Problem with Wii's Sensor Bar

[Gatucaman]

Now i think i have problems with the sensor bar of the wii, yesterday after we were playing on the TV of my mom my sister and my niece.
by accident the sensor fall off to the ground, it didn't broke, but after i was playing back in my room, i started to experiment some issues with some games.

in Punch Out, the cursors keep appearing and dissapearing after a while, and was a problem to keep choosing the menus, then i noticed that the cursor on the normal wii screen is quite shaky even if i barely move it a bit.

Plus when i was playing smash bros, i noticed SEVERAL inconsistencies with the controllers, almost if the gameplay became TOO sensitive, more often when i just tap a button once, like the jump button, it did automatically the double jump, running was a pain in the ass, since i did tap twice foward to run, and teh character will run only a bit and then stop, then when i just wanted to change direction, it will randomly do it in a dash way, sometimes just normal, other time i wanted to run, and the characters just dash and went back to normal speed.

What can i do now.

[wiggyx]

Buy a new sensor bar.

[Gatucaman]

Buy a new sensor bar.

OH FUCK ME, really?

are these things really THAT SENSITIVE?

[RP2A03]

I would first try cleaning the sensor bar and the front of the remote with alcohol. If that doesn't work then you should determine if the problem is the sensor bar by replacing it with two tea candles.

[Gatucaman]

Huh, Never mind, i am playing back in my CRT TV, and it just plays fine, i tested Brawl subspace emissary mode and some of the masterpiece games and they didn't gave me any issues anymore.

I think may i have something to do with me using my mom's plasma TV and input lag, oh and that the sensor bar was far up and yet it was configured so it was behind the TV.

[Leo_A]

The sensor bar doesn't even have anything to do with some of your issues like button presses so something else was at play like a technical issue elsewhere or your imagination now that you're looking for issues.

All the sensor bar is composed of are two IR lights for the Wiimote to look at to make a rough estimate of where the pointer's position is on the tv when you aim it at it such as for when you're navigating the main menu or playing a lightgun style arcade shooter.

In fact you can even substitute two candles for a sensor bar. So as long as the pointer is there and isn't disappearing when you've pointed it at the tv, even if it's shaky, is evidence that those two lights in your sensor bar are functioning. No Wiimote commands are sent to the sensor bar and all that wire is for is to power the sensor bar lights.

[RP2A03]

The sensor bar doesn't even have anything to do with some of your issues like button presses so something else was at play like a technical issue elsewhere or your imagination now that you're looking for issues.

All the sensor bar is composed of are two IR lights for the Wiimote to look at to make a rough estimate of where the pointer's position is on the tv when you aim it at it such as for when you're navigating the main menu or playing a lightgun style arcade shooter.

In fact you can even substitute two candles for a sensor bar. So as long as the pointer is there and isn't disappearing when you've pointed it at the tv, even if it's shaky, is evidence that those two lights in your sensor bar are functioning. No Wiimote commands are sent to the sensor bar and all that wire is for is to power the sensor bar lights.



The cursor problem was caused by a lack of clear line of sight. The other problems he described are consistent with the symptoms of input lag.

[wiggyx]

OH FUCK ME, really?

are these things really THAT SENSITIVE?

No, but based on the lack of other information (such as having switched the location of the bar from top to bottom), and it not working properly immediately after falling, it seemed like the most logical solution.

[RP2A03]

No, but based on the lack of other information (such as having switched the location of the bar from top to bottom), and it not working properly immediately after falling, it seemed like the most logical solution.

As simple as the sensor bar is, any repair should be a rather trivial task.

[Leo_A]

The cursor problem was caused by a lack of clear line of sight. The other problems he described are consistent with the symptoms of input lag.

The sensor bar either works or doesn't. Lots of possible explanations for odd behavior of the pointer like sunshine interference. If the sensor bar had 1 or both lights dead, you wouldn't even have a cursor on-screen.

The other issues he noticed are human nature since they have absolutely nothing to do with the sensor bar. He was afraid he broke something so naturally he's noticing things that he never gave a second thought to before (Like the cursor not always being perfect) and likely a few of his issues are imagined like button lag where there was none before after he dropped something that has absolutely nothing to do with Wii button inputs (Heck, it doesn't even have to be plugged in... all that wire provides is power for the sensor bar lights).

I remember when I dropped a $1000 PC steering wheel. Suddenly my lap times and such started to climb and I was sure something was wrong inside. Sent it back to the manufacturer due to a lifetime guarantee for servicing and there was nothing wrong and it was back to normal once I knew I hadn't broke this expensive accessory and had my peace of mind back after something like $80 in shipping fees...

[wiggyx]

As simple as the sensor bar is, any repair should be a rather trivial task.

Indeed. Hell, making one from scratch is a pretty minor task.

