darkSpyro

Is there anyway to hack the swapforce portal to be wireless? My console is installed in a near-by media cabinet. In terms of power for the portal, I can always plug it in to some type of power source, I just need it to be wireless to the console as to avoid long USB cables across the floor.

I dont think there is...

Nope there is no way to make it Wireless.

If they were to ever go back to wireless portals that would be the way to do it. Battery life (as I hear, I have the 360 versions which are wired due to MS restrictions on wireless devices) was dreadful since the portal had to be on full time while you were playing. I wouldn't mind if it had wireless functionality and simply used the USB as a powered interface - so you could power it from anywhere. Of course, that would likely raise the cost of the portal, so not likely.

There was also a big issue with the wireless portals where it would some how damage xbox360s and ps3s, a friend got a red ring and some kid posted a rant on youtube about getting a yellow light from it. Mine handled fine minus the burning of batteries and occasional random disconnects. They announced when giants came out they would never go back to wireless portals.

Quote: KuroKaze

There was also a big issue with the wireless portals where it would some how damage xbox360s and ps3s, a friend got a red ring and some kid posted a rant on youtube about getting a yellow light from it. Mine handled fine minus the burning of batteries and occasional random disconnects. They announced when giants came out they would never go back to wireless portals.

That's not true. It's amazing some of the stuff passed off as fact via anecdote or YouTube video.

The original XBox 360 (not the new ones, they don't use the same 3 red lights to indicate failure anyways) had some issues overheating, which caused a lot of failures, but a wireless device? No. Maybe his XBox did fail while playing the game, but it wasn't due to that. Most RROD XBox360s were due to overheating that caused a failure in the soldered connection between two circuits. And secondly, there has never been a wireless Skylanders portal for the XBox360, even for the first game. XBox wireless has a security mechanism for which they charged makers of device a fee to access, that is why you don't see a lot of wireless third party controllers for the XBox 360. Activision opted to make the XBox portal wired only. If your friend claimed his wireless portal caused his XBox to RROD, he is lying for the mere fact that the situation could not exist.

The only possible thing I could think of doing is seeing if you can either get a longer cord, or use a USB Extension...

Quote: defpally

Quote: KuroKaze

There was also a big issue with the wireless portals where it would some how damage xbox360s and ps3s, a friend got a red ring and some kid posted a rant on youtube about getting a yellow light from it. Mine handled fine minus the burning of batteries and occasional random disconnects. They announced when giants came out they would never go back to wireless portals.

That's not true. It's amazing some of the stuff passed off as fact via anecdote or YouTube video.

The original XBox 360 (not the new ones, they don't use the same 3 red lights to indicate failure anyways) had some issues overheating, which caused a lot of failures, but a wireless device? No. Maybe his XBox did fail while playing the game, but it wasn't due to that. Most RROD XBox360s were due to overheating that caused a failure in the soldered connection between two circuits. And secondly, there has never been a wireless Skylanders portal for the XBox360, even for the first game. XBox wireless has a security mechanism for which they charged makers of device a fee to access, that is why you don't see a lot of wireless third party controllers for the XBox 360. Activision opted to make the XBox portal wired only. If your friend claimed his wireless portal caused his XBox to RROD, he is lying for the mere fact that the situation could not exist.

I didn't know this. Thanks.

There are wireless USB extenders that have been available and probably might be able to be purchased, but the cost of them is prohibitive. Many times what your starter set cost. You could try one of the USB over Cat5e extenders and run the wiring in the wall/ceiling and use keystone jacks on modular wall plates?

<shrug>

-VM

Quote: ViDeOmAnCiNi

There are wireless USB extenders that have been available and probably might be able to be purchased, but the cost of them is prohibitive. Many times what your starter set cost. You could try one of the USB over Cat5e extenders and run the wiring in the wall/ceiling and use keystone jacks on modular wall plates?

The running the wire sounds like an interesting idea for the OP, but the wireless extender (or even ones that might use power jacks) probably isn't a good idea. Skylanders needs a constant connection, and if you don't have it you might be risking corruption of figures. I wouldn't be certain that protection against signal loss isn't a problem for a portal that is intended to be wired.

There are 10 meter powered USB cables on ebay quite cheap.
They essentially have a USB hub in the end to regenerate the signals. Why?
Did you know 10 meters is the max distance for USB?

If you get a passive 10 meter USB cable and plug a device into it you exceed the max length and will have issues.

I've not tried the portal through a USB hub to make sure it still works but I see no reason it shouldn't...

I used an extension