Discussion archive for uweschmidt.org
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Daniel on Wiimote Whiteboard
2 wiimotes works for me
I tried 2 wiimotes. This seems to work well. I did not give it an extensive test, however it seems that there is a minor improvement over using 1, because it captures clicks that are blocked by the other.
It seems clear to me that 2 wiimotes (or super optimal placement of 1) is key, because it is hard to use the pen naturally and still make sure there is always a line of sight to the wiimote.
Anyone with tips about optimal placement for 1 or 2 would be helpful.
Thanks for all these cool toys, Daniel
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mcclane on Wiimote Whiteboard
TUIO
Hi Uwe,
maybe you misunderstood a bit. I meant with “just one pointer” that there is just the normal mousepointer there.
I tested the TuioDump but nothing happend in that command-line :( I got only a lot of output in the whiteboard app command-line.
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WiiMote connectivity on Windows Vista 64 bit
Hey Uwe, I have searched through the comments to see if maybe there was a solution for my problem but I couldn’t find any.
I am using Windows Vista 64bit on HP TX2120 US and when I try to use your whiteboard software I get the following error: click me.
Briefly my problem is that WiiRemote failed to connect, with the following error: Not Supported on winsock.
Looking forward to reading your reply, Omri.
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mcclane on Wiimote Whiteboard in reply to Omri
Re: Connectivity on Vista 64bit
Hey Omri,
you can read the post from Anne or you can directly go to this url http://www.dev-toast.com/2007/01/05/uncrippling-bluetooth-in-vista-rtm and follow the instructions.
I had the same problem on Vista 32bit and now it works :)
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2 wiimotes
I did ny 2nd test with two wiimotes. A- 5 minutes after start I remember to go to the preferences and switch to “2 wiimotes” mode. An auto detect will be great! At least for me :-) B- Problems to connect the two wiimotes… C- The first calibration were wrong about 50-100 pixels from the mouse pointer D- The second calibration were very very accurate: just 1 or 2 pixels from mouser point! E- about the work: E1- Like Descalzo, I haven’t noticed any real improvement in accuracy. E2- Works the same with two wiis or with one wii or with the other wii. E3- Some times, my body block one wii and my hand block the other wii. E4- The most important wii is the one in the oposite side of my hand. I write with the right hand, and the most important wii is the one on my left side. A lot of times my hand block the right wii. E5- I really didn’t know if I was working with the two wiis cover the same screen space (I believe I was) or if I was working with the wiis cover diferent spaces of the screen… Maybe some kind of info in in the calibration window (after the last calibrated point) saying what’s happen (I will sed you a mockup with this idea… just give me some time to finnish my classes…)
After all, with one or two wiimotes, your app. wokrs great! After pass by the bluetoth connection everythings are easy, sweet and SMOOTH! And very precise! And very effective!
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And about this off-topic “Euro 2008”: Great work Anne: ‘your’ Dutch team and your tutorial!!! Maybe I will try the PaperMate W10. (see my IR Pens @ http://clinik.net/wiimote/wiimote_info.php and follow the links) Uwe, perhaps ‘your’ Germany will play with ‘my’ Portugal in the quarter-finals! It would be nice!
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meelash on Wiimote Whiteboard
2 wiimotes
Francisco,
Re. E5: You can already tell if they are covering the same space or not based on the calibration. See the youtube video that Uwe has posted at the top of the page on using two wiimotes. IIRC, If both wiimotes cannot see some of the points, then it takes 6 points instead of just 4 to calibrate. Or something similar to that.
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Uwe on Wiimote Whiteboard in reply to mcclane
Re: TUIO
Hi mcclane,
I tested the TuioDump but nothing happend in that command-line :( I got only a lot of output in the whiteboard app command-line.
What kind of output? Do you mean the command-line or the log window (accessible via ctrl+L)? In order to get on the same page, please send me screenshots of the main window, preferences window, the command-line and log window (both with the “output”). You can get my email address on the contact page.
Uwe
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About 2 Wiimotes
blockquote>It takes about twice as many restarts to get both wiimotes working.
