Wii Sensor bar

[fustercluck]

My wii has never seemed to be real accurate. I play on a 50" plasma screen, and when I put the sensor bar on top of the TV, I have to aim above the top half of the TV screen to get anything to show up. Same thing if I put it on the bottom, except vice versa. I'm not sure how to get it to read more accurately. I can't put the sensor bar in the middle of the TV obviously. The bar seems to act as if it's supposed to be in the center of the TV though. I couldn't fix it in the Wii options anywhere (I know you can assign whether it's on the top or bottom of the TV). Any tips how to get it working better? Thanks.

 

[nakedfrog]

Wireless sensor bars are supposed to have a better range. I've not tried one yet myself.

 

[NikolaeVarius]

You mean "well" in your topic title. 😛

Anyway, the Wii-mote isn't that "accurate" per say. Its works fine for gaming apps and punching the buttons on screen that are 6 inches long. But nothing on the system demands pin point accuracy, and so doesn't supply it.

The feeling aways stays with you.

 

[Rike]

Apparently, "sensor bar" is not a sensor at all. It's pair of infrared lights. Check out the review from Rorke Haining on this wireless bar. Link It might be useful in understanding what will work best for your situation.

 

[oznerol]

You can have it work in a soup kitchen or volunteer at a hospital. I hear old people like Wii's, so the sensor bar may also do good in a senior citizens home.

 

[purbeast0]

i have the nyko wireless sensor bar and its 10000x better than the one that comes w/the wii, both for distance and accuracy.

but there is still and always will be that "offset" problem with the wii no matter which one you have.

 

[Blayze]

Originally posted by: purbeast0
i have the nyko wireless sensor bar and its 10000x better than the one that comes w/the wii, both for distance and accuracy.

but there is still and always will be that "offset" problem with the wii no matter which one you have.

How is the battery life on the Nyko Wireless Sensor Bar?

 

[purbeast0]

Originally posted by: Blayze

Originally posted by: purbeast0
i have the nyko wireless sensor bar and its 10000x better than the one that comes w/the wii, both for distance and accuracy.

but there is still and always will be that "offset" problem with the wii no matter which one you have.

How is the battery life on the Nyko Wireless Sensor Bar?

ive changed them once since I got it probably 3-4 months after launch.

however i rarely use my wii and i'd leave it on overnight sometimes on accident. it has options to chip if you leave it on and are not using it.

 

[fustercluck]

Originally posted by: ducci
You can have it work in a soup kitchen or volunteer at a hospital. I hear old people like Wii's, so the sensor bar may also do good in a senior citizens home.

That's the lamest joke I've seen in quite some time 😛

I'll look into the Nyko one, they make good products. Thanks.

 

[zerocool84]

Originally posted by: purbeast0

Originally posted by: Blayze

Originally posted by: purbeast0
i have the nyko wireless sensor bar and its 10000x better than the one that comes w/the wii, both for distance and accuracy.

but there is still and always will be that "offset" problem with the wii no matter which one you have.

How is the battery life on the Nyko Wireless Sensor Bar?

ive changed them once since I got it probably 3-4 months after launch.

however i rarely use my wii and i'd leave it on overnight sometimes on accident. it has options to chip if you leave it on and are not using it.

For me the Nyko bar gets horrible battery life. Maybe it's because people other than me play it and they don't turn off the sensor bar. It does track fairly well and I was able to move my Wii away from my TV.

 

[Injury]

Originally posted by: Rike
Apparently, "sensor bar" is not a sensor at all. It's pair of infrared lights. Check out the review from Rorke Haining on this wireless bar. Link It might be useful in understanding what will work best for your situation.

Exactly. The sensor bar lights just give the Wii remote a point of reference when you move it around. I may be wrong, but ideally bringing the bar closer could help, as every movement would have more impact on the location in reference to the infrared sensor on the front of the Wii remote.

On a larger screen you are probably playing further away, which, if you look at things from the Wii remote's perspective the sensor is picking up weak light in damn near the exact same area. Unless it's just not registering at all, which could definitely mean there is a problem with it or it needs to be closer.

