Wii bit smaller: Revisions, Die shrinks, Layers, and more
- Thread starter Shank
- Start date
cheese
Member
Re: Wii bit smaller: Revisions, Die shrinks, Layers, and mor
Half way there ^-^
This pitch is absolute satan to wire with lose wires. I'm currently attempting to wire directly to the GPU vias to see if it will take the data like that, if not, I've just killed a RVL-60... If only they made it easier to hand solder...
Also, can't seem to find what pins 9 and 10 lead to besides a capacitor on the back of the mobo. Any idea what that's for?
Half way there ^-^
This pitch is absolute satan to wire with lose wires. I'm currently attempting to wire directly to the GPU vias to see if it will take the data like that, if not, I've just killed a RVL-60... If only they made it easier to hand solder...
Also, can't seem to find what pins 9 and 10 lead to besides a capacitor on the back of the mobo. Any idea what that's for?
Shank
Formerly Known As Dyxlesci
Re: Wii bit smaller: Revisions, Die shrinks, Layers, and mor
Yea, I noticed some of the pins run to a separate section of the motherboard. It is COMPLETELY ISOLATED from the rest of the board, and only has any connection when the board is in place. It seems to only have a capacitor, but it also seems that those components were removed on later revisions. I would assume its not necessary, and is only used to clean up the signal. Its always been interesting to me though, as I never fully understood its purpose.
Its too close for me to tell, but is that the WiFi or Bluetooth chip? Also, is it the chip itself or the Wii board?
Maybe some sort of ribbon cable with the same pitch could be soldered on with a heat gun or something?
Yea, I noticed some of the pins run to a separate section of the motherboard. It is COMPLETELY ISOLATED from the rest of the board, and only has any connection when the board is in place. It seems to only have a capacitor, but it also seems that those components were removed on later revisions. I would assume its not necessary, and is only used to clean up the signal. Its always been interesting to me though, as I never fully understood its purpose.
Its too close for me to tell, but is that the WiFi or Bluetooth chip? Also, is it the chip itself or the Wii board?
Maybe some sort of ribbon cable with the same pitch could be soldered on with a heat gun or something?
cheese
Member
Re: Wii bit smaller: Revisions, Die shrinks, Layers, and mor
Its the WiFi chip, already know the Bluetooth one can be rewired, its running through usb2. The pitch is a problem only when soldering two wires next to each other, and a ribbon cable would need a breakout board to make it useful.
Let's see how long this stays working .-.
Something I noticed, of the 3 consoles I have with the wifi chip exposed, all three are different... Hmm... What kinds do you have dyxlesci? I ripped the RF shield off the one I was soldering, and was (happily) surprised that none of the traces on the chip itself seem to be squiggly (hopefully indicating that the traces to the GPU are not actually high speed ^-^). I was also disappointed to find it was a multi-layer board, requiring sanding to reveal the inner traces
I have higher res originals if you'd like
Its the WiFi chip, already know the Bluetooth one can be rewired, its running through usb2. The pitch is a problem only when soldering two wires next to each other, and a ribbon cable would need a breakout board to make it useful.
Let's see how long this stays working .-.
Something I noticed, of the 3 consoles I have with the wifi chip exposed, all three are different... Hmm... What kinds do you have dyxlesci? I ripped the RF shield off the one I was soldering, and was (happily) surprised that none of the traces on the chip itself seem to be squiggly (hopefully indicating that the traces to the GPU are not actually high speed ^-^). I was also disappointed to find it was a multi-layer board, requiring sanding to reveal the inner traces
I have higher res originals if you'd like
cheese
Member
Re: Wii bit smaller: Revisions, Die shrinks, Layers, and mor
EDIT: Put the edit first since its pretty important. I found that the system menu is the part that requires the WiFi chip to be there, NOT the boot0-boot2 processes! I disconnected the WiFi chip while the Wii was on the sys menu, no freeze, all worked as expected. Press reset button, black screen freeze. Therefore, if we hack the sysmenu IOS, we could theoretically leave the WiFi chip disconnected altogether. Going to do some tests in games to see if the WiFi chip is required for normal operation. If not, a simple hack will cut that entire section of the Wii mobo off!
Since I'm so amazing, I wired the wifi chip backwards .-. After re-wiring, the wii didn't wanna get past being stuck with a black screen, probably because I bypassed the resistors. Gonna poke it a bit more to see if I can get something worth-while out of it before calling it quits on that board... I also pulled out my scope and probed each of the wifi pins (on my working rvk-02). Here are my findings so far. All pin numbering is from the wifi chip itself/the wii main board. Corrections welcome
Notes file and values for some (probably) important chips. Once I finish writing the software for my logic analyzer (the stuff that came with it is useless junk) I'll attempt to make some notes about the protocol.
