Wii Hardware Discussion

[Dcubed]

Considering all the tech inside the Wiimote, 30-60 hours is very good. We all knew that there was no way it would come close to the Wavebird's 100 hour battery life and I was expecting a lot less than that (about 15-20 hours)

 

Even at 30 hours (Which will probably average out at about 40-45 playing different games) that's a lot longer than you think (Roughly 1 third that of the Wave Bird and think how often you have to change batteries with that, not very often at all) Let's say you play for 2 hours a day, the batteries will last for about 20 days; that's pretty good!

[blender]

a recharageble battery packs going to be one of the first 3rd party periperals me thinks

[conzer16]

What about this "Eye" that IGN say the remote is. A 1 megapixel digital camera IN the remote?

[mcj metroid]

Dcubed, do you like the short usage of the batteries? Only 30 hours? Wavebird lasts around 60 - 70 hours and we don't have to change them all the time. Now, we have to buy rechargables batteries and a recharger.

but why not just have a bloody charger!?

The only reason i can think of is that in a four player game or something random controllers might go dead and WHOOPS i forgot to charge it!I suppose the battery idea is better in that case sonice the life will be longer

[Charlie]

AA batteries are much better than a Li-ion battery or similar. What happens when that battery runs down? You would have to connect it to the console which would significantly reduce movement. AA all the way

[James McGeachie]

What about this "Eye" that IGN say the remote is. A 1 megapixel digital camera IN the remote?

 

I don't think any of that is supposed to be taken literally.

[demonmike04]

Bad decision about the AA batteries to power the wii-mote, it SHOULD be chargable, how come Nintendo does not see this? You've made a nice cheap console, but the down side is the ammount of batteries you have to buy.

 

Guh, i knew they'd screw something up.

[Eddage]

Bad decision about the AA batteries to power the wii-mote, it SHOULD be chargable, how come Nintendo does not see this? You've made a nice cheap console, but the down side is the ammount of batteries you have to buy.

 

Guh, i knew they'd screw something up.

 

Dunno how people can say that li-ion batteries would be the way to go! If you had to charge it every time you ran out then it would SERIOUSLY piss me off, say you're in the final boss fight, just about to kill him, or be killed yourself due to low healthage then, bam, your batteries run out! Now you have to sit there for two hours while they recharge, only to rturn to the game an immediately die because you're no longer 'in the zone'.

 

Or perhaps your in a multiplayer game and your battery runs out, then you're basically completely screwed and condemned (sp?) to losing.

 

If you just buy some decent rechargables then you wont be spending shitloads on batteries and you can charge two while you play with the other two and then swap them immediately after they run out!

[Hellfire]

Isnt the 360 controller with AA batteries too?

[DCK]

I like how they designed the Wiimote this way. It's a bit of a shame that it's using AAs, but if they can be chargeable that's no problem to me. The LED system shows how much power there's left at startup, so I'll probably switch battery sets when the last light's on.

 

30 to 60 hours of battery life is very decent too. Well done Nintendo.

[demonmike04]

These controllers should be chargable, if your battery goes low, plug the charger in the remote and CONTINUE playing. Easy as pie, plus it costs you less.

[DCK]

These controllers should be chargable, if your battery goes low, plug the charger in the remote and CONTINUE playing. Easy as pie, plus it costs you less.

Keep two sets of batteries, check your controller on boot, and if only one LED lights up change batteries. If you use rechargables there's no problem at all.

 

I wouldn't want to be playing with a wired Wiimote TBH.

[Pyxis]

Yeah, batteries make sense...They are the superior option..you dont want to find yourself moving about and being stuck to your console.

[Smowza]

AA batteries are the way to go... i have a wireless 360 controller and am really happy with AA's. I just have some on charge while i'm playing, they last a while anyway if you get some good rechargables like these which come with a fast charger http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/9804733.htm i'm sure there are cheaper ones too, why bother with a battery like the DS??

[Dante]

Some user on other board has cool ideas about the speaker.

 

Wiimote speaker uses?

 

-Geiger Counter (Radiation detection)

 

-Stethoscope (Listening for a heartbeat or for safecracking)

 

-Radio Transmission (Silent Hill)

 

-Added depth for Survival Horror games (You're playing alone in the dark and all of the sudden your speaker starts screaming/whispering/howling and vibrating)

 

-Metal Detector

 

-Mine Detector

 

-Added depth for enclosed items (Imagine a segment of a game where you pick up a box and have to guess what's inside. As you shake the Wiimote you'll hear the sound of what's in the box rattling through the Wiimote speaker. Think of a Batman game where the Joker has locked Batman in a room with 10 gift boxes. 9 of those boxes are bombs and one has a key to escape the room. Batman has to shake each box gently and listen for the key.)

