Read this for a laugh

[Brawny]

Hey mods, if this is supposed to be in the lounge, please forgive me.

Hey guys, here's a hilarious quote from Popular Science, the ubitquitous magazine (at least in the states). The premise is a section explaining how things work. Here is a little sub-section if you will.

How does it know where you're pointing?

When infrared light beamed from the controller hits a sensor strip placed above or below your TV, the Wii registers the controller's exact position. As you move, the accelerometer tracks how it's shifted relative to that spot, so the Wii can determine precisely what you're aiming at.

I was so pissed about this, that I actually wrote them an E-mail. LMAO

 

[i0n]

I might be missing something here, but isn't that how it works?

 

[Brawny]

No, they have it completely backwards. How else do you explain jammed accelerometers with working pointing, and more importantly, the infamous candle trick? USE THE SEARCH FEATURE!!!



I'm just kidding. *cowers in corner* please don't ban me :cry:

 

[asdfnick]

I might be missing something here, but isn't that how it works?

the sensor bar just released infared heat for the wii mote to pick up. It picks up the position of the 2 sensor bars, (which can be replaced by candles or special lights) and sends the information of the position back to the wii via bluetooth

 

[surfinrach90]

They should do their research a bit more next time.

And finally, thank you asdfnick for a good and understandable explanation of how it works

 

[Omnislashser316]

I still think its an interesting concept that a magazine so devoted to science can get it wrong, but then again no ones perfect.

 

[mym6]

I'm surprised they got it wrong too but this is one of the most difficult assumptions I've seen about the system. The controllers are actually fairly simple.

Aside from the buttons, the controller has two "new" features. IR for pointing and accelerometers for detecting motion. The sensor bar does nothing more than provide an IR light source that the remote can "see." Using this light source, the Wii is able to figure out how to move the cross-hairs on the screen. This includes left/right and up/down movements. It is also capable of figuring out if you are moving away to towards the display. This is evident in Wii Play in the billiards game. The game can figure out when you are drawing the remote back based on how far apart the IR lights are. As you pull the remote back, the lights will begin to appear closer together to the remote. The game even says it'll work better if you're closer to the TV. Why? Because the effect is greater when you're close to the bar.

It is NOT some magical 1 to 1 accurate device however, it's all relative to when BOTH IR spots are visible to the controller. This is why so many other sources will throw the whole thing off.

The motion sensitivity is NOT tied to the IR sensor in anyway but the information from the two can be tied together in programming. This, again, is evident in Wii Play's billiards because you pull the remote back (this uses the IR function to determine you've gone back far enough) and then thrust forward (this uses the accelerometers) to hit the ball. In this scenario, the IR is used to place the stock on the ball and pull the stick back, but the accelerometers are used to determine how hard to hit the ball.

The Wii and the remote actually have pretty limited ability to triangulate any position and everything done is relative to some point in time.

 

[chain blade]

If this is what you call,a "laugh",you must be SOME nerd,get a life!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[mym6]

If this is what you call,a "laugh",you must be SOME nerd,get a life!!!!!!!!!!!

HUH?

 

[chain blade]

What you mean,huh?You stupid?

 

[mym6]

I mean what I said. HUH? It's laughable that a reputable science mag got the workings of the Wii remote wrong. I'm saying HUH? because you think we're nerds and need to get a life? Nice sig.

 

[My god the Wii owns...]

If that really makes you laugh, please do yourself a favor and get a life.

 

[Omnislashser316]

I personally like to know how things work, (so i don't break them) lol.
I'm not:lol: over this concept, I just think it's weird/funny that us common folk can know more than a science magazine, who's job it is to know all this tech stuff.

 

[Brawny]

Exactly my point as well. Just because some people like to know how things work, doesn't mean they don't have as good of a life as you do...

 

[Omnislashser316]

Exactly my point as well. Just because some people like to know how things work, doesn't mean they don't have as good of a life as you do...

Well Said. :yesnod: