RetroPie 4.2 NES 30 Controller by 8bitdo

mitu

@lxevans Try updating the firwmare of the controller if you have a PC/Mac - see the http://support.8bitdo.com/ page. Using the latest firmware (4.0x), there is no need to use the '8Bitdo hack' option when using blueooth to connect it.

Update the Retropie to the latest version, the image is at version 4.2.0, there are a few improvements since then - see https://retropie.org.uk/docs/Updating-RetroPie/ for the update instructions.

Using the keyboard, unregister all your bluetooth controllers from the bluetooth menu. You alread know how to get to that part (how to get to the module it's described in https://retropie.org.uk/docs/8Bitdo-Controller ).

(Using again just the keyboard) Try again to:

Register your bluetooth device (pair it) in the Bluetooth module
Re-configure the input in EmulationStation

gaavoid

@lxevans go to the 8bitdo website. Go to the support section and download the latest firmware (4.01, I believe) for your controller and follow their instructions for installing: then follow the retropie documentation to connect to your Pi and set up controller config.
You said you don't know what firmware it's using, so that could be the issue. If it's old firmware you need the hack turned on for your controller to work correctly.
Also, like I said, don't assume whatever MAC address is detected is your controller. Search again until it's listed as 8bitdo nes30 to be sure. My Pi detects about 5 things in my house that aren't my controllers.

LXEvans

alright, 8bitdo 4.01 Firmware is on it upgraded via PC USB.
i followed the documentation. no improvement.
i doubt that the firmware of the nes30 cause the crashes on the raspberry pi 3 with the retropie 4.2 on it.
i'm using the newest version i don't see any other versions
sigh

LXEvans

so whats next

ruckage

Have you considered just starting from scratch with a clean retropie installation? Preferably use a new SD card as that would rule out any problems with the installation and the SD card. Sometimes it's just easier to start afresh.

LXEvans

beg your pardon? the sd card cost about 100.- and is used for 4K GoPro Videos i cannot just buy stuff like this whenever i pleased to. and since it's still Version 4.2 what difference would that made?

meleu

@LXEvans the curious thing is that on your OP you at least saw the EmulationStation configure input screen and were able to set some buttons... To reach this point you have to connect/pair the NES30 before.

I think this is what is confusing all the guys that are trying to help you (including myself).

Can you say how you reached that point (EmulationStation configure input) in the first place? Looks like you were able to connect/pair the NES30 before and now you're facing problems...

mitu

@meleu He stated a few replies above about using a USB keyboard, so I guess that's what is used to navigate in the ES screens.

@LXEvans have you updated the Retropie from the config menu ? It should say 4.2.20 or above, not just 4.2.0.

ruckage

@lxevans
I don't see what difference the price of your SD card makes - it could still have a fault or be corrupted so I was offering you a suggestion to fix all the problems you're having. And why do you need such an expensive card? You can buy very good SD cards for under £10 that work perfectly with retropie.

LXEvans

it seems that was too cryptic: i can't afford to buy new micro sd cards every week. 10 bucks? the stuff is too slow.

i contacted brack about the Pi 3 / nes 30 and Sandisk about the SD Card, both did not answer.

i also don't see the point why i have to chance my entire hardware here. except the Raspberry Pi Power Supply there is nothig left.

gaavoid

@lxevans Reflash retropie on your micro sd. Start again. Some files may have corrupted when you pulled the power, not necessarily damaging the micro sd itself.
Follow the setup guides exactly to the word, and you will have success.

ruckage

@lxevans
Ridiculous, a £10 SD card is more than fast enough for a raspberry pi (sandisk ultra can bought in this price range which are class 10 80mb/s), your read speed will be limited by the speed of the raspberry pi anyway.

Numerous people have offered you suggestions, none of which worked according to you, and no one else is having these problems. I don't see how much more help people here can give you.

LXEvans

"no one else has problems" are you sure?
the "suggestions" as you call it i used a few of them, they did not work.
for the "replace the whole hardware" that is gonna take a while, the sd card can go on its way in the next days the "gaming" kit i have to wait for a response from brack. the importeur from Sandsik was not very pleased as i asked for a replacement.
the only thing a can do is to try and try it again, the system locks up, crashes, the nes30 does nothing.

so what are your suggestions? ruck

ruckage

@lxevans said in RetroPie 4.2 NES 30 Controller by 8bitdo:

"no one else has problems" are you sure?
the "suggestions" as you call it i used a few of them, they did not work.
for the "replace the whole hardware" that is gonna take a while, the sd card can go on its way in the next days the "gaming" kit i have to wait for a response from brack. the importeur from Sandsik was not very pleased as i asked for a replacement.
the only thing a can do is to try and try it again, the system locks up, crashes, the nes30 does nothing.

so what are your suggestions? ruck

No one said to replace your whole hardware, I suggested reinstalling retropie from scratch (as did @gaavoid ) and preferably try a new SD in case that was the problem (things such as SD corruption could be the cause so its wise to rule it out .)
No one else is having these problems, if they were there would be dozens of threads reporting it as a problem - as I said many of us have these controllers and don't have any these issues (the nes30 is a very popular controller).

