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- inactive, on 10/11/2007, -3/+56Why do people think that Nintendo would disclose top secret forthcoming hardware to "Customer Service Representatives"?
These guys are the minimum wage people who TALK all day for a living - they are not strategists or "insiders" whatsoever. Nintendo would know better than to tell them about this.
Buried as inaccurate. - underrun, on 10/11/2007, -5/+58Yes, everyone is talking about czmqfrg. You're all the rage. Congrats.
- SkippyDoorknob, on 10/11/2007, -2/+41It's an analog-to-digital converter - NOT a "Speech recognition chip"
- forensicmeteobo, on 10/11/2007, -0/+31Summary:
the customer service rep said "maybe." - MatttK, on 10/11/2007, -2/+27BREAKING: When I get my iphone, I'm going to call up Ron Paul and ask him if he likes the Wii. But for now, I'm just gonna mess around with the latest version of Ubuntu.
- mediaspree, on 10/11/2007, -0/+21because it has the word 'wii' in it. The front page also would have accepted, iphone, or ron paul
- lukeo, on 10/11/2007, -3/+23talk about obvious.... if there is a chip that can be used for converting voice streams to digital data, isn't it blindingly clear that there is going to be something that takes advantage of that in the future. ...?
- Kindrik, on 10/11/2007, -2/+21That pic got me all excited but then I realised it was more than likely a photoshop, which it is.
Oh well, good news either way. - thenativeraver, on 10/11/2007, -4/+17http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/storysupplement/wiiremote/wii_remote.swf
- MatttK, on 10/11/2007, -1/+13Yeah, really. I'm sick of these blogspam submissions full of rumours. This is not an admission "right from Nintendo"; saying otherwise is clearly just an attempt to get diggs and page views. I buried it as lame but take your pick from inaccurate, lame, or spam: they all apply here.
- falstaff, on 10/11/2007, -1/+12@TubaTechno
And just because you make $8.25 doesn't mean you are a "skilled, knowledgeable employee." - marcan, on 10/11/2007, -1/+11Except the chip is not an ADC (analog audio to digital data), but a DAC (digital data to analog audio) Specifically, it looks like a Rohm ADPCM decoder (I can't find it on rohm's site, but they've got some similar models). If you trace the circuit, it turns out it outputs straight to the amplifier, confirming that it is the DAC / ADPCM decoder, used with the built-in speaker.
No, the Wiimote doesn't have an "Audio translator", whatever the hell that means. And it has zero built-in microphone or sound input capability. This doesn't rule out an external microphone that plugs in to the expansion port, but it would have to include its own ADC, since the expansion port is all-digital (specifically, it's an I2C bus. The Wiimote uses I2C for communicating with everything everything internally).
By the way, they also got the "Data converter" wrong (who the hell came up with these dumb names anyway?). The accelerometers feed straight into the bluetooth chip, since it probably has built-in low-rate ADCs like most microcontrollers. The chip is probably a power conditioning chip / DC-DC converter / whatever, though we're not 100% sure yet, but it's definitely not related to the accelerometers. - Splitt3rxx, on 10/11/2007, -5/+13nice, he actually gave a straight answer instead of an auto response.
- DreKor, on 10/11/2007, -4/+10Great! Now I can get an Xbox Live style headset for my Wii! Now all I need is Xbox Live style multiplayer!
- marcan, on 10/11/2007, -0/+5The chip is a DAC, which is used to supply sound to the on-board speaker. There is no microphone capability, only the speaker we all already know about, and that is the chip that does it. Whoever gathered data for the article misidentified the chip, and started making conclusions.
Proof: BU7849 pin 6 goes to capacitor C16 (might be C58, since the silkscreen is so far away - just look at the trace and follow the via, it'll lead you to a capacitor) (this is standard AC coupling for audio), which goes to R9, which goes to BH7824 (audio amp) pin 4 which is the audio input (look at the datasheet). Therefore the BU7849 (which is the aforementioned DAC chip) provides audio to the speaker (via the BH7824 amplifier). - mik3pass, on 10/11/2007, -0/+4This article is very very very misleading.
However. I must say that whenever a gaming company, especially one like Nintendo, doesn't particularly out-right deny that they have plans for future hardware means that they'll probably be making this.
