[HN Gopher] WavePhoenix - open-source implementation of the Nint...
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WavePhoenix - open-source implementation of the Nintendo WaveBird
protocol
Author : zdw
Score : 80 points
Date : 2025-05-26 15:37 UTC (7 hours ago)
(HTM) web link (github.com)
(TXT) w3m dump (github.com)
| bilekas wrote:
| Ooh this is fun actually will check this out. I have my Gamecube
| gathering dust somewhere, great excuse to bring it out.
|
| I'm half joking, but the cynic in me worries that a company line
| Nintento will have some patents on something here and not
| appreciate the MIT licensing.
| zorked wrote:
| The WaveBird controller was released over 20 years ago, so a
| any patent protection it could have is gone.
|
| Also, not a reason not to do things.
| kop316 wrote:
| I thought about implementing something similar (I read through
| the reverse engineering docs).
|
| All of the information was done through clean room reverse
| engineering (the reason it took so long for something like this
| is that Nintendo used a very wonky wireless protocol). As such,
| I don't see what they could sue for, as that is entirely legal
| (at least in the US).
| roblabla wrote:
| Well clean-room reverse engineering doesn't protect you from
| patent infringement - only for copyright related issues. I
| don't think that's a real concern for your project though, as
| patents only last for 20 years, so most if not all patents
| related to the WaveBird should have expired already.
|
| Of course, I am not a lawyer :^).
| simlevesque wrote:
| BlueRetro GameCube has been around for quite some time.
|
| https://github.com/darthcloud/BlueRetro
| loopj wrote:
| I have two things going for me here, 1) this was completely
| clean room reverse engineered, and 2) the patents have all
| expired!
| iopapa wrote:
| Finally some love for the best controller ever made. Name of the
| project is also great. Hope to see some usb version of the dongle
| hw that supports multiple controllers.
| simlevesque wrote:
| Available for preorders as premade devices here:
| https://www.laserbear.net/products/wavephoenix-replacement-w...
| someperson wrote:
| Is it theoretically possible for a driver to be written for the
| Wii to support dongleless play with the "Nintendont" homebrew
| app?
|
| It would of course require driver modifications, and I don't know
| if the existing 2.4GHz radio is capable of this, but likely
| possible with custom firmware for the radio chip.
| someperson wrote:
| This is fantastic because there a large amount of WaveBirds
| controllers in existence which are missing their dongles.
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(page generated 2025-05-26 23:00 UTC)