When can we expect OSX Wiimote drivers?

[7on]

When can we expect OSX Wiimote drivers?

[PlaceofDis]

so did you try an connect it?
if so, could you do anything with it?


i would imagine it wouldn't be the easiest thing to write drivers for though.

[balamw]

Probably only after we see some Linux drivers. :p

B

[p0intblank]

Imagine using this as a mouse. :eek:

I bet it'd be pretty difficult.

[Dagless]

Imagine using this as a mouse. :eek:

I bet it'd be pretty difficult.

as a regular mouse yes, but in games? With the right support it could be quite smart. I'd start developing for it :p

[7on]

so did you try an connect it?
if so, could you do anything with it?


i would imagine it wouldn't be the easiest thing to write drivers for though.

Passkey was incorrect

[GFLPraxis]

Actually it'll probably not be too hard. I mean, we already have drivers for gyroscopic mice...

[p0intblank]

as a regular mouse yes, but in games? With the right support it could be quite smart. I'd start developing for it :p

I agree. I would love to play mini-games with this thing. :)

[FleurDuMal]

All I want is the Classic Controller drivers so I finally have a natural feeling controller to play emulators on my Macbook.

[MacRumorUser]

your all missing 1 important facet. The wii remote REQUIRES the wii sensor bar. So your mac see your wii remote ? yep so ? Without the sensor bar you are not going anywhere.

[Counterfit]

All I want is the Classic Controller drivers so I finally have a natural feeling controller to play emulators on my Macbook.

I use an SNES pad :p

[FleurDuMal]

I use an SNES pad :p

Yeah, but that won't help with Mario 64.

The classic controller is probably the only controller ever designed specifically with playing retro games (spanning both 2D and 3D) in mind.

[seenew]

your all missing 1 important facet. The wii remote REQUIRES the wii sensor bar. So your mac see your wii remote ? yep so ? Without the sensor bar you are not going anywhere.

acceleromters could still be used for racing games.

[Dagless]

your all missing 1 important facet. The wii remote REQUIRES the wii sensor bar. So your mac see your wii remote ? yep so ? Without the sensor bar you are not going anywhere.

Ah yes, good point. tch, now I'm down to earth and the skies are grey, and the leaves are brown :(

I'M IN TWILIGHT PRINCESS!

[MacRumorUser]

I'M IN TWILIGHT PRINCESS!

It's not that dark and stop calling me princess ;) :D

[Dagless]

It's not that dark and stop calling me princess ;) :D

ROFLchops :D

[n-abounds]

your all missing 1 important facet. The wii remote REQUIRES the wii sensor bar. So your mac see your wii remote ? yep so ? Without the sensor bar you are not going anywhere.

From what I've heard the ability to point to things on-screen requires the sensor bar. But all other movement and buttons presses are solely bluetooth.

[MacRumorUser]

From what I've heard the ability to point to things on-screen requires the sensor bar. But all other movement and buttons presses are solely bluetooth.

but you still wouldnt be able to use it like a mouse... ;)

[GFLPraxis]

your all missing 1 important facet. The wii remote REQUIRES the wii sensor bar. So your mac see your wii remote ? yep so ? Without the sensor bar you are not going anywhere.


No it doesn't. I've been saying this since E3 06 when I asked a Nintendo rep.

The sensor bar is ONLY for the pointer. Games like Excite Truck don't even use the sensor bar in the slightest.

[GFLPraxis]

but you still wouldnt be able to use it like a mouse... ;)


Yes you could. Gyroscopic mice use tilting to move the onscreen mouse.

[7on]

but you still wouldnt be able to use it like a mouse... ;)

yeah, gyroscope mice don't need a sensor bar.

Tilting the wiimote down = down
up = up
etc

[GeneralAntilles]

your all missing 1 important facet. The wii remote REQUIRES the wii sensor bar. So your mac see your wii remote ? yep so ? Without the sensor bar you are not going anywhere.

