Is there a way to calibrate the remote (non sensor bar)

ghell · 10-27-2007, 11:08 PM

When I point my wii remotes to the top left corner, they think they are facing the TV. This is very annoying as when I point to the top left of the screen the whole thing goes haywire.

I assume the remotes have a backup system in them that will work even without the sensor bar (but not as accurate). I have checked that removing my sensor bar stops me from being able to use the remotes by pointing them at the bar, but I can still use them by aiming them into the space to the top left, which would confirm my suspicions.

Anyway, is there a way to calibrate (either to match up with the tv or completely behind me where they will never be facing) or disable this mode? It is incredibly annoying that whenever I point to the top left it suddenly thinks I am pointing at the bottom right (think of 2 rectangles slightly overlapping at the corners)

bmurray91 · 10-27-2007, 11:13 PM

is there another light source near your tv? cuz ive had this happen to me from having the sun shining through the window behind my tv.

Maleko · 10-28-2007, 01:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ghell

When I point my wii remotes to the top left corner, they think they are facing the TV. This is very annoying as when I point to the top left of the screen the whole thing goes haywire.

I assume the remotes have a backup system in them that will work even without the sensor bar (but not as accurate). I have checked that removing my sensor bar stops me from being able to use the remotes by pointing them at the bar, but I can still use them by aiming them into the space to the top left, which would confirm my suspicions.

Anyway, is there a way to calibrate (either to match up with the tv or completely behind me where they will never be facing) or disable this mode? It is incredibly annoying that whenever I point to the top left it suddenly thinks I am pointing at the bottom right (think of 2 rectangles slightly overlapping at the corners)

You have some source of IR in the upper left. There is no "back up system" at all. Without the sensor bar, or some other source of IR emissions, the Wii pointer will NOT work.

ghell · 10-28-2007, 12:36 PM

Look here at 69 minutes in. They mention something about it not using the sensor bar but if they had used it it would have been more accurate or something along those lines. What they say is a bit fuzzy but it seems to indicate there is some non-sensor bar fall back positioning system.

The sensor bar is not plugged in, there is no IR source (just a wall with no heating, wiring or anything in it. It's a disused chimney. The window is nowhere near this (or anywhere that would reflect onto this), I have tried in the dark with the lights and central heating off and yet I can still get it to move with my hand (its pretty accurate though a little unstable). It also works at any point within range of the wii as long as I have the remote facing the same direction as I had before, even if it isn't pointing at the wall that it would be pointing at when I am standing directly in front of the TV. The only conditions to this detecting the remote's movement are that it is pointing a certain direction that it seems to think is forwards and that the front of the remote isn't covered up.

This happens in the remote I got with my wii and the remote I bought separately yesterday in roughly the same absolute position.

Maleko · 10-28-2007, 03:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ghell

Look here at 69 minutes in. They mention something about it not using the sensor bar but if they had used it it would have been more accurate or something along those lines. What they say is a bit fuzzy but it seems to indicate there is some non-sensor bar fall back positioning system.

The sensor bar is not plugged in, there is no IR source (just a wall with no heating, wiring or anything in it. It's a disused chimney. The window is nowhere near this (or anywhere that would reflect onto this), I have tried in the dark with the lights and central heating off and yet I can still get it to move with my hand (its pretty accurate though a little unstable). It also works at any point within range of the wii as long as I have the remote facing the same direction as I had before, even if it isn't pointing at the wall that it would be pointing at when I am standing directly in front of the TV. The only conditions to this detecting the remote's movement are that it is pointing a certain direction that it seems to think is forwards and that the front of the remote isn't covered up.

This happens in the remote I got with my wii and the remote I bought separately yesterday in roughly the same absolute position.

They mentioned that the IR portion of the Wiimote is not working currently and that it is a driver problem with the Linux Wiimote drivers they are using. There is no back up system at all. All motion controls are controlled by the accelerometers, and all pointing functions are controlled by the IR portion of the wiimote. There needs to be a fixed point for the Wiimote to center on in order for it to know how it is orientated. Without a fixed point of reference, there is no way to tell which way the Wiimote is facing. I'm not sure what is causing your issue, but I know it is not being caused by some back up system in place to orientate your wiimote pointer.

