Wii questions

[Elie]

Hi guys, I have a few visa points and for a only $400 + 80,000 points I can buy both the Xbox 360 and the Wii.

I have a few questions about the Wii though...
Note: I have an old Xbox running EVOX

1-Can it play DVD's?
2-Does it have component out as well as Optical or coaxial digital audio out like my XBOX?
3-Can I play Nintendo Game cube and other (nintendo related games) from older consoles? in other words is it truly backwards compatible with older consoles?
4-Since apperantly you can surf the web, can I get a wireless Wii keyboard for it?

Alot of sites seem to only focus on games and stuff, very little information about the above questions.
If I get both, I may only use the 360 to watch DVD's and more adult like games like COD4 but for my 4 year old kids, they would prefer to play Super Mario and Pokemon games on Wii which is why I'm buying it.

Thanks and Merry Christmas!
Elie

[Elie]

Ok I found that the Wii has Svideo, composite and component out.

[Sasq]

no dvd playback.
gamecube games are a go - the drive just accepts them - though you have to use the gc controllers.
older games are somewhat viable - either you can directly purchase them from the online store, or with a 'chipped' wii you can run the gc emulators available for the older nes consoles and run it there.

[Elie]

Thanks Sasq, that's a bummer regarding the DVD playback!! Everything else is great.

Thanks again,
Elie

[ZokesPro]

1- Nope. Kinda disappointing if you ask me.

2- You can get componant cables for the Wii, but it's RCA only for the audio. Only goes to 480i or 480p and 4:3 or 16:9.

3- Tis indeed backwards compatible with the GC. But it's like Sasq mentioned, you need a GC controller, but there are 4 GC ports on the top of the console and you need a GC memory card to save.

4- For surfing, you need to buy Wii points to purchase the browser, a 2000 point card is 20$ and it costs 500 points for the browser. But I haven't tried a keyboard yet. There are 2 USb ports behinds the Wii. IMO, the browser should be free.

[Claymonkey]

Purchase the browser? It has always been free for me to download the browser? When did this happen?

A recent systems update allows for usb keyboards... I can only assume that a wireless keyboard would work just fine but i haven't tried it.

GC is extremely smooth and just works since the Wii's proc and chips are basically next gen of the GC hardware (one of the reasons Nintendo could make it so cheap)

DVD playback doesn't work and falls under Nintendo's tendency to make game only hardware since they aren't trying to make an all-in-one box kind of system. Saying this though, there has been talk since the beginning that a revision of the Wii will allow DVD playback (unlikely with just a systems update since it will require a hardware change)

I'm using component out on my Wii and it makes a BIG difference. You are however limited to RCA for audio though.

[Fat Tone]

I'll pretty much echo Clay. I've never paid for the browser / updates. USB keyboards recently added. Component cable makes a huge difference to picture quality.

I hear the Wii can be hacked to play DVDs but that the laser will die very quickly as it isn't designed for constant operation.

I recently got V+ (the cable equivalent of Sky+ HD). My TV doesn't have HDMI so I got a HMDI -> DVI convertor cable but really didn't like the picture so I'm using component for that instead and the Wii had to go back on composite . Maybe I'll get a component switchbox.

[ZokesPro]

Purchase the browser? It has always been free for me to download the browser? When did this happen?

I tried and tried but I absolutely need to purchase it. Maybe Nintendo changed their policy on this, who knows, but I got mine not too long ago and it costs Wii points (which you need to purchase) to get it.

http://www.opera.com/products/devices/nintendo/

Browsing your favorite sites on TV has never been easier. Download the new feature-packed Internet Channel from the Wii Shop Channel today for a one-time fee of 500 Wii points (about 5 dollars). After that, there are no monthly fees to access as much Wii Internet as your heart desires - it accesses your same WIFI that your home computer uses, for no extra charge.

But if you have an SD card, you can transfer it to the SD card then to your PC and send it to me by email.

[Claymonkey]

I appreciate everyone wanting the Wii to play DVD's but I honestly don't see why you need it. The PS2 was a cr*p dvd player and a $40 dvd player will do the job better anyway. If you have limited inputs into your TV I can see that being a concern but most have 4+ these days. But if you have more than one game system one of them will be a dvd player as well, and you're more than likely to have a switch box as well.

[ZokesPro]

I'll pretty much echo Clay. I've never paid for the browser / updates. USB keyboards recently added. Component cable makes a huge difference to picture quality.

I hear the Wii can be hacked to play DVDs but that the laser will die very quickly as it isn't designed for constant operation.

I recently got V+ (the cable equivalent of Sky+ HD). My TV doesn't have HDMI so I got a HMDI -> DVI convertor cable but really didn't like the picture so I'm using component for that instead and the Wii had to go back on composite . Maybe I'll get a component switchbox.

I don't pay for the updates, but I can assure you that if you buy a Wii now, you have to pay for the browser.

[Claymonkey]

I tried and tried but I absolutely need to purchase it. Maybe Nintendo changed their policy on this, who knows, but I got mine not too long ago and it costs Wii points (which you need to purchase) to get it.



But if you have an SD card, you can transfer it to the SD card then to your PC and send it to me by email.

Hrm... perhaps... if thee are worthy. First you must face the Knights of Ni.

[Claymonkey]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet_Channel

The Internet Channel is a version of the Opera 9 web browser for use on the Wii by Opera Software and Nintendo.[1] On December 22, 2006, a free beta version (promoted as a "trial version") of the browser was released.[2] The final version of the browser became available on April 11, 2007 and was free to download until the last day of June. After this period the browser became 500 Wii Points to download.[3] Users who downloaded Opera before June 30, 2007 can continue to use the browser at no cost for the lifetime of the Wii system.[4]

Sadly this probably means that like games you buy for the Virtual Console the browser is linked to your account and won't work on someone else's system. Might be worth trying though.

[ZokesPro]

Hrm... perhaps... if thee are worthy. First you must face the Knights of Ni.

it!

[ZokesPro]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet_Channel



Sadly this probably means that like games you buy for the Virtual Console the browser is linked to your account and won't work on someone else's system. Might be worth trying though.

I am willing to give it a try!

[Elie]

I appreciate everyone wanting the Wii to play DVD's but I honestly don't see why you need it. The PS2 was a cr*p dvd player and a $40 dvd player will do the job better anyway. If you have limited inputs into your TV I can see that being a concern but most have 4+ these days. But if you have more than one game system one of them will be a dvd player as well, and you're more than likely to have a switch box as well.

The reason I would like the Wii to have DVD playback is because I want an all in one solution like my current XBOX. There is not much room for everything under the TV, and not enough inputs to accomodate a DVD player, the Wii, the XBOX and the satelite PVR.

The idea is to consolidate where possible, it is unfortunate that the Wii does not support DVD playback yet, I hope it will soon.

Cheers,
Elie