Ok, I found the USB Gecko source files, but how do I OPEN them?!?

[LRFLEW]

I downloaded the source files for the USB Gecko, as stated on this site, but all the files are of weird extensions that my computer doesn't recognize.  Does it being a mac make a difference?  What program should I use to open them (I can run most linux and windows programs under emulation, but I prefer Mac-native applications)?  I haven't found anything explaining any of this. 

[Romaap]

You can open almost any source file (for almost everything) with any basic text editor.
But you should look for a special text editor for programming (those highlight syntax) like SubEthaEdit

[dcx2]

The schematics and PCB require Altium Designer.  Altium offers a free viewer application.  I don't think it works on Mac, though...

The VHDL files are just plain text.

[LRFLEW]

The schematics and PCB require Altium Designer.  Altium offers a free viewer application.  I don't think it works on Mac, though...

The VHDL files are just plain text.

You're right, it doesn't work on a mac, and none of the mac alternatives use the same file format.  I can't seem to find any way to look at them without doing summersaults trying to get the one PC I own to open it. 

I saw a picture of the inner working of of a USB Gecko, and it doesn't look to complicated.  There is GameCube connections, a USB port, three unidentified chips, half a dozen undetermined capacitors, and one undetermined resistor.  Can anybody just tell me what the unidentified and undetermined parts are, and how the are connected?  Can I get everything from RadioShack (or other similar store) and solder it together on a diy board? 

If so, that would SO make my day :D :D :D. 

[dcx2]

I believe one of the chips is an FTDI chip that turns RS232 into USB.  Another is a CPLD; I think it's doing the EXI->RS232 translation.  The third is some flash memory.

Someone did a BOM (Bill Of Materials) here.  http://wiird.l0nk.org/forum/index.php/topic,5134.0.html  The resistor is just a 0-ohm jumper, the caps are probably bypass caps.  If you want to order parts, try www.digikey.com.  I doubt Rat Shack has CPLDs and such...

I would really, really hesitate to DIY this.  In fact, I strongly recommend against it (and I design circuit boards for a living!)  The chips are surface mount, and that's almost impossible to DIY.  If you found through-hole counterparts or managed to mount the SMT chips on a board that provides through-holes, you'd probably have to jam them in a protoboard or breadboard, which would be huge and hang off of the Wii unprotected.  That would scare the hell out of me, because one wrong move and you might short power to ground and that could fry your Wii.

I've actually been considering generating some gerber files and getting a bunch of USB Gecko PCBs made.  Considering the size of the PCB, if I panelized the board I could probably get dozens of them for <$200.  You still need an oven or EXCELLENT soldering skills to place the components, though...