Shank's Wii Super Thread

Shank

Moderator
Staff member
.
.
Joined
Jan 31, 2016
Messages
1,286
Likes
2,723
Portables
6
About Shank's Series of Guides
Shank's Guides are created as a separate entity unaffiliated with BitBuilt. The information within them should not be considered official BitBuilt Certified information, and have not been thoroughly tested like official BitBuilt guides have. Although not as stable as BitBuilt guides, Shank's guides are a permanent work-in-progress, and are updated with what is currently believed to be the most up to date and accurate information, even if it has not been technically confirmed.

If you have any corrections or additions to the information within Shank's guides, please contact him and he will update the thread as soon as possible.
Introduction
This guide was written by Shank. In this guide, I will consolidate and summarize as much information about the wii as possible, while linking to other sources with more detailed information such as datasheets. I will continue to update this thread as much as possible. A lot of Wiis died for this. The contents of this guide are for use exclusively on BitBuilt and any other site Shank decides to crosspost it to.

Also, HUGE thank you to the following users:
Bentomo
Cheese
Gman
JacksonS
ShockSlayer
Zenloc
About the Wii
Gamecube 2.0
When the gamecube was released, it was incredibly powerful for its time. So powerful, in fact, that when it became time to release their next generation video game console, nintendo decided to upgrade the gamecube rather than create a new system. The processors are simply upgraded versions clocking in at 50% faster. In addition, a coprocessor, nicknamed Starlet, was added to handle new functionality such as SD and USB. But since it uses essentially the same processor, the wii handles all gamecube games perfectly, as they are running natively rather than being emulated. So this system can do everything a gamecube can do, and more. In fact, they even use the same modchips!

A better gamecube than the gamecube
First off, a wii uses significantly less power than a gamecube, including when running gamecube games. That means less heat generation and longer battery life in a portable when playing the same game. A wii also has component video natively, so you can play in beautiful progressive without having sell your kidney to buy a gamecube component cable. In addition, through apps such as nintendon't, you can use other USB/Bluetooth controllers, integrate hacks, emulate gamecube controllers, and so much more with gamecube games you couldn't do with a regular gamecube. You can use up to 2TB external storage (compared with limited storage of a modchip's SD card). Load times are significantly faster as well through USB. You don't even need to buy a modchip or any hardware to mod it; just a standard SD card and you are good to go! Emulators made for gamecube will actually run better on a Wii than a gamecube too!

More than just a gamecube
Obviously the wii can play gamecube and wii games. Something else to consider are virtual console and wiiware games. A large portion of classic games have been ported over to the wii. With homebrew, emulators for any retro system and apps for any purpose can be loaded and used from the system. A wii can play wii and gamecube games flawlessly, and is more than powerful enough to emulate all of nintendo's previous systems. So you by building a portable wii, you have a portable wii, gamecube, and retro emulation machine!

"But you need a wii remote to navigate the menu and software"
Nope! Homebrew has made remotes obsolete, unless you want to use it for games that require it. Here is a demonstration of just how great life is without the wii remote
*Note: I have made this video unlisted on youtube

AND IT COSTS LESS TOO
Aside from the cost saved by not having to buy a modchip, Wiis are more abundant and cheaper than gamecubes. I commonly pick them up for $10-30 on a regular basis.
Wii sold millions and millions of consoles.
-The motion gaming fad sold consoles to non gamers
-The gamers who bought them got their share of good games
However, wiis are no longer desired because:
-Wii U is backwards compatible
-Motion gaming fad died out
-Dolphin allows emulation of gamecube and wii games
Power and Voltage
-The wii runs on about 11w-22w of power depending on the revision.
--Varies based on revision. See revision guide for more info.
--Board with HollyWood-1 =consumes less power
-Wii's require at least 10.2v to boot when using stock regulators
-The wii runs on 8 voltage sections, not including ground or RTC battery
--VCC
--1v
--1.15v
--1.8v
--3.3v
(only on while system is on)
--3.3v Standby (always on)
--5v
--12v

Notes on power rails:
-12v stays at 12v, no matter what vcc is
-2 Separate voltage 3.3v lines
-14 pin IC controls shutoff of regulators
-Vcc is unregulated power in, ideally 12v, but will operate on anything above 10.2v

Here is everything the 5v line does as far as I know:
Connects to the 5v regulation circuitry
Runs through a section in the voltage layer
Runs to 5v output line on av out port
Connects to a transistor.
-1 pin of transistor is connected to one of the 3 Japan only AV port pins
-The other transistor runs to a pin on the video encoder
Powers rumble pins on 4 gamecube controller ports
Powers some Gamecube Memory Card pins
Powers USB ports
Runs to a transistor that runs to the cooling fan

3.3v Lines
On all Wiis other than the wii mini, there are two 3.3v lines. The second 3.3v line is unofficially known as the 3.3v standby line. This secondary voltage line is always on, even when the console is off. This allows components to be powered even when primary power is shut off. For example, the bluetooth module is powered by this line, which allows the console to be turned on remotely with a wiimote when the console is powered down. When running custom regs, the two lines can be merged and both powered by a single 3.3v line.

