Wii FAQ with 44 answers
by Zack Stern 
{ Nov 19th 2006 at 9:00PM }
BFF, Engadget, blasted out a 44-point FAQ about the Wii. If you're still undecided on a Wii buy, the answers may help make a choice. Or if you have a Wii and run into trouble -- like it asks for a non-existent startup disc -- the FAQ offers tips. (Or in that startup case, it gives a shoulder to cry on.)Not all of our questions were answered. (How many angels could fit on a Wii? Does it stay crunchy in milk? If the Wii were a tree, what kind would it be?) But Engadget pulls some tech-fu, trying to pair a controller with a computer as a Bluetooth device (result: recognized but not paired) and connect USB keyboards (result: not recognized). The full FAQ includes even more geeky goodness.
See also: FAQ: Answers to your PlayStation 3 questions
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Derek @ Nov 19th 2006 9:07PM
"(How many angels could fit on a Wii? Does it stay crunchy in milk? If the Wii were a tree, what kind would it be?)"
Haha... Barbra Walters.
raid168 @ Nov 19th 2006 9:10PM
how fast the download speed?
if your wifi router needs a password,is it possible to connnect with Wii?
otakucode @ Nov 19th 2006 9:17PM
They managed not to answer the question I really would like to see an answer to. It may have been answered previously, but if so I missed it. That question would be:
Can you use any USB->Ethernet dongle to use a wired (read realiable and fast) connection or does it have to be the currently unavailable Nintendo branded one? A friend of mine tried using a Belkin adapter which didn't work... but Belkin products are terrible in every way, so I don't know if that rules out third party adapters for the Wii or not. Anybody know?
otakucode @ Nov 19th 2006 9:23PM
I just realized, one of those answers in the FAQ is flat out wrong. Not a big deal, but that clear plastic bit in the box that they say can connect to the Wii instead of the bulkier plastic stand? That's not how it works. It can be used IN ADDITION TO the grey plastic stand. It cannot be attached to the Wii itself and used instead.
raid168: The question on that FAQ that said "Does the Wii support WPA?" answered your question. Yes, you can use your Wii with routers setup to require a password (that's WPA). As for download speed, the wireless can transfer at 55mbit/s. Your Internet connection is likely less than 10% that speed. And my guess is that, like with the Xbox Live service, Nintendo will probably not supply their online service with ultrafast servers and will most likely shoot for some "good enough" internal figure that we'll never know about. I have a 9mbit cable connection, and Xbox Live never comes close to using even half of it when downloading.
Dylan @ Nov 19th 2006 9:35PM
Hm... nobody asked what they've done about DS->Wii connectivity.
I would have liked to see the DS acting as a controller for consoles like the Genesis, but there has been nothing mentioned about Wii->DS connectivity in ages!
I'm hoping they add it with a software update, because it would be a big shame if it didn't happen.
There is a lot of potential here for such a thing, so they'd better not waste it like they did with the GC and GBA. (Where the GBA /occasionally/ did pointless little things in particular games).
SONY PAYROLL @ Nov 19th 2006 9:41PM
will two metrosexual japanese men in suits show up at my house driving a white and blue smart, and ask mii to play?
strider_mt2k @ Nov 19th 2006 10:15PM
Can Nintendo make a disc so small that not even Wii can hold it??
Sub @ Nov 19th 2006 10:26PM
They should have asked if you are forced to use wireless interent because I don't think it's well known that you must have wireless 'net.
That's the thing that angers me most about the Wii (well, the only thing that angers me about the Wii really). I now have to go out and buy a 30 dollar wireless router...
kiwi @ Nov 19th 2006 10:27PM
One thing I wish you could do is adjust the calibration of the pointer on the screen... for example, point at a target in the center of the screen and push a button, and that location will be the new "center"
I find that I have to aim at a point lower on the screen than I would if I were actually pointing at the screen. (Yes, the sensor bar is correctly set above/below)
It's not that big a deal, but maybe in the future developers can do it on a game to game basis.
john @ Nov 19th 2006 10:56PM
im having problems with my remote it seems i need to be directly in front of my tv to use it if im sitting on my couch it wont work i have to literally sit on the edge of my seat to play. for reference my couch sits approximatly 6-7 feet from my tv and the sensor. on occasion it will lose my pointer out of nowhere and wont find it for a few seconds. ive adjusted my sensitivity and it seems that even when i put it at 1 i still get an extra set of dots. i tried setting the sensitivity up to 3 and then the pointer constantly jumped around. any suggestions on how to fix it? I cant find anything on it. thanks
Epsilon @ Nov 19th 2006 11:34PM
HOW do you remove Expo pen from your Wii's casing? According to one of your earlier posts, a damp cloth will do, but it doesn't even smudge for me.
All Your Lost Socks @ Nov 19th 2006 11:52PM
At #8: It's not widely known because it's not true. :) You don't have to do that. Nintendo is set to release an ethernet adapter that you plug into your Wii via USB. Or you can just use the wireless USB adapter already available - plug it into your computer and it will share the 'net wirelessly with your Wii. Or your DS, for that matter.
Sean @ Nov 20th 2006 12:11AM
Try bumping the sensitivity above 3. The higher the number, the further away the remote can be. At 3, the pointer would jump around a lot.. at 4, it's perfect for me. I'm about 8 feet away from my TV.
Sub @ Nov 20th 2006 12:19AM
@12: It still should have been built in from the start. Any word on how much the adapter will cost?
kimberly @ Nov 20th 2006 2:30AM
I know NOTHING about these playgame systems, other than I buy them for my husband & grandkids. Therefore, PLEASE, could someone just tell me whether to buy this Wii or not? I claim time crunch (holidays,shortages & personal ingnornace for my plea!
Sibko @ Nov 20th 2006 1:30AM
I was hoping that the FAQ would have answered my question, but apparently it didn't.
Do any of you know if the Wii can mimic the Gamecube's broadband adapter when playing Gamecube Games? For instance, if I have two Wii's connected to the same wireless router, two TVs and two copies of Mario Kart: Double Dash, will the multiplayer work?
32_Footsteps @ Nov 20th 2006 11:13AM
"How many angels could fit on a Wii?"
Well, St. Thomas Aquinas did determine that only one angel at a time can fit on the point of a needle. You just have to figure out what's the surface area ratio of the Wii compared to the point of a needle, and you get your answer.
"Does it stay crunchy in milk?"
Given that all plastics for consumer electronics are made such that they do not dissolve in a mixture of cow fats, water, and weak lactic acid, I'm going to guess yes.
"If the Wii were a tree, what kind would it be?"
You're not cleared for that, citizen.
Here's my Wii question - if I start doing poorly, will a bunch of guys in odd uniforms suddenly jump in my living room, shout "Ouendan!", and show me how to rule at the Wii with awesome cheering and dance moves?
Or the slightly less silly version of this - how long until we see Ouendan/Elite Beat Agents for the Wii?
Allan @ Dec 12th 2006 9:35PM
Dose the Wii let you play old games like from the Nintendo64 and the GameCube?