DIY Wii component cables

[kumquat]

This mod is so easy, and the results so dramatic, that if you have an HDTV and don't have the components yet, you *have* to do this.

Here is the info I used:
http://nfggames.com/wiki/doku.php?id=av:wii_multi_av_pinout


Materials:
5 #1 paper clips
1 generic component cable (really, any 3 RCA-style cables will do)
7 jumper leads (the wires with alligator clips on either end)
1 small flat head screwdriver

All you have to do is:

1) Pop the gray cover off the Wii end of the A/V cable with the screwdriver

2) Plug the cable into the back of the Wii.

3) Insert paper clips into pin 7, pin 9, pin 11, pin 8, and pin 10.

4) Clip the paper clip in pin 7 to the center of the green component cable - pin 9 goes to the center pin of the blue component cable, and 11 goes to the center pin of the red one.

5) Clip the ground wire already plugged into pin 12 to the "outer" (ground) part of the green component cable. Clip the outer part of the green cable to the outer part of the blue cable and clip the outer part of the blue cable to the outer part of the red cable.

6) Clip the paper clips in pin 8 and pin 10 together.

7) Make sure no metal parts are touching that shouldn't be touching (use some tape to separate if you have to).

Done!

 

[joemama]

lol....already ghetto mods less than a week from launch..gotta love it. That doesn't sound too simple (or secure) to me...are the proprietary Nintendo cables really that expensive or hard to find?

 

[krameriffic]

lol....already ghetto mods less than a week from launch..gotta love it. That doesn't sound too simple (or secure) to me...are the proprietary Nintendo cables really that expensive or hard to find?

It doesn't sound overly safe either, for your Wii or for your TV.

 

[pigpen]

lol....already ghetto mods less than a week from launch..gotta love it. That doesn't sound too simple (or secure) to me...are the proprietary Nintendo cables really that expensive or hard to find?

I can't imagine there is anything unsafe about it. Use some solder and electrical tape. The worse thing that's going to happen if you mess it up is a blurry picture. I don't own a wii, but i love stuff like this. Not because the cables are overly expensive, just the principle behind having to pay an overinflated price for them.

 

[swatbat]

lol....already ghetto mods less than a week from launch..gotta love it. That doesn't sound too simple (or secure) to me...are the proprietary Nintendo cables really that expensive or hard to find?

Cables are hard to find, just like everything hardware related to the wii.

Yea if I was going to do this I would solder them and do it right. Less parts and it would last.

 

[kumquat]

Cables are hard to find, just like everything hardware related to the wii.

Yea if I was going to do this I would solder them and do it right. Less parts and it would last.

My cables are on order. This method does not in any way affect the composite cable. Once I pull out the paper clips, the plastic cover for the composite cable slips right back on. The original cable was not modified in any way other than to have some paper clips shoved into empty pin slots. This makes it a great temporary solution.

 

[Zinn]

It doesn't sound overly safe either, for your Wii or for your TV.

actually it's fine for both

and i would know, having done the mod and crossed several wires inadvertantly during the "QA" phase

the worst thing that happens is a black and white picture.

this works great, it's not a perfect or a long-term mod, but it's fine to tide me over until the Nintendo-branded cables arrive

 

[swatbat]

My cables are on order. This method does not in any way affect the composite cable. Once I pull out the paper clips, the plastic cover for the composite cable slips right back on. The original cable was not modified in any way other than to have some paper clips shoved into empty pin slots. This makes it a great temporary solution.

Pretty much I'm saying if I was going to do it I would just do it right then not worry about the other cables. Not trying to knock the idea or anything. Just saying I would do it different.

 

[Devnull]

how exactly do you get the grey part to come off without breaking it?

 

[BioPort]

anyone have any pictures of this?

 

[kumquat]

how exactly do you get the grey part to come off without breaking it?

The gray is a thick plastic that's fairly flexible. You'll notice a couple of slots on the black plastic part. I shoved a small screwdriver in there and pried it up until I was able to slide it off. It didn't break, but it did distort a bit. I definitely wasn't gentle with it.

 

[Devnull]

The gray is a thick plastic that's fairly flexible. You'll notice a couple of slots on the black plastic part. I shoved a small screwdriver in there and pried it up until I was able to slide it off. It didn't break, but it did distort a bit. I definitely wasn't gentle with it.

=/ I see... I wish I could just buy a damn component cable. I don't think anyone will have them until the next shipment of Wiis next week.

 

[kumquat]

anyone have any pictures of this?

I took a pic of the "finished product"

 

[Devnull]

hmm, I don't think I have the aligator clips and stuff. 480p or risk fucking up the cable? decisions decisions.

It was truly retarded for them not to include a component cable, or atleast have it available on launch. It costs chinese slaves less than fifty cents to make a damn cable.

 

[kumquat]

hmm, I don't think I have the aligator clips and stuff. 480p or risk fucking up the cable? decisions decisions.

It was truly retarded for them not to include a component cable, or atleast have it available on launch. It costs chinese slaves less than fifty cents to make a damn cable.

I picked up a big bag of the clips at Radio Shack for $5.99.

I already had some spare component cables. I actually had the Gold Series Radio Shack ones on hand, and they were nice because the shield for the connector unscrews allowing direct access to both conductors without having to strip the wire. I imagine you could do it by clipping directly to the connector itself, but I didn't try it.

You're pretty unlikely to break the cables that are there, unless you do something galactically stupid. It just won't look "new" when you put it back together.

The whole thing took me less than 10 minutes, and I'm not the most mechanically inclined person around. This is definitely the most intricate "mod" I've ever done.