I never restart the program when I get errors on connecting Wiimotes. I simply try to connect again, and it eventually always works (sometimes takes 2-3 tries). Like I said a couple of times, I currently cannot do anything against that since the whole bluetooth stuff is done by 3rd-party software libraries.
I haven’t noticed any real improvement in accuracy.
What do you actually mean by using the word “accuracy”?
A- 5 minutes after start I remember to go to the preferences and switch to “2 wiimotes” mode. An auto detect will be great! At least for me :-)
I also wanted to have this but it’s currently not possible to due a problem in WiiRemoteJ. At least on the Mac, an error message will pop-up every 20 seconds if only one Wiimote is used. And that’s the reason I put a note directly next to this setting in the preferences window.
E5- I really didn’t know if I was working with the two wiis cover the same screen space (I believe I was) or if I was working with the wiis cover diferent spaces of the screen…
Re. E5: You can already tell if they are covering the same space or not based on the calibration. See the youtube video that Uwe has posted at the top of the page on using two wiimotes. IIRC, If both wiimotes cannot see some of the points, then it takes 6 points instead of just 4 to calibrate. Or something similar to that.
Well, I don’t find it easy to explain how the calibration works. I tried in this thread.
Maybe some kind of info in in the calibration window (after the last calibrated point) saying what’s happen (I will sed you a mockup with this idea… just give me some time to finnish my classes…)
Good idea.
Uwe
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Descalzo on Wiimote Whiteboard
re: Accuracy
What do you actually mean by using the word “accuracy”?
I mean when I draw a diagonal line slowly it still draws ‘stairs.’ I don’t know why I imagined 2 wiimotes would make that stop.
Thanks for the tip on reconnecting instead of restarting the program. I’ll try it next chance I get (next week, I hope).
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Version 0.9.7 released
Changes
- Changed preferences window
- Added “Touchpad Mode” feature (disabled by default)
- Added “Assist Double Click” feature (disabled by default)
- Removed “Mouse movement threshold” feature
- Moved “Right Click” setting from main window to preferences window
- New calibration icons
- Using newer BlueCove 2.0.3 snapshot
- Updated Help
Uwe
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Uwe on Wiimote Whiteboard in reply to Descalzo
"Accuracy"
blockquote>I mean when I draw a diagonal line slowly it still draws ‘stairs.’ I don’t know why I imagined 2 wiimotes would make that stop.
Averaging position data to smooth mouse movements is then apparently the key to perceived accuracy (you’re actually losing accuracy through averaging).
The root of the problem of jagged lines is that position data from the Wiimote always contain “small errors”. Averaging aims at canceling those out. I guess whether you average over data from one or two Wiimotes won’t make much of a difference (other than having twice the amount of data).
The problem is to decide on the “window”, i.e. the number of last values or time span, over which to average. A large window will make it very smooth but also delay mouse movements, i.e. the cursor will always be behind the actual position of the IR pen. A small window will make it less smooth but more responsive.
I chose the window to be the last 7 position values, which seems to work well with “normal speed” movements. Ideally, the window would be smaller if you do fast movements and larger when doing slow movements. Maybe an “adaptive” averaging, that chooses the window size based on the speed of IR pen movements, is a better solution.
I’m also pretty sure that other people have encountered and solved this (or a similar) problem in other domains…
Uwe
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Benk on Wiimote Whiteboard
thanks for update and maybe tip
Hi, i will be downloading and trying the new version! thanks alot for the touchpad mode addition, you are a indeed a star, thanks very much.
for those who have had response issues, i found sometimes that by increasing the priority of the app in task manager to high or above normal, it helped as some applications when running would affect the response. the app is java
something.exe , and ive found it handy to ensure it doesnt randomly go slow etc. if not tried it, give it a go.much kudos to Uwe
Ben K
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0.9.7
Good work Uwe.
I like the new calibration icons :) And the new Preferences Window is a good choice! (the blue shadow of selected items seems, sometimes, erratic…)
I will try the very news “Mouse Controls”. I’m excited and curious about them.
One Idea: I still think the place of the “enable move only or move & clik” prefs are in the new “Mouse Controls” tab of Preferences Windows…
Congratulations!
