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I own the nyko wireless sensor bar, the thing is I want it to run off of usb power... do you guys think this is possible? any tips on how to do this?

http://www.nyko.com/products/product-det...nsor%20Bar

Use 4 AA batteries = 1.5 x 4 = 6V

USB only provide 5V, maybe close distance still ok.

(06-29-2010, 11:59 AM)shateredsoul Wrote: [ -> ]I own the nyko wireless sensor bar, the thing is I want it to run off of usb power... do you guys think this is possible? any tips on how to do this?

http://www.nyko.com/products/product-det...nsor%20Bar

i was in the same predicament you are. stupid "wireless" is just an easy way for them to save money on including a cable. the good news is, aa batteries are 1.2v. sooo 4 x 1.2v = 4.8v... 5v usb power is perfect for it!!! i did the same thing with my sensor bar.

*i am not responsible for any houses burning down or people and pets getting electrocuted* having said that, just get a long enough usb cable (i used an xbox controller cable) and cut it open..... the red wire is 5v and the black is negative. use a multimeter to make sure. neway, all you have to do is solder the black wire to the negative side and the red to the positive side and it will work perfectly . obviously other little modifications may be required. i had to use a dremel tool to cut paths for my wires to fit in and i drilled a hole in the casing for the usb cable to go through. check it out:




here you see the negative solder..


here is the positive solder


looks factory ya bimbo!

(07-01-2010, 11:09 AM)inteGReddy Wrote: [ -> ]i was in the same predicament you are. stupid "wireless" is just an easy way for them to save money on including a cable. the good news is, aa batteries are 1.2v. sooo 4 x 1.2v = 4.8v... 5v usb power is perfect for it!!! i did the same thing with my sensor bar.

Only rechargeable battery cells are 1.2 volts. If a product requires 4xAA batteries for operation 6V is required for optimal performance. Some battery operated devices have warnings against not using rechargeable batteries due to low current.

You can power a Nyko sensor bar through usb but you would have to sit pretty close to the bar for the wiimote to pick up any of the emitted IR light because USB can only supply 5V.
Nyko wireless sensor bar, unlike normal run of the mill bars, also has additional features like a controller chip to power it down if inactive. The total current draw is more than 5v. It would probably perform weakly with usb power, but a 6v dc adapter could work.

It would be ideal to build a cheap sensor bar to your own specs using 27 to 40ohm resistors, ir-LEDS and a usb wire & supply it with USB 5V while getting optimal infrared output.
IR leds consume about 1.2v so you would be able to build a very easy-to-make bar with 4 leds (2 on both sides) and power it entirely with USB.

(07-01-2010, 08:42 PM)Ocean Wrote: [ -> ]You can power a Nyko sensor bar through usb but you would have to sit pretty close to the bar for the wiimote to pick up any of the emitted IR light because USB can only supply 5V.

no one is going to use this thing with non-rechargeable batteries... it would cost you a fortune for one day of play! you could easily spend 20 dollars on batteries in one day. i know because i used non-rechargeables the first time i got this thing and they were dead within 3 hours.

i can look at the leds with my digital camera and they look just as bright with usb plugged in, or non-rechargeable batteries plugged in. i can also stand as far away from it as i possibly can in this room and it works fine. now, having said that, i think that any distance lost from 1v isnt going to matter because the mote wouldnt be that accurate from that distance anyway. not to mention, i wouldnt doubt this thing has a 5v regulator in it neway. im not risking unsnapping the casing to look tho. too much chance of breaking something.

i use rechargeable batteries in my motes too. again, would be ridiculous not to. so, someone could use rechargeable batteries in this thing, and that is the performance you'd expect from usb. if you get 4/5ths the amount of distance out've it, it is probably safe to say that it is a reasonable sacrifice for not spending 100's of dollars on stupid non-rechargeable batteries.

if someone was really concerned about undervoltage than buy a 6v power adapter for it and wire it directly to that. no big deal.

(07-01-2010, 11:09 AM)inteGReddy Wrote: [ -> ]

(06-29-2010, 11:59 AM)shateredsoul Wrote: [ -> ]I own the nyko wireless sensor bar, the thing is I want it to run off of usb power... do you guys think this is possible? any tips on how to do this?

http://www.nyko.com/products/product-det...nsor%20Bar

i was in the same predicament you are. stupid "wireless" is just an easy way for them to save money on including a cable. the good news is, aa batteries are 1.2v. sooo 4 x 1.2v = 4.8v... 5v usb power is perfect for it!!! i did the same thing with my sensor bar.

*i am not responsible for any houses burning down or people and pets getting electrocuted* having said that, just get a long enough usb cable (i used an xbox controller cable) and cut it open..... the red wire is 5v and the black is negative. use a multimeter to make sure. neway, all you have to do is solder the black wire to the negative side and the red to the positive side and it will work perfectly . obviously other little modifications may be required. i had to use a dremel tool to cut paths for my wires to fit in and i drilled a hole in the casing for the usb cable to go through. check it out:




here you see the negative solder..


here is the positive solder


looks factory ya bimbo!

Thks now i have nyko wired sensor bar