Wii Sensor Troubles

[Calvin]

Yet another bad impression about the sensor strip that powers the Wii's controller. This time Engadget (and several other sources) are reporting that the sensor strip fails when hit directly by sunlight. http://www.engadget.com/2006/10/09/sunlight-disables-wii-sensor-bar/

Big deal you say? We don't play in sunlight you say? Plenty of people outside of us hardcore folk surely do, and this (if true and not just a random beta-kit Wii malfunction) is a rather serious problem.

[Misguided]

Saw the same thing last night, but that was the first report I've seen...you said "yet another", so where else did you see something?

Also, I thought the bar was optional...

[metallicorphan]

i think there will be a few pissed off about this,but most will just resign to playing indoors...as for me,hopefully it wont have that much of an effect..but it is worrying to see the wii have a fault,i thought that was just sonys department

[ATB]

I would just say that the chances of it being in direct sunlight during game play are scant.  Sure, indirect sunlight may be a factor, but my guess is that most players- even including the non-'hardcore'- don't play with the curtains/shades all the way open....cause even non-'hardcore' eyes can't see the screen with all that glare.

[wonderpug]

Also, I thought the bar was optional...

For games that don't use the motion detectors, I guess.  I'd imagine the bar is used to determine your distance to the screen.

[Misguided]

Also, I thought the bar was optional...

For games that don't use the motion detectors, I guess.  I'd imagine the bar is used to determine your distance to the screen.

Actually I was under the impression that the bar increased the precision of the controller but could be used without it.
I could be wrong, but I thought that's what our local ninty rep said, and she generally knows her stuff.

[wonderpug]

Also, I thought the bar was optional...

For games that don't use the motion detectors, I guess.  I'd imagine the bar is used to determine your distance to the screen.

Actually I was under the impression that the bar increased the precision of the controller but could be used without it.
I could be wrong, but I thought that's what our local ninty rep said, and she generally knows her stuff.

Interesting, looking at good old wikipedia it looks like the remote has a camera inside that uses the lights on the sensor bar as reference points to determine the remote's orientation.  If you point away from the sensor bar then the in-remote motion sensors use dead reckoning to determine the orientation.

When are they going to start having demo units in stores?  I'm ready to give one of these things a try!

[Destructor]

Still a non-issue, as already stated. Who's gonna play any game system with their TV in direct sunlight? What's the point in playing in all that glare?

[CeeKay]

sunlight?  it burns, it burns!!!!!  besides, how they hell doesn't the glare on the screen from the sunlight bother you?

[Devil]

This is Nintendo. You are reading this on GT.

There are no problems with the Wii. There are no problems with the Wii. There are no problems with the Wii. There are no problems with the Wii. Nintendo is making money. Nintendo is making money. Nintendo is making money.

 

[EngineNo9]

You know, it just occurs to me that there are no problems with the Wii. Nintendo is making money. 

[CeeKay]

You know, it just occurs to me that there are no problems with the Wii. Nintendo is making money. 

You know, it occurs to me that you are checking out Devils Wii 

[ATB]

Oh Devil. Come on.

[Dafones]

Well I don't like the sounds of that. Seems like an odd flaw, if it wasn't known of from the get go.

[shaggydoug]

Those of us who were thinking of this as the kid's game console and setting it up in the fairly well lit play room might have 2nd thoughts.

- shaggy

[TC Weidner]

I heard it can't play under water either, there goes my Wii swimming pool add on. 

[Scott]

Does this mean that you can't put the Wii in an entertainment cabinet when playing, and that it needs to be next to or under the TV?  That would be pretty limiting...

[Tebunker]

I believe the sensor bar needs to sit out, like in front of the tv, on top of the tv etc. I was just watching the Red Steel video and they backed out and showed the tv etc. they were playing on and I couldn't even see the sensor bar. The Wii can go the entertainment center, but I think you have to have somewhere to set the bar in front of it.

http://wii.nintendo.com/controllers.html

that has a good picture of it on top of a tv

This is Nintendo. You are reading this on GT.

Devil, I think in this thread it's not the information but how it was presented.


and lastly, I can't tell what the hell the bar really does. The controller has motion sensors built in, so the bar must be for when you use it purely as a pointer? I don't know but I'd love to be able to find out.

[Devil]

I know, I know - Just jokes!! 

That cord on the sensor better be 50 feet so I can string it around furniture and get it in front of my screen!!

[kathode]

and lastly, I can't tell what the hell the bar really does. The controller has motion sensors built in, so the bar must be for when you use it purely as a pointer? I don't know but I'd love to be able to find out.

