The Wii Channels collectively form the top level menu interface of the Wii game console from Nintendo. Separate channels are graphically displayed in a grid, and are navigated using the pointer capability of the Wii Remote. The grid is customizable, users can move channels, including virtual console games, between the menu's 48 slots. (Drag and drop of channels is accomplished by simultaneously pressing the B and A buttons).
Default channels
Disc Channel
The Disc Channel allows users to play Wii and Nintendo GameCube titles. The Disc Channel displays the name of the Wii title that is present in the drive and plays a clip of its theme song. If a GameCube title is in the drive it displays the GameCube logo as it plays the GameCube's default startup sound. However, unlike the Wii's games and unlike the GameCube itself, it cannot display the actual game's logo or identifier information. If a DVD, a CD or a Wii or GameCube title from a different region is in the drive or the disc is inserted the wrong way around it will display an error message reading "Unable to read the disc. Check the Wii Operations Manual for help troubleshooting." If no disc is inserted in the drive, it displays the image at the right. When either type of disc is inserted into the drive, the pictures of both discs spin until the type of disk is recognized, at which point the other type disappears.
This is the only channel that cannot be moved. It is always in the upper left. This seems to be due to the fact that when a disk is inserted, a disk is shown being inserted into the left of the channel screen.
Mii Channel
The Mii (pronounced "me") Channel is an avatar creator, where users can design 3D caricatures of people by selecting from a group of facial and bodily features.
A Wired News interview of Katsuya Eguchi (producer of Animal Crossing and Wii Sports) held in 2006 confirmed that the custom player avatar feature shown at Nintendo's E3 Media Briefing would be included in the hardware. The feature was described as part of a "Profile" system that contains the caricature and other pertinent player information.[1] This application was officially unveiled by Nintendo in September 2006. It is incorporated into Wii Channel's operating system interface as the "Mii Channel". Users can select from pre-made caricatures or create their own by choosing custom facial shapes, colors, and positioning.[2] In certain games (including Wii Sports, WarioWare: Smooth Moves, and Wii Play), each player's caricature will serve as the character he/she controls in gameplay. Miis can interact with other Wii users by showing up on their Wii consoles through the WiiConnect24 feature or by talking with other Miis created by Wii owners all over the world. This feature is called Mii Parade. Early-created Miis as well as those encountered in Mii Parades may show up as spectators in some games. [3] Miis can be stored on controllers and taken to other consoles. The controller can hold up to a maximum amount of 10 Miis. The Wii itself can hold 100 Miis.
Photo Channel
If a user inserts an SD card into the console, or sends photos (JPEG) or videos (MJPEG) via email, they can be viewed by means of the Photo Channel.[4] A built-in editor allows users to add markings and effects to their photos. Mosaics, slide shows, and puzzles can also be created with this feature. Edited photos can be saved to the Wii (The Wii will not overwrite data on the SD card) and sent to other Wiis via the message board. According to the system's manual, the following file extensions (i.e. formats) are supported:
- Photos: .jpeg, .jpg
- Movies: .mov, .avi
- Music: .mp3
JPEG files can be up to 8192x8192 resolution and in baseline format.[5] Video data contained within the .mov or .avi files must be in an OpenDML compliant MotionJPEG (MJPEG) format and no higher than 848x480 resolution (Most digital camera use some variant of this format for their videos).[6]
Wii Shop Channel
Wii Points can be purchased and redeemed in the Wii Shop Channel. Wii Points allow users to download newly added channels and video games for the Virtual Console. The Virtual Console Games from the Wii Shop Channel are updated 12:00 p.m. EST on Mondays in North America and 12:00 a.m. GMT on Fridays in Europe. The channel can also be used to download the Opera browser used in the Internet Channel. This is under the Wii Ware banner in the USA, whereas in Europe it is listed as Wii Software. The cost of the games are the same in almost every region, the following are the starting prices for each system:
- NES games - 500 points
- TurboGrafx-16 games - 600 to 800 points (R-type is the only TurboGrafx-16 game that is 800 points)
- Mega Drive/Genesis - 800 points (600 in Japan)
- SNES games - 800 points
- N64 games - 1000 points
Forecast Channel
The Forecast Channel allows weather reports and forecasts to be downloaded onto the console from the Internet via the WiiConnect24 service.[7] The Forecast Channel displays a view of the Earth as a globe, with which users can view weather in other regions. The user can also spin the globe. When fully zoomed out, an accurate[citation needed] star map is visible in the background (the Big Dipper and Orion constellations are easily recognisable, for example). The forecast channel features include looking at the current forecast, the UV index, today's overall forecast, tomorrow's forecast, and a 5-day forecast. The Forecast Channel first became available on December 19, 2006. Certain games can use the Forecast Channel to simulate weather conditions depending on the player's region. [citation needed]
News Channel
The News Channel allows users to access news headlines and current events obtained from the Internet.[8] News is available on a globe view, similar to the forecast channel.[9] The content is automatically updated and viewable via WiiConnect24. The News Channel will be available in North America and Europe on January 27, 2007, with content in a variety of languages provided by the Associated Press.[10] Japanese news will be provided by a different agency.[9]
Additional channels
Internet Channel
The Opera web browser is available to download for free temporarily until June 2007, and afterwards it will cost a fee of 500 Wii points to download via the Wii Shop Channel. Nintendo of Europe, Nintendo of Australia and Nintendo of America released a trial version on 22 December 2006, with the full version scheduled to be released at the end of March 2007.[11] The browser supports JavaScript and AJAX as well as Flash 7. In addition to functioning as a web browser, the Wii utilises Presto, the browser's layout engine for web-based applications [3] such as the Wii Shop Channel.