However. This is not a "slam-dunk." Nintendo can also be a little odd in their online services, as most are very aware. They always put "expansion" ports into their hardware. Just like the Gamecube, and N64. Even though those consoles had mics; they weren't at all popular or standard. I was barely aware of them.
This just means that the capacity is there.
That's all.
It doesn't mean that they are GUARANTEED to make a mic. It just says that the probability is very high.
Yet. It doesn't make much sense that one of the customer service representatives would reveal such key info on an upcoming product like this. They must be very confident about the release.
YET IT IS NOT GUARANTEED. - mikes1, on 10/11/2007, -0/+3Actually, it appears not to even be an A/D converter, but a ADPCM _decoder_ (converts low bit rate digital to audio). And it is probably already being used to produce the sound which comes of of the Wiimote's speaker. ADPCM provides the low bandwidth required to allow multiple channels of audio (Wii supports 4 Wiimotes) across the relatively slow Bluetooth connection.
Buried as inaccurate. Some marketing shill giving vague, but leading, answers is not "confirmation." - darkyoshi, on 10/11/2007, -5/+7Why is it that people thing saying "I know I'll get buried for this, but..." justifies your comment? If you know that people will dislike your comment, reason says that you probably shouldn't post your comment in the first place. Isn't the whole point of comment moderation to motivate people to write comments that others like?
- gorkish, on 10/11/2007, -1/+3People are so freaking dumb. I mean dead as a door post stupid idiots.
This particular chip is an ADC. While something like this would normally used between a mic and a codec IC of some sort, in the wiimote it is used to ....... drum roll please.... MEASURE THE BATTERY LEVEL!
Anyone smart enough to dig up the manufacturer of the thing would have known this. The story talking about its use as a vocoder (it would work I guess but be absolute *****) is just sensationalism and was probably the result of an enormous disconnect between the person researching the part and the reporter making the story. Furthermore there are no pins on the remote's expansion connector that do anything besides carry power or digital data/clock -- there is no analog signal capability on this plug, folks. Even if you were going to build a microphone attachment that plugs in here by design it would have to have the codec IC inside the attachment -- it would be both stupid and expensive to put it in the remote instead.
Of course all of this speculation is rather stupid considering the console itself is technically more than capable of pairing with any bluetooth headset currently on the market. Although they would likely produce their own branded headsets for the purpose of simplified pairing, player-to-headset mapping or even power (which might be done via the remote's expansion port) it would be rather silly of them to spend a bunch of money reimplementing a proprietary bluetooth audio profile. - marcan, on 10/11/2007, -0/+2mikes1 got it right (I posted the same thing above before reading his comment). It's a Rohm ADPCM decoder / audio DAC. The battery level is probably read straight by the bluetooth chip, as are the accelerometers (these chips usually include low-speed ADCs for these uses). The chip they claim is (what amounts to) an ADC for the accels is not - it's probably the power control chip (DC-DC converter, battery monitor, or whatever - we're not sure).
- cjswerve, on 10/11/2007, -0/+2@jim1977 (#7084775)
Another example of repressed homosexual tendencies causing hostility in a post. - sho222, on 10/11/2007, -4/+6it's clear that the chip is only there to provide extra weight so that the wii-mote feels "good" in the hand
- bpapa, on 10/11/2007, -1/+3Exactly.
I don't see how this is any different then any other customer service response. He said "the chip is in there" and "nintendo has made microphones in the past" and "nintendo makes attachments for the wii remote" all of which we already know.
Buried as laaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaame. - jasonpoon, on 10/11/2007, -0/+2What about a game require both the microphone and nuchunk? How could I connect the nuchunk and mic to the Wii remote at the same time?
I hope Nintendo will release a wireless nuchunk in the future. - oblongmouth, on 10/11/2007, -0/+2There better not be a wire between any headset/mic & the controller - can you imagine how easily you'd yank your head whilst trying to finish a boss of or something?
- cjswerve, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1@marcan (#7087065)
If you plug the Wii into a Delorean's cigarette lighter socket the flux capacitor (that is not in use) will allow time travel. - majortom1981, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1How do we know this isnt used? Couldnt this be used to turn the data from the console into analog audio so that it can be played through the speaker on the wiimote?
- marcan, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1It is, and that is it's purpose - CNN got it backwards. There is no analog audio to digital capability in the wiimote, just digital to analog audio (which then goes to the built-in speaker).