[Hellfire]

Sounds from the lightsaber would be awesome.

Most people think it's a little gimmick, but I think it has some pretty cool possibilities and I wouldn't be surprised if Sony copied this.

[Demuwan]

Sounds from the lightsaber would be awesome.

Most people think it's a little gimmick, but I think it has some pretty cool possibilities and I wouldn't be surprised if Sony copied this.

 

I wouldn't be surprised if sony copied ANYTHING!!

 

I really like those speaker Ideas. Genius. Especially the Stethoscope one!

Also for an Eternal darkness (one can hope). When the Insanity meter fills you hear screams and howling and other creepy stuff.

 

Speaker is a GREAT idea.

[Blue_Ninja0]

What a mess!! What's wrong with some of you saying that an internal Li-ion is better than two rechargeable AA's?

 

rechargeable AA >>> internal Li-ion

 

rechargeable AA pros:

 

- When one a pair of AA run out, you just put in a fresh pair that was charging and put the empty pair in the charger

- The controllers will be CHEAPER because they don't include a battery

- You don't have to stop playing or plug a cord to the controler to be able to continue play

- Since you'r probably going to use the controllers for years to come, it's way easier to substitute 2 AA rechargeable batteries that have reached the end of their lifecycle (or that are semi-screwed) than substitute an internal proprientary nintendo specific Li-ion battery

- If you buy a good set of rechargeable AA's they can last you WAY MORE than any alkaline, non-rechargeable AA's (contrary to common belief) and probably more than the Li-ion battery that nintendo was going to include, so, considering those 30 hours that nintendo said are reffering to standard alkaline AA's, then if you buy a good pair of rechargeable AA's you'r in for like 50, 60, 70 or even way more hours of playtime

- Li-ion batteries progressively lose their capacity even if you don't use them, they'r death factor is TIME, wich means those controlers that you buy just for multiplayer fun, will be losing battery life every second even if they'r not in use in those controllers that are only used once in a while, whilst rechargeable AA's (wich are usually Nickel) lose their capacity depending on how much times you recharge them.

 

internal Li-ion pros:

 

- You don't have to buy a set of rechargeable AA's and recharger, but then again, you've saved that money on every controller you'r going to buy, since they'll be cheaper

 

Feel free to correct me on some of the tech stuff, but i think i'm correct.

Hope i've cleared some of your minds. And one more thing: Just don't use standard alkaline batteries, they'r a complete waste of money.

[Shino]

What a mess!! What's wrong with some of you saying that an internal Li-ion is better than two rechargeable AA's?

 

rechargeable AA >>> internal Li-ion

 

rechargeable AA pros:

 

- When one a pair of AA run out, you just put in a fresh pair that was charging and put the empty pair in the charger

- The controllers will be CHEAPER because they don't include a battery

- You don't have to stop playing or plug a cord to the controler to be able to continue play

- Since you'r probably going to use the controllers for years to come, it's way easier to substitute 2 AA rechargeable batteries that have reached the end of they'r lifecycle (or that are semi-screwed) than substitute an internal proprientary nintendo specific Li-ion battery

- If you buy a good set of rechargeable AA's they can last you WAY MORE than any alkaline, non-rechargeable AA's (contrary to common belief) and probably more than the Li-ion battery that nintendo was going to include, so, considering those 30 hours that nintendo said are reffering to standard alkaline AA's, then if you buy a good pair of rechargeable AA's you'r in for like 50, 60, 70 or even way more hours of playtime

- Li-ion batteries progressively lose they'r capacity even if you don't use them, they'r death factor is TIME, wich means those controlers that you buy just for multiplayer fun, will be losing battery life every second even if they'r not in use in those controllers that are only used once in a while, whilst rechargeable AA's (wich are usually Nickel) lose their capacity depending on how much times you recharge them.

 

internal Li-ion pros:

 

- You don't have to buy a set of rechargeable AA's and recharger, but then again, you've saved that money on every controller you'r going to buy, since they'll be cheaper

 

Feel free to correct me on some of the tech stuff, but i think i'm correct.

Hope i've cleared some of your minds. And one more thing: Just don't use standard alkaline batteries, they'r a complete waste of money.

 

 

This man is completly right! I was for the Li-ion, but the conversations we had changed my mind. Besides, he's an engineer.

[djamb3]

Engineer?

 

Rofl :p But I suppose you'r right.

[nkarafo]

What a mess!! What's wrong with some of you saying that an internal Li-ion is better than two rechargeable AA's?