Types of regulators
Switching
-5v
-3.3v
-3.3v Standby (RVL-60, RVK-01, RVK-02, and RVO-01 only)
-1.15v
-1v
Linear
-1.8v (LDO Regulator)
-3.3v Standby (RVL 01, 20, 30, and 40 only)
Other/unknown method
-12v

Here is a diagram of the capacitors, inductors, and linear regulators of the primary voltage lines:


How the 1v, 1.15v, 3.3v, and 5v regulation works:
On top of the board in the regulation section, there are several 8 pin transistors. They are simple MOSFET transistors. The transistors are controlled by the three large IC's on the bottom of the board, highlighted below. The ICs detect the voltage on the voltage line, and adjust the duty cycle of those transistors accordingly to regulate voltage.

Daughterboards
-The wii has 3 daughterboards:

Disc Drive Board
-Required to play any nintendo software or game
--Includes, but not limited to, usb loading wii games, dios mios, and virtual console
--Not required for nintendont
--Will give you a "error has occurred... turn off console..." error if disc drive is cause
---Can be resolved by replugging ffc, replacing drive board, or replacing ffc
-Requires FFC cable to run games
-mixed reportiong on if disc drive board needs multi pin power connector to load games from SD/USB
-Can be used without actual disc drive, just the board.
-Has been emulated with mod chips.
-Nobody has successfully spoofed it using software :(
-Can be replaced with wiikey fusion or similar devices

WiFi Board
-Bigger of the two wireless cards. Has 2 antennas connected to it.
-Required to boot
-Not present on wii mini
--Wii mini has solder pads and traces for wifi card
--Wii mini boots without wifi card. This might mean the wii could be modded to do so as well
-Communicates through SDIO protocol


Bluetooth Board
-Small board towards the front of the board
-Used for wii remotes and other bluetooth controllers
-Required for boot
-Removing the sticker reveals test pads, useful solder points for relocation
-Communicates through USB protocol
Disc Drive Board
Although there are many, many variants of chips that appear on the disc drive boards, they all come on one of 4 versions of the PCB.
Version 1A



Version 1B



Version 2A



Version 2B

Wifi Module
I have begun scratch the surface of the wifi module. I will post notes here.
The Wifi module runs on the 3.3v line, but also seems to have some form of 1.8v onboard regulation.
The wifi module supposedly communicates through USB protocol. It uses 2 antennas, a propriotary connector, and has 4 surface mounted Integrated circuits that can be viewed by removing the metal shielding.
Currently, there are 4 documented revisions of the wifi module. Earlier versions had EMI shielding all around, while later ones only had EMI shielding just covering the integrated circuits.

The Mystery Chunk
There is a chunk of circuit board that has no connectivity with the board whatsoever unless the wifi module is connected. The only thing attached to that chunk are 1-2 filtration capacitors. Poking the section with a multimeter reads 1.8v reference to ground. This is interesting, as the wii's 1.8v line does not connect to the wifi module, so the module must have some form of onboard 1.8v regulation.
This chunk and its filtration capacitors seem to be the cause of the current board failures when attempting to relocate the wifi module, but this is unconfirmed. The issue is still being looked into.

IC 1: Broadcom BCM4318EKFBG

IC 2: SkyWorks SE2521A60

[Datasheet]

VERSIONS
There appear to be 2 different manufacturers of the Wifi Module, and each has 2 versions of it, for a total of 4 versions. So far, all my tests show that they are all cross compatible. Here are some pictures.









Hollywood and Broadway Versions
The CPU (Broadway) and GPU (Hollywood) were reworked several times throughout the lifetime of the Wii
Documented Broadway Iterations:
Broadway
-90 nm
-Larger Substrate
Broadway A
-90 nm
-Larger Substrate
Broadway B
-65nm
-Larger Substrate
Broadway-1
-65nm
-Smaller Substrate

Documented Hollywood Iterations:
Hollywood
-90 nm
-Larger Substrate
Hollywood AA
-90 nm
-Larger Substrate
Hollywood-1
-65nm
-Larger Substrate
-HUGE reduction in power consumption
Revisions
There are 8 wii revisions

Here is an album of every wii board revision currently documented


This information is covered in more detail in the Revision Guide below.


And this is how you figure out which one you have


If you can't remove the screw to check, such as when purchasing a wii online, you can ensure you get a 4 layer die shrunk (40 or 60) by purchasing a wii that has gamecube controller ports and isn't white. You can get a revision 40 or 60 from a white shell, but you will not find a revision 01, 20, or 30 in a red, black, or light blue wii. So again, buying a wii that isn't in a white shell ensures that you get one that is efficient and easier to cut.