(What I'm assuming to be the) clock pin of the wifi chip on pin 5 (for data going to/from gpu/wifi board, the daughterboard has it's own x'tal for the 2.4GHz needed for actual wifi stuff). Running @ 3.08KHz. Range of 0v-(not quite but almost)3.3v.
Time for some sleep, it's 1am
EDIT: Put the edit first since its pretty important. I found that the system menu is the part that requires the WiFi chip to be there, NOT the boot0-boot2 processes! I disconnected the WiFi chip while the Wii was on the sys menu, no freeze, all worked as expected. Press reset button, black screen freeze. Therefore, if we hack the sysmenu IOS, we could theoretically leave the WiFi chip disconnected altogether. Going to do some tests in games to see if the WiFi chip is required for normal operation. If not, a simple hack will cut that entire section of the Wii mobo off!
Since I'm so amazing, I wired the wifi chip backwards .-. After re-wiring, the wii didn't wanna get past being stuck with a black screen, probably because I bypassed the resistors. Gonna poke it a bit more to see if I can get something worth-while out of it before calling it quits on that board... I also pulled out my scope and probed each of the wifi pins (on my working rvk-02). Here are my findings so far. All pin numbering is from the wifi chip itself/the wii main board. Corrections welcome
Notes file and values for some (probably) important chips. Once I finish writing the software for my logic analyzer (the stuff that came with it is useless junk) I'll attempt to make some notes about the protocol.
(What I'm assuming to be the) clock pin of the wifi chip on pin 5 (for data going to/from gpu/wifi board, the daughterboard has it's own x'tal for the 2.4GHz needed for actual wifi stuff). Running @ 3.08KHz. Range of 0v-(not quite but almost)3.3v.
Time for some sleep, it's 1am
Shank
Formerly Known As Dyxlesci
Re: Wii bit smaller: Revisions, Die shrinks, Layers, and mor
Wow! That's and incredible find. Really interesting. Ill post some pictures of my wifi chips.
Also worth noting that the Wii mini has no WiFi chip but boots to the menu. Maybe something could be discovered by learning from the Wii mini. I have a wii mini board, and would gladly mail it to you if it would help you. You seem to know what you are doing more than I do.
Wow! That's and incredible find. Really interesting. Ill post some pictures of my wifi chips.
Also worth noting that the Wii mini has no WiFi chip but boots to the menu. Maybe something could be discovered by learning from the Wii mini. I have a wii mini board, and would gladly mail it to you if it would help you. You seem to know what you are doing more than I do.
cheese
Member
Re: Wii bit smaller: Revisions, Die shrinks, Layers, and mor
Just some quick theorizing, if we lop off the power regulators (wire our own ) and re-wire the RTC (the black chip behind the sd card slot) we could theoretically cut the board to around this size (please don't cut yet, this is just a theoretical OMGWTF cut 
).
Just some quick theorizing, if we lop off the power regulators (wire our own
) and re-wire the RTC (the black chip behind the sd card slot) we could theoretically cut the board to around this size (please don't cut yet, this is just a theoretical OMGWTF cut ).
Shank
Formerly Known As Dyxlesci
Re: Wii bit smaller: Revisions, Die shrinks, Layers, and mor
That is almost correct, cheese. That's what I've been working towards, and I'm glad to have someone on my side. Don't forget about the flash memory chip and other components on the back side of the board. In theory, some could be relocated.
Also, in theory, couldent you relocate the disc drive port and remove that section by soldering wires into the vias along the data lines, similar to how people solder the wasp cables on gamecubes?
That is almost correct, cheese. That's what I've been working towards, and I'm glad to have someone on my side. Don't forget about the flash memory chip and other components on the back side of the board. In theory, some could be relocated.
Also, in theory, couldent you relocate the disc drive port and remove that section by soldering wires into the vias along the data lines, similar to how people solder the wasp cables on gamecubes?
cheese
Member
Re: Wii bit smaller: Revisions, Die shrinks, Layers, and mor
I'm pretty sure that cut leaves the stuff on the bottom, but it was a rough sketch
They _probably_ could re-wire the disc drive to the vias, still not 100% sure since there are some high speed traces, but there is a potential for cutting that section off and making it even smaller ^-^
I'm pretty sure that cut leaves the stuff on the bottom, but it was a rough sketch
They _probably_ could re-wire the disc drive to the vias, still not 100% sure since there are some high speed traces, but there is a potential for cutting that section off and making it even smaller ^-^
bentomo
Frequent Poster
Re: Wii bit smaller: Revisions, Die shrinks, Layers, and mor
Wow this is amazing you guys! I think the lack of discuss is not many people browse the wii board and haven't heard of this project. You guys are doing great!
