Wii controller (+nunchuk) - PC connection, best sensor bar??

[Tanooki]

I read awhile back that the Nintendo Wii controller could be picked up and used by a fairly modern PC with a bluetooth controller on it. Once picked up supposedly it would work like a mouse or a controller for some games (including Wii in Dolphin.)

Today at goodwill I found a nice little treasure of stuff for around $4 which included a Wii controller and nunchuk. Sterilized the hell out of it and Windows 8 is picking it up fine, it's synced.

What I read around the steps for this is that it should work in windows like a mouse, and I do not see this happening. Dolphin supposedly (perhaps pre V5) had a wiimote controller tab onto its own where you could set things up, that's not there anymore either.

Is there something I'm going about wrong here or am I missing something else? I don't recall there being a wii sensor bar adapter for PC if that's something about it, but what of the rest?

[Cronozilla]

Look up GlovePie and GlovePie resources online, and if you want to use the pointer, you need IR emitters.

[samsonlonghair]

Wii remotes detect infrared light. The Wii "sensor bar" doesn't literally sense anything. Rather it is a pair of infrared emitters. The Wii remote is kinda useless without some kind of infrared emitters.

You can find a battery powered Wii "sensor bar" at gamestop or online.

In the meantime experiment with a pair of candles. They aren't as good as purpose built ir emitters, but they'll do in a pinch.

[Tanooki]

Well I made progress as you were writing all this. I have in fact confirmed the controller and nunchuk work like a champ. I grabbed an ISO ...arr! of Super Mario Galaxy 2 as I know it does a little of everything. Immediately I realized I needed the IR bar, wasn't sure how to work that one out though. I couldn't get in game, restarted it, game selected a Mario head on the save file...did star/comet medal #1 and it played fine. Game seemed to realize the bar was not there so it just let me snap the stick over and it put a finger there.

I will just say this much, it's a crying shame that the Wii was stuck on old CRT style display. Even when I had it at 480p on my nice LCD tv it never looked nor sounded as nice as it does on this laptop. It really was pretty well done for its time and limitations, almost makes me wish I still had one.

I guess I'll take what you two said there and see if I can track down an IR solution that fits best, and yes I actually do have some jack-o-lantern small base candles, just not sure it would be something I'd like to set on my laptop to use to have it near the screen.


I was able to find glovepie, just the installer and it's default things, but the site itself is toast, had to go around and locate .43 of it. Not sure I really want to get into playing a bunch of button config games with it though as I'd still rather use my trackball. Perhaps a cheap emitter would be fine, then just dink around a bit with Dolphin unless there are other uses for the controller? I mean it would be decent if it picked up in other emulators or programs as a 2 or 4 button d-pad based control pad.

[Cronozilla]

You can program any Wii peripheral to do almost any computer input in glovepie.

It can be as simple as arbitrary button assignments being assigned to keys or the mouse. Or as complicated as gesture controls.

[Tanooki]

Yeah that's what I'm thinking about, it could be fun as a pointer. Perhaps i should get a couple candles as a test before buying a part that'll cost me $15~ shipped.

[Tanooki]

Ok I've decided I'd liek to pursue this a bit.

I know there's a dolphinbar from mayflash, and then I saw nextronics thrown around too. Is there a good or a bad to be looking out for with a USB sensor bar for my laptop?

I figure a $15 or less investment would be fair just to feel things out and see if it's something I'd go further with, and if not, it would be fun to have a pointer for the computer.

[samsonlonghair]

Anapan mentioned the Dolphinbar in this thread:
viewtopic.php?f=49&t=50773

Maybe if you bump it or message Anapan you can get some feedback from him.

I'm holding the "Wii Ultra Sensor Bar" in my hand right now. It runs on 4 AA batteries. The build quality feels solid to me. I have no complaints.

[Tanooki]

Well the only info I came up with seemed to favor those two, but the problem is, at least with the non-dolphin named one it seems to be fairly generic on the exterior and I see a lot of 1:1 imagery of others without a maker for a lot less on ebay. The only write up I saw was to avoid battery ones (mostly) as many don't switch off after awhile and chew batteries or they turn off while playing and you get hosed by it which would suck too.

I'm fine with one of the two, just was looking to get more information.

Going with that thread, it appears the dolphinbar is best as it can work on an android device even as it appears to be a 2in1 bluetooth(unique) and ir emitter. That would solve a lot of potential issues.