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Posts with tag tv

WiiPlayer optimizes iPlayer for Wii

Posted Jun 6th 2008 2:00PM by Chris Greenhough
Filed under: News

It still puzzles us that the BBC was so keen to make its (admittedly excellent and very popular) iPlayer catch-up service compatible with the Wii. Are there really that many Wii owners out there with internet-ready PCs who would opt to use the service on the Wii's slightly clunky Opera browser? Why not just use your PC to watch the latest editions of Gavin & Stacey and The Apprentice? You know: the one you're using to read these words, right at this very second?

Not only that, but the iPlayer on the Wii is hardly user-friendly. Text is so small that it's almost unreadable, loading times are hardly ideal, and the low resolution of the Wii's browser makes navigation awkward. Cue the intervention of WiiPlayer, a hacked version of the iPlayer that has been optimized for Nintendo's console, and is now available for use at http://defaced.co.uk/wiiplayer.

It won't work on your PC, and it goes without saying you'll still have to reside in the UK to use this, but WiiPlayer does do a sterling job, replacing the iPlayer's teensy text and browser-taxing layout with pleasingly chunky, Wiimote-friendly icons and a cleaner, less cluttered appearance.

Gallery: WiiPlayer


[Via Tech Digest]
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BBC iPlayer takes the Wii by storm

Posted Apr 9th 2008 1:30PM by Candace Savino
Filed under: News

Now we know what makes you people tick: the BBC. Our inboxes (and comments) have been flooded with news about the BBC iPlayer in one of our most-tipped stories ever.

If you're one of the five people who didn't send us this tip and don't know what's up, the BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation) announced today that their iPlayer, which allows viewers to catch up with BBC shows online, is now compatible with the Wii. And yes, that means you'll be able to watch Dr. Who, EastEnders, and other such programmes on your TV to your tea-drinking heart's content.

Should this venture by the BBC become successful (which we think it will -- after the news was announced, the number of people using the iPlayer rose significantly), we wouldn't be surprised to see other major networks adopt their services to Nintendo's console.

That's not to say that the BBC isn't running into some problems with the idea, though. Right now, the network is quarreling with ISPs over who should pay the extra service costs. Even so, the player can be used as soon as today, with more polished video quality promised in the future. You'll probably also be relieved to know that the service is free, although it will cost you money to download Nintendo's internet channel if you haven't done so already.

The other catch? The BBC iPlayer is only available in the UK, for the time being, but BBC Worldwide is apparently working on getting an international player up and running.

[Via TVSquad; thanks to everyone who sent this in!]
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Wii Warm Up: Getting your TV on

Posted Mar 6th 2008 9:00AM by Chris Greenhough
Filed under: Wii Warm Up


To our pleasant surprise, the Television no Tomo Channel G Guide turned out to be even more well-rounded and awesome than we first anticipated. This is cause for cheer, obviously, but also makes us wonder: will U.S. Wii owners ever get the chance to channel surf with their Wiimotes? There are no plans announced yet, but perhaps we need to demonstrate to Nintendo that we're interested! So people, who would use this if it ever came stateside?
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Video demo of Wiimote and TV playing nice

Posted Mar 4th 2008 4:00PM by David Hinkle
Filed under: Video, Channels


With the TV Guide Channel releasing in Japan today, many wondered exactly how the Wiimote would be used as a remote for the television, as well. Thanks to the video above, this important new features needs not reside only in the darkest corners of your imagination. And ... uh, it works just like you would expect. It changes channels and works the volume. It even looks really fun.

Gallery: Wii TV Guide Channel

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Wii TV Guide Channel debuts! ... in Japan

Posted Mar 4th 2008 9:45AM by Eric Caoili
Filed under: News, Channels

We were skeptical about the usefulness of Nintendo's Television no Tomo Channel G Guide when the application was first announced -- we assumed it would be a simple listing of future and currently-playing shows. According to initial impressions of the recently launched (in Japan) channel, however, there's a lot more to it!

Users can rate shows, share their favorite shows with friends, and mark their favorite programs to receive email/text alerts a half hour before they begin ... in Japan.

The coolest feature we've heard about, though, is the ability to use the Wii remote as a universal remote control. Wii owners can use the controller to change channels, adjust the volume, and switch back and forth between their shows and the TV Guide Channel. Apparently, the sensor bar transmits your commands to your TV, making this all possible ... in Japan.