Another thing to note is that all wiis without gamecube controller ports (family edition) contain the efficient die shrunk chips. They also contain the circuitry and solder pads for gamecube ports. You should be able to solder new filters or simply bridge where the filters would go to re-add gamecube controller ports. Getting a console without the gamecube ports also ensures you will get a die shrunk chip.
Revisions Guide
Why the differences matter?

The Wii made some rather drastic changes from board to board, mostly to reduce the cost. Newer boards feature simplified layouts, reduced parts, few layers, and drastic reductions in power consumption (close to 50% reduction!) and heat generation. This can make trimming easier, batteries last longer, and heat dissipation less of a concern. Some have gamecube ports. Some have gamecube solder pads and data lines for ports but no ports. Some have no gamecube ports at all. Some are soft-modable, and some are not soft-modable.

How many revisions are there?


There are 8 documented Revisions:

RVL-CPU-01
RVL-CPU-20
RVL-CPU-30
RVL-CPU-40
RVL-CPU-60
RVK-CPU-01
RVK-CPU-02
RVO-CPU-01

There are also 3 more confirmed undocumented versions:

RVL-CPU-10
RVL-CPU-50
RVO-CPU-10
Shank is currently attempting to track down and document these rare revisions.

The shorthands for the boards are as follows:
01 - RVL1 - RVL-CPU-01
10 - RVL10 - RVL-CPU-10
20 - RVL20 - RVL-CPU-20
30 - RVL30 - RVL-CPU-30
40 - RVL40 - RVL-CPU-40
50 - RVL50 - RVL-CPU-50
60 - RVL60 - RVL-CPU-60
K1 - RVK1 - RVK-CPU-01
K2 - RVK2 - RVK-CPU-02
M 1 - RVO2 - RVO-CPU-01
M10 - RVO2 - RVO-CPU-10


Other Notes:
There are unconfirmed reports of an RVL-CPU-50 in the PAL region.
There are currently no known differences between the RVK-01 and the RVK-02.

How do I know which board a Wii has?

There are 3 models of wiis.
The Original:

This one is identifiable by its gamecube ports on top and vertical orientation of the text on the front
Possible Boards:
White Original Wii
RVL-CPU-10
RVL-CPU-01
RVL-CPU-02
RVL-CPU-30
RVL-CPU-40
RVL-CPU-60

Black Original Wii
RVL-CPU-40
RVL-CPU-60

Red Original Wii
RVL-CPU-40
RVL-CPU-60

Light Blue Original Wii
RVL-CPU-40
RVL-CPU-60

There is also a known RVL-CPU-50 board, but it has only been seen in PAL region wiis. It is indistinguishable from an RVL-CPU-60 board, with no known differences.

The Family Edition:

This system is easily identifiable by its horizontally oriented words and its omission of gamecube ports.

There are some big misconceptions about this version, so I hope to clear them up. This system will not play gamecube games without modification. The disc drive was simplified to only accept wii discs to reduce cost, and the ports were removed as well. This system has solder pads for gamecube controller and memory card ports. Ports can be soldered on, and this system can USB/SD load gamecube games. I have not tested if it can load commercial gamecube games through swapping the DVD drive with one from an older wii, but it should work in theory unless there is some firmware block.

Possible Boards (all colors):
RVK-CPU-01
RVK-CPU-02

AGAIN, THE WII FAMILY EDITION HAS GAMECUBE PORT PADS AND CAN BE MODDED TO LOAD GAMECUBE BACKUPS. DON'T LET THIS ONE DETER YOU, MODDERS.

Wii Mini:

This one can easily be identified by a significant redesign.

When first announced, it showed promising modification potential. However, the loss of backwards compatibility and lack of modularity means this iteration is a poor choice for projects.

Possible Boards:
RVO-CPU-01
RVO-CPU-10

Here is what is known about the wii mini.
-No gamecube support
-Gamecube data lines are present, but less accessable
-No built in wifi
-Firmware blocks use of LAN Adapter for wired internet
-No SD slot
-Much more complex to soft mod
-No component video or other means of outputting 480p without modification and additional components
-No virtual console games
-Not much smaller than the standard wii motherboard, with an extremely similar layout

-Larger than the standard Wii motherboard trim, and cannot be trimmed any smaller than the standard Wii can
Not the best choice for modders.

TL;DR
RVL boards came in Wiis with gamecube ports
RVK boards came in Wiis without gamecube ports
RVO boards came in Wii minis.