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Anonymous on Wiimote Whiteboard
thanks for the driver link, just in time to. Bluesoleil’s not seeing my usb adapter any more -.-
i’ll post later how it works out:)
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=o on Wiimote Whiteboard
newest version
If i’m reading this right, the new version works with bluesoleil drivers?
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Descalzo on Wiimote Whiteboard
Accuracy
It only does the “stairs” thing when I move the IR pen very slowly or the batteries are dying. I have figured out that the smoothing can’t help because the last 7 readings are so close together when I move it that slowly. I also think it’s because the resolution of the wiimote and of the desktop are so different. I will have to experiment when I have time.
Either that or move it faster.
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Anonymous on Wiimote Whiteboard
WIDCOMM
i tried downloading it, but i can’t install it=( it says it can’t see a bluetooth device….but i was using the bluetooth device when i tried to install, proving the device is there and working normally….
any help?=(
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gav on Wiimote Whiteboard
Thanks
A quick thankyou for your efforts in this growing field. I am most impressed. It is developers like you that push everything forward. I hope that you receive the credit you are due.
-gav
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malte on Wiimote Whiteboard
OS X --> Bluetooth failed to initialize
Hi, would defenitely like to try the program but on my macbook pro it alwas ends up with the message “Bluetooth failed to initialize.There ist prob……” I can’t figuere out a solution since “DarwiiRemote”, for example, works fine…. Does anybody has a solution for this?
thanks
malte
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Anne Krijger on Wiimote Whiteboard in reply to Anonymous
Can't see a bluetooth device ?
“it says it can’t see a bluetooth device”
I had this problem twice while trying out the various BT drivers out there. Turned out that at times a driver wouldn’t fully uninstall and lock up the BT device.
So I would advise to go hunt for all BT related software and remove it enitrely before you try a new driver.
If yours is a USB BT device shutting it down (‘safely remove’ in Wndws), unplugging it, rebooting and reinstalling it might also help.
My experience with changing the BT driver(s) is that it takes a lot of work (and reboots) to get a driver really uninstalled. Often Wndws sees the device and (secretly) reinstalls the driver you just removed.
See also my post and the link therein on Widcomm Broadcom driver installation under Vista above.
Anne.
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Re: OS X --> Bluetooth failed to initialize
Hi malte,
I won’t be able to help you unless you provide more information. Download the cross-platform version of the software and start it at the command line by typing java -Dbluecove.debug=true -jar WiimoteWhiteboard.jar That will print lots of debug messages on the command line.
Uwe
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Success on Linux (with instructions)
Yesterday, I’ve installed the latest version of Ubuntu Linux and got the software to work. You need to have BlueZ installed (see detailed information), and do the following:
- Download the cross-platform Java version and unzip the archive (folder WiimoteWhiteboard will be created)
- Go to the WiimoteWhiteboard folder and create a new sub-directory lib
- Download the latest GPL’d BlueCove Linux library (currently snapshot 73) and put it in the lib folder
- Type zip WiimoteWhiteboard.jar lib/bluecove-gpl-2.0.3-*.jar at the command-line in folder WiimoteWhiteboard
- That’s it. The software should start normally by typing java -jar WiimoteWhiteboard.jar
- If it works, you can remove the folder lib and its contents
For example:
uwe@linux ~/Downloads $ wget -q http://www.uweschmidt.org/files/WiimoteWhiteboard.zip uwe@linux ~/Downloads $ unzip -q WiimoteWhiteboard.zip uwe@linux ~/Downloads $ cd WiimoteWhiteboard uwe@linux ~/Downloads/WiimoteWhiteboard $ wget -q http://www.pyx4me.com/maven2-snapshot/net/sf/bluecove/bluecove-gpl/2.0.3-SNAPSHOT/bluecove-gpl-2.0.3-20080612.174321-73.jar uwe@linux ~/Downloads/WiimoteWhiteboard $ mkdir lib uwe@linux ~/Downloads/WiimoteWhiteboard $ mv bluecove-gpl-2.0.3-20080612.174321-73.jar lib/ uwe@linux ~/Downloads/WiimoteWhiteboard $ zip WiimoteWhiteboard.jar lib/bluecove-gpl-2.0.3-*.jar adding: lib/bluecove-gpl-2.0.3-20080612.174321-73.jar (deflated 2%) uwe@linux ~/Downloads/WiimoteWhiteboard $ rm -r lib/ uwe@linux ~/Downloads/WiimoteWhiteboard $ java -jar WiimoteWhiteboard.jar
Uwe
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malte on Wiimote Whiteboard
Re: OS X --> Bluetooth failed to initialize
Hallo Uwe, it seems that somehow the bluecove libs/jars can’t be found but I have no idea why not and where this directory comes from: /private/tmp/bluecove_cambridgei_0/libbluecove.jnilib and I don’t no why he can’t find the jnilib….