Gallery: Wii TV Guide Channel

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Panasonic to protect plasmas from flying Wiimotes

Posted Feb 18th 2008 9:00PM by Candace Savino
Filed under: News


We've heard many a tale about people flinging their Wiimotes into expensive HDTVs. Despite Nintendo's precautions, some folks still manage to let their controllers fly. Because of this, Panasonic has decided to release idiot-proof Wii-proof plasmas, with panels that protect the screen by resisting up to four joules of energy.

We can't imagine there being a huge market of people wanting this model, with the exception of the truly paranoid. Even so, Crave writes that it won't take too much effort for Panasonic to beef-up certain plasma screens, since they're generally more durable than LCD panels.

Sure, a stronger screen might be useful for other reasons (not all of us have kids, and for all we know, they like to throw stuff at TVs for fun). If you're considering this purchase for Wii purposes, though, might we suggest you simply use protection?

[Via Destructoid]
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Producer says it's 'very possible' for the Lost game to hit Wii

Posted Jan 23rd 2008 5:00PM by David Hinkle
Filed under: News


TV's Lost piqued the interest of a lot of folk upon its initial airing a few years ago, even this blogger. But, as the series went on and things just got too ridiculous, this blogger found himself giving up on the whole thing. That doesn't mean the folks behind the show have done the same, however, as they plan to bring the property to gamers come the end of February.

Initially planned as a PC, Xbox 360 and PS3 title, hope for Wii gamers who want to follow the castaways comes in the form of Gadi Pollack, the game's producer. "It's very possible yes..." he stated, adding "we could do it in the near future." So, all of you Lostaholics out there might want to keep your fingers crossed on this one.
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Wii Warm Up: What's your TV situation like?

Posted Sep 23rd 2007 10:30AM by David Hinkle
Filed under: Wii Warm Up


We all know Nintendo wasn't going for high-end, photo-realistic graphics with the Wii, meaning that just about any television can serve your gaming needs with the console well. Still, some of you probably have high-end TVs because you wanted a big TV, have other gaming consoles that can take advantage of its capabilities (GASP!), or enjoy HDTV from your television provider. Or, maybe you game on something like this.

So, what kind of TV are you rocking? Take a picture and link it, or just tell us.
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Japanese TV executive forgets the last 20 years

Posted Jul 11th 2007 12:15PM by JC Fletcher
Filed under: News

An executive with Japan's TBS station (which is Tokyo Broadcasting System, not the Turner one we have over here that shows 400 Friends reruns a day), must have been desperate for someone to receive the buck he was looking to pass.

Apparently there is somewhat of a crisis in the television industry over there right now. He blamed the decline in television viewing on other media: "There are outside factors at work. One is people watching TV on their cell phones where we can't track them, but the really big factor is the time people are spending on the Wii."

If this is true, why haven't Japanese television ratings been down for the last seven years, while the Playstation 2 has been out? After all, there are about 25 million of those over there-- surely someone in Japan thought to play theirs. And what of the 19 million Famicoms? How has television survived?

It's preposterous to think that 2 million Wiis hooked up to 2 million TVs have had a more widespread deleterious effect on TV watching than the enormous install base of the Playstation 2. This is just an example of grabbing something out of the news and blaming that for a problem. See also: Grand Theft Auto and real violence.

[Via NeoGAF; all sales estimates from VGChartz]
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Three-year-old's Tennis tantrum

Posted May 26th 2007 1:45PM by Eric Caoili
Filed under: Fan stuff, Controller

Brian McConnell left his son, Adam, alone with a game of Wii Sports: Tennis for only a few moments to fetch a drink, but that was all the time the little demon needed. Not even a Wii remote strap could've saved Brian's plasma TV once the three-year-old set his mind on avenging a lost match.

Brian came back to the living room to find his £1,000 television ruined, its 42-inch screen bashed by his Wiimote-wielding progeny. Queue up the darth_vader_nooo.jpg images.

The forgiving father let Adam off the hook with only a light lecture and a two-week Wii ban. That's a lot more lenient than the hanging, drawing, and quartering punishment one of our NintenDadz would've sought.

[Via Engadget]
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Punch-Out!! leaves HDTVs down for the count

Posted Apr 26th 2007 12:25PM by Eric Caoili
Filed under: Virtual Console



Many who've downloaded the Virtual Console's Punch-Out!! release are reporting that the boxing game isn't playing well with their HDTVs. Timing is paramount if you want to dodge punches and have your own jabs connect, but the HDTV response lag that sometimes occurs has a habit of knocking Little Mac's bloodied face onto the canvas, leaving him too dazed to even focus his eyes on the mouthguard dropped inches away.

