Wiimote Interference

caffiend

After many frustrating attempts at isolating wiimote interference, I discovered my wireless surround sound system (Philips HTS9800W) is causing my wiimote signal to go in and out. The base transmits and IR signal (I think) to the receiver in the back. I have tried all 3 channels (0,1,2) that the speakers transmit but no dice. My Wii is on the bottom level in the middle of the tv stand and the sound system is on the mid level on the left side. I haven't tried moving them further apart or anything else, but I'm going to try tonight. I know this is a longshot but has anyone else experienced this? Suggestions? I really like my home theater and want to make everything play nice.

SiE

This suprises me... In order to use the wiimote you need to sync it with the Wii. In doing that you shouldn't really get interference - I've never noticed any interference with bluetooth devices. How does your surround system connect?

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caffiend

Wiimotes are synced and I've been playing games (albeit occasionally frustrating). My theater manual does not state what frequency the speakers operate on but I did notice that it also caused some interference with my 2.4Ghz phone that was in the living room. I have removed my phone so it is no longer a issue.

The affect it has on my wiimotes is that it seems like the signal goes in and out. For instance, if I hover over a button in the Mii Channel, the button acts like my pointer is moving on and off of it. My guess is the speakers are interrupting/intercepting the signal. My speakers don't produce any kind of interference sound though.

Wiidiculous

I believe that the synching is for the wireless bluetooth connection and would be unrelated. If that receiver unit sends out IR, it could confuse the wiimote if the LED comes in the line of sight. Do this experiment for me: go to the wiimote calibration screen and point the wiimote at the sensor bar - you should see the two sensor bar LEDs. Now point it at this receiver that you believe uses IR - do you see it's LED show up in the camera image as well?

csiguy4u

caffiend mis-spoke. This theater set does not use IR (infared) to communicate with the speakers as he made it sound. It uses 2.4GHz wireless technology. Many older people assume that wireless things use IR since that is what everything used to use until other technologies were developed.

Since bluetooth also operates on the 2.4GHz bandwith there is a good chance that is what is causing some interferance. There is not much you can do about this apart from adjusting the "channel" on your speaker system, which you already have.

But you stated that you are having troubles with the pointing which does use the IR and not the 2.4GHz; IR is on a completely different section of the magnetic spectrum that the 2.4GHz technology.

Most likely you either need new batteries, need to resync your wiimote, are an incompetent user, or you have Parkinson's disease.

Wiidiculous

Ah, the fact that the speakers are RF negates the need for my experiment. Even though the wiimote sees IR for cursor positioning, RF interference might still affect it because the information has got to get from the wiimote to the console via bluetooth.

caffiend

@csiguy4u
You don't have to be an ass. I said "I think" it's IR. The manual doesn't say and believe me I've looked all over the place.

1. My Wii is only about 2 weeks old. Batteries are fine.
2. I have purchased two more wiimotes and synced them and they still experience the same problem.
3. Incompetence is not the problem.
4. I don't think I have Parkinson's.

I appreciate the help tho, guys. I've tried moving them farther apart with no luck. Next I may try to change the channel on the theater, then resync and see if that makes a difference. I don't see why it would, but I'm running out of options.

deimos420

hmmm... it seems like someone is trying to compensate for their lack of manlihood... (cough... csifag4u... cough)

MaXiMiUS

It is true though.

IR isn't used for sending information, it's used for detecting things. For example, the Wiimote uses IR from the Sensor bar, to "sense" where the hell it's pointing on your TV. It uses Bluetooth to communicate with the Wii itself.

Even in the case of your TV Remote. All your Remote does is it acts like a Sensor bar, emitting different levels of IR to your TV/PVR/whatever, and the TV/PVR/whatever uses that information like the Wiimote does; except instead of using it to figure out where it is, it uses it to figure out what button you pressed.

A *lot* of things operate on the 2.4GHz frequency, (I honestly have no f'cking clue if Bluetooth does, don't ask me), so it is very well possible that your wireless speakers do. My old phone did, and my wireless router does. My new phone is on the 5.8GHz frequency, because the old 2.4GHz one *was* interfering with my 2.4GHz router.

I don't think having a 2.4GHz router would matter though, especially if that was the same router you were using for internet on your Wii. It wouldn't be considered interference, because your Wii would know exactly what the hell it was for, and when to ignore it. Your speakers, on the other hand, your Wii has no clue what the hell to make of.

Summary: You probably need to get different speakers, or use your TV's regular speakers if the wireless ones are causing your Wiimote to have Bluetooth issues.

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