Connecting a Wiimote to a computer

[bluaki]

Uh... this requires one specific thing you might not have--A bluetooth adapter for a computer. Some laptops may have built-in bluetooth. The dongles are cheap at about $10 USD, and can be bought from numerous stores likely including Wal-Mart, Target, Best Buy, etc.

Don't worry, this isn't hard nor does it take very long. The only post that is important is the first post, the other ones are for those who need a more step-by-step guide with pictures.

What you need:
1. A computer running a recent version of Windows (XP Service Pack 1+ or Vista)
2. DirectX 8.0 or higher installed (Don't worry about this, you more than likely already have it)
3. A bluetooth device
4. An empty USB port (unless you already have a bluetooth device connected)
5. A Wii Remote
6. About 20MB of free space on your computer
7. The program called GlovePIE
8. Any program that extracts ZIP files (Windows bundles one and WinAce and WinRAR also work)

Note: I recommend Windows XP Service Pack 1, any higher service pack of XP, or Windows Vista. With Service Pack 1, Microsoft added a Bluetooth driver for Windows XP that automatically installs whenever you connect a Bluetooth device. This is probably the most convenient and widely-compatible Bluetooth driver available for Windows.

Note2: This guide may seem to be alot of work for almost nothing, but it actually opens the door to let you do other things with your computer. Once done, you can use a Wiimote to control anything on your computer including emulators and online games, you can connect a cell phone/bluetooth mouse/bluetooth headset/other bluetooth device to your computer, and you can even use some more advanced features of GlovePIE for voice, keyboard, and mouse recognition

If you know how to use a computer to a good enough amount, just follow below steps. I just included the following posts for people who truly don't get it for some reason.
Uh... okay, here's the stuff to do in order (3 and 4 can be swapped):

1. Purchase a Bluetooth adapter

2. Install the Bluetooth adapter on your computer. If you are using Windows XP Service pack 1+ or Windows Vista, install the Microsoft drivers (more details in my 2nd post). Otherwise, use the CD that was included with the adapter. Some laptops with built-in Bluetooth should already have drivers installed.

3. Download and extract GlovePIE, you might want to move the folder to Program Files or whatever. See my 4th post for more details.
Here's the link to download it

4. Connect the Wii remote to your computer. If you are using the Microsoft driver, see my 3rd post in this thread for more step-by-step details. Universal steps for any Bluetooth program:
   A: Choose to search for a nearby Bluetooth device
   B: When it begins searching, press and hold the Wii Remote's 1 and 2 buttons at the same time. Continue holding these buttons.
   C: Choose to connect to the NINTENDO-RVL... or something along those lines
   D: Release 1 and 2 buttons, wait for the lights to stop flashing, then hold them down again
   E: Skip pairing
   F: Finish and let drivers install
   G: Release 1 and 2 after seeing a message like "The hardware is finished installing"

5. Open whatever scripts you want to use. (5th post)

6. Use the list of connected Bluetooth devices to disconnect the Wiimote (6th post)
(repeat 4, 5, and 6 for any future times using Wiimote)

FAQs

01. Is this possible with Linux?
I believe that there's a program for Linux called WMD that can import GlovePIE scripts. Just download and install this and download the GlovePIE zip for the script. I haven't tried or looked into it much, so I'm not sure.

02. Is this possible with Mac?
I think that DarwiinRemote can connect the Wiimote to a Mac. This can't handle the GlovePIE scripts though, so you would have to manually set the key mapping.

03. My Windows XP computer doesn't have Service Pack 1, what do I do?
To install Service Pack 2, you can simply open "Automatic Updates" from the control panel and turn it on. You can also somehow obtain a Service Pack 1 or 2 Windows XP disc and upgrade with that. (you can borrow a friend's disc, it doesn't require an activation key or anything)

04. My computer said something like "There was a problem during installation, your hardware may not work properly" after I connected the Bluetooth device.
This means that your computer can't find the drivers. If if you're using Windows XP, make sure you have Service Pack 1 or higher installed. If you do, then Microsoft's Bluetooth drivers don't work with your device and you should install the disc that was included with your device. If there was no disc included, call the customer service number of the company that made it.

05. My Wiimote's batteries are dying when I leave it connected
The Wii itself puts your Wiimotes in sleep after extended periods without pressing any buttons. The computer, however, doesn't. You have to disconnect the Wiimote or else your batteries will die.

06. My computer has Windows 2000
Just like I said to FAQ #4, use the disc included with your bluetooth device to install it. GlovePIE works with Windows 2000.

07. I have a problem not answered in the tutorial or FAQs
Just post it in this thread. I'll quote and reply to your question along with edit it into the FAQs if it's not too specific.

[bluaki]

Installing the Windows XP/Vista Bluetooth Stack

Okay, Microsoft included a very nice Bluetooth driver with XP and Vista. If you don't have Service Pack 1 on Windows XP yet, you can open Microsoft Update, I won't help with that though :P
This tutorial is designed with XP, but I think it should be almost if not exactly the same on Vista.

IGNORE ANY DIRECTIONS INCLUDED WITH YOUR BLUETOOTH ADAPTER. USE THEM ONLY AS A LAST RESORT IF THIS DOESN'T WORK.

