Wii Hardware Changelog: Added Dedicated Sensor Bar Port

Posted May 25, 2006 at 2:14AM by QJ Staff Listed in: Wii Tags: e3, GDC
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Nintendo Wii underwent both a name and a hardware change since its first appearance at the Game Developers Conference last March. When it strutted its stuff again at the recently concluded E3, IGN noticed something that wasn't there before. The E3 version of the Wii, they noted, sported an additional dedicated port for the Wii's sensor bar. The sensor bar is the device placed near or on top of televisions to radiate an IR field that interacts with the Wii controller.

The sensor bar input is separate from the two USB 2.0 ports located at the top of the unit.  Compare the before-and-after images below. On your left is the Wii at the GDC (it was still the Revolution then) with nothing but the power plug and audio-video slot. In the E3 photos in the middle and on the right, you can see the orange plug for the sensor bar which is much smaller than the typical USB design.

wii in march wii e3 e3 wii



 
 
 

Comments

by Ragarnok - 2006-05-25 03:10:56
.

Yay we might be getting a brick-sized Power supply like the 360 one looking at the size of the power supply, I'm going to start stacking on those :p
by - 2006-05-25 05:04:26
PSU

I bet the Power supply will be bigger than the console. Very sad. :(
by - 2006-05-25 12:57:19
#1

I would not recommend stacking the PSUs, they tell you to keep the PSU six inches away from anything on all sides, so I doubt stacking them is a good idea. Anyway, I hope the sensor thingy is compatible with all HDTVs. I have a semi-new Sony 32", so I know it'll work with mine, but I have a friend who has an off-brand HDTV, Best Buy's brand, Insignia I think.
by - 2006-05-25 14:39:39
#3

Ewww I work at best buy and even I say insignia sucks. we get them retured after almost every sale, we sell 20 and get get back like 15.
by - 2006-05-25 19:27:00
Projectors

Well, I remember reading somewhere that the Wii will be compadible with projection systems, but I wonder if it'll be as efficent as on regular televisions. I want to be able to use the Wii with my 100+ inch screen!

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