Identifying Your Board


There are 8 wii revisions

Here is an album of every wii board revision currently documented


And this is how you figure out which one you have


This board says 01, so it is a RVL-CPU-01. RVL boards will have a 2 digit revision code, while RVK boards have a 2 digit code preceded by the letter K. RVL-60 and all RVK boards' codes can be viewed by looking at the silkscreen in the SD card slot.


Getting a 4 Layer board:
If you can't peek inside the battery tray door, here is a simple way to tell if your wii will have a compatible board based on shell color.






RVL-CPU-01


Layers: 6
Die Size: 90nm
Power Consumption: High
Heat generation: High

The first and most common iteration of the wii. It has lots of layers, and lots of components all over the board. Compared to later revisions it uses a lot of power (18-20w), and creates a significantly larger amount of heat. Trimming this one is difficuilt due to its 6 layer motherboard construction. Cutting beyond the gold ground shielding is possible, but not recommended.
Since this revision can not be significantly reduced in size, requires larger heat sinks, and uses more power it should only be considered for use in larger portables.

RVL-CPU-20




Layers: 6
Die Size: 90nm
Power Consumption: High
Heat generation: High

The 20 is a slightly simplified version of the 01. Aside from slight modification to the power regulation section, it remains mostly unchanged. Just like the 01, it has many layers, high power consumption, high heat generation, and should only be considered for use in large portables.

RVL-CPU-30





Layers: 6
Die Size: 90nm
Power Consumption: High
Heat generation: High

Although the 30 contains a smaller substrate for the CPU, the GPU is not die shrunk. It has 6 layers and has almost the same power consumption and heat generation as the 20. Like the 01 and 20, revision is not a good choice for choice for portables.

RVL-CPU-40




Layers: 4
Die Size: 65nm
Power Consumption: Low
Heat generation: Low

The 40 is the most significant change yet, and it also marks the last significant change to the wii motherboard before the mini. As a cost cutting measure, the board was redesigned to use only 4 layers. All non-voltage traces were moved to the visible surface layer, making trimming this board significantly easier. If you plan to make a battery powered portable and you plan to trim it, this is one of your best options.

RVL-CPU-60





Layers: 4
Die Size: 65nm
Power Consumption: Low
Heat generation: Low

Can't tell the difference between the 40 and 60? It's quite subtle. One of the regulators was swapped out, specifically the 3.3v "always on" voltage line, from a linear regulator to a switching regulator. It is located above the wifi chip place and to the right of the MX chip. This slightly reduced power consumption even more, especially while in standby. Aside from this change the board is essentially identical to the 40, down to pretty much every single trace outside of said regulation circuitry. The 3.3v standby voltage line in the voltage layer also takes a slightly different route, so be sure all 3.3v standby areas are getting power when doing extreme cuts. All components made by SHARP have been removed and replaced, so this could be the reason for the change.

RVK-CPU-01




Layers: 4
Die Size: 65nm
Power Consumption: Low
Heat generation: Low

Despite changing the number system and starting over, the RVK didn't really change much. The board stayed essentially the same as the 60, but gamecube controller ports were not soldered on, and a section of the ground plane was cut to make way for a diagnostic port. The diagnostic port is wired to the memory card ports. It seems to be a proprietary plug. As mentioned earlier, gamecube data lines are still present, and ports can be soldered onto the board.


RVK-CPU-02




Layers: 4
Die Size: 65nm
Power Consumption: Low
Heat generation: Low


I have yet to find a difference between the RVK-01 and the RVK-02. The inductors look different, but using different types of inductors within the same revision is common. Different factories use different factory codes, so that is not the cause either.

RVO-CPU-01




Layers: 4
Die Size: 65nm
Power Consumption: Low
Heat generation: Low

The wii mini appears very similar to other 4 layer boards in layout, with surprisingly few things actually moved. It seems to use the same Hollywood-1 and Broadway-1 as the 40s and beyond. This board contains a few less peripherals but may contain the circuitry for most if not all of them. The console has not been hacked, but hacking it could be promising. The board does not contain a 3.3v standby line, and all things previously connected to it on later revisions have been connected to the standard 3.3v line instead.
Layers
Earlier Wiis have 6 Layers
Newer Wiis have 4 Layers

4 layer boards are easier to work with as the 6 layer ones are more complex and have many traces that aren't visible. I have only tried cutting the 4 layer boards successfully. Here are the layers of a 4 layer board from top to bottom:

Top Visible layer: TRACES You can see this layer. It contains lots of traces
Top Hidden Layer: GND. The ENTIRE layer is a single piece of grounded copper, (with exceptions)
Bottom Hidden Layer: VOLTAGE. This layer consists of different sections of voltages, and no data traces
Bottom Visible Layer: TRACES You can see this layer as well. It contains lots of traces too

The unofficial nicknames for these layers are, respectively:
Top Layer
Gnd Layer
Voltage Layer
Bottom Layer

Here is a rough scan of the voltage layer of a 40. (RVL-CPU-40)
The voltage sections of the 60 and both RVK boards are similar to this, however, they differ slightly towards the front of the board where the sd card slot is. More details on this to come.
Integrated Circuits
As with any circuit board, the wii has quite a few integrated circuits, or ICs.