The sensor bar is just an array of 10 (5 on the left, 5 on the right) IR transmitting LEDs. The Wii sends it 12v power, so all we need to use it with a mac is either: A. a powered Wii close by and the sensor bar on the computer, or B. a USB power adaptor for the sensor bar. The IR tracking (the Wiimote just has a CMOS sensor on the front that picks up those LEDs in the sensor bar) and motion control data are all sent over Bluetooth, so it'd be quite easy to get it working once we get drivers.

[Dagless]

I wonder where this will put emulation? With the Wii not being too powerful and with hacked PC/Mac driver support for the controller it might be very possible to fully emulate the machine.

Though it's Nintendo. I'm sure it's well and truly protected for the time being.

[GFLPraxis]

I wonder where this will put emulation? With the Wii not being too powerful and with hacked PC/Mac driver support for the controller it might be very possible to fully emulate the machine.

Though it's Nintendo. I'm sure it's well and truly protected for the time being.

Emulating a Wii is the easy part. There's no way to hook up the sensor bar, so all you could play would be Excite Truck.

[jdechko]

The sensor bar is just an array of 10 (5 on the left, 5 on the right) IR transmitting LEDs. The Wii sends it 12v power, so all we need to use it with a mac is either: A. a powered Wii close by and the sensor bar on the computer, or B. a USB power adaptor for the sensor bar. The IR tracking (the Wiimote just has a CMOS sensor on the front that picks up those LEDs in the sensor bar) and motion control data are all sent over Bluetooth, so it'd be quite easy to get it working once we get drivers.

But USB only sends 5V power doesn't it?

[balamw]

But USB only sends 5V power doesn't it?
Since we're talking Macs you'd always have a Firewire port available which you could easily regulate down to 12V.

B

[Gunhaver]

http://gonintendo.com/?p=9003

You don't even need the bar at all, anything with some good IR transmitting LEDs will do, you could make your own "sensor" bar (not really, since it doesn't actually sense anything) out of a great number of things, but if you don't want some ghetto solution like the remotes there, you could just plug in the Wii and put the bar above the computer, and there's even plans by some third party developers to make wireless sensor bars.

So, the real issue is just getting some drivers written! Is anyone working on it?

[p0intblank]

http://gonintendo.com/?p=9003

You don't even need the bar at all, anything with some good IR transmitting LEDs will do, you could make your own "sensor" bar (not really, since it doesn't actually sense anything) out of a great number of things, but if you don't want some ghetto solution like the remotes there, you could just plug in the Wii and put the bar above the computer, and there's even plans by some third party developers to make wireless sensor bars.

So, the real issue is just getting some drivers written! Is anyone working on it?

Wow, that's really cool! I've been wondering for a little while now how on earth the Wii can receive the signal when playing a game like Excite Truck, where you're required to point the IR transmitter to your side, aka away from the sensor bar. Very cool technology! :)

So basically the sensor bar is simply for the games that require actual pointing at your TV, like Red Steel for example?

[colocolo]

Passkey was incorrect

There are only 1,000 possible combinations (passkey is always 4 digits, isn;t it?), so in an hour or so you could definitely crack it

[GeneralAntilles]

But USB only sends 5V power doesn't it?

Then hook it up to a universal power adaptor, or do whatever you want. Power is trivial

Emulating a Wii is the easy part. There's no way to hook up the sensor bar, so all you could play would be Excite Truck.

I'll say it again: THE SENSOR BAR DOES NOT SEND DATA

It's just an IR LED array, 5 on each side, the Wiimote has a CMOS sensor on the front that detects the sensor bar and uses that to triangulate its own position then transmits that (and the motion control and the digital/analog data) over BLUETOOTH. Get 12v power to the sensor bar and all you need are drivers on the Mac.

