Using a Japanese Nintendo Wii in an Australian household

[layzee]

Anything I should be aware of? I intend to use the Japanese Nintendo Wii to play NTSC-JPN Wii and GameCube games.

Australian power outlets and electronic devices run at 220-240 volts (same as UK) while American/Japanese ones runs at 110-120 volts. So I'm guessing that the Nintendo Wii, like the Xbox 360, and unlike the Sony PS3, requires a step-down converter. What is the recommended wattage (power) of the step-down device? Wiis, as far as I'm aware, aren't as power hungry as 360s/PS3s so hopefully not much.

I also get the feeling there are more factors I need to take into account of, but I can't remember what they are right now, so remind me, won't you?

Edit: Oh yeah: There are Japanese and Asian PS3s/360s (with very slight differences), are there Japanese and Asian Nintendo Wiis? e.g. If you buy a Nintendo Wii in say, Hong Kong, is that considered a Japanese or Asian model?

[egparadigm]

I don't think there are Asian Wiis...

The best method of powering the Wii is, if possible, to buy either an official or unofficial power supply. This is how I have my US one in the UK working. You could phone Nintendo or try Amazon if you have that in Oz.

Only other thing would be buying through the shop. Australia won't appear on the Japanese machine to make credit card payments, so you may need to buy pre-paid cards.

[fuse]

I use a 100watt stepdown with my J-Wii, as opposed to the monster 300watt one for my J-360. Never had any issues with it.

A plus thing for me is that 99% of things will run in 480p as opposed to 480i - for me this meant being able to use a VDigi VGA lead and a monitor as opposed to a TV which was a big plus. Only thing that hasn't met this rule is Rockman 9, which for some stupid reason they set to 480i.

Never heard anything suggesting there are other regions for other Asian territories, it's all just one afaik. No definite answer on this one from me though unfortunately.

edit: re post above, I'm not sure how you'd get on with the shop? I can use my UK Mastercard fine on it, and I don't ever have to give my location.

[layzee]

The best method of powering the Wii is, if possible, to buy either an official or unofficial power supply. This is how I have my US one in the UK working. You could phone Nintendo or try Amazon if you have that in Oz.

Which power supply do you mean? In your case, do you mean using an official UK Wii power supply for use with your US Wii console?

I use a 100watt stepdown with my J-Wii, as opposed to the monster 300watt one for my J-360. Never had any issues with it.

Hmm, my highest stepdown is a 90 watt one...

and lol, I'm glad I got an Asian 360: Does (almost) the same thing as a JPN 360, without the need for a stepdown.

[Oldgamingfart]

The Japanese official Wii PSU is rated at 94VA, but I think you can get away with using a 90w step-down. I would check to see that the step-down doesn't get too hot though.
Alternatively a native official Australian Wii PSU will suffice.

[layzee]

The Japanese official Wii PSU is rated at 94VA, but I think you can get away with using a 90w step-down. I would check to see that the step-down doesn't get too hot though.

Great.

Alternatively a native official Australian Wii PSU will suffice.

Are you sure about that? No chance of the power supply or the Nintendo Wii blowing up (remembering the differences in voltage requirements)? If so, then this should do just fine.

[importaku]

Great.



Are you sure about that? No chance of the power supply or the Nintendo Wii blowing up (remembering the differences in voltage requirements)? If so, then this should do just fine.

Theres no chance of your jpn wii frying if you use an australian wii psu. All wii's have the same voltage requrements coming from the psu. All wii psu's output the same voltage it's just the input from the country you live in that changes. If you get one to match the input voltage of the country your in then thats all that matters. (hope that makes sense)

Usually consoles/handhelds that have an external psu(GC/WII/N64/GBA/DS ect), you can just swap it for a domestic one. The problems start when the psu is inside the machine (xbox/DC/Panasonic Q/PS2) & people plug it direct into the mains & fry it.

[layzee]

Alright, I'll take your words for it, if or when I get that Nintendo Wii, I will report back to this thread.

For now, if anyone has contradictory information or other relevant facts relating to the thread topic, please post.

Thank you.

Current schedule:

1. Get a Japanese Nintendo Wii.
2. Replace Japanese Wii External Power Supply Unit with Australian Wii Ex-PSU.
3. Set up everything and plug PSU into Australian power outlet.
4. Press "Power" button.
5. Post results on NTSC-UK thread for the benefit of future readers.

[Mayhem]

The Japanese official Wii PSU is rated at 94VA

Wow... the US one is rated 53VA by comparison.

[kryss]

There are Korean Wiis but no idea about region/etc. No clue about Hong Kong either.

[Link83]

The Japanese official Wii PSU is rated at 94VA

Wow... the US one is rated 53VA by comparison.

Just for reference, I dont believe the 'VA' rating has a direct correlation with the amount of Watts used:-

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volt-ampere

Especially as its only listed on the AC input section of the Wii's power supply.

The console power consumption table in the following link should give a much better idea of how many Watts a Wii uses.:-

http://www.hardcoreware.net/reviews/review-356-2.htm

It looks like your 90 Watt stepdown would be plenty enough if you decided to go that route

[Jaz]

Just buy a power supply for the country you are in. That's what I did - in 3 different parts of the world - and my Wii works just fine in all 3 places.

[layzee]

Current schedule:

1. Get a Japanese Nintendo Wii.
2. Replace Japanese Wii External Power Supply Unit with Australian Wii Ex-PSU.
3. Set up everything and plug PSU into Australian power outlet.
4. Press "Power" button.
5. Post results on NTSC-UK thread for the benefit of future readers.

As planned, albeit one year later, I have bought myself a Japanese Nintendo Wii Console.

According to the previous owner, the Wii was bought in Hong Kong. As far as I can see, unlike PS3s or 360s, this Japanese Wii Console is in fact, Japanese, and not Asian. Assuming Asian Wii consoles exist, which they don't.

The Wii came with a standard Japanese AC Adaptor and, I forgot what they're called (travel adaptor?), a little plug that the Japanese AC Adaptor plugs into. Basically, it just physically allows me to plug the Japanese AC Adaptor into an Australian power outlet (i.e. without the little plug, it would be physically impossible).

So, instead of using a Japanese Wii console with an Australian Wii PSU in Australia, I am using a Japanese Wii console AND a Japanese Wii PSU (plus extra plug). And it worked. And, thankfully, a stepdown transformer was not required.

However, there was something unexpected: This Japanese Wii console has actually been modified, either a soft-mod or a physical mod. "Backup" games work. Or worked because after I upgraded the Japanese Wii firmware with a random Japanese-region game, the backup games stopped working. Fortunately, the Wii did not brick (messing with firmware like that can do so). Japanese-region Wii and GameCube games continue to work. The current version of the console is now 4.2J or 4.3J or was it 3.2J, forgot.

My question now is this: what's the easiest way of determining exactly what type of mod has been done to the console without opening it up?