[Tanooki]

They're simple but they also lose calibration fairly easy with change. Sometimes it's not on top or bottom where set. Sometimes you have another light source causing interference as it casts enough light its way. It can even just be the sensitivity is off and just needs recalibration in the menu.

[Leo_A]

There's no such thing as calibrating the sensor bar. And if the position setting changed on its own, it still wouldn't explain erratic behavior.

Again, it's two lights that he dropped. That's all the sensor bar is.

[wiggyx]

^^^ This. And the voltage going to that bar is static. 2 IR LEDs that emit IR light 100% of the time that the system is powered up, at the exact same intensity 100% of the time.

It's just a matter of the wiimote knowing where to look for those lights.

[RP2A03]

Actually, there are ten IR LEDs.



http://i926.photobucket.com/albums/ad101/RP2A03/Nintendo/Nintendo_Wii_Sensor_Bar_zps3e3e0bbf.jpg~original

[Leo_A]

Learn something new everyday, thanks for the correction.

[wiggyx]

Actually, there are ten IR LEDs.



http://i926.photobucket.com/albums/ad101/RP2A03/Nintendo/Nintendo_Wii_Sensor_Bar_zps3e3e0bbf.jpg~original

My mistake. My point still stands though.

[Tanooki]

Uhh the Wii has a calibration setting in the system area for the bar so that the Wii controller is properly read by it by the use of two white dots that flicker and 5 settings(I think it was) to get it best for your environment. That's what I was speaking of and having done it a few times over the years I know it's there.

[wiggyx]

But you're calibrating the controller, no the bar. The only adjustment you can make to the bar is physically move it.

[Leo_A]

Uhh the Wii has a calibration setting in the system area for the bar so that the Wii controller is properly read by it by the use of two white dots that flicker and 5 settings(I think it was) to get it best for your environment. That's what I was speaking of and having done it a few times over the years I know it's there.

The only thing there I can remember there that's even remotely connected to this is the position selection for the sensor bar location that was just mentioned. I don't understand why I've never seen this? I've seen a handful of games, almost if not all of which were lightgun style arcade shooters, that had you aim for the corners of your tv to provide the best experience. But never any sort of calibration in the Wii system menu.

I'm not infallible and not out to act like a know it all, so I accept I somehow very well might've missed something. What's it called since not only have I spent a ton of time with my Wii over the years without ever finding it, I just set up a Wii U a few weeks back and have successfully been using a Wiimote in Wii U and Wii mode on it after only telling it my sensor bar was above my tv and syncing it to the system?

I don't get if there's a calibration setup there how I've gotten away without ever having done it for two generations in a row now?

[RP2A03]

Uhh the Wii has a calibration setting in the system area for the bar so that the Wii controller is properly read by it by the use of two white dots that flicker and 5 settings(I think it was) to get it best for your environment. That's what I was speaking of and having done it a few times over the years I know it's there.


The calibration settings that you are referring to are so the Wiimote properly sees the sensor bar. The sensor bar, despite it's name, is incapable of any kind of sensing and does not transmit or receive anything. In fact, the sensor bar can be replaced with two candles or any other sufficiently bright IR source.

[MetalFRO]

The calibration settings that you are referring to are so the Wiimote properly sees the sensor bar. The sensor bar, despite it's name, is incapable of any kind of sensing and does not transmit or receive anything. In fact, the sensor bar can be replaced with two candles or any other sufficiently bright IR source.

Seriously? That's an interesting idea I'll have to try sometime. So the only reason the 'sensor bar' plugs into the console is to receive power for the LED's themselves.

[Tanooki]

Leo I don't remember where it is in the system tools menu for the Wii, but it's in there. I imagine a lot of people probably who never really read manuals or glossed over it probably had ideal lighting situations too so they never realized it was there which is really understandable.

I've had it in a few places over the years (1 apt, 1 condo, current home) and had to move TVs or what not around and most times I've had to do it because the light would come in the window and just mess the thing up, even one time and overhead light on a fan setup would blind it.

[Leo_A]

I've spent plenty of time in the Wii's system settings over the years, but I'll take your word for it. It's unhooked and not worth the bother to go check.

But I did just check the Wii U and see remote sensitivity settings. While I wouldn't call this calibration, I presume that it must be the option you've been talking about.

[BlastProcessing402]

I've spent plenty of time in the Wii's system settings over the years, but I'll take your word for it. It's unhooked and not worth the bother to go check.

But I did just check the Wii U and see remote sensitivity settings. While I wouldn't call this calibration, I presume that it must be the option you've been talking about.

Yeah, there is a setting like that in the Wii* as well, right in the same section where the above/below setting is, but it doesn't do anything to the bar, it changes how sensitive the remote is. You can test this by aiming it at a lightbulb instead of the bar, it will still change.


*on an actual Wii, not in Wii mode on a Wii U.