[GFLPraxis]

Then hook it up to a universal power adaptor, or do whatever you want. Power is trivial



I'll say it again: THE SENSOR BAR DOES NOT SEND DATA

It's just an IR LED array, 5 on each side, the Wiimote has a CMOS sensor on the front that detects the sensor bar and uses that to triangulate its own position then transmits that (and the motion control and the digital/analog data) over BLUETOOTH. Get 12v power to the sensor bar and all you need are drivers on the Mac.

So to emulate a Wii, you need to either rewire the sensor bar or buy a Wii and plug the sensor bar into that (defeating the point of emulation).

It's not going to have anywhere near the draw of traditional emulators.

[Gunhaver]

So to emulate a Wii, you need to either rewire the sensor bar or buy a Wii and plug the sensor bar into that (defeating the point of emulation).

It's not going to have anywhere near the draw of traditional emulators.

Well well well, I knew it would only be a matter of time before somebody made a how-to make your own sensor bar video, but I didnt know so soon, just look at this now: http://gonintendo.com/?p=9118

I think that pretty much ties that all up. Not that it really matters to me, Im far more interested in using the motion controls, or using the buttons to play NES games and such.

[seenew]

couldn't you work it out so you could use the mouse in one hand on the table and the wiimote in the other?

Still too difficult. :(

[GeneralAntilles]

couldn't you work it out so you could use the mouse in one hand on the table and the wiimote in the other?

Still too difficult. :(

Well, sure, you COULD. But why? If you've got a perfectly good pointing device (the Wiimote) then why not use it? Once the drivers for the Bluetooth control are figured out you've got a perfect pointer/controller.

[zap2]

http://www.gamebrink.com/forums/showthread.php?t=12011
Where is it for OS X?

[Mavimao]

Emulating a Wii is the easy part. There's no way to hook up the sensor bar, so all you could play would be Excite Truck.

General Antilles already made a post about this: the sensor bar is just an emitter of little infrared lights. The actual "sensor" is in the wiimote. The only thing going between the Wii and the sensor bar is electricity.

Case in point: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JTGSkYRDpWY

These guys just need a couple of TV remotes to play the wiimote.

In theory all you need is a power supply to the sensor bar, some drivers and an emulator and bam..You have a wii on your computer/ps3, etc.

Of course, I'm sure Nintendo has some harsh DMC on their disks.

Edit: oh crap, forgot to read the second page. Sorry for the redundant post

[Krevnik]

I think we might be overthinking things. The Wii remote doesn't need a passkey, and I can get a connection without it. However, the remote is expecting a particular handshake within a certain period of time after the connection, or it will disconnect on its own.

Without this handshake (could it simply be Bluetooth HID?), it doesn't pair correctly, and will remain paired with the Wii.

[Mavimao]

I think we might be overthinking things. The Wii remote doesn't need a passkey, and I can get a connection without it. However, the remote is expecting a particular handshake within a certain period of time after the connection, or it will disconnect on its own.

Without this handshake (could it simply be Bluetooth HID?), it doesn't pair correctly, and will remain paired with the Wii.

Good point. Didn't think about that.

[Counterfit]

But USB only sends 5V power doesn't it?

I've seen some Dell POS (point of sale, not piece of **** :p) systems that have a 12v power port immediately next to each USB port. I figure they're for scanners and such.

[Krevnik]

I've seen some Dell POS (point of sale, not piece of **** :p) systems that have a 12v power port immediately next to each USB port. I figure they're for scanners and such.

You don't need 12V for something like a sensor bar. LEDs can easily be run from 5V power as long as you use a proper resistor in series with the LED. I could probably throw together a quick diagram for a USB-powered sensor bar. :P

Edit: This does mean not using the sensor bar that comes with the Wii, however.

[Shanesan]

Doesn't have the necessary services. Sigh.

[JackAxe]

This explains why my Wiimotes are dying so quickly. The FARING BT is sucking them dry. :eek:

I had almost half a meter two days ago on one of my Wiimotes, I hadn't touched it until now and it was dead.