here are the debug messages:
aranea:whiteboard cambridgei$ java -Dbluecove.debug=true -jar WiimoteWhiteboard.jar 15:46:17.469 Java 1.4+ detected: 1.6.0_04-dp; Java HotSpot(TM) 64-Bit Server VM; Apple Inc. com.intel.bluetooth.UtilsJavaSE.getLocation(UtilsJavaSE.java:84) 15:46:17.489 error Can’t load library file java.lang.UnsatisfiedLinkError: /private/tmp/bluecove_cambridgei_0/libbluecove.jnilib: com.intel.bluetooth.NativeLibLoader.loadAsSystemResource(NativeLibLoader.java:311) java.lang.UnsatisfiedLinkError: /private/tmp/bluecove_cambridgei_0/libbluecove.jnilib: at java.lang.ClassLoader$NativeLibrary.load(Native Method) at java.lang.ClassLoader.loadLibrary0(ClassLoader.java:1822) at java.lang.ClassLoader.loadLibrary(ClassLoader.java:1702) at java.lang.Runtime.load0(Runtime.java:770) at java.lang.System.load(System.java:1005) at com.intel.bluetooth.NativeLibLoader.loadAsSystemResource(NativeLibLoader.java:308) at com.intel.bluetooth.NativeLibLoader.isAvailable(NativeLibLoader.java:197) at com.intel.bluetooth.BlueCoveImpl.loadNativeLibraries(BlueCoveImpl.java:382) at com.intel.bluetooth.BlueCoveImpl.detectStack(BlueCoveImpl.java:437) at com.intel.bluetooth.BlueCoveImpl.access$600(BlueCoveImpl.java:69) at com.intel.bluetooth.BlueCoveImpl$1.run(BlueCoveImpl.java:970) at java.security.AccessController.doPrivileged(Native Method) at com.intel.bluetooth.BlueCoveImpl.detectStackPrivileged(BlueCoveImpl.java:968) at com.intel.bluetooth.BlueCoveImpl.getBluetoothStack(BlueCoveImpl.java:961) at javax.bluetooth.LocalDevice.getLocalDeviceInstance(LocalDevice.java:77) at javax.bluetooth.LocalDevice.getLocalDevice(LocalDevice.java:97) at wiiremotej.WiiRemoteJ.
