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NintendOwnage
Hardware
-Design
The Wii is Nintendo's smallest home game console yet, being approximately the size of three standard DVD cases stacked together. The console has been confirmed to have the ability to stand either horizontally or vertically. The front of the console features a self-loading media drive illuminated by a blue light and accepts both 12 cm Wii Optical Discs and 8 cm optical discs from Nintendo's prior console, the GameCube. Nintendo has stated that a small attachment can be purchased separately to play DVDs. The ability to load different sized discs is uncommon in slot-loading media drives, which typically only accept discs of a single size.
Nintendo has shown the Wii in various colors including silver, lime green, white, black, blue and red. The final colors of the console are still to be announced, although the Wii remote will be available in matching colors.
The systems shown at E3 2006 and in various trailers appear to have several small changes from the original design. Not only had the Nintendo branding on the case been replaced with a 'Wii' logo, but the disc loading slot had been enlarged slightly, the reset button had been moved from next to the eject button to the power button, and the power indicator light had been moved from next to the power button to inside the button.
A second flap cover is located on the front of the machine, which opens to disclose an SD card slot in the middle and a "SYNCHRO" button, used to link the controllers to the console.
The port for the sensor bar, a device used for the Wii Remote's three-dimensional sensing, is found at the rear of the console. This port did not appear in any of the former Wii hardware images, including the images in Nintendo's E3 media press kit.
-Controller
The primary controller for the Wii uses a one-handed, remote control-based design. The controller communicates wirelessly with the console via Bluetooth. It features an integrated accelerometer, which allows it to sense linear motion along three axes, as well as tilt. The controller also contains a tracking image sensor, which, in tandem with a sensor bar, gives the controller light gun-like pointer capabilities within 5 meters (approx. 16.5 ft.) of the screen. Up to four controllers can be connected at once and operated as far as ten meters from the console. The remote has force-feedback capabilities and can be utilized as an NES gamepad when rotated. An internal audio speaker can be used to play sound effects and provides an enhanced depth of sound field. The Wii-mote features 6KB of "non-volatile" memory. It can run up to 60 hours using only the accelerometer function with two alkaline AA batteries and up to 30 hours when using the precision aim. The buttons on the contoller are digital and include a D-Pad, A, B, 1, 2, -, +, and Power buttons as well as a SYNC button located underneath the battery cover.
The Wii Remote can be augmented by various add-ons. Announced expansions include: a Nunchuk controller (which also has limited motion sensing capabilities) featuring an analog stick and two additional digital buttons (C and Z), a Classic Controller for playing Virtual Console and GameCube games, and may have a "Zapper Style" shell, displayed as a concept at E3 2006, for First-person shooter gameplay which also includes a control stick on the top.
In an interview, Shigeru Miyamoto revealed that Nintendo hopes to allow Wii controllers to be personalized for each gamer. Applications would include different game settings determined by the preferences of the controller that turned on the console.
-Sensor bar
The sensor bar is an attachment placed either directly above or below the display screen, which is required for games and applications that use the remote as an on-screen pointer. With the sensor bar it is possible to accurately pinpoint where on screen a Remote is pointing, regardless of the size or type of display used. The sensor bar is around 20 centimeters long.
The sensor bar contains two sensors, one in each end, however it is not as of yet known if they are used for the on-screen pointer or for other uses such as determining the controllers position in 3D space.
-Connectivity
The Wii will have built-in 802.11b/g Wi-Fi connectivity allowing communication over the Internet and with the Nintendo DS via wireless networking. Nintendo has stated that the Wii will have a standard interface for Wi-Fi. An optional USB adapter will provide network connectivity via wired Ethernet as well.
In addition, the console incorporates Bluetooth wireless communication, with which it communicates with the wireless Wii Remote controller. Connectivity with other Bluetooth devices has not been mentioned.
The Wii has a flip lid that can be opened to reveal four ports for GameCube controllers and two GameCube memory card slots. Two USB ports (at the rear) and one SD card slot (behind a flap cover at the front of the console) are provided. Additionally a small internal attachment (a dongle) to be sold as an add-on to the console will allow Wii to play DVD-Video.
