Wii bit smaller: Revisions, Die shrinks, Layers, and more

[Shank]

Re: Wii bit smaller: Revisions, Die shrinks, Layers, and mor

Well OK I have some sexy scans for you guys. That's an understatement. They are between 50-80mb each, so the resolution is awesoms and file size is just huge. I can't upload to imgur because they are too big. What do?

 

[DuHasst0]

Find someone with a private server and see if they can host it for you for awhile

 

[Shank]

Re: Wii bit smaller: Revisions, Die shrinks, Layers, and mor

Knock knock?
Who's there?
O.P.D.
O.P.D. Who?
O.P.D. Livers.

As promised, OP Delivers. Here are some really huge scans of the CPU-40 board. Download, unzip, and feast yer eyes
http://www.filedropper.com/rvl-cpu-40


As suggested by RDC, I have hosted it on file dropper.
Feel free to download and rehost or repost, so anyone who wants it has access should this host go down/stop hosting. Maybe someone mirror it and post a link in this thread? Idk, I was never too good with networking and hosting. Its close to a 256mb for the 4 pictures. Brace your internets; these pictures are stupid huge.

 

[Lightning]

Re: Wii bit smaller: Revisions, Die shrinks, Layers, and mor

looks pretty good!! have they revealed anything new?

 

[Shank]

Re: Wii bit smaller: Revisions, Die shrinks, Layers, and mor

Nothing significant.

-The CPU-60:
--99% the same as CPU-40, only one difference
--1 voltage line uses a more efficient regulator. No other differences found so far
--Draws .05-.07 amps less than cpu-40 under same conditions (@12v)

After further sanding of the cpu-40 board:
-I can now confirm that top layer 2 (aka top hidden layer) is entirely gnd
Im assuming this applies to the cpu-60 as well

The board is 4 layers:

Top Layer 1: Visible Traces
Top Layer 2: GND (1 single copper sheet)
(Board part of the board)
Bottom Layer 2: Voltage sections
Bottom Layer 2: Visible traces


Im still sticking with the 40 though, because it has been much more common, and I hope to eventually replace the regulators anyway.

Here are my current objectives/issues:
-The system wont start without a bluetooth or wifi chip. I want to figure out how it detects it and find a way to spoof it.
-I need to figure out exactly how many voltage sections are. For example, there is more than 1 3.3v line, one of which goes to the MX chip (I think.)
-I need to figure out how to complete the diagram of the voltage layer. Im having trouble successfully sanding down my boards to reveal the voltage layer without destroying bits of it. If you can sand a board, speak up, and I may send one to you for free.

I also want to figure out which data lines are highspeed and how sensitive they are. Some have squiggly traces which hint that they are. Here are the lines in question.
-Traces to Disc drive connector; has squiggly traces
-traces to wifi module; some squiggly traces
-traces to SD card; Squiggly traces, dont think its highspeed
-traces to Flash Memory chip; no squiggles. Curious if it can be relocated
-traces to MX chip: no squiggles as far as I know. Curious if it can be relocated
-traces to Bluetooth chip: Haven't seen squiggles. Curious if it can be relocated

If the components use sensitive high speed data lines, they cannot be relocated, and will cease to function if rewired because... reasons. If they do not have high speed data lines, then they can be moved. Relocating the above components will decrease the footprint of the board substantially. If you have any information, speak now. I need help.

 

[Shank]

Re: Wii bit smaller: Revisions, Die shrinks, Layers, and mor

YEA! I have almost everything mapped out. I believe these are all the voltage sections. The uncolored traces are unknown as of now.

The size of the 12v line was a surprise to me. It powers the LED lights on the front. It also powers the audio amp after passing through a resistor. Seems quite inefficient to create a separate voltage regulation assembly for just this.

The 1.8v has a test pad on the earlier revisions, but does not on some of the later ones. It still exists, despite not having a test pad.

The 5v regulator also uses a different inductor than all of the others, which is quite odd.

Thats all for now. Still looking for help.

 

[Shank]

Re: Wii bit smaller: Revisions, Die shrinks, Layers, and mor

Mapped out some of the CPU-40's voltage regulation parts. Found the source of the 1.8v, and confirmed the (almost) all others including 3.3v bios. 12V regulated remains unfound. Rounded squares are inductors. Circles/boxy circles/ovals are capacitors. Cornered squares are linear regulators. All caps are color matched to their appropriate voltage, as well as color voltages matching the colors I used on the voltage layer diagram.

Just curious, discussion in this thread is pretty dead. Has everyone just given up on/not interested in figuring out the wii?

I have ambitious plans ahead. Any and all help is appreciated.

 

[DuHasst0]

I keep up with what your doing. I was interested in helping with sanding but I'm not sure if I'd be able to get the components off with out warping the board. I could hero with relations tho I just need to find the rest of my Wii that I took apart.

Is there anything I could help you with?