(WiiRemoteJ.java:49) at org.uweschmidt.wiimote.whiteboard.WiimoteDataHandler. (WiimoteDataHandler.java:95) at org.uweschmidt.wiimote.whiteboard.WiimoteWhiteboard.startup(WiimoteWhiteboard.java:76) at org.jdesktop.application.Application$1.run(Application.java:171) at java.awt.event.InvocationEvent.dispatch(InvocationEvent.java:209) at java.awt.EventQueue.dispatchEvent(EventQueue.java:597) at java.awt.EventDispatchThread.pumpOneEventForFilters(EventDispatchThread.java:300) at java.awt.EventDispatchThread.pumpEventsForFilter(EventDispatchThread.java:210) at java.awt.EventDispatchThread.pumpEventsForHierarchy(EventDispatchThread.java:200) at java.awt.EventDispatchThread.pumpEvents(EventDispatchThread.java:195) at java.awt.EventDispatchThread.pumpEvents(EventDispatchThread.java:187) at java.awt.EventDispatchThread.run(EventDispatchThread.java:121) JarClassLoader: Warning: Unable to load native library: java.lang.NullPointerException 15:46:17.499 error Library bluecove not loaded java.lang.UnsatisfiedLinkError: no bluecove in java.library.path com.intel.bluetooth.NativeLibLoader.tryload(NativeLibLoader.java:220) java.lang.UnsatisfiedLinkError: no bluecove in java.library.path at java.lang.ClassLoader.loadLibrary(ClassLoader.java:1753) at java.lang.Runtime.loadLibrary0(Runtime.java:823) at java.lang.System.loadLibrary(System.java:1030) at com.intel.bluetooth.NativeLibLoader.tryload(NativeLibLoader.java:217) at com.intel.bluetooth.NativeLibLoader.isAvailable(NativeLibLoader.java:201) at com.intel.bluetooth.BlueCoveImpl.loadNativeLibraries(BlueCoveImpl.java:382) at com.intel.bluetooth.BlueCoveImpl.detectStack(BlueCoveImpl.java:437) at com.intel.bluetooth.BlueCoveImpl.access$600(BlueCoveImpl.java:69) at com.intel.bluetooth.BlueCoveImpl$1.run(BlueCoveImpl.java:970) at java.security.AccessController.doPrivileged(Native Method) at com.intel.bluetooth.BlueCoveImpl.detectStackPrivileged(BlueCoveImpl.java:968) at com.intel.bluetooth.BlueCoveImpl.getBluetoothStack(BlueCoveImpl.java:961) at javax.bluetooth.LocalDevice.getLocalDeviceInstance(LocalDevice.java:77) at javax.bluetooth.LocalDevice.getLocalDevice(LocalDevice.java:97) at wiiremotej.WiiRemoteJ. (WiiRemoteJ.java:49) at org.uweschmidt.wiimote.whiteboard.WiimoteDataHandler. (WiimoteDataHandler.java:95) at org.uweschmidt.wiimote.whiteboard.WiimoteWhiteboard.startup(WiimoteWhiteboard.java:76) at org.jdesktop.application.Application$1.run(Application.java:171) at java.awt.event.InvocationEvent.dispatch(InvocationEvent.java:209) at java.awt.EventQueue.dispatchEvent(EventQueue.java:597) at java.awt.EventDispatchThread.pumpOneEventForFilters(EventDispatchThread.java:300) at java.awt.EventDispatchThread.pumpEventsForFilter(EventDispatchThread.java:210) at java.awt.EventDispatchThread.pumpEventsForHierarchy(EventDispatchThread.java:200) at java.awt.EventDispatchThread.pumpEvents(EventDispatchThread.java:195) at java.awt.EventDispatchThread.pumpEvents(EventDispatchThread.java:187) at java.awt.EventDispatchThread.run(EventDispatchThread.java:121) Native Library bluecove not available 15:46:17.504 java.library.path .:/Library/Java/Extensions:/System/Library/Java/Extensions:/usr/lib/java com.intel.bluetooth.NativeLibLoader.isAvailable(NativeLibLoader.java:209) java.lang.IllegalStateException: Bluetooth failed to initialize. There is probably a problem with your local Bluetooth stack or API. at wiiremotej.WiiRemoteJ. (WiiRemoteJ.java:57) at org.uweschmidt.wiimote.whiteboard.WiimoteDataHandler. (WiimoteDataHandler.java:95) … … at java.awt.EventDispatchThread.pumpEvents(EventDispatchThread.java:187) at java.awt.EventDispatchThread.run(EventDispatchThread.java:121) Caused by: javax.bluetooth.BluetoothStateException: BlueCove library bluecove not available at com.intel.bluetooth.BlueCoveImpl.loadNativeLibraries(BlueCoveImpl.java:383) … …. at javax.bluetooth.LocalDevice.getLocalDevice(LocalDevice.java:97) at wiiremotej.WiiRemoteJ. (WiiRemoteJ.java:49) … 11 more 2008-06-23 15:46:17.553 java[1909:80f] Can’t cache image maybe you can figure out the Problem now
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Uwe on Wiimote Whiteboard in reply to malte
Re: OS X --> Bluetooth failed to initialize
Hi malte,
that seems to be a known issue with the Bluetooth library I use: BlueCove does not work with Mac OS 10.5.x, Java 1.6.0 - 64 Bit
Sorry, no solution yet. Maybe you could help out by fixing the problem (details on the page)…
Uwe
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Daniel on Wiimote Whiteboard
2 remote problems
Hi Uwe
I rebuilt my IR pen to be more comfortable to hold. It looks really slick now. Then I fired up the whiteboard with one wiimote. The calibration looks cooler in the new version. But actually the accuracy seems to have degraded. Not sure if this is the new version or some other factor - since I had to replace my LED… who knows, maybe that is an issue.
