Wavebird's one weak point

[congobongo]

Finally got a wavebird last night and it's by far the best wireless controller I've used. Not until this morning did I discover it's weakness. THERE'S NO AUTO POWER-OFF... AH! Yes, yes, I know, I'm the dumb one for not shutting it off but it's easy to forget late at night after a couple beers. Also, how long will it be before we see a console that can be powered on remotely from the controller? How hard can that be to incorporate?

[Raedon]

a switch is cheap.. the word "auto" can add $10 to the final price.

[congobongo]

a switch is cheap.. the word "auto" can add $10 to the final price.

true but you can go through over $10 in batteries quite easily. NiMH here I come.

[bargora]

That is a huge suck.

Another huge suck (IMO) is that you can't turn off an Xbox with it's remote or put a PS2 in standby with either a remote or the controller. Since I've been blowing all my cash on VGs and have both systems, I haven't gotten around to getting a dedicated DVD player for the bedroom. So I just keep one of those systems in the bedroom for watching movies late at night. Just when my lazy ass is thinking I'm just about to fall asleep and I'd better turn off the movie, BAM, it's time to get up and cross the room to turn off the damn console.

[Raedon]

a switch is cheap.. the word "auto" can add $10 to the final price.

true but you can go through over $10 in batteries quite easily. NiMH here I come.

You don't already use NiHM batteries? I haven't looked back at disposables in years.. the only Alkalides I use are in tv remotes as they seem to last for months if not years. get yourself 1800's if you can. those walmart Rayovac 1600 NiMH's last about 30 minutes shorter in my GBA then Energizer 1800's that cost $5.00 more. not a lot of extra time to money if you used em once, but over 1000 uses.. The only reason I can think that people don't use NiMH's is because maybe they bought NiCad rechargeables in the 80's and now they think all rechargables suck ass. but NiMH actually last longer in my GBA then Alkaide one-use batteries.

[Britboy]

Hm, I buy disposables in bulk at Costco, they're cheap that way. I thought all rechargables sucked ass because they always run out fast. Hm.....

[bargora]

Hm, I buy disposables in bulk at Costco, they're cheap that way. I thought all rechargables sucked ass because they always run out fast. Hm.....
Naw, dude. NiCd = Old & busted. NiMH = The New Hotness.

The thing to remember is that the NiMH are kind of like the opposite of NiCd in that you DON'T want to run them all the way down, and they don't get screwed up by charging before they're empty. Running them all the way down reduces both the total charge they'll hold and the number of cycles you'll get out of 'em. If I play my GBA at all during the day, I'll charge the NiMH cells that night. [/batterynerdtalk]

[CrazyImpmon]

I've used Lithium batteries for the Wavebird and they lasted through almost 200 hours of PSO, start to end of Star Fox Adventure, and a number of hours on 18 Wheelers and SMS before I had to replace them. I figure close to 250 hours total. Of course I do remember to turn it off when not in use.

I don't have problem with the lack of auto off, it's the fault of the player who forgets. ;) Another weakness no one mentioned is the lack of rumble feature but it never bothered me.

[nesman85]

Wavebird's one weak point

THERE'S NO AUTO POWER-OFF

there's also no rumble feature so its harder to play games that rumble when you get near a hidden object.

[udisi]

disposables work fine in wavebirds, I've had them since they came out and even the cheap batteries they packaged with them last 110 hours for me....you should have only used up about 12- 24 hours worth of time leaving them on oer night, can't figure out why they would die so quick.

[Raedon]

one use batteries are a thing of the past.. for 20 you get 4 batteries and a charger that will last you for years and last in your devices longer then one use with one charge.

Alkalides are now just a money sink when you can use the new technology available today. It just makes better sense..


but then.. some people still rent-to-own lol

[Six Switch]

Hm, I buy disposables in bulk at Costco, they're cheap that way. I thought all rechargables sucked ass because they always run out fast. Hm.....

Same here,works for me. :D

[congobongo]

I have NiMH for my digital camera and I only have a 4-cell charger. What I need is an 8-cell charger so I can keep backups for everything. I will say that the Wavebird is awesome and I wish I bought it sooner. I wish someone made a good wireless for XBox. Then my livingroom would look so much nicer.