 

[RancidWAnnaRIot]

I took a pic of the "finished product"

I would at least use electrical tape to wrap some of those paper clips man... those clips look like that can easiely short out..

 

[kumquat]

I would at least use electrical tape to wrap some of those paper clips man... those clips look like that can easiely short out.. hopefully those signal wires are weakly pulled high (or low) in case a short occurs...

Fortunately, there's no danger involved in "shorting out" video cables. Nothing blows up or fries if you accidentally touch the green connector to the red connector on a regular ol set of component cables. This is no different. Worst thing that happens is your picture goes black and white or similar.

 

[Devnull]

that grey plastic isn't exactly flexible... hmm without aligator clips I could just wrap paper clips around the end of the cables, that should work, no?

 

[kumquat]

that grey plastic isn't exactly flexible... hmm without aligator clips I could just wrap paper clips around the end of the cables, that should work, no?

I think it'd be a big pain in the butt, because the paper clips aren't in there super securely. Hanging the cables directly off the paper clips would be a mess.

I think that if you're going to do this, at least spend the six bucks and get a bag of clips.

 

[Devnull]

who sells alligator clips at 10:30pm?

 

[kumquat]

Here's a picture of the gray cover after I was done with it.

 

[kumquat]

who sells alligator clips at 10:30pm?

LOL

Maybe you have some random wire sitting around. If you take an old USB or ethernet cable and strip the external casing off, you'll find a bunch of small-gauge wires inside that may be useful in place of the clips.

 

[Devnull]

I *really* hate 480i(especially composite!), but I am going to hold off. idea though.

 

[GoldenTiger]

Neat idea, but they're not THAT hard to come by... .

 

[joemama]

OH EMM EFF GEE...

That pic actually looks worse than the clusterfuck of ghetto engineering that I pictured in my mind reading the instructions.

 

[jamesrb]

I tried this. It requires way more patience than I have. I wish I hadn't pried the end of the cable off now, as it looks like it has had the end pried off.

It seems much easier reading it than it actually is. My OEM component cable will supposedly ship Nov 28.

 

[Devnull]

I tried this. It requires way more patience than I have. I wish I hadn't pried the end of the cable off now, as it looks like it has had the end pried off.

It seems much easier reading it than it actually is. My OEM component cable will supposedly ship Nov 28.

where are you getting the cable from? how much?

 

[CreamySoupUSA]

1 generic component cable (really, any 3 RCA-style cables will do)

So could I use a composite cable and use the video and the L+R audio cables?

 

[Zinn]

So could I use a composite cable and use the video and the L+R audio cables?

Yeap.

Just make sure you remember which color is which.

What I did is

Y = Composite yellow
Pb = Audio white (the only one that doesn't make sense)
Pr = Audio red (r is for red)

Works like a charm until my official Nintendo Component Cable arrives.

 

[kumquat]

I tried this. It requires way more patience than I have. I wish I hadn't pried the end of the cable off now, as it looks like it has had the end pried off.

It seems much easier reading it than it actually is. My OEM component cable will supposedly ship Nov 28.

I dunno. Getting the cover off was the hardest part for me.

I literally just shoved the paper clips into the right holes, clipped then to a set of cables, and that was it.

Like I said, I'm not very mechanically inclined. I usually break stuff. But this "just worked."

What part did you have trouble with?

 

[Devnull]

No one has these damn cables in stock, no one expects to have them before next month. I broke down and bought some stuff from radio shack:

20x 1/14" alligator clips; rated 1 amp.
18 Guage speaker wire.

Should that do? Anything else I need to know?

pics of supplies:

Also got paper clips, no. 1

 

[kumquat]

edit:

I guess you can use the speaker wire to string between the clips, but Radio Shack sells the jumper wires already assembled, as lengths of hookup wire already wired up to the alligator clips.

http://www.radioshack.com/product/i...cp=&origkw=jumper&kw=jumper&parentPage=search

BTW, I have that exact toolkit, and the flathead screwdriver it comes with is perfect for prying the case off.

 

[Devnull]

edit:

I guess you can use the speaker wire to string between the clips, but Radio Shack sells the jumper wires already assembled, as lengths of hookup wire already wired up to the alligator clips.

I intend to make the jumper wires, the radio shack guy told me that they didn't sell jumper wires

 

[kumquat]

I intend to make the jumper wires, the radio shack guy told me that they didn't sell jumper wires

That sucks. My Rat Shack sold three different packs, each pack had wires of a different length.

I'd have used 22 gauge hook-up wire, BTW, but the speaker wire should work. I worry that the 18g wire will be a little too thick to connect to the clips and that it will be relatively heavy and weigh down the paper clips, but it's worth a shot since you already have it

 

[finalgt]

I tried this. It requires way more patience than I have. I wish I hadn't pried the end of the cable off now, as it looks like it has had the end pried off.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHA, I about hit the ground laughing when I read that.

 

[Devnull]

Just tried this, when I turned the system on the TV acted like there was no signal at all, no black and white/screwed up pic or anything. Will it not do 480i over component or did I just get it wrong?

 

[Martyr]

you should be able to solder little copper connectors on to the end of the wires and insert them directly into the plug, instead of the paper clip + alligator deal. then you could put the cover back on and it would look a bit better

 

[Devnull]

Do you need to select 480p in the wii settings for it it output on the component cables?

 

[Devnull]

Can someone who did this place post more detailed pics and info for me? It just acts like there is nothing coming out of the component.

 

[Devnull]

This is not easy like you said. Twice my Wii wouldn't even power on with all the paperclips and everything connected. The other times it just wouldn't output to component.