Go “wireless”: battery-powered sensor bar mod

Due to the nature of the Wii and its games, lots of people are using projection screens for the whole family to see clearly. C’mon, you’ve got a garden party with your whole clan and you can’t just lug out your TV for everyone to squeeze in front of. Especially if your 87-year old grandmother wants to bowl. The problem then becomes: how do you compromise having to connect your Wii to the projector (which would presumably placed the players) and the sensor bar?

As an update to JaremyP’s sensor bar hack/mod, we’ve got another process in which to make your IR streamer that much more “wireless”. This time, you won’t have to go through the hassle of soldering those tiny wires. kktx went to the hardware shop and bought the following:

1. A five-pack of 9V Battery Snap Connectors (~$1.99) part 270-325
2. A pack (24) of insulated telephone “Butt connectors” for 22-26 gauge wire (part #64-3073). No, I’m not joking–that is what they’re called. They are basically a small cylinder surrounded by an insulated sheath. You stick a bare wire in each end, and then crimp the middle.
3. One 9V battery

He stripped the wires as indicated in JaremyP’s process and simply crimped the battery connector wires to the sensor bar wires using the “Butt Connectors” – red battery connector wire goes to red sensor bar wire, and the black battery connector wire to the orange sensor bar wire. Capiche?

kktx has a disclaimer that, although he was able to make it work, he hasn’t been able to test it over a long period of time. He also suggests that you do this with a replacement sensor bar and not your original one which comes with the console. If you’ve got US$ 10 lying around, you can order a replacement directly from Nintendo.

Due to the nature of the Wii and its games, lots of people are using projection screens for the whole family to see clearly. C’mon, you’ve got a garden party with your whole clan and you can’t just lug out your TV for everyone to squeeze in front of. Especially if your 87-year old grandmother wants to bowl. The problem then becomes: how do you compromise having to connect your Wii to the projector (which would presumably placed the players) and the sensor bar?

As an update to JaremyP’s sensor bar hack/mod, we’ve got another process in which to make your IR streamer that much more “wireless”. This time, you won’t have to go through the hassle of soldering those tiny wires. kktx went to the hardware shop and bought the following:

1. A five-pack of 9V Battery Snap Connectors (~$1.99) part 270-325
2. A pack (24) of insulated telephone “Butt connectors” for 22-26 gauge wire (part #64-3073). No, I’m not joking–that is what they’re called. They are basically a small cylinder surrounded by an insulated sheath. You stick a bare wire in each end, and then crimp the middle.
3. One 9V battery

He stripped the wires as indicated in JaremyP’s process and simply crimped the battery connector wires to the sensor bar wires using the “Butt Connectors” – red battery connector wire goes to red sensor bar wire, and the black battery connector wire to the orange sensor bar wire. Capiche?

kktx has a disclaimer that, although he was able to make it work, he hasn’t been able to test it over a long period of time. He also suggests that you do this with a replacement sensor bar and not your original one which comes with the console. If you’ve got US$ 10 lying around, you can order a replacement directly from Nintendo.