Questions regarding generic Wii Pro controller on x86 install

Clyde

@movisman Do you have the option to try them on another machine with a different BT chipset?

Alas, I don't know how similar the Wii U Pro clones are to the originals, so I can't say if the latter have a bigger chance of success.

It may be a bit unfair to the vendor, but at this point and in your place, I would consider buying both the originals and a Mayflash adapter, test both of them, and then refund the inferior one(s). At least I would keep the clones until I'd have checked if the originals are in fact better.

movisman

@Clyde

I tried to pair the controllers with two different DELL Latitude laptops, one is a DELL E5550 running Mint and the other a DELL E7470 running Windows 10. I need to check out what chipset both of these laptops use, but I could not get either controller paired to these either.

I imagine if I use a Mayflash adapter, it'll work fine, but ideally I didn't want to rely on a separate adapter, which costs nearly the same as these two controllers. However, i'm wondering if I purchased an official controller, with my hardware maybe i'd have the same result and need an adapter regardless. It's impossible to know without picking up an official one somewhere I guess.

One other question I had, a few posts on reddit suggest that when using the Wii Pro controller, the 'home' button cannot be mapped to anything, whereas some other posts suggest it can be mapped like any other button. What is your experience with this?

Thanks!

Clyde

@movisman said in Questions regarding generic Wii Pro controller on x86 install:

I tried to pair the controllers with two different DELL Latitude laptops, one is a DELL E5550 running Mint and the other a DELL E7470 running Windows 10. I need to check out what chipset both of these laptops use, but I could not get either controller paired to these either.

That is strange, given that I can pair my Qumox Wii U Pro controllers with my Pi and my Cubi 3 without any adapter (they'll only get ghost inputs on the Pi). I even tested the direct Pi connection just now, in case something had changed in RetroPie since I bought the Mayflash adapter. But it still worked without problems.

Are your controllers also from Qumox? If so, they may have changed the hardware since I bought them roughly a year ago. Or you were so "lucky" to get faulty controllers each time, which would be very strange on its own.

One other question I had, a few posts on reddit suggest that when using the Wii Pro controller, the 'home' button cannot be mapped to anything, whereas some other posts suggest it can be mapped like any other button. What is your experience with this?

I just tested this on the Cubi 3. I could bind the home button to any button that I tested, namely Start, Hotkey, and A. They worked as such in ES and lr-mame2003. The home button appears as button 10 in the input configuration dialog of ES.

movisman

@Clyde

Yeah really strange. The controllers are definitely from Qumox, I even tried pairing with two colleagues laptops at work today plus my phone, and none of the devices could see the controllers when the sync button was pressed (lights flashing).

It is possible they are faulty, but I reckon these might be either A) really fussy with the bluetooth chipset or B) a possible hardware change which means they would need an adapter of sorts in order to function correctly.

Glad to know your home button works and is mappable, a few other posts suggested it wasn't seen, but this might have been when using the Mayflash adapter.

I'm tempted to return these and go back to square one, see if I can find some controllers which don't require any sort of adapter in order to function.

I have a DS4 which i'm going to try, not for a permanent solution but just to see if it works.

Cheers!

Clyde

@movisman said in Questions regarding generic Wii Pro controller on x86 install:

Glad to know your home button works and is mappable, a few other posts suggested it wasn't seen, but this might have been when using the Mayflash adapter.

You're right! I just tested it on my Pi with the adapter, and the home button can't be bound to any button. I didn't notice this because I normally have no use for the button. :)

movisman

@Clyde

Right! Is that on the 'dinput' setting?

I have a feeling on the 'dinput' setting, where is detects the controller as a generic one (?) the home button maybe cannot be bound.

However if it's changed to 'xinput', it should detect as a 360 controller, and maybe then the home button will work?

Downside to using xinput is apparently this mode only supports one controller, whereas dinput supports 4.

Thanks

Clyde

@movisman Okay, now it's my part to experience strange happenings. The Mayflash adapter already was set to Xinput when the home button didn't work. I then switched it to Dinput to test it, and apart from the name displayed in the input configuration dialog of ES, nothing changed. BUT after I switched back to Xinput, the home button worked! 😒

That said, it may be that the switch just looked like it was set to Xinput, because I used both controllers at the same time with it, whereas Xinput indeed only allows one connection, as I tested just now.

So yes, the home button works in Xinput mode, but not in Dinput mode.

edit: While testing both modes, I noticed a nice feature of the Mayflash adapter. It can switch the input mode on the fly without a reboot or even disconnecting the first controller. The second loses its connection if the adapter is set to Xinput, of course.

Clyde

Ouf of curiosity, I played around with bluetooth pairing on the Linux console. If you haven't sent back the controllers by now, you may try this on any Debian-based Linux system, e.g. Retropie/Raspbian, any Ubuntu variant, or Linux Mint.

sudo apt install bluez-utils    # making sure bluetoothctl is installed
bluetoothctl

You'll land in the bluetoothctl command line. I'll show you the pairing process of my Qumox controller with the MAC address 8C:CD:E8:19:57:80 ([bluetooth]# is the command prompt). I'll put commands with little output together in one code block and commands with longer output separate in their own code blocks.

