Wii remote IR range problem???

[eastside]

My friend's relatively new Wii seems to have lost IR range since it was purchased recently. The Wii remote loses IR range at about 5 feet (the hand disappears from the menu). I thought the problem was his remote so I took it over to my place and synched it and it has about 12 feet or more of range. Incidentally my Wii remote at his place also loses IR signal about 5 feet. There are no wireless or radio devices operating at his house that would appear to be contributing to interference.

The sensor bar is well positioned (on top of the tv) and plugged in.

Motion controls still work from a good distance.

For example: I can play Wii Sports tennis from another room in his house but can't play House of the Dead 2&3 from more than 5 feet in front of the tv.

Not sure what the problem could be.

Any ideas?

thanks.

[Niode]

The motion controls won't affect IR as the motion data is sent over Bluetooth which has a mucher larger range than the IR. The only thing that I can think of is that the sensor bar has become dirty?

Just on the off chance there's no source of IR near the sensor bar (Ir can come from anything really, including candles)

Try moving the sensor bar somewhere else (ie behind the TV not facing anything so that the wii remote can't see the bar) and using 2 candles positioned near the tv roughly the same distance away from each other as the IR emitters on the sensor bar. That has been known to work.

IMO the sensor bar seems to be broken. Try a different sensor bar. If the above works then the sensor bar is definately broken.

[eastside]

The motion controls won't affect IR as the motion data is sent over Bluetooth which has a mucher larger range than the IR. The only thing that I can think of is that the sensor bar has become dirty?

Just on the off chance there's no source of IR near the sensor bar (Ir can come from anything really, including candles)

Try moving the sensor bar somewhere else (ie behind the TV not facing anything so that the wii remote can't see the bar) and using 2 candles positioned near the tv roughly the same distance away from each other as the IR emitters on the sensor bar. That has been known to work.

IMO the sensor bar seems to be broken. Try a different sensor bar. If the above works then the sensor bar is definately broken.

Yeah, I inspected the sensor bar.... I sparyed it lenses with compressed air and they were clean. I'm going to try repostioning it like you advised... Incidentally, I increased the 'sensitivity' in the wii settings and it improved the range slightly, though it gets erratic still around 6 feet or so.

I've heard of the candles trick, what is the principle behind that again?

thanks.

[opticledilusi0n]

candles radiate infrared

[Niode]

candles radiate infrared

Bingo.

[eastside]

candles radiate infrared

Bingo.

Okay... so you take the candles and drip the melted wax on the Wii and the pretty design you make improves IR range?

thanks!

[vlame]

Okay... so you take the candles and drip the melted wax on the Wii and the pretty design you make improves IR range?

thanks!

vlame wants to hear moar!

[Niode]

Just place them roughly the same width away from each other as your sensor bar's sensors.

I did explain this in my post. There's no need to be a dick.

I don't have to help you, asshole.

[locoworks]

i have a similar problem, but it is definitely something to do with the console. i have an original white Wii from when they were first released and it works fine where it is. i changed the sky box and dvd player to black units to go with the telly and thought i'd get a black Wii to complete the set. from the back of the room the white Wii has no issues with range at all, i swapped the console only (i used the white Wii's light bar, PSU, component lead and even the white remote ) and my range was down to around the 5 or 6 feet with the black console and back up to normal when the white was put back. any clues as to why????

[gtmtnbiker]

, i swapped the console only (i used the white Wii's light bar, PSU, component lead and even the white remote ) and my range was down to around the 5 or 6 feet with the black console and back up to normal when the white was put back. any clues as to why????

What happens when you use the sensor bar that came with the black console? Do you have the same problem?