Your only contribution here so far is to ask for help, which is fine, but despite several people giving up their time to offer assistance you've ignored suggestions and some of your responses have seemed quite rude. I appreciate you are probably frustrated with the problems you're having but that isn't our fault - a little respect goes a long way. There is only so much we can do to help especially if you refuse to accept the advise offered.

LXEvans

fair enough, so what exactly do you want to know?

if i recollect this right the "suggestions" are:

reconnect the nes30 - tried that several times
remove and add it again with bluetooth - tried that several times
update the firmware - done on 8bitdo Homepage
update retropie 4.2 - done
switch SD card - in progress
wipe and reinstall with etcher - tried that several times too

what are my "contributions":

describing what the problem is, version numbers of all programs involved, screenshots of the error messages, what happend after i tried the solutions provided.

as i stated before the issue is not only the nes30 controller, after i try to install / connect it retropie goes nuts an locks up / crashes / freezes no input not even with the USB Keyboard.

what lights up on the controller?
blue blinks occasionally, if i press L R Start green and blue blinks for a brief moment.

so thanks goes to all who wrote me and invested time an efforts into it

thanks a lot - merci beaucup - vielen dank

rude enough?

gaavoid

@lxevans What pairing mode/method are you turning on the controller with?

The way I do it:

Go into the Bluetooth options.
Hold start on 8bitdo controller for a few seconds.
Search for devices.
If the 8bitdo controller isn't listed go back and search again.
Usually at around this point the controller may turn itself off; so press start again. Eventually the Raspberry Pi will find it (listed as 8bitdo controller).
Connect controller.
Set udev rule.
Turn off 8bitdo hack.
Reboot Pi.
Turn on 8bitdo controller using same method (hold start)
Set input configuration in emulation station.
Play games.

You may need to repeat steps 2, 3 and 4 a couple of times.
I think you're failing at around number 5. I think this is because you're not actually connecting the controller. (Although you had it connected in your original post.)
Make sure you delete all current connected devices.
I get several mac addresses show up when I first search for devices. One of them may be the controller I wish to connect but there's about 4 or 5 mac addresses and I don't know which each one is.
One might be my TV, wireless headphones, Bluetooth sound bar, iPad, iPhone, and probably something from the house next door. Maybe connecting to one of these other devices would cause the Pi to crash like your has.
So go back one screen and search again till it's displayed as 8bitdo controller so you know that you're definitely connecting to the right thing.

SleepyOwl

Dumb question: Have you tried pairing the NES30 with any othe devices to see if it worked?
and have you tried any other bluetooth controller on the Pi?

Clearly something is wrong. either
a) You've got a bad controller, or
b) You've got a bad Pi with a deffective bluetooth chip.

Both can happen and are not indicative of the general quality of either peripheral.

Try your NES30 with you phone or pc beforehand (if not already done) to ascertain functionnality.
Try to pair another bluetooth device to ascertain that the Pi is not deffective.
Second, format your sd (or use another one) and install a fresh image of retropie
Update your retropie
Disable 8bitDo hack.
redo the pairing process.

When I need to pair mine, I have to redo the pairing sequence a couple of time for the pi to see the controller. After the it pairs and works perfectly.

LXEvans

The "Retro Gaming Kit" is on his way back to Brack, the Micro SD Card is on its way back to Engelberger. At the Moment i have no gear to test. But as i connected the NES 30 to my Windows 7 Notebook, it worked.

i serched for some alternatives an got to the asus tinker board or a nividia shield tv 2017

so i have to play the waiting game

blargsnarf

I still don't understand how in the original post, you were trying to button map (which is something you do once the pad is installed, just not configured) and then the rest of the topic is talking about trying to connect it in the first place.

If you can map a single button, the pad is connected, and you just need to finish mapping.. none of this bluetooth connecting/reconnecting/reinstalling/system testing/new SD cards, etc.

MrJordaaany

I almost exclusively use 8bitdo controllers with RetroPie. I've connected up and mapped tons of them to heaps of different Pi's following the instructions of the wiki and have had no issues.

After all the testing and advice here I would have to agree with @SleepyOwl and say either the controller or Pi/SD card is defective. Maybe you have a bad bluetooth module? Who knows.

Sucks you are getting issue tho, they are great controllers.