CPU
90nm CPU

65nm CPU


Reference Designator: U2 (top)
Datasheet: Modified PPC 750CL
Mandatory: Yes
Solder Type: BGA

The Wii's CPU, nicknamed "Broadway" is a stronger version of the gamecube's PowerPC Gecko. It is almost identical to the PowerPc 750CL. The older larger chips are made using a 90nm process while the newer smaller chips are made with the 65nm process. The chips use significantly less power. The Broadway is powered entirely by the 1.15v line.
No datasheet is currently available for the Broadway, but here is the datasheet for the PowerPC , which is almost identical to the Broadway.

GPU

Reference Designator: U1 (top)
Datasheet: Proprietary
Mandatory: Yes
Solder Type: BGA


While the CPU is a slightly modified version of an off-the-shelf chip, the GPU, nicknamed Broadway, is a completely custom chip. It is unknown if the GPU was die shrunk along with the CPU, but removing the heat spreader of multiple chips shows that it has been reworked throughout the revisions. The chip also switched at some point to a slightly smaller footprint that uses slightly less rows of BGA solder balls. The gpu also contains the ARM coprocessor nicknamed "starlet" that handles new functionality of the wii such as USB. The Hollywood is powered by the 1v, 1.15v, 1.8v, and 3.3v lines.

RAM

Reference Designator: U3 (top)
Datasheet: None
Mandatory: Yes
Solder Type: BGA


Flash Memory

Reference Designator: U14 (bottom)
Datasheet: HY27UF082G2B
Mandatory: Yes
Solder Type: SMD
-There are a few different manufacturers of this chip with different part numbers, but they all serve the same purpose

MX Chip

Reference Designator: U8 (top)
Datasheet: Proprietary
Mandatory: Yes
Solder Type: SMD
I have successfully transplanted MX Chips from one board to another, across revisions. Remember that the console will not boot if the thermistor detects that the board is still hot after the transplant, so wait for it to cool before testing.
Pinout: http://wiibrew.org/wiki/MX23L4005


Video Encoder
Reference Designator: U6 (bottom)
Datasheet: Proprietary
Mandatory: Yes*
Solder Type: SMD
*this chip is needed for video output, but can be placed with another FPGA video encoder, such as a GC video based project

Here is a diagram of the video encoder pins drawn up by none other than our lord Ashen himself


Audio Amp

Reference Designator: U7 (bottom)
Datasheet: Proprietary
Mandatory: No
Solder Type: SMD
-Runs on 12v line

1.8v LDO

Reference Designator: U4 (top)
Datasheet: RT9009
Mandatory: No
Solder Type: 5 Pin SMD

-Low dropout regulator
-Powers the 1.8v line
-Power Stats (For RVL-40)
--Current is ~350 mA
--Intakes 3.3v
--Outputs 1.8v
--Consumes ~.5w
--Creates ~.5w of heat

Voltage Comparator

Reference Designator: U18 (top)
Datasheet: LM2901
Mandatory: No
Solder Type: 14-pin SMD

-Checks voltage lines, shuts down if anomaly is detected
-Does not communicate with other chips, and can be removed

Switch mode controllers

Reference Designator: U15, U16, U17 (bottom)
Datasheet: LV5052
Mandatory: No
Solder Type: 30 Pin SMD

-Control 8 pin mosfet transistors on top of board.
-Control regulation
-There are different variations, all start with LV50.
-Different ones have different resistor values
-All resistors same ratio from board to board
-Even same revisions have different LV chips

Mysterious 5 pin ICs
The purpose of these small 5 pin integrated circuits is still not fully understood.
Here is what I believe the datasheet for U9 and U10 to be. It appears to be some voltage check that sends a 3.3v signal to the mx chip when the voltages of the 3.3v and 3.3v standby lines are at the correct voltage.

Screen Shot 2016-03-23 at 10.11.36 PM.png


U9 (not mandatory)
Input voltage is the 3.3v standby line. Output is to a pin on the MX chip. 3 pins in a row connect to ground. This chip can be removed, but the data lines of the two non-grounded pins (Pin 4 and Pin 5) must be shorted for the console to boot.

Pin 1: GND
Pin 2: GND
Pin 3: GND
Pin 4: 3.3v standby
Pin 5: Bluetooth Pin 14 + MX Pin 25

If this chip is removed:
Console WILL NOT BOOT if data lines of pins 4 and 5 are not shorted on startup
Console WILL BOOT if data lines of pins 4 and 5 are shorted on startup.