I checked ControllerMate to see if it would see my Wiimote, and it couldn't. Thought it would be worth a try, even though the Wiimote is probably not a HID device. Blah.

<]=)

[gloss]

By the way, IGN got their Wiimotes working perfectly with their projection setups by using, get this, two candles placed about a foot apart.

Candles emit IR.

They work.

[Spanky Deluxe]

Some good progress has been made on using the Wiimote on PCs. Windows at the moment but hey, its something:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=9iBaKsh5z_o

Edit: Actually, that may be Linux there. Apparently they can read Mii data from the Wiimotes already.

Edit 2: I don't know if this has been posted but the Wiimote can be connected to OS X now: http://www.wiili.org/forum/osx-wiimote-enabler-t229.html

[Ringo]

By the way, IGN got their Wiimotes working perfectly with their projection setups by using, get this, two candles placed about a foot apart.

Candles emit IR.

They work.

Now THAT's next gen :p

[GFLPraxis]

I had almost half a meter two days ago on one of my Wiimotes, I hadn't touched it until now and it was dead.


If it was a position where something was touching the button, it goes on and starts searching for a bluetooth device every time something hits the button. Leaving the Wiimotes in a backpack can drain the battery because of that.

[FireArse]

By the way, IGN got their Wiimotes working perfectly with their projection setups by using, get this, two candles placed about a foot apart.

Candles emit IR.

They work.

Genius. I must admit, this is one of the most fascinaing threads Iv read in a while. Can't wait till I get my hands on one!! :)

[Aldyn]

Genius. I must admit, this is one of the most fascinaing threads Iv read in a while. Can't wait till I get my hands on one!! :)

ditto! :D

[jasenj1]

Using the Bluetooth tools included with Xcode, my officemate and I were able to pair and get the button presses out of a Wiimote. We were hampered by our complete ignorance of Bluetooth and Objective C, but we got it working.

Over at Wiili (http://www.wiili.org) there is pretty good info on the BT profile of the Wiimote and good work being done to create Linux drivers.

It won't be long now.

- Jasen.

P.S. You don't need a Wii for this at all, just a Wiimote. If you have the skills and time, just got to Wal*Mart or Target, pick up a Wiimote, and get hacking.

[JackAxe]

If it was a position where something was touching the button, it goes on and starts searching for a bluetooth device every time something hits the button. Leaving the Wiimotes in a backpack can drain the battery because of that.

This was just sitting upright on the desk to my left, but I should have noted it had about half energy when I last played. I was just suprised that it was completely dead when I tried it a few days later.

My new regchargleables are holding up, so I'm happy.

<]=)

[twistedlegato]

http://www.wiili.org/forum/download-windows-driver-here-t294.html

ONE FOR WINDOWS!!


:D

[Spanky Deluxe]

http://www.wiili.org/forum/download-windows-driver-here-t294.html

ONE FOR WINDOWS!!


:D

That really is awesome! Great progress is being made by several people working on their own separate projects which means its not proving very hard to do. Hopefully we'll have a fully fledged OS X driver that supports pointing etc by early next year. That combined with a decent Front Row enabler for Mac Pros would be a match made in heaven!!

[Micrll]

Edit 2: I don't know if this has been posted but the Wiimote can be connected to OS X now: http://www.wiili.org/forum/osx-wiimote-enabler-t229.html

Sigh....I don't know why but I really want to have my wiimote work with my new macbook. Its the only thing I have thats bluetooth enabled. Actually would be nice to have a remote that I could use to control itunes without having to be line-of-sight to it with my regular mac remote. (College Dorm computer area is in alcove seperated by wall from bed.)

Come one people, dang I wish I could help. Sadly Im only a freshman C.S. major with only 1 semester of java...

[Micrll]

OK folks!

Its not a driver but insted a single application

http://blog.hiroaki.jp/2006/12/000433.html

I have not tested it myself, (no wii in the college dorm, its waiting on my bed back home) but apparently it works well.