Anyway, in my previous tests, using 2 wiimotes actually was more accurate. Now, something weird is happening. Using 2 wiimotes, one wiimote does not seem to recognize ANY click at all. I don’t know what’s up with that. I even placed wiimote2 in the same place as wiimote 1, and it was not recognizing clicks. (yes, it did definitely connect to bluetooth). Interestingly, the screwed up wiimote seemingly has >100% battery life. That is also kinda weird.
I don’t know what is wrong here. I hope to figure it out, but help would be great.
Also: calibration with 2 wiimotes uses more than 4 points, and with 1 wiimote uses only 4 points. I think it would better to calibrate with more points even for 1 wiimote, because then perhaps the accuracy issue would improve.
Ideas?
Daniel
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2 remote problems
Daniel,
The IR Led is an important factor in this equation. Try to use one with tech. specs. corresponding to Vishay TSAL 5300 or TSAL6400: http://www.vishay.com/ir-emitting-diodes/list/product-81011/ See my IR Pen: http://clinik.net/wiimote/wiimote_info_my_pen_2.php
But in your case, I suppose in there are something more strange happening…
Cheers
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Tim Roth on Wiimote Whiteboard
TUIO Bug when using two screens..
Hi Uwe,
first of all, thanks you for porting the whiteboard app to mac. And I am even more thankfull that you also included the TUIO Message option, which really helps my work on flash multitouch apps. I work with a rear projection setup, which normally uses a camera to track the fingers (Diffused Illumination, like reactivision). The biggest drawback is that I have to work with windows, since most tracking apps are win only. Now I can work in my “normal” osx, and develop/ test apps fast, without constantly rebooting into windows… great!
Anyway, I found a very strange bug when using my setup… I set my laptop screen as my main screen, while the projector uses the expanded one. So during calibration I choose the external (projector) screen and calibrate succesfully. But the TUIO messages are somehow incorrect for the x axis, which is always 1.0. The y axis works perfectly, as does the mouse function. Again, this only happens when the calibration screen is NOT set as the main screen. Maybe you could look into it, could be an easy fix I hope :)
My workaround for now is to set the external screen as the main, then start your app, calibrate and while still running your app, switching the screens back again. It works, but not pretty…
thanks again for your great job!
tim
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Re: TUIO Bug when using two screens..
Hi Tim,
But the TUIO messages are somehow incorrect for the x axis, which is always 1.0. The y axis works perfectly, as does the mouse function. Again, this only happens when the calibration screen is NOT set as the main screen.
I found the bug that caused the problem and sent you an email with the bug-free version. I’ve not uploaded the updated version to this website since most users won’t encounter the bug. The fix will obviously be included in the next “regular” release. If you can’t wait till then, just tell me and I’ll be happy to send you the fixed version.
Uwe
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Re: 2 remote problems
Hi Daniel,
[…] But actually the accuracy seems to have degraded. […] Anyway, in my previous tests, using 2 wiimotes actually was more accurate.
What do you mean by “accuracy”? Also see this previous post.
Using 2 wiimotes, one wiimote does not seem to recognize ANY click at all.
Did you try using “Reset” button several times or restarting the program?
Interestingly, the screwed up wiimote seemingly has >100% battery life. That is also kinda weird.
That is indeed weird.
