Connecting a Wiimote to a MacBook Pro running Windows XP

LoneIgadzra

I already posted this once in G&T, but I guess this is the more appropriate forum. (I'm actually taking a Wii game programming class at the moment so I NEED THIS TO WORK ALREADY.)

Has anybody managed to get this to work? Using DarwiinRemote in OS X is no problem; it pretty much just works with only a few hitches. Unfortunately, the actual uses for such an input device in OS X are a bit limited. (I'm mainly wanting to be able to use the classic controller with certain games, but I'd also like to write Wiimote-enabled games.) But when I reboot in Windows it's a total no-go. I have the latest Boot Camp drivers installed, but the built-in bluetooth control panel completely fails to maintain a connection with the Wiimote, and blue-soleil... well it doesn't seem to work as well as people say it does, and I'm not even sure if I'm installing it right (do I uninstall the built-in drivers first?) not to mention paying for it isn't really worth it to me.

Has anyone managed to get this to work?

zanetheinsane

If you have no trouble pairing the device you might want to check out GlovePIE. That's what I was using with WindowsXP previously.

Here's the tutorial I used a while back: http://www.ehow.com/how_2165659_glovepie-use-wii-remote-pc.html . I remember having the same problem you did and just fiddling with it until it worked.

I think I remember a new program that came out based on GlovePIE but I don't remember what it was.

LoneIgadzra

Pairing the device is the problem. The connection is lost immediately. I go through the whole "add" wizard, everything seems fine, Windows finds new HID hardware, and then... nothing. If I press a button the Wiimote, all four lights just flash some more, and it disappears from the bluetooth device listings.

zanetheinsane

My laptop is a little funny and wouldn't pair the device unless I went through the Bluetooth Setup Wizard in Windows XP. Make sure to hold down 1+2 the whole time. Simple right-clicking the devices and using "connect" wouldn't do it.

After the device is paired load up GlovePIE and run the TestWiimote script. You should see a bunch of inputs at the top that change based on the accelerometer, and the D-pad should move the text cursor around in the window.


A lot of people have success with these third party Bluetooth drivers: http://www.bluesoleil.com/download/ . That might be worth checking out if your problem persists. Here is the tutorial page for doing it with BlueSoleil: http://www.wiiprojects.org/bluetooth.html .

LoneIgadzra

Yeah, I've already seen/heard all that. The Bluetooth setup wizard is precisely what doesn't work for me, and BlueSoleil has its own set of problems in that I don't think I've ever managed to install it quite right, and it costs money that I don't think it's worth since my bluetooth works otherwise.

Mr_Rose

LoneIgadzra wrote: »

Yeah, I've already seen/heard all that. The Bluetooth setup wizard is precisely what doesn't work for me, and BlueSoleil has its own set of problems in that I don't think I've ever managed to install it quite right, and it costs money that I don't think it's worth since my bluetooth works otherwise.

What you are encountering her is the fact that Windows' generic Bluetooth stack is a steaming pile of shit.
Unfortunately, I don't know what the actual chip is that Apple use, so I can't recommend an others, except to say that my Wiimotes connect to Toshiba's generic Bt stack just fine. And I know I don't have anything with a Toshiba label plugged into my PC.
Your best bet would be to back up your windows installation and download some Windows chipset drivers from companies that actually make chipsets and just try them out.

LoneIgadzra

Yeah, I managed to hack the BlueSoleil 5.0 config files and get it to recognize my card. It's not flawless and takes ages to load on boot, but I haven't hit the unregistered 5M limit in two hours of leaving the wiimote connecting and logging accelerometer data, so I guess everything's fine for now.