 

[Shank]

Re: Wii bit smaller: Revisions, Die shrinks, Layers, and mor

The voltage layer has been mapped so sanding is mostly not needed. I'm having trouble identifying a few ICs, transistors, and other smaller components though. Here's what I need help with:

Identification of transistors
Identification of 14 pin chip by power regulators
Figuring out how regulator shut off checks work
Identification of other minor ICs
Relocating or spoofing the WiFi card
Pinouts of any and all ICs
Custom regulator notes
Major IC relocation tests (MX, flash, etc)

 

[DuHasst0]

Let me see what I can find in the garage. I know I have it all. I just had an idea about the Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. If that doesn't work I know I had seen some one relocate some things to the CPU and GPU vias.

 

[Shank]

Re: Wii bit smaller: Revisions, Die shrinks, Layers, and mor

I was able to get my hands on an "as is" RVK-CPU-01. I have not tested its functionality. Initial impression is the "mystery port" is surface mounted, and the traces are tied to the GameCube memory card pins. It seems to be a priprotary plug, and its purpose is unknown.

Pictures will be posted at a later date

As for the rest of the board, it seems identicle to the cpu-60. It seems they used the same boards, and just modified the traces and ground plain on the top layer over where the GameCube memory card is. Everything else appears exactly the same. I will continue to update as I investigate the board more.

 

[cheese]

Re: Wii bit smaller: Revisions, Die shrinks, Layers, and mor

I was going to download/rehost the scans files, but the link seems to not work... I'd be glad to host stuff for you (http://twormtwo.com:8080/wii/). I got about 100GB of space for pics nd documentation you'd like to host.

 

[Shank]

Re: Wii bit smaller: Revisions, Die shrinks, Layers, and mor

I was going to download/rehost the scans files, but the link seems to not work... I'd be glad to host stuff for you (http://twormtwo.com:8080/wii/). I got about 100GB of space for pics nd documentation you'd like to host.

Wonderful. How should I send them to you?

 

[Ampz]

Re: Wii bit smaller: Revisions, Die shrinks, Layers, and mor

Amazing work my friend! Keep it up and if possible i'll try to add information i know about the nintendo wii's secrets!

 

[cheese]

Re: Wii bit smaller: Revisions, Die shrinks, Layers, and mor

-snip-
Wonderful. How should I send them to you?

I PMed you information on how to upload stuff, whenever you get around to it

 

[Noah]

Re: Wii bit smaller: Revisions, Die shrinks, Layers, and mor

This needs to be stickied.

I would be honored to have something I wrote stickied.
Hope it makes others lives easier.

I'm going to go ahead and sticky this. Not much has been posted in about a month, but I feel that more progress will come.

 

[Shank]

Re: Wii bit smaller: Revisions, Die shrinks, Layers, and mor

This needs to be stickied.

I would be honored to have something I wrote stickied.
Hope it makes others lives easier.

I'm going to go ahead and sticky this. Not much has been posted in about a month, but I feel that more progress will come.

Thanks Noah!
Once finals have finished consuming my life I will get back to cutting and posting. I still have several things i want to look into.

RDC wants me to ship him a board, so I bet he will have something to contribute as well

 

[cheese]

Re: Wii bit smaller: Revisions, Die shrinks, Layers, and mor

I've been getting some DD error Wiis in the mail (trying to make a portable ^-^) and I may have made a discovery. Inside a black family wii, I found a RVK-CPU-02. As far as I can tell, it's exactly the same as the rvk 01 you've got pictured in the revision guide except for the 4 inductor looking things having different lettering on the second line. The date code on the processor is 1235 (2012, week 35 from what I read).

Pics are like 7mb each HERE

Also compressed the pics dyxlesci uploaded into a .7z (and fixed the server )

EDIT: I have started working on following all the traces of the important components (starting with bluetooth and wifi modules) back to the CPU or power/ground for alt rewire locations. Once I complete these two modules I'll throw up what I found, hopefully it can be of some use while I continue with other components (starting farthest from the cpu working inwards)
Should I start a new post entirely once I get some progress?

 

[Shank]

Re: Wii bit smaller: Revisions, Die shrinks, Layers, and mor

Excellent work Cheese! I never would have thought they would be another revision of rvk. Its also odd that they called it the 02 instead of the 20 like the other one. Comment it here and I will add it to the first post.
If I sent you some boards, would it help you trace components?

If could you get a power draw estimate for the Wii menu on when running on 12v?

 

[cheese]

Re: Wii bit smaller: Revisions, Die shrinks, Layers, and mor

Ran at 716mA at around 11.8v (wii power brick sagged a little below 12v). Plugging in the sensor bar raised the draw to 801mA. I left the fan and dd off the entire test.

EDIT: Going to test the wifi chip to see if it can be rewired, even though it has high speed traces. I doubt it has anything too time sensitive going through it