Also: calibration with 2 wiimotes uses more than 4 points, and with 1 wiimote uses only 4 points. I think it would better to calibrate with more points even for 1 wiimote, because then perhaps the accuracy issue would improve.
The calibration doesn’t work that way. Calibrating 2 Wiimotes can either take 4,6,8, or 9 points, depending on Wiimote placement (more explanations in this thread). And there are exactly 4 points needed for each Wiimote to do a perspective transformation (see this thread for more information).
Uwe
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Dave Tarwater on Wiimote Whiteboard in reply to Michael Beck
Re: School Use
I am a technology trainer for a public school system in the Denver, CO area. I have been using,sharing,and training teachers on building and using the wiimote whiteboard for several months now. I just returned from presenting at a teachers technology conference for which I developed a site for wiimote whiteboard users to learn and share. Please visit my site at http://sites.google.com/site/wiiattie/
If you would like to collaborate on the site just let me know and I will send you an invitation.
Dave Tarwater
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Uwe on Wiimote Whiteboard in reply to Dave Tarwater
Re: School Use
Hi Dave,
it is a good idea to tell teachers about the opportunity to cheaply build their own interactive whiteboard.
If you would like to collaborate on the site just let me know and I will send you an invitation.
I don’t know what you exactly mean by “collaborate”, but I have a few suggestions: I like the Interactive Resources page, and I’d add the excellent Java software Jarnal. I’d appreciate if you don’t classify my software as Mac-only. Many people, presumably Windows-users, are downloading and using the cross-platform version as well. I also recently added instructions for Linux. * The title “What Wii needs” is somewhat strange to me. On the page, the column Cost appears twice in the table.
Uwe
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Re: School Use
Uwe, Thanks for all your great work, I would like to buy you a drink.
Thanks for your comments to my post, I have edited my site, http://sites.google.com/site/wiiattie/, regarding your program as Mac only and added the Java based Jarnal to the interactive resources page. Teachers and students around the world will benefit from your efforts.
Dave
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Ankit Mehta on Wiimote Whiteboard
Head tracking for MAC
Hey Have you developed the app for headtracking .. i can’t run the desktop VR by jhonny on my MacBook, it crashes as soon as i launch it (i am using parallel windows) i was able to use your app for whiteboard easily (which seems pretty cool) Let me know if you have the app ready Thanks in advance
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Daniel on Wiimote Whiteboard in reply to Uwe
Re: 2 remote problems
Hi Uwe
By accuracy, I mean that the position on the screen is not the same as the position of the pen. I have seen a strange accuracy problem: the mouse consistently is to the right of where I point. Now I can see how it may be because the IR camera angle matters here, but the calibration points should have canceled this issued out. I click exactly over the calibration points. If the camera angle was an issue, I should have needed to click to the side of them. I hope there is a simple solution to the accuracy issue, because it renders the pen totally unusable in this present problem.
I tried clicking the reset button many times and restarting and removing the wiimotes from the bluetooth settings. After all that, things began to improve. Related or not, the battery life on one of my wiimotes was >100, but it began to get less and less the more testing I did. When it was around 100ish, then it started behaving more correctly.
I read the links you recommended. Those are helpful for understanding the purpose of the control points. I think what is problematic, at least in my case, is that the calibration does not seem to result in accurate mouse placement. This is true for 1 or 2 wiimotes.
What can be done?
I hope we can solve this, Thanks Daniel
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Daniel on Wiimote Whiteboard
Re: 2 remote problems
Also, on the subject of my pen, I think it shouldn’t be a problem. It looks nice, has an IR led that came from radioshack. It is not visible to my eye, but is visible to my digital camera. And of course, to the wiimote. Daniel
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Adrian on Wiimote Whiteboard
does this work with parallels?
hi uwe,
great job on developing this tool for all to use! it’s a blessing you’re spending all this effort on this project. kudos to you!