Remember that the wiikey and wasp fusions were originally intended for the wii. Drive replacements should be feasible.
Something I'd like to figure out is wired classic controller integration so you can get past the home menu, this should make a handheld portable practical. It could still be wireless I suppose but that seems a little silly.
I'm really excited for this guys, I'll be following this closely, keep up the great work!
Wow this is amazing you guys! I think the lack of discuss is not many people browse the wii board and haven't heard of this project. You guys are doing great!
Remember that the wiikey and wasp fusions were originally intended for the wii.
Drive replacements should be feasible. Something I'd like to figure out is wired classic controller integration so you can get past the home menu, this should make a handheld portable practical. It could still be wireless I suppose but that seems a little silly.
I'm really excited for this guys, I'll be following this closely, keep up the great work!
cheese
Member
Re: Wii bit smaller: Revisions, Die shrinks, Layers, and mor
I was leaving that FFC connector on the Wii board mainly to allow a wiikey or WASP to be directly connected without soldering.
My original thought was to integrate a cc, and then have a slot to plug the external controller in to connect the built in pad, to get rid of the need of re-syncing controllers to switch between internal and external. Eventually I'm hoping to make a Wii portable with that design
I was leaving that FFC connector on the Wii board mainly to allow a wiikey or WASP to be directly connected without soldering.
My original thought was to integrate a cc, and then have a slot to plug the external controller in to connect the built in pad, to get rid of the need of re-syncing controllers to switch between internal and external. Eventually I'm hoping to make a Wii portable with that design
cheese
Member
Re: Wii bit smaller: Revisions, Die shrinks, Layers, and mor
Unfortunately there seems to be some need for a disc drive, everything gives a black screen with an error, I am going to test the Wii mini to see what else it will allow disconnected, but as far as I can tell, something needs to be there.
However, a wiikey or WASP will work as an acceptable stand-in, or you can just use the motherboard from a disc drive, working or not, just something needs to be there.
Unfortunately there seems to be some need for a disc drive, everything gives a black screen with an error, I am going to test the Wii mini to see what else it will allow disconnected, but as far as I can tell, something needs to be there.
However, a wiikey or WASP will work as an acceptable stand-in, or you can just use the motherboard from a disc drive, working or not, just something needs to be there.
GarageFactory
Member
Re: Wii bit smaller: Revisions, Die shrinks, Layers, and mor
Hi everyone I decided to trim my wii because I wanted to use it in a portable I completely trimmed off the bios battery part of the wii and now it wont turn on does anyone have any suggestions I didn't think it would kill my wii but unfortunately it did
Hi everyone I decided to trim my wii because I wanted to use it in a portable I completely trimmed off the bios battery part of the wii and now it wont turn on does anyone have any suggestions I didn't think it would kill my wii but unfortunately it did
Blargaman91
Well-Known Member
Re: Wii bit smaller: Revisions, Die shrinks, Layers, and mor
You probably have some hidden layers shorting out. You have to sand relentlessly on a Wii to keep any internal layers from shorting and it helps a lot if your cut is clean.
Also, that cut probably disconnected the 5v line going to the disc drive, USB ports, and GameCube peripherals. If it did, your disc drive will not work without rewiring it.
You probably have some hidden layers shorting out. You have to sand relentlessly on a Wii to keep any internal layers from shorting and it helps a lot if your cut is clean.
Also, that cut probably disconnected the 5v line going to the disc drive, USB ports, and GameCube peripherals. If it did, your disc drive will not work without rewiring it.
bentomo
Frequent Poster
Re: Wii bit smaller: Revisions, Die shrinks, Layers, and mor
Well it could be possible that it requires pin 29 or some other special pin to be driven to send the disc drive or if there is a disc in it. If you can just use a dead Wii disc mobo im sure its something you just have to short or out a normally closed switch on.
Well it could be possible that it requires pin 29 or some other special pin to be driven to send the disc drive or if there is a disc in it. If you can just use a dead Wii disc mobo im sure its something you just have to short or out a normally closed switch on.
