The Wii Mobo Revealed (56K YIKES)

[Tchay]

The Wii has AT LEAST 5 layers. Not 4 as I had previously thought. But there is another layer on the backside with hidden traces (3 layers deep). So we may be looking at 6 layers total.

Here is a diagram to explain what I am talking about:

The following pics show hidden traces on the wii:

This is a CRVL-CPU-01 Wii motherboard.

7 different voltages across the board - FRONTSIDE (note that I didn't get everything)

Hidden traces (one layer beneath the voltage layer) - FRONTSIDE

 

[zeturi]

Re: The Wii Mobo Revealed

I sure picked the right time to log on! Nice work, man! Can't wait to see the rest of the pics.

 

[Mako321]

Re: The Wii Mobo Revealed

if you want, I might be able to get you a wii disk drive to toy with.
(it's a d2b)

 

[PalmerTech]

Re: The Wii Mobo Revealed

holy flax posting in an epic thread

 

[Tchay]

Re: The Wii Mobo Revealed

if you want, I might be able to get you a wii disk drive to toy with.
(it's a d2b)

no need for a disk drive

thx anyway

 

[ShockSlayer]

Re: The Wii Mobo Revealed

Tchay has gotten off his ass. Requested Custom Title given.

SS

 

[Tchay]

Re: The Wii Mobo Revealed

Tchay has gotten off his ass. Requested Custom Title given.

SS

 

[Joeyjoe9876]

Re: The Wii Mobo Revealed

nice. now get pics of my mobo

 

[Tchay]

Re: The Wii Mobo Revealed

nice. now get pics of my mobo

http://i583.photobucket.com/albums/ss27 ... e018-3.jpg

 

[Basement_Modder]

Re: The Wii Mobo Revealed

nice. now get pics of my mobo

http://i583.photobucket.com/albums/ss27 ... e018-3.jpg

Sweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeet!!!1!

On a Rev. C, couldn't you cut off the PSU section and connect voltage tirectly to componenents, given you built a custom reg?

 

[Tchay]

Re: The Wii Mobo Revealed

nice. now get pics of my mobo

http://i583.photobucket.com/albums/ss27 ... e018-3.jpg

Sweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeet!!!1!

On a Rev. C, couldn't you cut off the PSU section and connect voltage tirectly to componenents, given you built a custom reg?

yes....but that would be difficult. Then again, I haven't tried mapping it out, so maybe you could find a route to cut along on the board.

 

[Tchay]

Re: The Wii Mobo Revealed

So. Pics are coming. Within about 20 minutes (or however long photobucket takes to upload them), you shall have pics!!! Outer layers only unfortunately. I will start scratching away tonight however. Hopefully I can get you guys the inner layers this weekend.

An interesting finding: many traces around the two main chips happen to be unnecessarily long. As in a lot of the traces are squiggly as they go to their respective via. They could easily be a straight line trace. Why aren't they? My theory is "clock timers". No idea how they work, but I believe certain functions of the Wii are based off how long it takes for a signal to go across those little squiggly traces. So even that tiny bit counts. Palmer, if you have a better explanation, feel free to chime in

 

[Tchay]

Huge pics. Here we go!!!! All pics are high res, so you can zoom in on the page an get a great view of the individual traces.

Gamecube Controller slots side
- AKA the side that has the two main chips on it

If you look carefully in the above pictures, you can see quite a few hidden traces. I will be revealing those traces fully in my next update.

Backside!!!!!!!!!!!!
- I doubt there are any hidden traces on the inner layer of this side of the board. This motherboard is surprisingly a LOT like the Gamecube motherboard in terms of style. I love that because I made the Gamecube motherboard bow down before my awesome sanding power and reveal her naked beauty. I will make the Wii do the same

So, yay. Like I said, I am hoping to have the inner layers up this weekend.

- toodles

 

[grossaffe]

Good stuff, Tchay. Keep it up.

 

[Tchay]

I was about to post the hidden layer traces and call this all done

BUT

Not sure if this is common knowledge, but.

The Wii has 5 layers. Not 4 as I had previously thought. back to work.

Yup, I just confirmed it. And guess what? There are hidden traces on this 3rd inner layer. Interesting fact: This third inner layer is not perfectly in between the other layers. Its actually very very very close to the "controller slots & main chips" side of the board. Right behind the inner layer that has the hidden traces I had found and started to show you guys (in my first post).

It makes sense because I was noticing vias that STILL didn't seem accounted for. The hidden "traces" of the second layer on the controller side aren't really traces but voltage division lines. There are 7 different voltages for 7 different sections of the wii (as shown by the second layer on the controller slots side). Now, the 3rd inner layer will probably have actual traces - actually, IT DOES. I am looking at them right now. Lot more work to do....

Here is a diagram to explain what the Heck I am talking about (its 20 in the morning! give me a break will ya?)

 

[Mako321]

hmm, interesting.

 

[ShockSlayer]

Tchay you are awesome.

SS

 

[PalmerTech]

Tchay you are awesome.

SS

YES!

It is good to have all this info. The good thing is, the Wii is small enough that we do not have to worry about most of the really complex stuff. Trimming the buttons on the corners, the ground plates, and all the ports is more than enough.

Keep up the good work, Man! I cannot wait to see where the power button traces go.

 

[Tchay]

Thanks guys!

Here are some pics to show the 7 different voltages across the board.

Links to pictures of the board before I painted in the lines so that you know I'm not making these traces up (I marked over the traces with blue pen so I could see them better):
http://i583.photobucket.com/albums/ss27 ... s001-3.jpg
http://i583.photobucket.com/albums/ss27 ... s002-3.jpg
http://i583.photobucket.com/albums/ss27 ... s003-1.jpg
http://i583.photobucket.com/albums/ss27 ... s004-1.jpg (you can see a hidden trace on the 3rd layer in this pic )
http://i583.photobucket.com/albums/ss27 ... s005-2.jpg
http://i583.photobucket.com/albums/ss27 ... s006-2.jpg


I will try to get the 3rd layer shown this weekend. I am terribly busy this week!!! Toodles!

 

[βeta]

Wow. How could this be useful though?