Gamers with SDTV's haven't been experiencing any lag between their controllers and the onscreen fight, and explanations for the decreased response time lean towards blaming the televisions, so Nintendo doesn't seem to be at fault this time. Have you noticed any HDTV lag with Punch-Out!! or your other Virtual Console purchases?

(We know that Mike Tyson isn't in the VC release of Punch-Out!, but we saw the above comic at The Librarianist, and couldn't stop ourselves from using it!)
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Game Center CX is TV for retro game nerds

Posted Apr 26th 2007 9:45AM by JC Fletcher
Filed under: Fan stuff, Virtual Console


Fuji TV's Game Center CX has everything: exclusive developer interviews, looks at early versions of some of our favorite games, and, every episode, one man giving his very best to play a classic game to completion.

The first season of the show focused more on the interviews and features; from season 2 on, the focus of the show became the gaming-- suffering along with host Shinya Arino as he tries to play old games from start to finish. The games range from the classic (Metroid, Prince of Persia, Actraiser) to the classic-to-us (Kato-chan & Ken-chan) to the painful (Takeshi no Chousenjou, which seems to have been designed as a cynical joke against gamers). Of course, the show is edited to fit into its format, so you aren't stuck watching all twelve hours or however long it takes.

Crunk Games's Ray Barnholt is our hero for compiling this exhaustive episode guide. He has profiled the personalities and written detailed descriptions of each episode, including who is interviewed, what is discussed, and, most importantly, a play-by-play of the game sessions. Reading his descriptions is almost as good as watching the actual show. Speaking of the actual show, he's provided links to Japanese fanpages, at least one of which has Youtube links.

We're generally glad that the Virtual Console is raising awareness of old games in general. Now we're glad that the VC enables whole new generations to do what Arino is doing, and experience game history first hand, one complete game at a time.

Would you watch this kind of thing if it were on American TV? How about a similar show in English on the web? We wouldn't mind some personal narrative or gameplay videos on the Wii, to add value to the VC experience.
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Reggie downplays Wiimote's TV wrath, 360's European sales

Posted Mar 20th 2007 10:00AM by JC Fletcher
Filed under: News

NOA President Reggie Fils-Aime, ever the iconoclast, had some choice words for the San Jose Mercury News about the success of the Xbox 360 in Europe. In effect, he claimed that the 360's success in Europe is localized to the UK, while the Wii is (obviously!) doing great across the continent.

Reggie also slyly wrote off the early (and not so early) strap issues, while blaming consumer ignorance for the few known cases. He said that the strap was originally meant to be a backup safety measure in case the controller slipped out of players' hands, but many users got too rough with their controllers and put excessive force into their motions. Of course, Nintendo has been kind enough to replace the straps.


[Via Xbox 360 Fanboy]
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Protect your Wiimote with a decal

Posted Mar 9th 2007 1:15PM by JC Fletcher
Filed under: Imports, Peripherals

Gametech is concerned about the finish of your Wiimote. Perhaps you've been playing too much Wario Ware while wearing your fabulous jewelry? Perhaps you've been putting the Wiimote in your pocket while you answer the phone? Or maybe you've put the controller through too many televisions?

Whatever the reason, your pristine, shiny surface is in danger of being scratched. And Gametech wants to sell you this plastic decal, called the Subera na Sheet Wii ("Slip Sheet Wii") to help prevent that from happening. They're also including a grip-enhancing decal for the battery cover of the remote. They promise right there on the package that it is difficult for you to lose grip of it!

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Man attempts to steal Wiimote, assaults security

Posted Feb 20th 2007 12:45PM by JC Fletcher
Filed under: News, Fan stuff


Remember how we used to say that our console was the better one because it didn't incite violence among its fanbase? That was fun while it lasted. Now all we have to go on is the price and selection of games.

37-year-old Kazunari Tanaka is accused of trying to shoplift a Wiimote and a CD from a Bic Camera in Nagoya, Japan. When security guards accosted him, he (allegedly) started punching, leaving both guards injured.

We won't blame the Wii for this crime, although we're sure someone will. People shoplift every day.
The Wii doesn't inspire crimes against anything but televisions (against which it instills a murderous rage).

[Via NeoGAF; thematically appropriate image taken from this post]
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