U10 (essentially mandatory)
Behaves similarly to U9, with a few key differences. The console will not boot unless pins 4 and 5 are shorted AFTER power on. The pins must not be shorted when power is first applied, but must be shorted at least .1 seconds afterward.
While the EXACT purpose of this chip is unknown, it is believed that this chip examines the 3.3v line, and sends a reset signal to the GPU and bluetooth board. This turns on both devices, and "re-calibrates" the 3.3v line.

Pin 1: GND
Pin 2: GND
Pin 3: GND
Pin 4: 3.3v
Pin 5: MX Pin 24 + GPU

If this chip is removed:
Console WILL NOT BOOT if data lines of pins 4 and 5 are not shorted on startup
Console WILL NOT BOOT if data lines of pins 4 and 5 are shorted on startup
Console WILL BOOT if data lines of pin 4 and 5 are shorted AFTER STARTUP
After bootup, data lines do not need to remain shorted.
Reconnecting the line to 3.3v at any time while the console is powered on resets the console.

If custom regulators are used, the console can boot without U10 under these conditions, but it causes issues.
-1v and 1.15v MUST be powered before 3.3v power is applied.
-pins 4 and 5 must be shorted
In the current state, this is not recommended, and is only being mentioned for documentation purposes. 3.3v data lines such as the gamecube controller lines will act completely sporadic, because their reference voltage was not correctly set.

U22 (not mandatory)
Behaves similarly to U9 and U10, however it is wired in an interesting way. The chip has two ground pins, an activation pin, power in, and signal out. The output of this chip goes to the disc drive to tell it to eject. The activation pin (active when at ground) is always tied to ground, and the ground pins are brought high to disable the output (according to the datasheet, if the input voltage is not above a certain threshold, the chip will not activate, and when ground is brought up, essentially lowering the voltage the chip sees, it will deactivate).
Transistors
Aside from the 8 pin transistors used for power regulation, there are quite a few individual transistors on the wii. I don't know what any of them do at all. There are about 16 of them, and some cause problems when removed. I have yet to completely discover their purposes.

Here is how I will be referring to the pins of the transistors:

Q1: Fan power
Pin 1:
Pin 2: 5V
Pin 3: Fan

Q2: Disc Drive LED
Pin 1: GPU (gate)
Pin 2: GND
Pin 3: Disc Drive slot LEDs

Triggered by pin 2, which is controlled by the GPU. This transistor turns on and off the disc drive LED.

Q4:

Pin 2: GND

Q5: Power LED
Controls 1 Power LED Color
Pin 1: MX Pin 2 (Gate)
Pin 2: GND (Source)
Pin 3: Power LED Cathode (Drain)

Triggered by MX Pin 2. Shorts power LED cathode line to GND. Cathode (negative) line passes through R41 before connecting to transistor pin 3

Q6:

Pin 2: GND

Q7: Japan Video Sense

Pin 1: Video Encoder Pin 62
Pin 2: GND
Pin 3: AV out pin

Q24: Sensor Bar

Pin 1: GPU
Pin 2: GND
Pin 3: Sensor Bar Cathode

Here is the list uses known so far. Keep in mind this info is unconfirmed
-Sensor bar
-Fan
-Green LED
-Red LED
-Disc Drive LED
-SD Card Sense Pin
-Voltage Shutoff
Resistors
The following resistor values were removed and measured from the RVL-40 by JacksonS
Capacitors
The following capacitor values were removed and measured from the RVL-40 by JacksonS
Pinout Diagrams
AV, Power, Sensor Bar, GameCube Controller, and USB

(full size image link)

Goals to add:
Gamecube Memory Card Pinout
SD Card Pinout
Disc Drive Pinout
Face Buttons Pinout
Clock Battery Pinout
The Compendium
Download Link Coming Soon
Paint.net is a free software required to view this file. Unfortunately, it is only available for Windows
Download link for Paint.net
The compendium is a massive undertaking by Shank, with the help of Gman and Shockslayer. The goal: document the wii circuit board. All of it. In this Paint.net file, layers and layers of translucent drawings are placed on top of another. Selecting the one you want to view and your desired board layer allows you to see where almost every connection on the board comes from and goes, and what each trace does. It is useful for getting detailed information on the board, troubleshooting, and pioneering new cuts. The file takes up quite a bit of ram.

