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Wii sensor bar is not so Wii, it's huge

by Steven Williamson on 24 May 2006, 09:46

Tags: Nintendo Wii, Nintendo (TYO:7974), Wii

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Wii sensor bar

Did you know that Nintendo's next generation console requires a Wii sensor bar? The bar needs to be placed in front of the television to pick up movements from the Wii remote.

Check out the long power lead! Just how far from a power supply is your T.V?

Nintendo have also revealed another port on the back of the console which will support the sensor bar.

We don't know the exact dimensions of the Wii sensor bar, but it appears to be huge, just make sure you don't tread on it!



HEXUS.gaming : Second Shot

Nick Haywood writes:

When we took the tour through Nintendo's booth at E3 2006, we took a few snaps of all the Wii stuff in the perspex case and grabbed a couple of shots of the Wii sensor bar without knowing what it actually was.

Click for larger image


The bar itself is about 30cm long, which should give you an idea of it's height too. All of the Wii's on display were using wired Wii Remotes, which is why none of the bars were evident at the top of the screens we were playing the games on. Despite how Nintendo's shot looks, the sensor bar to us, doesn't look as intrusive as first galnces might make you think. It's a long, low profile affair that, we suspect, will be able to judge the Wii remotes orientation within 3D space.

Click for larger image


The narrow depth of the bar is obviously catering for those with flatscreen TVs and, looking at Nintendo's offically released shots and ours from E3, it could be available in a variety of shades to match your existing equipment.

That we were using wired Wii Remotes suggests that the sensor bar might be an optional extra, allwoing you wire-free play is you fancied. Looking at the back of the Wii's in Nintendo's 'lounge area', the remotes were connected to the console via a socket next to the power plug. We did wonder at the time how more than one remote would be hooked up to the console through just this single jack... So maybe this is the answer, multiplayer gaming needs the sensor bar?

We'll bring you more on this as soon as we have it.



HEXUS Forums :: 17 Comments

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In all honesty I would not notice that on top of a big screen like a 32" LCD/Plasma as I'd be concentrating on my funky moves with the wiimote or whatever they want to call the control system.
As long as it's got some nice rubbery pads on it so the weight of that long lead doesn't cause it to skew off the top of the tv/table it should be okay :)

Did we not have anything handy to act as a size comparison? (although if that plug is about the same size as a firewire plug, it might suffice..)
Stoo
As long as it's got some nice rubbery pads on it so the weight of that long lead doesn't cause it to skew off the top of the tv/table it should be okay :)

Did we not have anything handy to act as a size comparison? (although if that plug is about the same size as a firewire plug, it might suffice..)

Nick's added his opinion as he's actually saw it. Click on link again.
How would that sense hieght? I can imagine it copes fine with horizontal axis, and depth, but don't know how a flat sensor can do angle. Maybe there's another sensor on the box itself to help triangulate?
Steven W
Nick's added his opinion as he's actually saw it. Click on link again.

*nods*

Yep, that's actually not too bad at all, if it's 30cm wide, then it would make it about 2cm thick and about 3ish deep..

As long as it's not too light and plasticky it should be fine with just about any modern tv :)