Add Wii devices to your Prop projects (gyro, accelerometer, joysticks and buttons)
Cluso99
Posts: 18,069
Earlier this year I bought a Wii Motion Plus, Wii Nunchuck and Wii Classic Controller Pro. I purchased them all as clones cheaply on eBay.
There are a number of articles about removing the pcbs from the motion plus and using the 3-axis gyro, and the from the nunchuck the 3-axis accelerometer for use in QuadCopters.
I have my gyro (from the motion plus) working with my prop but the nunchuck is not - insufficient time to find out why - perhaps because I removed the joysticks.
But what if you do not want to destroy your Wii devices because you would like to use these devices in games, robotics or some other project, as well as a Wii device.
Well, I have a few tiny little pcbs that will do just that. Here they are...
Cluso's Weee Rev A
This pcb has an error so here is how to use it. It has a gold edge connector (finger type) pcb connector that plugs into the controllers socket and a 4pin header to take a user soldered cable. This provides an I2C interface (SCL & SDA) and also requires regulated 3V3 and Gnd. A wire link must be soldered between two pads underneath. I will provide the female housings with pins to connect to pin headers on your prop boards. Pin headers will not fit on this pcb as the holes are too small and not quite 0.1" spacing - you must solder wired to the board.
I have 6 of these pcbs and am offering those bare pcbs to forum members pcb for US$3.00 including unregistered airmail from Australia. It is actually cheaper for me to trash them but I am sure some here could put them to good use.
Cluso's Weee Rev B
The corrected version. It has the gold edge connector to the Wii socket. Underneath is provision for a smt 3V3 voltage regulator and 0805 capacitors to convert from 5V, and provision for a USB-A connector (female as used on a PC)... why? Well this connector has 5V and Gnd, plus 2 I/O pins which are I2C compatible.
I am using, and have proposed as a possible standard, that a number of 2pin I/O devices like I2C, PS2, etc, can be provided on a prop pcb together with 5V & Gnd on a miniUSB female socket. A cheap easily obtained standard miniUSB to USB-B cable would then join these together.
I anticipate receiving 9 pcbs late next week.
Cluso's Weee2
A similar pcb to the Weee RevB but slightly smaller and provides for a 1x4 0.1" pin header instead of the USB-A connector. Onboard 3V3 regulator underneath.
I anticipate receiving 9 pcbs late next week.
Here is my new website with some more info www.clusos.com/home
There are a number of articles about removing the pcbs from the motion plus and using the 3-axis gyro, and the from the nunchuck the 3-axis accelerometer for use in QuadCopters.
I have my gyro (from the motion plus) working with my prop but the nunchuck is not - insufficient time to find out why - perhaps because I removed the joysticks.
But what if you do not want to destroy your Wii devices because you would like to use these devices in games, robotics or some other project, as well as a Wii device.
Well, I have a few tiny little pcbs that will do just that. Here they are...
Cluso's Weee Rev A
This pcb has an error so here is how to use it. It has a gold edge connector (finger type) pcb connector that plugs into the controllers socket and a 4pin header to take a user soldered cable. This provides an I2C interface (SCL & SDA) and also requires regulated 3V3 and Gnd. A wire link must be soldered between two pads underneath. I will provide the female housings with pins to connect to pin headers on your prop boards. Pin headers will not fit on this pcb as the holes are too small and not quite 0.1" spacing - you must solder wired to the board.
I have 6 of these pcbs and am offering those bare pcbs to forum members pcb for US$3.00 including unregistered airmail from Australia. It is actually cheaper for me to trash them but I am sure some here could put them to good use.
Cluso's Weee Rev B
The corrected version. It has the gold edge connector to the Wii socket. Underneath is provision for a smt 3V3 voltage regulator and 0805 capacitors to convert from 5V, and provision for a USB-A connector (female as used on a PC)... why? Well this connector has 5V and Gnd, plus 2 I/O pins which are I2C compatible.
I am using, and have proposed as a possible standard, that a number of 2pin I/O devices like I2C, PS2, etc, can be provided on a prop pcb together with 5V & Gnd on a miniUSB female socket. A cheap easily obtained standard miniUSB to USB-B cable would then join these together.
I anticipate receiving 9 pcbs late next week.
Cluso's Weee2
A similar pcb to the Weee RevB but slightly smaller and provides for a 1x4 0.1" pin header instead of the USB-A connector. Onboard 3V3 regulator underneath.
I anticipate receiving 9 pcbs late next week.
Here is my new website with some more info www.clusos.com/home
192 x 183 - 8K
Comments
(and the BOM is a little cheaper too!)
OBC
Have you seen these WiiNuncucks?
I really like the Wii controllers. I've flown my RC helicopter with a Wii Nunchuck. I used the accelerometer to control the throttle and rudder.
Are you planning on using USB to power your devices? I suppose that would explain the 3.3V regulators.
Duane
I had seen the sparkfun adapters but of course they dont have 3v3 regulators which are usually required.
Almost all my new pcbs contain a MCP1700 3V3 regulator in a SOT23 smt package and two caps. The regulator can be bypassed by a small wire link across the sot23 pads. Input is 6VDC max, but the ideal is 5V which I can obtain from USB using my new tiny FT232 module. The FT232 module can also drive other micros because I have RTS & CTS accessible by via holes.
You could put the Wii Motion Plus pcb inside the nunchuck to get gyro as well. They daisy-chain, gyro first. So it just be an internal wiring change and that extra tiny pcb. Surely it would fit inside the nunchuck (havent looked)