The Compendium is an ever-unfinished and living project. It is constantly being updated, and more info is always being added. The provided link will always be the most up-to-date version.
Recommendations for Storage
Availability of flash storage frequently changes. For now, there is a Kingston adapter that is quite popular. This paired with a Samsung micro SD card is the most popular configuration.
Wii Mini
Here are some fun facts about the wii mini:
Disc Drive
-Top loading
-Uses different connector than the wii
-Drive swap capability has not been tested.
-Uses a plug connecter rather than an FFC
I/O
-No gamecube ports or solder pads
-No SD card or Solder Pads for a slot, but DOES contain test pads and circuitry
-No wifi card connector, but DOES have solder pads and circuitry for one
-No component video lines or capacitors
-Only has 1 USB port compared to wii's dual ports
-Uses same/similar Bluetooth module, but has a slightly different connector
Other Info
-Uses much smaller fan and heat sink system
-Uses NO proprietary or triwing screws
-Board layout is very similar to the other 4 layer wii boards
-Does not have a 3.3v standby, all components are connected to 3.3v instead
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Joined
Dec 18, 2017
Messages
6
Likes
0
Is there any difference in the quality of the component between these models? I think alot of people are trying to figure that out.
 

GingerOfOz

no wario
Staff member
.
.
2020 2nd Place Winner
2022 3rd Place Winner
Joined
Dec 16, 2016
Messages
1,121
Likes
2,689
Location
The Oregon Wildlands
Portables
just so many i am so cool
Is there any difference in the quality of the component between these models? I think alot of people are trying to figure that out.
When you say component, do you mean component video or specific electronic components on the boards?
 
Joined
Dec 18, 2017
Messages
6
Likes
0
Component video output, I had read that the later wii's (101) have a better component video output than the older models
 

Stitches

2 and a Half Dollarydoos
Staff member
.
.
Joined
Feb 5, 2017
Messages
3,751
Likes
2,965
Location
Banana Bender Land, Australia
Portables
6
Component video output, I had read that the later wii's (101) have a better component video output than the older models
I remember reading that somewhere as well. Something about a higher quality AVE with closer output quality to original GC component cables. I just picked up a 101 yesterday, so I'll have a go at checking if there really is a visible TV quality difference. When it comes to a portable system, though, you're probably not going to notice the difference on the small screen.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Took some pictures for ya. They're not terribly consistent, but I had some problems getting the 101 to play nice and can't solder a GC port to it atm to get past the splash screen. The images are massive, so I'll post links to the imgur albums instead of uploading them here to save unfortunate mobile users.

001 pics: 101 pics:
I personally can't see a terribly noticeable difference between the two from here, it's slightly better on the 101 though. The difference might be more significant in actual gameplay. Once I have my new workstation setup I'll see about putting a controller port on the 101.
 
Last edited:
Joined
Dec 18, 2017
Messages
6
Likes
0
Yeah it's a tough call, I did notice some serious clarity on the blue family edition running on a kd-34xbr960 when compared to a launch white 001 model. I also got a black 001 to test as well later. Thanks for the pics, its kinda hard to take pictures of the crts any suggestion how to get screenshots?
 

Stitches

2 and a Half Dollarydoos
Staff member
.
.
Joined
Feb 5, 2017
Messages
3,751
Likes
2,965
Location
Banana Bender Land, Australia
Portables
6
Yeah it's a tough call, I did notice some serious clarity on the blue family edition running on a kd-34xbr960 when compared to a launch white 001 model. I also got a black 001 to test as well later. Thanks for the pics, its kinda hard to take pictures of the crts any suggestion how to get screenshots?
I can only suggest a capture card or a really good DSLR. Aurelio noted that the AVE in 101s is actually the same one used in previous Wii revisions. He said he thinks the slight quality difference might be because of tighter tolerances in 101 filtration components.
 
Joined
Dec 18, 2017
Messages
6
Likes
0
Interesting, im pretty sure this is the only information out there regarding component differences between the models. Would be very interested if he did a full test :3
 

Shank

Moderator
Staff member
.
.
Joined
Jan 31, 2016
Messages
1,286
Likes
2,723
Portables
6
There are several video chips, but they are used interchangibly across the all revisions, so if a difference exists, that likely wouldn't be the cause.
@ShockSlayer expressed interest in doing tests, but if he loses interest I could give it a go. I have a large sample size of various revisions, but I do not have the equipment like a component capture card to do accurate tests. What would be the best way to get a video comparison, taking photos of a screen, or using a capture card?
 
Last edited:
Joined
Dec 18, 2017
Messages
6
Likes
0
I would just go for photos to start, nobody has had a final say on this yet so any information would be helpful.
 

Stitches

2 and a Half Dollarydoos
Staff member
.
.
Joined
Feb 5, 2017
Messages
3,751
Likes
2,965
Location
Banana Bender Land, Australia
Portables
6
There are 2 video chips, but they are used interchangibly across the all revisions, so if a difference exists, that wouldn't be the cause.
@ShockSlayer expressed interest in doing tests, but if he loses interest I could give it a go. I have a large sample size of various revisions, but I do not have the equipment like a component capture card to do accurate tests. What would be the best way to get a video comparison, taking photos of a screen, or using a capture card?
Probably photos of the screen, but the camera would need to be on a tripod or something steady so the images aren't shifted.
 