[bluetooth]# default-agent 
Default agent request successful
[bluetooth]# power on
Changing power on succeeded
[bluetooth]# list
Controller D4:6D:6D:69:9D:43 cubi [default]
[bluetooth]# scan on
Discovery started
[CHG] Controller D4:6D:6D:69:9D:43 Discovering: yes

Now press the pairing button on the controller. You should see something similar to this:

[NEW] Device 8C:CD:E8:19:57:80 Nintendo RVL-CNT-01-UC
[CHG] Device 8C:CD:E8:19:57:80 RSSI: -22
[CHG] Device 8C:CD:E8:19:57:80 RSSI: -37

If you see your controller, you can continue. Like the Linux console (bash in most Debian-based distributions), the bluetoothctl console supports tab completion, so you can just enter the first number of the mac address (e.g. "8") and the tab key will complete it for you.

[bluetooth]# pair 8C:CD:E8:19:57:80
Attempting to pair with 8C:CD:E8:19:57:80
[CHG] Device 8C:CD:E8:19:57:80 Connected: yes
[CHG] Device 8C:CD:E8:19:57:80 Modalias: usb:v057Ep0330d0001
[CHG] Device 8C:CD:E8:19:57:80 UUIDs: 00001124-0000-1000-8000-00805f9b34fb
[CHG] Device 8C:CD:E8:19:57:80 UUIDs: 00001200-0000-1000-8000-00805f9b34fb
[CHG] Device 8C:CD:E8:19:57:80 ServicesResolved: yes
[CHG] Device 8C:CD:E8:19:57:80 Paired: yes
Pairing successful
[CHG] Device 8C:CD:E8:19:57:80 ServicesResolved: no
[CHG] Device 8C:CD:E8:19:57:80 Connected: no

[bluetooth]# devices 
Device 8C:CD:E8:19:57:80 Nintendo RVL-CNT-01-UC
[bluetooth]# paired-devices 
Device 8C:CD:E8:19:57:80 Nintendo RVL-CNT-01-UC

[bluetooth]# info 8C:CD:E8:19:57:80
Device 8C:CD:E8:19:57:80 (public)
        Name: Nintendo RVL-CNT-01-UC
        Alias: Nintendo RVL-CNT-01-UC
        Class: 0x00000508
        Icon: input-gaming
        Paired: yes
        Trusted: no
        Blocked: no
        Connected: no
        LegacyPairing: yes
        UUID: Human Interface Device... (00001124-0000-1000-8000-00805f9b34fb)
        UUID: PnP Information           (00001200-0000-1000-8000-00805f9b34fb)
        Modalias: usb:v057Ep0330d0001

The device is not trusted automatically (Trusted: no), so we'll have to do it manually:

[bluetooth]# trust 8C:CD:E8:19:57:80 
[CHG] Device 8C:CD:E8:19:57:80 Trusted: yes
Changing 8C:CD:E8:19:57:80 trust succeeded

Now enter this command and press any button on the controller:

[bluetooth]# connect 8C:CD:E8:19:57:80 
Attempting to connect to 8C:CD:E8:19:57:80
Failed to connect: org.bluez.Error.Failed
[CHG] Device 8C:CD:E8:19:57:80 Connected: yes

I actually had to press the A button again after the command failed, so I can't say for sure in which order the command and the button press have to be executed. Just experiment. :)

help in the bluetoothctl console will list all of its commands, and exit will end it.

After pairing and trusting the controller like this, it also appeared in the bluetooth applet of my KDE Plasma 5 desktop panel, and I could connect to it via its GUI as if I had paired it that way.

Just another option to pair your current or future controllers …

Clyde

I just stumbled upon these threads.

The first poster had to use a BT adapter because his/her wireless PS3 controller had lag and missing inputs with the Pi's own BT. In the second thread, it's suggested that turning off WIFI can improve connections to BT controllers by strengthening the BT signal. The latter also links to this script from @cyperghost for easily switching the WIFI on and off.

Just FYI that BT adapters may be a good idea in general, and that disabling WIFI might help with bitchy BT controllers. 😉

edit: some typos, it's definitely too early in my part of the world to write comprehensive forum posts. 😒

movisman

@Clyde said in Questions regarding generic Wii Pro controller on x86 install:

@movisman Okay, now it's my part to experience strange happenings. The Mayflash adapter already was set to Xinput when the home button didn't work. I then switched it to Dinput to test it, and apart from the name displayed in the input configuration dialog of ES, nothing changed. BUT after I switched back to Xinput, the home button worked! 😒

That said, it may be that the switch just looked like it was set to Xinput, because I used both controllers at the same time with it, whereas Xinput indeed only allows one connection, as I tested just now.

