Wii Sensor Bar: Obtaining the Best Accuracy

[Ikaruga11]

Where is the optimal position for the Wii Sensor Bar to obtain maximum accuracy with the Wii Remote?

Above the TV or Below the TV?

Furthermore, how is the accuracy of the Wii Remote + Wii Sensor Bar determined? Obviously, the position of your sensor bar needs to match the position selected in the Wii System Settings, but is there more to it than that? Is it determined by how close the sensor bar is to the center of the TV screen? Or does it have more to do with how level/straight the sensor bar is with the Wii Remote?

This has really been bugging me for a long time and I can't seem to find any comprehensive or thorough answers when searching forums, message boards, YouTube and other websites. Nintendo's official website doesn't really delve too deep into this, aside from saying the sensor bar should be placed evenly between the center of the screen and sitting on the edge of the surface that the TV is sitting on.

https://en-americas-support.nintendo.co ... sensor-bar

[Lawfer]

I place it below the TV, it works nice for all games, except for a few, I remember I had trouble with Cursed Mountain, but that's just one game. I think it's best to place it at hand level.

[Ikaruga11]

I place it below the TV, it works nice for all games, except for a few, I remember I had trouble with Cursed Mountain, but that's just one game. I think it's best to place it at hand level.

Thanks for the input, Lawfer. May I ask why you decided to place it below the TV? Was it closer to the center of the screen, is it closer / more leveled with your hand holding the Wii Remote, or is it just preference?

[Lawfer]

I place it below the TV, it works nice for all games, except for a few, I remember I had trouble with Cursed Mountain, but that's just one game. I think it's best to place it at hand level.

Thanks for the input, Lawfer. May I ask why you decided to place it below the TV? Was it closer to the center of the screen, is it closer / more leveled with your hand holding the Wii Remote, or is it just preference?

It's basically at my hand levels, placing it on top of the screen would have been too high, I think it's best for the sensor bar to be parallel to the Wii Remote position.

[Dochartaigh]

Isn't there also the Motion Plus controllers which are supposed to be more accurate?

[fernan1234]

The sensor bar probably doesn't matter too much for Wiimote precision given that you can literally use two lit candlesticks as a sensor bar replacement

[Lawfer]

Isn't there also the Motion Plus controllers which are supposed to be more accurate?

Some games such as Skyward Sword will only work with it.

[Syntax]

The only thing that will effect accuracy on wiimotes is light pollution.
The wii motion plus have a dual axis gyro sensor in them for working out quick movements.

[Einzelherz]

The most accurate is in the center of the screen. You should do that, GL.

[Galgomite]

You can adjust sensitivity in a Wii menu. I found turning it all the way up (or nearly so) made everything better. In theory you’re balancing sensitivity against false reads but I’m by a window with multiple lights and have no problems. Bar under tv but probably 4ft up as my tv is high.

[elvis]

I've found wider matters more than above or below.

I either make my own IR LED clusters to put at the corners of the screen, or hack up a cheap third party IR bar and extend the distance between the LEDs. That improves accuracy for me, especially on larger TVs.

[Ikaruga11]

It's basically at my hand levels, placing it on top of the screen would have been too high, I think it's best for the sensor bar to be parallel to the Wii Remote position.

That's what I thought. I'm starting to think that the Wii Remote being level with the Wii Sensor Bar's position is the most important thing, and so you should place the sensor bar wherever that is: centered perfectly above or below the TV. Bonus points if that position is also closest to the center of the display compared to any other place the Wii Sensor Bar could be set.

Isn't there also the Motion Plus controllers which are supposed to be more accurate?

Yes, but the Wii Motion Plus (+) Controller only makes a difference with Wii / Wii U games that support it. It won't make the motion controls more accurate with games that don't support it, and other things like the Wii Menu, Wii Channels, etc.

The sensor bar probably doesn't matter too much for Wiimote precision given that you can literally use two lit candlesticks as a sensor bar replacement

I actually did this a few times when my Wii Sensor Bar became damaged and stopped working.

Some games such as Skyward Sword will only work with it.

Skyward Sword requires the Wii Motion Plus (+) Controller to play, much like how Majora's Mask on the N64 requires the RAM Expansion Pak to play.

The only thing that will effect accuracy on wiimotes is light pollution.
The wii motion plus have a dual axis gyro sensor in them for working out quick movements.

This is what I'm worried about. I have a window in my room, so my CRT screens are facing away from the window to avoid glare and reflections from sunlight. But as a result, my Wii Motion Plus (+) Controllers are facing toward the window. Since sunlight is 50% infrared light, 40% visible light, and 10% ultraviolet light, that may screw up my Wii Remote's accuracy. Maybe I should get blinders or only play at night when my room is pitch-black darkness.

You can adjust sensitivity in a Wii menu. I found turning it all the way up (or nearly so) made everything better. In theory you’re balancing sensitivity against false reads but I’m by a window with multiple lights and have no problems. Bar under tv but probably 4ft up as my tv is high.

True. While increasing the sensitivity will make the motion controls faster and more receptive, it also gives you less room for fine adjustments.

I've found wider matters more than above or below.

I either make my own IR LED clusters to put at the corners of the screen, or hack up a cheap third party IR bar and extend the distance between the LEDs. That improves accuracy for me, especially on larger TVs.

That makes sense. It seems both the left and right IR LEDs of the Wii Sensor Bar are detected by the Wii Remote to map inputs and their XY axis. But the space between each IR LED is not representative of the space between the left and right side of the display.

I might actually do this. Instead of placing the infrared LED clusters in the corners though, maybe it's better to place them where they are parallel to your Wii Remote's position and halfway down the left and ride sides of the screen.

The most accurate is in the center of the screen. You should do that, GL.

See above.

[Classicgamer]

Best place to put a Wii sensor is in the trash can if accuracy is the goal.

Wii remotes are not accurate and there is nothing you can do about it. You will never be able to use one for a light gun game without crosshairs on screen.

Correct placement of the sensor and correct distance from sensor to remote will not improve accuracy but it is needed to make them work properly. In my experience, it is fairly binary. They work if you are within range and you scratch your head wondering why the crosshairs aren't responding if you are out of range.

If you want accuracy for light gun games, you want a PS2 with a Guncon 2 and a crt tv. The Guncon 3 is the closest available for flatscreens but still nowhere near as good.

[nmalinoski]

Is the aiming lag in Wii games any better on a Wii U, or does that console do its best to mimic the experience of the prior console?

Best place to put a Wii sensor is in the trash can if accuracy is the goal.

Wii remotes are not accurate and there is nothing you can do about it. You will never be able to use one for a light gun game without crosshairs on screen.

Correct placement of the sensor and correct distance from sensor to remote will not improve accuracy but it is needed to make them work properly. In my experience, it is fairly binary. They work if you are within range and you scratch your head wondering why the crosshairs aren't responding if you are out of range.

If you want accuracy for light gun games, you want a PS2 with a Guncon 2 and a crt tv. The Guncon 3 is the closest available for flatscreens but still nowhere near as good.

Thanks for contributing, but, uh, I'm not sure discarding the peripheral that the aiming system relies upon is a constructive solution.

Yes, light gun games are generally best played on a PS1 or PS2 hooked up to a CRT, but we can't use a Guncon 2 on a Wii, nor can we play games like Link's Crossbow Training or House of the Dead Overkill on a PS2; and CRT ownership and maintenance in this century is a discussion unto itself.