Animation showing all steps:


Steps:
1: Connect the Bluetooth device to an available USB slot. You should see some bubbles flash near your notification area, and then "Found new hardware" wizard pops up.
2: With "Install the software automatically" selected, click next
3: Wait a while
4: Click finish :O
5: You should be asked to restart your computer. This is not really necessary on most machines, just recommended. If you want, you can go on and continue without restart, don't blame me for any lag you may get.

6: After either restarting or not, check your notifications area. If the Bluetooth icon is NOT shown, click the arrow to show all icons. Only one Bluetooth icon should appear, please ignore the error in my screenshot. If it is not shown nor hidden and seems to be closed entirely, continue to number 7. I might recommend doing number 7 anyways.


7: Open your control panel. This should either be in "My Computer", the start menu, or both. Open the "Bluetooth" item whatever way. When it's open, go to "options" and make sure that "Show the Bluetooth icon in the notification area" is CHECKED and apply.

[bluaki]

Connecting your Wiimote to your computer

NOTE: MAKE SURE THAT YOUR WII CONSOLE IS CURRENTLY EITHER TURNED OFF OR OUT OF RANGE DURING THIS.

Steps:
1: Right-click on the Bluetooth icon at the bottom-right corner of your screen or wherever the notification area is. Select "Add a Bluetooth Device"


Image for remainder of steps:



2: Check the box and click next
3: Once it begins searching, press and hold the 1 and 2 buttons on your Wiimote. Keep holding them until I say otherwise.
4: Select the option that includes "Nintendo" and click next.
5: Choose to NOT USE A PASSKEY do not click "next" just yet
6: Release the 1 and 2 buttons. Once the lights on your controller stop flashing, start to press and hold them again, and don't release yet.
7: Press the "next" button.
8: A few messages should flash by you. Once they are done, you'll see a "Conpleting the Add Bluetooth Device Wizard"
9: You may release the buttons one the finishing page is displayed
10: Just set your Wiimote aside now

[bluaki]

Downloading GlovePIE

GlovePIE is a program with many input and output functions. If you like to mess with very simple code, you can use this program for other uses. For now, we'll focus on the Wiimote function. It is completely free, legal, and clean (NO spyware, viruses, advertisements, etc)

Steps:
1: Go to this link and download the latest version. If the main link doesn't work, try a mirror
http://carl.kenner.googlepages.com/glovepie_download

2: Save the ZIP file somewhere, I suppose the desktop is good

3: Right click on and extract the ZIP file. (you can delete the ZIP after it's extracted)

4: Open the newly created folder
5: The main program is called GlovePIE.exe (the ".exe" part may or may not appear). Double click it to open the program, you don't need InstallShield or anything.



Optional: Make a shortcut to the program on your desktop. You can easily do so from right-click on the program->send to...->desktop (create shortcut)

Optional 2: You can move the folder containing GlovePIE to anywhere else you want. It can be "my documents", "Program Files", a USB portable drive, a separate drive, or whatever.

[bluaki]

Opening a script

Luckily, GlovePIE comes with numerous scripts already made.

Steps:
1: Open GlovePIE
2: Go to file->open
3: Open the "WiimoteScripts" folder inside of the GlovePIE directory.
4: Find a script that describes what you want to do and open it.
5: Click the "Run" button with a green arrow on it (near top of window under TroubleShooter)
6: Press buttons and stuff, it should work now.
7: Either click "Stop" or use the key combination Shift+P+I+E to stop a script.

[bluaki]

Disconnecting your Wiimote from your computer

Unlike with the Wii itself, the controller will not automatically disconnect over time. You also need to do this if you want to use the Wiimote with the Wii again or with a different computer. Other ways to do this include just pulling the Bluetooth adapter out, turning your computer off, or pulling the Wiimote batteries out.

Steps:
1: Right click on the Bluetooth icon in the notification area and choose "Show Bluetooth devices"

2: Select the Wiimote and choose "Remove"

3: You're done, now go and play your Wii or whatever :P

I hope that this hasn't been posted on some other forum before :(
You can now post.

[Judas]

Wow, this is cool. I'll have to try it out sometime.

[JMV]

Very nice, Bluaki.

Stickied.

[Silverhawk79]

Awesome. :o
I might try it out sometime. :)

[bluaki]

Almost all of the admins have replied here but nobody else? ;_;
Thanks, I didn't expect this to get stickied. :O

[NOA_ANDY]

Very nice Bluaki!  :) I read that this was possible on a different site, but the guide given was very confusing, and the steps showed that one must open their Wii Remote and hook certain cables into the CPU hardrive.

I may try this on my laptop sometime.  :P

[bluaki]

I found some mention of DarwiinRemote and WMD elsewhere, which seem to work with Mac and Linux respectively as a substitute to GlovePIE. I put links to those in the FAQs section.
Oh yeah, I also added the FAQs section, it wasn't there before.

[LightShock]

wow thats so awesome. I didnt know this was possible. :O

Ill have to try this, good job and thanks bluaki :)

[Mario64]

W-O-W, HOW LONG DID THIS TAKE YOU?

[bluaki]

W-O-W, HOW LONG DID THIS TAKE YOU?

About 15-20 minutes, 25-30 including the time it took me to set my computer up and uninstall the programs that I needed to screenshot the installation process of.
So far, it looks like nobody has used it ;_;