-Technical specifications
Nintendo has, at present, released very little technical specifics regarding the Wii console. The known details include:
Processors:
* CPU: IBM PowerPC processor codenamed "Broadway" (made with a 90 nm SOI CMOS process)
* GPU: ATI "Hollywood" (made with a 90 nm CMOS process[19], contains embedded DRAM made by NEC Electronics[20])
Memory:
* 1T-SRAM (amount unknown)[21]
Ports and peripheral capabilities:
* Up to four Wii Remote controllers (connected wirelessly via Bluetooth)
* One SD memory card slot
* Two USB 2.0 ports
* One Sensor Bar port
* Four Nintendo GameCube controller ports
* Two Nintendo GameCube memory card ports
* Compatible with optional USB 2.0 Ethernet LAN adaptor
Storage:
* 512 MB built-in flash memory
* Expansion available via SD card memory and USB mass storage[8]
* Slot-loading disc drive compatible with:
o 12cm Wii optical disc (4.7 GB Single layer or 8.7 GB Dual Layer)
o 8cm GameCube optical disc
o DVD Video (optional additional purchase)
* Mask ROM by Macronix[22]
Built-in content ratings systems:
* PEGI, ESRB, CERO, and OFLC
Networking:
* Wi-Fi by Broadcom
* Standardized Bluetooth by Broadcom
Video:
* Up to 480p and will work with a computer monitor as well as any TV or projector[23]
* Component (including Progressive scan), S-Video, or composite output
* 16:9 widescreen support
Audio:
* Main: Stereo - Dolby Pro Logic II-capable[24]
* Controller: Built-in speaker
--------------------------------------------------
//Source : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wii
A lot of you probably already know about the site but some didnt so I hope it clarifyed some points which were still confusing.
Some other interesting links about the Wii :
The Wi-Fi Connection : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nintendo_Wi-Fi_Connection
The Virtual Console :http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virtual_Console_(Wii)
The WiiConnect24 :http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WiiConnect24
-Design
The Wii is Nintendo's smallest home game console yet, being approximately the size of three standard DVD cases stacked together. The console has been confirmed to have the ability to stand either horizontally or vertically. The front of the console features a self-loading media drive illuminated by a blue light and accepts both 12 cm Wii Optical Discs and 8 cm optical discs from Nintendo's prior console, the GameCube. Nintendo has stated that a small attachment can be purchased separately to play DVDs. The ability to load different sized discs is uncommon in slot-loading media drives, which typically only accept discs of a single size.
Nintendo has shown the Wii in various colors including silver, lime green, white, black, blue and red. The final colors of the console are still to be announced, although the Wii remote will be available in matching colors.
The systems shown at E3 2006 and in various trailers appear to have several small changes from the original design. Not only had the Nintendo branding on the case been replaced with a 'Wii' logo, but the disc loading slot had been enlarged slightly, the reset button had been moved from next to the eject button to the power button, and the power indicator light had been moved from next to the power button to inside the button.
A second flap cover is located on the front of the machine, which opens to disclose an SD card slot in the middle and a "SYNCHRO" button, used to link the controllers to the console.
The port for the sensor bar, a device used for the Wii Remote's three-dimensional sensing, is found at the rear of the console. This port did not appear in any of the former Wii hardware images, including the images in Nintendo's E3 media press kit.
-Controller
The primary controller for the Wii uses a one-handed, remote control-based design. The controller communicates wirelessly with the console via Bluetooth. It features an integrated accelerometer, which allows it to sense linear motion along three axes, as well as tilt. The controller also contains a tracking image sensor, which, in tandem with a sensor bar, gives the controller light gun-like pointer capabilities within 5 meters (approx. 16.5 ft.) of the screen. Up to four controllers can be connected at once and operated as far as ten meters from the console. The remote has force-feedback capabilities and can be utilized as an NES gamepad when rotated. An internal audio speaker can be used to play sound effects and provides an enhanced depth of sound field. The Wii-mote features 6KB of "non-volatile" memory. It can run up to 60 hours using only the accelerometer function with two alkaline AA batteries and up to 30 hours when using the precision aim. The buttons on the contoller are digital and include a D-Pad, A, B, 1, 2, -, +, and Power buttons as well as a SYNC button located underneath the battery cover.