 

rechargeable AA >>> internal Li-ion

 

rechargeable AA pros:

 

- When one a pair of AA run out, you just put in a fresh pair that was charging and put the empty pair in the charger

- The controllers will be CHEAPER because they don't include a battery

- You don't have to stop playing or plug a cord to the controler to be able to continue play

- Since you'r probably going to use the controllers for years to come, it's way easier to substitute 2 AA rechargeable batteries that have reached the end of they'r lifecycle (or that are semi-screwed) than substitute an internal proprientary nintendo specific Li-ion battery

- If you buy a good set of rechargeable AA's they can last you WAY MORE than any alkaline, non-rechargeable AA's (contrary to common belief) and probably more than the Li-ion battery that nintendo was going to include, so, considering those 30 hours that nintendo said are reffering to standard alkaline AA's, then if you buy a good pair of rechargeable AA's you'r in for like 50, 60, 70 or even way more hours of playtime

- Li-ion batteries progressively lose they'r capacity even if you don't use them, they'r death factor is TIME, wich means those controlers that you buy just for multiplayer fun, will be losing battery life every second even if they'r not in use in those controllers that are only used once in a while, whilst rechargeable AA's (wich are usually Nickel) lose their capacity depending on how much times you recharge them.

 

internal Li-ion pros:

 

- You don't have to buy a set of rechargeable AA's and recharger, but then again, you've saved that money on every controller you'r going to buy, since they'll be cheaper

 

Feel free to correct me on some of the tech stuff, but i think i'm correct.

Hope i've cleared some of your minds. And one more thing: Just don't use standard alkaline batteries, they'r a complete waste of money.

 

 

Yes, seems to be right. But what if we own 4 wiimotes? We need to buy 8 rechargable batteries and other 2 for backup. Then, when the batteries have low battery, we have to wait around 8-10 hours to be recharged again!

I don't like neither the cords, neither the li-on recharger. But I was expecting more hours for the 2 AA batteries. I have Wavebird and I like it for the ~100 hours. Then again, I don't have rumble with Wavebird. So, it seems that all these facts are relevant. We have to make some sacrifices to gain something better.

[Charlie]

Yes, seems to be right. But what if we own 4 wiimotes? We need to buy 8 rechargable batteries and other 2 for backup. Then, when the batteries have low battery, we have to wait around 8-10 hours to be recharged again!

I don't like neither the cords, neither the li-on recharger. But I was expecting more hours for the 2 AA batteries. I have Wavebird and I like it for the ~100 hours. Then again, I don't have rumble with Wavebird. So, it seems that all these facts are relevant. We have to make some sacrifices to gain something better.

 

30 hours or whatever it is is a long time. Unless you play games for 5 hours a day or something it will take you ages to run down. And in that time you can easily charge up your other batteries. Believe me, the Wavebird doesn't last for 100 hours.

[AshMat]

i am yet to have to replace my Wavebir'ds batteries, but i hardly play my gamecube these days..

[Blue_Ninja0]

This man is completly right! I was for the Li-ion, but the conversations we had changed my mind. Besides, he's an engineer.

 

LOL, I'm not an engineer!!... quite yet. I'm studying informatic engineering and that obviously have a lot to do with rechargeable batteries.:p

 

Yes, seems to be right. But what if we own 4 wiimotes? We need to buy 8 rechargable batteries and other 2 for backup. Then, when the batteries have low battery, we have to wait around 8-10 hours to be recharged again!

I don't like neither the cords, neither the li-on recharger. But I was expecting more hours for the 2 AA batteries. I have Wavebird and I like it for the ~100 hours. Then again, I don't have rumble with Wavebird. So, it seems that all these facts are relevant. We have to make some sacrifices to gain something better.

 

Note that in those 4 wiimote intensive use situations, the internal Li-ion would not help more than the AA's anyway, and you can always have a pair of normal alkaline AA's to use when a pair in a Wiimote dries up, in those 4 player mad fests. And when the 4 player session is over, you just put the normal alkaline AA's in the "emergency battery box", ready for another go if something goes wrong on another 4 player fest.

 

Regarding battery life, i've already stated that if you buy rechargeable AA's with a good capacity, they can easily reach like 60 hours or even more.

[InvaderElmo]

If the controllers can tell how much battery life is left then I imagine that the system could also be set up so that if a controller runs out of juice the game pauses. That would give you time to either put in some new batteries or just tell the system to sleep for a while until you get more.

 

I also am glad that the system uses standard AA batteries, but I think a battery pack + charging system is going to be available either by Nintendo or by a third party. It may not charge during play, but I doubt people will have 30+ hour gaming sessions. I would love a four port charger that matches the style of the system and controllers. Even better would be a four port charger that doubles as the base of the Wii console so that the four controllers sit upright next to the console while charging.