<edit> The answer to your problem is in bold above, once you ocver the end of the Wiimote, you've blocked the IR interferrence.

samXcor3 · 10-28-2007, 05:04 PM

you should try standing farther away from your screen, and also checking if theres an open window around.

ghell · 10-28-2007, 06:14 PM

Ok, I believe you that there is no fall back system. I suppose what is causing the problem will just have to remain a mystery. In most games it isn't too much of an issue anyway but if I randomly crash into the sea in heatseeker a few more times it isn't going to be a lack of cord around my wrist that makes my remote fly into my wii

Sam, I have answered this in an earlier post. Also what would an open window have to do with anything. It isn't the wind that causes the problems it is the infra red light (which gets through whether or not you have the window open)

margarissa · 10-28-2007, 08:29 PM

i've been having trouble with my remote too. the cursor starts jumping all over the place. there are times when i try to click on a save icon and it takes forever, i'm pointing it at one place but for some reason the cursor moves around. there is a window behind my tv. but how does the sunlight effect the wii remote?

Maleko · 10-28-2007, 10:14 PM

Sunlight contains IR radiation, the Wiimotes use IR (sensor bar) to triangulate the position and control of the pointer. If you have sunlight reflecting off of your TV, your cursor will jump around irratically (happens at my house from 8:30a till 9:15a, when the sun reflects off of my TV)

ghell, actually, depending on the glass in your windows (i.e. most newer windows) your windows may actually block IR (and UV) radiation. You might be able to find it just by looking at where your pointing it, and where the cursor then shows on the screen. For example, if your pointing it towards the upper left corner of your wall, and the cursor shows in the upper left corner of the TV then your IR source is down and right. I had to hunt down some IR interferrence myself, it is a PITA but was well worth it (in my case it was an old VCR that was doing it)

margarissa · 10-29-2007, 06:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Maleko

Sunlight contains IR radiation, the Wiimotes use IR (sensor bar) to triangulate the position and control of the pointer. If you have sunlight reflecting off of your TV, your cursor will jump around irratically (happens at my house from 8:30a till 9:15a, when the sun reflects off of my TV)

ghell, actually, depending on the glass in your windows (i.e. most newer windows) your windows may actually block IR (and UV) radiation. You might be able to find it just by looking at where your pointing it, and where the cursor then shows on the screen. For example, if your pointing it towards the upper left corner of your wall, and the cursor shows in the upper left corner of the TV then your IR source is down and right. I had to hunt down some IR interferrence myself, it is a PITA but was well worth it (in my case it was an old VCR that was doing it)

thanks maleko! that makes so much sense!! mine usually does that during the afternoon. but i'm still a bit confused. if you're pointing the wiimote towards the upper left corner of the wall then the pointer SHOULD be on the upper left corner of the tv, right? how do you know the interference is down and right? and what did you mean your old vcr was doing it? was it the reflection? =) soOoO sorry for all the questions, i'm a little slow when it comes to these kinds of things! i'm not sure what's throwing my wiimotes off but at least now i know that it has to do with the sunlight. thanks!

ghell · 10-29-2007, 12:40 PM

I had already done this to track down the IR but as I mentioned earlier, it is an empty wall that has a large space behind it (disused chimney) and nothing is reflecting. I just moved my TV so now all is well.

margarissa in my case i was pointing it to the top left and all of a sudden the remote stops thinking it is pointing to the top left and thinks it is pointing bottom right of the screen. I am now assuming that the sensor bar is just 2 IR LEDs on a stick and nothing more, in which case it would be inverted. For example when you do calibrate sensor bar, you move the remote down but the dots go up because if you keep your eye attached to the remote aiming where it is aiming, the sensor bar is moving relatively up when the remote aims down. If this is just showing the location of IR hotspots as the remote sees them, it could be pretty useful to track them down.

EDIT: I was aware of UV filter glass but not IR. I suppose IR is between visible light and microwaves and microwave ovens come with a filter on the window so why not :P

margarissa · 10-29-2007, 07:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ghell

I had already done this to track down the IR but as I mentioned earlier, it is an empty wall that has a large space behind it (disused chimney) and nothing is reflecting. I just moved my TV so now all is well.

margarissa in my case i was pointing it to the top left and all of a sudden the remote stops thinking it is pointing to the top left and thinks it is pointing bottom right of the screen. I am now assuming that the sensor bar is just 2 IR LEDs on a stick and nothing more, in which case it would be inverted. For example when you do calibrate sensor bar, you move the remote down but the dots go up because if you keep your eye attached to the remote aiming where it is aiming, the sensor bar is moving relatively up when the remote aims down. If this is just showing the location of IR hotspots as the remote sees them, it could be pretty useful to track them down.

EDIT: I was aware of UV filter glass but not IR. I suppose IR is between visible light and microwaves and microwave ovens come with a filter on the window so why not :P

thanks! i need to hunt that interference down!
ghell, do you happen to know what to do when your wii starts making these loud buzzing/whirring noises?