So Close And Yet So Far From Actually Being Able To Use My Wii

Do you ever have what you think is going to be a little project turn into a big ol' hassle? That's where I'm at!

 I bought a really nice flat panel computer a few weeks ago in part because it could serve as both my television and my computer (having two seperate pieces of technology in a small room just seemed ridiculous not to mention more expensive).

Internet television with my new toy has been no problem; people have actually been commenting on the size of my, ahem, screen. The problem is the Wii, more specifically the remote.

My super-smart boss told me that based on the specs, I would need a modulator (about $20) and a coaxial cable to plug from the modulator to the back of my computer (it has a cable hookup). This would convert the three pronged Wii plugin into something my computer could read. Fair enough. I bought one Friday and hooked it all up, turned on the television part of my computer, and nothing. Hmph.

Monday, I read all about the media center and learned how to *gasp* change channels on my television. Moving to channel three, the little Wii screen came on my computer screen and I clapped my little hands together.

Yesterday was spent trying to figure out issues with the Wiimote. Everything I could find on the online forums was about trying to get your computer to detect the remote, period. My computer is detecting it (it has Bluetooth capabilities, and if yours doesn't you can buy some dongle for it for $5 apparently). My remote is just highly inaccurate, as in I can't even click on icons. I just spent 20 minutes trying to get into Wii Fit and all I was able to do is select the Wii Fit game and my Mii.

I feel like I'm ridiculously shaky with it and I found a way to adjust the settings according to the directions, three normal clicks away. I know getting the cursor to hover over the right place and be able to click on it three different times may be a rest-of-the-night endeavor so I'm going to drag Operation Wii Working into another day.

Here is the most helpful link I found so far, Lifehacker, in case you are struggling with some technology problem like this. It's a great blog with useful explanations. I may have to start reading it more regularly to help get nerdier.

In the meantime, I'm at a loss. Does anyone have any good technology troubleshooting blogs, websites, forums, etc. they find consistently helpful? Resorting to reading the directions tonight was decidedly less so and web searches are not helping. (And if this is something stupid and you know the answer, let me know.)

Technology rocks but sometimes it just makes me want to throw things!