Talismoon Wii Gate: Replacement DVD Gate in Red

Talismoon Wii Gate: Replacement DVD Gate in Red

This is definitely a great idea for a product. Since Nintendo has not yet offered the Wii in any variety of colors besides the standard white, there are many third party manufactures making shells or offering coloring services, but this is the only "easy" way I've found to change the color of the systems lights.
I purchased this item as a compliment to the metallic black system I own.

The Good:
1) Comes with the tri-point screwdriver necessary to open Nintendo products (works on other items besides the Wii) I can't say enough how much a plus it is to have this come with the item. This is not a screwdriver you will find at the average hardware store
2) Comes pre-assembled with the LEDs already placed in a plastic frame for extremly easy installation.
3) "Plug-n-play." No soldering, and you only have to remove four screws and the front faceplate to make the swap, so your Nintendo warranty is safe.


The Bad:
1) WAY too much cable. The cable used to power the original Wii lights is only an inch or two, where as the cable on this item is easily six inches. Normally extra cable length is a good thing, but in this case it is nothing but an annoyance, and a significant one. The only people I imagine will be interested in this type of product are those who enjoy changing the aesthetics of their systems, so once the item is installed they will obviously want to put the faceplate back on. The problem is there is very little "extra space" to work with, and having three times the cable you need leaves you with the issue of where to hide it all without bunching it up (would keep the faceplate from going on) or blocking the memory card reader or system buttons.

2) Lights flicker off instead of fading. The lights seem to work properly when a game is inserted/ejected, but not when the system is "breathing" (the looping fade in/fade out that happens when you get an e-mail). The fade in works okay, but instead of gradually fading out, the lights instead flicker a few times and then turn off.

3) The lights are not as bright as the original blue ones that come with the system.


This is decent product, an easy-to-use mod for your Wii that really can't screw up your system or your warranty. It does not work perfectly however, and could use some minor adjustments to remove the few annoying aspects it has. I would definitely recommend anyone who purchases this product (also available in green) keep the original lights, just in case.