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> Modding The Light Bar For Always On, A tutorial!
pablot
post Dec 29 2006, 07:06 PM
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There are many requests to have the light bar constantly on. This could be solved by a future firmware update, but if you want it on now, there is a (simple) hardware way. This mod will make the Wii have the light bar on when the Wii is on, and off when it is in standby.

What is needed:
- Tear down instructions for the Wii, found here
- An odd nintendo screw driver to open the Wii (explained in tear down instructions)
- A NPN transistor (2n3904 for example, can be bought at radioshack)
- A resistor in the range of 1k-10k ohms
- Some moderate soldering skills.

In this post you can see a schematic of how the light bar is controlled. Imidiately when you plug in power to the console you will get 12V through the resistor to the two LEDs that are connected in series. What turns the LEDs on/off is the NPN transistor that connects/disconnects them from ground. What we will do is add our own NPN transistor and control it so that the LEDs get a path to ground when the Wii is not in standby.

If you know nothing about transistors you can read about it here. What we need is a signal to that turns on the transistor (opens it up) when the Wii is not in standby. The best source I have found for this is the signal that controls the standby LED.

So we will simply connect the base of the transistor to the standby signal through the resistor. Connect the collector to the ground side of the LEDs and the emitter to ground. The picture below shows how to solder it. I haven't done this install in person as I don't have a Wii yet ( sad.gif ) so I can't show any install pictures. First one to do this mod will have to snap some pictures of it!

IPB Image
(click for a larger version)

As you can see there are test points to solder too, and those are easy enough to use. A top install is harder but if there is need for it I'll make a top side install diagram.

Happy hacking!

/pablot
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kaidomac
post Dec 31 2006, 01:06 AM
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Nice, thanks! Too bad my PulseVU just showed up wink.gif
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grim_d
post Dec 31 2006, 01:12 AM
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very nice work my man.

would this mod stop the fading (if you have a message) from working? or don't you know.
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pablot
post Dec 31 2006, 01:28 AM
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QUOTE(grim_d @ Dec 31 2006, 01:19 AM) *

very nice work my man.

would this mod stop the fading (if you have a message) from working? or don't you know.


well, if I have understood it correctly, the message pulse only shows when the console is off, right? So then this mod won't interfere at all. If the message still pulses when the console is on, well.. then it won't be shown.. since this mod makes turns the LEDs on full when the console is on, but its not harmful.

/pablot
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grim_d
post Dec 31 2006, 01:33 AM
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QUOTE(pablot @ Dec 31 2006, 12:35 AM) *

well, if I have understood it correctly, the message pulse only shows when the console is off, right? So then this mod won't interfere at all. If the message still pulses when the console is on, well.. then it won't be shown.. since this mod makes turns the LEDs on full when the console is on, but its not harmful.

/pablot


well personally ive only seen the message pulse when my wii was on, in saying that, it was only once, and i did have a message waiting for me. I don't use wii-connect24 so i wouldnt see it when it was off anyway.

I just wondered if perhaps it returned control to the console in such an event, but i guess something more than a transistor would be required for this.

thanks.
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SICKdimension
post Dec 31 2006, 08:59 AM
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Hehe, not too shabby. A tutorial from a guy who's never even seen a Wii. smile.gif
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sicknasty413
post Dec 31 2006, 09:52 AM
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QUOTE(SICKdimension @ Dec 31 2006, 03:06 AM) *

Hehe, not too shabby. A tutorial from a guy who's never even seen a Wii. smile.gif

I always found that too be odd..He must be a smart one wink.gif
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SICKdimension
post Dec 31 2006, 01:35 PM
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QUOTE(sicknasty413 @ Dec 31 2006, 12:59 AM) *

I always found that too be odd..He must be a smart one wink.gif

Ya. He doesn't own a 360 either. I wonder where how he figures all this out? rolleyes.gif
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bigjimmy
post Dec 31 2006, 10:10 PM
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QUOTE
A tutorial from a guy who's never even seen a Wii.


Hmmm interesting......but either way, kool mod!
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sicknasty413
post Dec 31 2006, 10:22 PM
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QUOTE(SICKdimension @ Dec 31 2006, 07:42 AM) *

Ya. He doesn't own a 360 either. I wonder where how he figures all this out? rolleyes.gif

He must be the 2nd coming of Jesus...
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bigjimmy
post Dec 31 2006, 10:27 PM
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QUOTE
He must be the 2nd coming of Jesus...


The console gods sent him......
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pablot
post Jan 1 2007, 02:46 AM
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haha, easy on the praises, its just electrical engineering which I find very entertaining. I love to help out and inspire others.

Have a good new years everyone!

/p
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liquid-core
post Jan 1 2007, 06:31 AM
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QUOTE(sicknasty413 @ Dec 31 2006, 01:29 PM) *

He must be the 2nd coming of Jesus...


I have Jesus on my Wii. Maybe thats how he figures it out.

*Knocks on Wii asking if Pablot is home*

Btw, Happy New Years.

O'Malley
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SirLink01
post Apr 9 2007, 11:41 PM
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Is this info still valid? It is different from what you have in the pinned topic...

Thanks biggrin.gif
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atomiX
post Apr 10 2007, 12:38 AM
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Well I don't think Nintendo changed the hardware so this should still work.
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