So yes, the home button works in Xinput mode, but not in Dinput mode.

edit: While testing both modes, I noticed a nice feature of the Mayflash adapter. It can switch the input mode on the fly without a reboot or even disconnecting the first controller. The second loses its connection if the adapter is set to Xinput, of course.

How strange! I had a reply back from Mayflash support confirming what I thought, which is all buttons mappable in xinput mode, but in dinput mode the home button will not work, although you get 4 controller support.

movisman

@Clyde said in Questions regarding generic Wii Pro controller on x86 install:

Out of curiosity, I played around with bluetooth pairing on the Linux console. If you haven't sent back the controllers by now, you may try this on any Debian-based Linux system, e.g. Retropie/Raspbian, any Ubuntu variant, or Linux Mint.

Actually, I got a bit cheesed off with trying to get these things paired, and as I had to send back the other ones (which were damaged anyway) along with something else, I thought i'd just send them back and take them to the post office at the same time.

So I no longer have them, and now just planning my next move. With the commands you mentioned, although not like for like I did try to pair with the command line using bluetoothctl, but even when I pressed the sync button on the controller, I would never get a [NEW] device for it. My laptop and a couple of other devices would should up as [NEW] though. So the BT controller simply wasn't seeing it.

The same thing happened when I substituted internal BT (disabled in BIOS) for a USB dongle I found. It never appeared as a [NEW] device. All a bit strange. I don't think Ubuntu Server has bluez-utils installed, but I think it has the bluez application. Either way my Linux Mint install which has everything on there by default couldn't see the controllers.

Part of me wishes i'd kept them for further investigation, but i'm right near the last 20% of my Ubuntu Server appliance install, which I wanted to get finished over the xmas period, so I didn't want to spend too much more time on it.

Tonight, I am going to try and pair up my DS4 controller and see if that works without a dongle - will keep you posted on that. Currently using a wired PC Xbox 360 pad which works great, but i'd like a wireless controller for primary. Almost tempted to shell out for a new model Xbox one controller which fully supports BT without a dongle, and then use the DS4 for the occasional second player (if it pairs), or the wired Xbox controller..

Cheers!

movisman

Well, I tried my Sony DS4 controller (newest version), and it simply paired first time, and ES recognised it as a straight up wireless gamepad when I went to configure the input. Was able to configure all buttons without issue, and everything just works as you would expect.

The whole thing took less than 3 minutes, so definitely a strange thing with those Qumox controllers.

Only downer is they don't power down by themselves, but I don't plan to use the PS4 controller with this anyway as a primary, mainly because i'll have to keep plugging the controller back into the PS4 to re-pair. Also my girlfriend may use the PS4 and/or the RetroPie install occasionally and I want it to be hassle free. However it was a useful test!

Also, just FYI, my second DS4 paired fine too and 2 player just worked, one controller had a blue lightstrip, the other red.

Cheers

Clyde

Whatever works for you is fine. Have fun!

movisman

@Clyde

Indeed. Cheers for all the help! I will look into another controller, at least I know it's nothing to do with my setup. Just an incompatibility of sorts, or a requirement of some type of adapter, or possible controller fault.

Will get something sorted! Cheers.

Clyde

I would very much like to know your final solution, if you want to share it here. 😊

gpmcty

I will be very curious if you can get the generic Wii U pro controllers to work. I was not successful with the ones I have tried. I have the EEkit and a Nyco, neither of which will connect to the Raspberry Pi or my laptops. They will work with the Mayflash adapter. Funny thing is they will connect to the Wii U without any issue. I have not tried a new bluetooth dongle. Ended up getting two authentic pro controllers and they synced without issue to the Pi.

Clyde

@gpmcty I'm curious as well: Why did you swap them if they'd worked with the Mayflash adapter?

movisman

@Clyde

Hi,

Just seen this, I didn't spot the notification that you had replied! So, no final solution as of yet, but I do have in my possession an Xbox One controller which I got brand new for a bargain (£25), and this works very well indeed with the xpadneo driver (not available via RetroPie-Setup as of yet), connected directly via BT. So currently i'm using that, and have a wired 360 controller for the second player. I am looking at buying a second wireless controller though, but not sure what to go for. Would prefer one which doesn't need an adapter, so either another Xbox One controller if any steals come up (don't want to pay full price though), or maybe a second hand Wii U Pro (official), assuming that will pair of course.

Interesting that @gpmcty also had issue connecting the third party controllers directly without the adapter, this was also my experience. I guess the only downside of a Mayflash adapter is the non-working home button if you need to use dinput for 2 player. But that must be it though?

Cheers

Clyde

Thanks for the update, it's interesting to follow your way to a working solution.

Yeah, it seems that it is a kind of game of chance to get the right BT controllers for the Pi, may it be that I was lucky or you and @gpmcty were unlucky.

And yes, it seems to be either direct connection without the home key, or using an adapter. Ironically, I'm fine with my adapter although I don't use the home key anyway. :)