Virtual Console Channels
The Virtual Console allows games from legacy Nintendo systems, as well the Sega Mega Drive/Genesis and NEC / Hudson Soft TurboGrafx-16 systems, to be bought online and played on the Wii. Games purchased appear as individual channels.
A selection of games was available at the system's launch in each region, with new titles added on a regular basis thereafter. For example, 33 games were added to the North American Wii Shop Channel between its launch on November 19, 2006 and the end of the year, with at least ten games a month expected in 2007.[12] However, each region does not necessarily receive the same titles at the same time, if at all.
Message Board
The Message Board allows users to leave messages for other family members on a calendar-based message board. Users can also use WiiConnect24 to trade messages and pictures with other Wii owners, conventional email accounts, and mobile phones (through text messages). Each Wii has an individual wii.com email account, containing the Wii Friend Code. Prior to trading messages it is necessary to add and approve contacts in the address book. The service also allows all users for incoming game-related information. Games can constantly be updated.
The Message Board is available for users to post messages that are available to other Wii users by usage of friend codes with WiiConnect24. In addition to writing text, players can also include images from their SD card in the body of messages. Announcements of software updates and video game news are posted by Nintendo. The Wii's message board can be used for posting memos for oneself or for family members without going online. These messages could then be put on any day of the calendar. The Wii Message Board could also be updated automatically by a real-time game like Animal Crossing. The Wii message board also records the play history. This feature automatically records details of what game was played and for how long. It cannot be deleted or hidden without formatting the console itself.[13]
Limitations
Although the Wii Channels let one do a number of tasks that are not associated with games, these features have originally been met with limitations on the software. The Mii Channel is sometimes criticized for restrictions such as the lack of flexibility, a Mii that's supposed to be "fat" looking is "bulky" instead. There is also, as some say, a lack of variety[14]. For example, there is no mohawk hair style or the option of red/ginger hair (but has 4 different shades of brown instead). Photos, even high resolution ones, are compressed and decreased in resolution. Thus, a photo taken by an 8.0 megapixel camera will not appear in its original resolution[14] (although this limitation is most noticeable when zooming, as the console's output is limited to a maximum of 480p). The Wii Shop Channel is sometimes criticized for being slow to load[14]. Virtual Console games are stretched if the console is set to 16:9 widescreen mode, requiring the player to change the TV settings (not the Wii's, however) to 4:3 to play Virtual Console games in their original aspect ratio[14].
References
- ^ Kohler, Chris. "Confirmed: Wii Hardware Stores Player Caricatures, Profiles". Wired. Retrieved 2006-06-03.
- ^ "Mii Channel Demo Movie". 2006-09-14.
- ^ a b "Wii Channel Breakdown".
- ^ "A Fresh Way to View Your Photos". Why We Came Up With Wii. Nintendo. Retrieved 2006-10-25.
- ^ "File types compatible with the Photo Channel". Retrieved 2007-01-16.
- ^ >"Known Compatible Devices - Movie Files". Retrieved 2007-01-16.
- ^ "Forecast Channel". Nintendo. Retrieved 2006-09-14.
- ^ "News Channel". Nintendo. Retrieved 2006-09-14.
- ^ a b Woodward, Curt (2007-01-25). Nintendo http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2003540418_wii25.html. Retrieved 2007-01-25.
{{cite news}}: Missing or empty|title=(help); Unknown parameter|Title=ignored (|title=suggested) (help) - ^ Metts, Jonathan (2006-11-16). "Nintendo Releases Virtual Console Details". Planet GameCube.com. Retrieved 2006-11-16.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help); Cite has empty unknown parameters:|curly=and|coauthors=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help); Unknown parameter|month=ignored (help)CS1 maint: date and year (link) - ^ "Nintendo Europe article on Opera Browser release". Retrieved 2006-12-19.
- ^ Casamassina, Matt (2006-09-14). "Live from New York". IGN. Retrieved 2006-09-23.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ "Reasoning Behind the Wii". Nintendo. 2006-09-14. Retrieved 2006-09-14.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ a b c d http://wii.ign.com/articles/748/748526p3.html
External links
- Wii Channels from Nintendo.com
- Introducing Wii Channels from Wii.com
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