- KingGoonie, on 10/11/2007, -2/+3Every Day? Jeez how long to they play. I thought I burn the batteries quick when it takes me a week or two...
I just got rechargable batteries and a battery recharger at radioshack... since I need constant recharge with digital camera too. - dralezero, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1"However, you never know what the future holds for new accessories that would attach much like the nunchuk!" I would not like to be swinging around my remote only to rip the mic off my ear. Plus how would you use the nunchuck if the mic was plugged in. Hopefully they make a bluetooth headset, but then why would the remote need the "voice" chip if a headset was signaling to the system itself. You supposed to talk into your wiimote but its just not activated yet?
- fLaMePrO, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1"We've created a microphone accessory for the Nintendo 64, Nintendo GameCube, and built one into the Nintendo DS/DS Lite, so it goes to reason we might think ahead in case we ever want to build one for the Wii."
There were microphones for the N64 and Gamecube? Must have hidden them well.... - Elric1977, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1Wow they confirmed what we've known since the first person opened a wii remote... big whoop. They confirm absolutely nothing, except that they reply to emails... wow.
- Nick22, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1@darkyoshi
And howbout all those people that say "sorry for the comment abuse..." - ccanni1028, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1It's not fake, it was photoshopped to add the Wii name to it. That's the NintendoDS VoIP headset.
- KarmaPoIice, on 10/11/2007, -6/+7In what way is this deserving of the front page?
- ihascheezburger, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1Totally with you, oblongmouth.
- egyptiandanny, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1where would that wire coming out of the headset go anyways?
- marcan, on 10/11/2007, -1/+2See my comment above. the CSR probably just went with the flow, since there IS no audio input capability in the wiimote - the CNN got it wrong.
- CZMQFRG, on 10/11/2007, -0/+0It will probably feature a double connector that allows you to insert both
- DreKor, on 10/11/2007, -3/+3The don't tell them anything, but they do give them their scripts and form letters. It's not impossible that there are standard responses to standard questions. An easy way to find out would be to copy and paste the original email and send to to service again to see what you get back.
- DustSluggy, on 10/11/2007, -0/+0Yeah, Hey You Pikachu for N64, Mario Party 7 for GCN...
- Topher06, on 10/11/2007, -0/+0Why? I like the Wii, but its the LEAST online of all the next gen game consoles. Its like the DS headset which only works with like 2% of the games.
- missali1984, on 10/11/2007, -0/+0We know for a fact that this part of the Wiimote is going to be used to implement the kareoke segment of "Boogie", the new rythym game by EA. I would hope, though, that voice chat will be in our future. I already don't use the voice chat feature on XBL, I am hoping to have the same freedom on the Wii.
- CZMQFRG, on 10/11/2007, -0/+0excuse me.... what the ***** are you saying about some "nintendo fanboy"?
I emailed Nintendo about this, i got a non-auto reply for once in my ***** life and decided to post it on my forum site, WiiLoaded. I didnt ask for it to get dugg, nor did i ask for some ***** ***** like you to answer me like that - marcan, on 10/11/2007, -4/+4Actually, it's a digital-to-analog converter. They screwed it up. This is the chip that feeds audio from the Bluetooth chip to the amp for the speaker, not the other way around.
- CZMQFRG, on 10/11/2007, -1/+0HAHA YES DUDE! 1009 diggs for my story! hell yes, WiiLoaded for life!
- blackfog, on 10/11/2007, -2/+1Wow, what a lame article...some Nintendo fan boy decided to speculate on what may or may not come out for the Wii. Anyone with half a brain and a Wii knows that a mic addon is just a matter of timing and necessity. I love my Wii and love Nintendo, but this speculation by some lil fan boy isn't even very imaginative or original. What a retard, thinking he is getting some some breaking news from a CSR...way to dissapoint Digg, allowing such crap on the front page.
- inactive, on 10/11/2007, -4/+3Oh hell, I guess I can't let my child play on the Wii any more or he might get raped by some 50 year old child predator...
- CZMQFRG, on 10/11/2007, -1/+0thats what i thought when i was sending the email
- odinfire, on 10/11/2007, -2/+1Its pretty obvious that all they will use a microphone on the Wii for is games like Brain Age or Mario Party like that of the Gamecube. If you think they will have Xbox live type chat... well... your pretty much an imbecile.
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