i’m a high school physics teacher and am thinking of ways to put this in the classroom and have kids interact with it. as i don’t have a wii controller, i’ve asked a couple of my students to bring theirs (voluntarily, of course). i’m downloading your software and will try it out when my kids bring in their remotes. i’m using a mac, and run windows xp through parallels. i enjoy the program, microsoft physics illustrator, which allows the user to make simple diagrams, and include conditions similar to the physical world (gravity, friction, etc) and animate their creations to see how they would actually behave… it was designed for use with tablet pcs, but a workaround was achieved that allows the program to run on regular windows pcs, using the mouse instead of the touch interface of a tablet pc. i’m excited about the idea of using physics illustrator and the wiimote together: imagine, kids can come up to the whiteboard and draw objects and with a click see how they behave following physical principles!
i want to know if anyone has tried using these together… specifically, since physics illustrator only runs on windows, i have to run it through parallels (i don’t have a bootcamp installation, but if that’s what it’s going to take, i just might do it.). if i could get my mbp to connect to the wiimote, would that connection stay when i run parallels?
again, thanks and more power to you!
cheers, adrian (philippines)
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Simon B. on Wiimote Whiteboard
Re: Double-click
In Windows you can change the double click sensitivity. I think TweakXP or http://www.pctools.com/guides/registry/detail/341/ can be of help.
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Simon B. on Wiimote Whiteboard in reply to Johan S
Re: Improving the LED
Do you mean that you made the front tip flat instead of round? (Or in hat shape terms, more like a “top hat” than a “derby”/”bowler”?)
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Simon B. on Wiimote Whiteboard
Re: Accuracy
One idea is to have a look at the software you use to draw the diagonal / staircase lines. Some graphics programs smoothen your lines, depending on which paint-tool and settings (antialias). I know Microsoft Paint does not help with smoothing, while Photoshop surely can.
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Johan S on Wiimote Whiteboard in reply to Simon B.
Re: Improving the LED
No, I just made the surface matte or milky.
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Re: School Use
Hi Dave,
thank you for “buying me a drink”. You’ve just doubled the number of donations I received :).
Uwe
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Re: Head tracking for MAC
Hi Ankit,
Let me know if you have the app ready
I haven’t ported the head-tracking app and I currently don’t intend to do so. See my “latest” blog post for the reason.
Uwe
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Re: 2 remote problems
Hi Daniel,
Now I can see how it may be because the IR camera angle matters here, but the calibration points should have canceled this issued out.
Why should the calibration points cancel this out?
I click exactly over the calibration points. If the camera angle was an issue, I should have needed to click to the side of them.
That’s exactly right. When you’re calibrating a certain point, you need to “click” the IR pen at the position that will later cause the mouse cursor to be moved where the calibration point is. I hope that’s understandable…
Uwe
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Re: does this work with parallels?
Hi Adrian,
if i could get my mbp to connect to the wiimote, would that connection stay when i run parallels?
As far as I understand, Parallels is just another program on your Mac that happens to emulate other operating systems. I don’t see a reason why it shouldn’t work if you don’t give control over your bluetooth device to Parallels (if that’s even possible). Maybe someone actually running Parallels can say more about that…
Uwe
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Descalzo on Wiimote Whiteboard
Parallels
I have gotten it to work in Parallels. But my situation was different.
This was back when I was trying to get Uwe’s version to work and hadn’t worked out how to fix the accuracy (restart).
I had to make sure that the VM owned my external USB BT stick by checking it in Devices. Then I installed Widcomm drivers. Then I ran Johnny’s version.
So it sounds like you’re doing something different than I am. I’d test it at work tomorrow, but school’s out for the summer, and I am all busy in classes for a while.
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Frank Catanzaro on Wiimote Whiteboard in reply to Jim Hays
Re: Builtin Apple Bluetooth
When I launch the mac version or the cross platform version I get a Bluetooth failed to initialize error. Does the wiimote need to be paired up before launching the whiteboard, or after. I have been able to get my iMac (leopard) to recognize the wiimote with bluetooth setup but it doesn’t seem to pair. I used the option “Do not use passkey” when setting up the Bluetooth device.
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Descalzo on Wiimote Whiteboard in reply to Frank Catanzaro
Re: Builtin Apple Bluetooth
Uwe’s program does the pairing for you. You shouldn’t have to use OSX’s pairing at all.
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