Hooking Up a Nintendo Wii

Main components of a Nintendo Wii:

  • Wii console
  • Sensor bar (wired or wireless)
  • Game disk
  • Controllers (wiimote, nunchuck, guitar, dancepad)
  • Projector
  • Speakers (2 small, 1 subwoofer box)
  • Powerstrip

Setup the Wii Console FLAT on a sturdy table with enough room for the projector and small speakers.   The projector puts out a great deal of heat so don’t place it too close to the other items.  The larger speaker should sit on the floor.

Insert the YELLOW plug only from the Wii video cable into the back of the projector.  The other two plugs on the Wii video cable, red and white, get plugged into the Y-cable with red/white plugs at one end, and a green plug at the other end.  The green speaker cable then gets plugged into the other end of the adapter.  If you are using a normal TV instead of the projector and speakers, the red and white plugs get plugged into the back of the TV along with the yellow plug.

Load the batteries into and place the Wii WIRELESS Sensor bar just in front of the screen/wall upon which the image will be projected.  (Be sure to take out the batteries when you are done!  The sensor bar will turn itself on in the carrying case and run down the batteries.)  Ideally, the sensor bar should be just below or just above the projected image.  The wireless sensor bar must be within 25 feet to work properly.  There is a timer switch on the back of the sensor bar that can be set so that it will blink a warning after 1 or 2 hours, then turn itself off.  Press the silver button on top of the sensor bar and a blue light will light up on the front, indicating it is on.  To turn the wireless sensor bar off, hold down the same button for 3 seconds. 

Now you can connect power cords to everything and turn it all on.

Once the projector warms a bit you can adjust the size and focus of the image using the lever on top of the projector and by turning the lens in front.

A wired sensor bar is included as an alternative to the wireless one.  The wired sensor bar simply gets plugged into the back of the Wii console.  We recommend sticking with the wireless sensor bar to reduce the number of cords people can trip over.

Lastly, try out the Wiimotes.  If using more than one, each Wiimote should have its own designation of 1 through 4, as displayed by the blue lights on the bottom of the remote.  If a remote is not recognized, partially strip off the protective rubber case from the bottom of the remote and remove the battery cover from the back.  Press the red button you see and also press the red button behind the door on the front of the Wii console.   This should enable communication between the two and the Wiimote will be assigned a number.

If a game requires the secondary controller, or "nunchuck" to be attached, the Wii will say so.  It plugs into the bottom of the Wiimote.  

The controller for Guitar Hero is special in that you must insert the Wiimote -- without its protective rubber cover -- into the guitar itself in order to play.  Look on the back of the guitar and you’ll see the area that must be opened and where the Wiimote goes.   Plug the controller into the cord attached to the guitar and insert the Wiimote into the guitar face up, sliding in the plug end first.  Gently press the controller in and tuck the strap into the available space.  Snap the cover back on and you are good to go.  When the Wiimote is in the guitar you can use the small joystick on the guitar itself to move the cursor around.  The green and red buttons on the neck of the guitar correspond to the A and B buttons on the Wiimote.

It's also worth mentioning that you should plug in the DDR dance pad before the Wii console is turned on.  Otherwise it won’t let you use the dance pad as a controller.

Insert the games disk with the label up, or with the label side away from the buttons on the front of the Wii if the console is in the upright position.  Once loaded, choose the game’s icon using the Wiimote.

Safety notes:

  • It is ESSENTIAL that the wrist-straps be used when playing with the Wiimotes.   As you’ll see, people playing WiiSports and other games tend to fling their limbs about heedlessly.  While the Wiimote isn’t that heavy, it’s heavy enough to crack a window or TV and it will put a nasty dent in your head.   You should also keep the protective rubber coating on the Wiimotes whenever possible for similar reasons.
  • Try to make sure that people aren’t standing too close to one another, to minimize the possibility of heedless limb damage.
  • Recommend that players do a little stretching before playing.  Throwing virtual bowling balls and swinging virtual tennis rackets can make you almost as sore as the real thing!
  • Recommend to patrons that they wash their hands before and after playing.  I will clean everything when it comes back to Winnefox, but that probably won’t be adequate.  You should have wet-wipes on hand.
  • When playing DDR, players should be wearing (preferably clean) socks!  Shoes will wear out the playing surface very quickly, and having multiple players in bare feet is asking for trouble.  Again, stretching before playing DDR is highly recommended.

Contact Pete Hodge at 920-236-5273 if you have questions about the Nintendo Wii or need more information about Winnefox's video games.

Tags: 
video games