,73034,73076#msg-73076Both of "in MTU" values are translated wrong, there's another one further down (0xB900).]]> tueidj HardwareTue, 11 Jun 2013 04:57:44 +0200