Joined
Dec 18, 2017
Messages
6
Likes
0
I mean, is this just some rumor or is there actually a difference between the 001 and 101 models? Nobody really has any info on it that I can find online.
 

GingerOfOz

no wario
Staff member
.
.
2020 2nd Place Winner
2022 3rd Place Winner
Joined
Dec 16, 2016
Messages
1,121
Likes
2,689
Location
The Oregon Wildlands
Portables
just so many i am so cool
My question is this: If we have to do tests and studies to determine if a certain model of Wii has slightly better video, does it even matter since our eyes can't notice it without a direct comparison?
 

Shank

Moderator
Staff member
.
.
Joined
Jan 31, 2016
Messages
1,286
Likes
2,723
Portables
6
I mean, is this just some rumor or is there actually a difference between the 001 and 101 models? Nobody really has any info on it that I can find online.
As of now, it is just rumors. Nobody has done any conclusive tests, so we have no conclusive answer.
 

Kadano

.
Joined
Feb 13, 2018
Messages
9
Likes
8
Hi and thanks a lot for making the effort of documenting the different Wii revisions here. It was very interesting to read about the differences in layout and power consumption.

I own roughly 15 Wiis and the one that arrived just today turned out to be a 50 revision (as evident by removing the battery cover). It's a PAL Wii. I have disassembled a Wii before and will do the same for this one and take photos, unless someone has already done that and the information just hasn't been updated yet.
 

Kadano

.
Joined
Feb 13, 2018
Messages
9
Likes
8
RVL-CPU-50 photos
P1100463.JPG P1100466.JPG P1100458.JPG P1100455.JPG

Power draw comparison

Measuring device: Pro Vision KD 302 Wattmeter
Reference setting: Super Smash Bros. Melee PAL started in 480p through Nintendont from SD card, with only a Gamecube controller, component cables, the power supply and a sensor bar connected. In-game scene: Character Select Screen.
The power supply used was always the same RVL-002(EUR) unit.

01 revision: 14.4 W (disc drive removed, white Wii with sensor bar)
01 revision: 13.1 W (disc drive removed, white Wii, sensor bar removed)

01 revision: 15.9 W (white Wii with GPU pixel corruction*, with sensor bar)
01 revision: 14.7 W (white Wii with GPU pixel corruction*, sensor bar removed)

30 revision: 13.9 W (white Wii with sensor bar)
30 revision: 12.6 W (white Wii, sensor bar removed)

50 revision: 9.9 W (disc drive removed, white Wii with sensor bar)
50 revision: 8.9 W (disc drive removed, white Wii, sensor bar removed)

60 revision: 10.9 W (black Wii with sensor bar)
60 revision: 9.9 W (black Wii, sensor bar removed)

60 revision: 10.4 W (white Wii with sensor bar)
60 revision: 9.4 W (white Wii, sensor bar removed)

*Some individual pixels have wrong colors, usually green or purple, roughly 0.2% of the pixels. Have seen this happen on two Wiis, might happen more often on the oldest, dustiest and hottest-running ones.

______________

Turned out that the older Wii revisions are less inefficient than I had thought. I expected them to draw 18-20 W, but 13-16 isn't that much more than the newer revisions. They'll probably draw more when playing demanding Wii titles than with Gamecube games, but even then the difference between the older and newer revisions shouldn't be more than +50% on the older ones.

Also, I'm a bit surprised that the disc drive, when not used, seems to always be in standby mode that draws pretty much exactly 1.0 W on the newer revisions and 1.5 W on the older ones. I thought that it would be completely shut off when not used and consume 0.2 W then at the most.
 
Last edited:

Shank

Moderator
Staff member
.
.
Joined
Jan 31, 2016
Messages
1,286
Likes
2,723
Portables
6
Welcome to the forums!
Good data! You are correct. The power consumption of a complete console doesn't vary drastically between revisions. Power sucking components like the disc drive, sensor bar, and stock regulators remain (mostly) constant between revisions. However, stripping all these inefficiencies and parts that aren't used in a portable makes these differences more apparent. (~6w vs ~8.3 watts IIRC) The difference to the average person is negligable, but this guide was written with portablizers in mind, to whom the difference is very significant. 6 layer boards get pretty toasty (but not as toasty as GameCube ones:awesome:)
 

nino

.
Joined
Mar 29, 2021
Messages
3
Likes
5
I got a Wii Mini (RVO-CPU-01) with a HOLLYWOOD-2, which has not been documented in this thread yet. I have delidded it, and it seems to be a 45nm die-shrink of HOLLYWOOD-1. Also, it is branded Renesas instead of NEC.
photo_2021-03-29_09-58-56.jpg
Wii Mini RVO-CPU-01.JPG
 
Top