Motion sensors aren't going to give you a good read on actual position without something non-moving to measure against.  From wikipedia (as pointed out above):

It is not necessary to point directly at the sensor bar, but pointing away from the screen itself will disrupt position-sensing ability.[citation needed] The use of the sensor bar allows the Wii Remote to be used as an accurate pointing device up to 5 meters (approx. 15ft) away from the bar.[1] The sensor bar is about 20cm in length[25] and features eight IR LEDs, with four LEDs being arranged at each end of the bar.[28] The Wii Remote contains a one-megapixel[25] image sensor[29] which is used to locate the sensor bar's eight points of light in the Wii Remote's field of view.[citation needed] The known real-world dimensions of the spacing between the LEDs on the bar allows the Wii Remote to calculate its position and orientation in space relative to the bar.[citation needed] This information is in addition to, and supplemented by, the 3-axis acceleration and tilt sensors in the Wii Remote.[citation needed]

[Tebunker]

and lastly, I can't tell what the hell the bar really does. The controller has motion sensors built in, so the bar must be for when you use it purely as a pointer? I don't know but I'd love to be able to find out.

Motion sensors aren't going to give you a good read on actual position without something non-moving to measure against.  From wikipedia (as pointed out above):

It is not necessary to point directly at the sensor bar, but pointing away from the screen itself will disrupt position-sensing ability.[citation needed] The use of the sensor bar allows the Wii Remote to be used as an accurate pointing device up to 5 meters (approx. 15ft) away from the bar.[1] The sensor bar is about 20cm in length[25] and features eight IR LEDs, with four LEDs being arranged at each end of the bar.[28] The Wii Remote contains a one-megapixel[25] image sensor[29] which is used to locate the sensor bar's eight points of light in the Wii Remote's field of view.[citation needed] The known real-world dimensions of the spacing between the LEDs on the bar allows the Wii Remote to calculate its position and orientation in space relative to the bar.[citation needed] This information is in addition to, and supplemented by, the 3-axis acceleration and tilt sensors in the Wii Remote.[citation needed]

Thanks! I thought it had something to do with Accurracy etc.

So Kathode, when are we gonna get Elder Scrolls Wii! 

[JCC]

That cord on the sensor better be 50 feet so I can string it around furniture and get it in front of my screen!!

It's 10 feet long. I am sure they will sell extension cables though, so you can enjoy helping Nintendo MAKE MORE MONEY.

[corruptrelic]

Still a non-issue, as already stated. Who's gonna play any game system with their TV in direct sunlight? What's the point in playing in all that glare?

Come on now destructor, lets be fair. Just because it's not an issue for you doesn't mean it might not be an issue for someone else.
This topic wouldn't have even been started if it wasn't an issue for someone.

Personally my room sits to the west and for some reason the sun loves blasting my side of the apartment complex. I have blinds but the sun goes right through, even threw a sheet over it but not much luck there either.
Thus, during daylight hours I usually get a glare on my LCD but I've grown so used to it that it doesn't bother me anymore.

Whether or not that kind of sunlight (which is obviously not the same as being outdoors) would affect a Wii here or not, I don't know.
But to say it's a "non-issue" for those that it obviously is is pretty close minded.

[JCC]

You gotta love IGN's article on the issue.   

[Tebunker]

Great article, I love it. There was some funny stuff in there.

But to quote for truth and to put this down.

we contacted Nintendo of America for some clarification, and the subsidiary downplayed any interference problems.

"Our testing thus far shows no great risk of light interference when playing a game that relies on the pointer and sensor bar."

[JCC]

I noticed they didn't outright deny the report, which indicates that there may be some problems, but I am guessing it must be under extremely bright conditions. My living room gets a good amount of sunlight in it, so I guess I'll find out when I get one.

[kathode]

So Kathode, when are we gonna get Elder Scrolls Wii! 

Ask somebody who works on Elder Scrolls

[EngineNo9]

I may be mistaken, but wasn't it also brought up months ago that the sensor system had some problems with bright flourescent lighting?  I seem to remember this being bandied around E3 and the potential problems it would cause in stores such as Target that have brighter overhead lighting. 

[Dafones]

Stupid vampire console.

[Scott]

I believe the sensor bar needs to sit out, like in front of the tv, on top of the tv etc. I was just watching the Red Steel video and they backed out and showed the tv etc. they were playing on and I couldn't even see the sensor bar. The Wii can go the entertainment center, but I think you have to have somewhere to set the bar in front of it.

Thanks Tebunker.  I already have a center speaker on the TV, so that'd need to go somewhere.  Hmm, that'll be a tough sell to my wife, to add more stuff in the area.  Interesting though.