The Wii Remote can be augmented by various add-ons. Announced expansions include: a Nunchuk controller (which also has limited motion sensing capabilities) featuring an analog stick and two additional digital buttons (C and Z), a Classic Controller for playing Virtual Console and GameCube games, and may have a "Zapper Style" shell, displayed as a concept at E3 2006, for First-person shooter gameplay which also includes a control stick on the top.
In an interview, Shigeru Miyamoto revealed that Nintendo hopes to allow Wii controllers to be personalized for each gamer. Applications would include different game settings determined by the preferences of the controller that turned on the console.
-Sensor bar
The sensor bar is an attachment placed either directly above or below the display screen, which is required for games and applications that use the remote as an on-screen pointer. With the sensor bar it is possible to accurately pinpoint where on screen a Remote is pointing, regardless of the size or type of display used. The sensor bar is around 20 centimeters long.
The sensor bar contains two sensors, one in each end, however it is not as of yet known if they are used for the on-screen pointer or for other uses such as determining the controllers position in 3D space.
-Connectivity
The Wii will have built-in 802.11b/g Wi-Fi connectivity allowing communication over the Internet and with the Nintendo DS via wireless networking. Nintendo has stated that the Wii will have a standard interface for Wi-Fi. An optional USB adapter will provide network connectivity via wired Ethernet as well.
In addition, the console incorporates Bluetooth wireless communication, with which it communicates with the wireless Wii Remote controller. Connectivity with other Bluetooth devices has not been mentioned.
The Wii has a flip lid that can be opened to reveal four ports for GameCube controllers and two GameCube memory card slots. Two USB ports (at the rear) and one SD card slot (behind a flap cover at the front of the console) are provided. Additionally a small internal attachment (a dongle) to be sold as an add-on to the console will allow Wii to play DVD-Video.
-Technical specifications
Nintendo has, at present, released very little technical specifics regarding the Wii console. The known details include:
Processors:
* CPU: IBM PowerPC processor codenamed "Broadway" (made with a 90 nm SOI CMOS process)
* GPU: ATI "Hollywood" (made with a 90 nm CMOS process[19], contains embedded DRAM made by NEC Electronics[20])
Memory:
* 1T-SRAM (amount unknown)[21]
Ports and peripheral capabilities:
* Up to four Wii Remote controllers (connected wirelessly via Bluetooth)
* One SD memory card slot
* Two USB 2.0 ports
* One Sensor Bar port
* Four Nintendo GameCube controller ports
* Two Nintendo GameCube memory card ports
* Compatible with optional USB 2.0 Ethernet LAN adaptor
Storage:
* 512 MB built-in flash memory
* Expansion available via SD card memory and USB mass storage[8]
* Slot-loading disc drive compatible with:
o 12cm Wii optical disc (4.7 GB Single layer or 8.7 GB Dual Layer)
o 8cm GameCube optical disc
o DVD Video (optional additional purchase)
* Mask ROM by Macronix[22]
Built-in content ratings systems:
* PEGI, ESRB, CERO, and OFLC
Networking:
* Wi-Fi by Broadcom
* Standardized Bluetooth by Broadcom
Video:
* Up to 480p and will work with a computer monitor as well as any TV or projector[23]
* Component (including Progressive scan), S-Video, or composite output
* 16:9 widescreen support
Audio:
* Main: Stereo - Dolby Pro Logic II-capable[24]
* Controller: Built-in speaker
--------------------------------------------------
//Source : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wii
A lot of you probably already know about the site but some didnt so I hope it clarifyed some points which were still confusing.
Some other interesting links about the Wii :
The Wi-Fi Connection : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nintendo_Wi-Fi_Connection
The Virtual Console :http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virtual_Console_(Wii)
The WiiConnect24 :http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WiiConnect24