 

[imported_TimBob]

I have the Nyko and Nextronics wireless bars. The Nextronics is a lot better for me, plus it has the option of battery or powered. Works well from 25-30 feet way.

 

[fustercluck]

Originally posted by: Injury

Originally posted by: Rike
Apparently, "sensor bar" is not a sensor at all. It's pair of infrared lights. Check out the review from Rorke Haining on this wireless bar. Link It might be useful in understanding what will work best for your situation.

Exactly. The sensor bar lights just give the Wii remote a point of reference when you move it around. I may be wrong, but ideally bringing the bar closer could help, as every movement would have more impact on the location in reference to the infrared sensor on the front of the Wii remote.

On a larger screen you are probably playing further away, which, if you look at things from the Wii remote's perspective the sensor is picking up weak light in damn near the exact same area. Unless it's just not registering at all, which could definitely mean there is a problem with it or it needs to be closer.

Actually I might be playing too close. Playing golf I'm coming within about a foot of the screen, I gotta be careful 😛

 

[mugs]

Playing too close does sounds like a good possibility.

What you have to accept is that the Wii's pointer functionality is not going to be "dead on balls accurate" (</my cousin vinny>). I think they did this for practical reasons. Making it perfectly accurate would require calibration by the user, and then it would only be accurate in the location where it was calibrated. If you move around the room, the calibration would be inaccurate. That doesn't really fit the Wii model of pick up and play games that encourage you to move around.

Instead of thinking of it like a light gun, think of it like a computer mouse. You mouse's location on the mouse pad doesn't accurately reflect its position on the screen, but that's not a problem - you move it relative to the current location. In the same way, move your Wii remote relative to the current location of the pointer on the screen.

It's by no means a perfect solution, but the compromise they made it understandable I think.

 

[Xavier434]

I have the same problem with my TV and I do not play that close. There is a solid 10 feet separating my wiimote and my TV when I play. I really wish Nintendo would develop more precise means to configure this thing. Top and bottom of the TV just isn't good enough.

 

[fustercluck]

Originally posted by: mugs
Playing too close does sounds like a good possibility.

What you have to accept is that the Wii's pointer functionality is not going to be "dead on balls accurate" (</my cousin vinny>). I think they did this for practical reasons. Making it perfectly accurate would require calibration by the user, and then it would only be accurate in the location where it was calibrated. If you move around the room, the calibration would be inaccurate. That doesn't really fit the Wii model of pick up and play games that encourage you to move around.

Instead of thinking of it like a light gun, think of it like a computer mouse. You mouse's location on the mouse pad doesn't accurately reflect its position on the screen, but that's not a problem - you move it relative to the current location. In the same way, move your Wii remote relative to the current location of the pointer on the screen.

It's by no means a perfect solution, but the compromise they made it understandable I think.

Yeah I think it's probably the best they could have made it.

Been wanting to get a Nyko Perfect Shot gun adapter for the Wiimotes, but I don't know how much it would be like playing a gun game at the arcade. Since the Wiimote isn't dead on accurate and the pointer (hand) trails a bit to where you point. Doesn't sound like anyone's had problems with that though, maybe playing shooters on the Wii will work out fine afterall. House of the Dead 2 and 3 might be fun for a couple hours each 😛

 

[zerocool84]

I've used lit-candles. One put on top of each side on my tv. it worked really damn well.

 

[AstroManLuca]

Originally posted by: ropeadope
Been wanting to get a Nyko Perfect Shot gun adapter for the Wiimotes, but I don't know how much it would be like playing a gun game at the arcade. Since the Wiimote isn't dead on accurate and the pointer (hand) trails a bit to where you point. Doesn't sound like anyone's had problems with that though, maybe playing shooters on the Wii will work out fine afterall. House of the Dead 2 and 3 might be fun for a couple hours each 😛

From what I've heard, those games do actually let you calibrate the Wiimote for extra accuracy, so you could theoretically calibrate it so the Wiimote does actually work just like a light gun. You still wouldn't be able to move, though.