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    Please do not post a support request without first reading and following the advice in https://retropie.org.uk/forum/topic/3/read-this-first

    Problem connecting a bluetooth ps3 controller

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    • M
      messy
      last edited by

      Hello,

      Raspery pi 4 4GB
      USB PSU
      RetroPie v4.6
      Built from ISO from Retropie website
      USB devices - wifi dongle for a keyboard - Dragon Shock 3rd party PS3 controller (bluetooth).

      I have run through all the steps here https://retropie.org.uk/docs/PS3-Controller/

      but Im still having trouble. During the "register and connect" I have connected the device and I then go to a section about security and any option I choose just seems to do nothing but freeze.

      I read on another thread that I dont need to bothere with that bit and so long as the device is registered I can just config the controller which doesnt seem to be the case.

      Through multiple removing and reconnecting I saw a message saying "duel shock, disconnect controller press ps button then reconnect" - so I attached the usb and did this and I then went to configure the controller which went fine and it worked - with teh usb cable attached.

      Without the cable it didnt work. I removed the bluetooth device and tried to start from scratch and now it wont even connect teh device :(

      What am I doing wrong?

      mituM 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
      • M
        messy
        last edited by

        just rebooted teh pi and tried again - now at teh register bit I dont see a message about duel shock, just the "Searching" message I had originally - still wont connect it tho

        1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
        • mituM
          mitu Global Moderator @messy
          last edited by

          @messy said in Problem connecting a bluetooth ps3 controller:

          Through multiple removing and reconnecting I saw a message saying "duel shock, disconnect controller press ps button then reconnect" - so I attached the usb and did this and I then went to configure the controller which went fine and it worked - with teh usb cable attached.

          You're supposed to remove the cable after the the pairing is successful, then the controller should be connected by Bluetooth.

          now at teh register bit I dont see a message about duel shock,

          Is your controller still connected via USB ? PS3 pairing requires the controller to be connected via USB first.

          1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
          • M
            messy
            last edited by

            I have tried it every which way.

            I currently have it configured via usb and just got it paired via bluetooth however it still wont connect - controller lights just flash till it gives up :(

            mituM 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
            • mituM
              mitu Global Moderator @messy
              last edited by

              @messy said in Problem connecting a bluetooth ps3 controller:

              got it paired via bluetooth however it still wont connect

              It looks like it's not actually paired if the light is still flashing. If it works with a PC, does it have an alternate connection mode that you can switch to ?

              1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
              • M
                messy
                last edited by

                no idea but if I had to guess Id say no.

                Is there a way to reset it and start all over again - as in forget its usb setup and everything?

                mituM 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                • mituM
                  mitu Global Moderator @messy
                  last edited by

                  @messy Since it's not actually connected via Bluetooth, you could try again pairing it.

                  The sixaxis module has a few options for compatibility to PS3 clones - described here. You can also remove any Bluetooth paired devices from the Bluetooth menu.

                  If you wish to remove any configured controllers, see here.

                  1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                  • M
                    messy
                    last edited by messy

                    I have wiped the whole thing and re-installed RetroPie from scratch.

                    Currently at the installing drivers bit - I installed sixaxis last time but I have noticed there is a ps3 one as well - is that just for official ps3 controllers? Is there any harm in installing both?

                    mituM 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                    • mituM
                      mitu Global Moderator @messy
                      last edited by

                      @messy They're not compatible - you install one or the other. PS3 controller is an older driver, it might work with some PS3 clones better than sixaxis.

                      1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                      • M
                        messy
                        last edited by

                        oookay...on a fresh OS install, with the PS3 controller attached via usb I setup the controller
                        went to config - installed sixaxis
                        enabled third party support
                        with cable still attached I then went to bluetooth - register device
                        disconnected teh cable, pressed the ps button and re-connected the cable
                        it says device was connected.
                        tested - didnt work.

                        I then uninstalled sixaxis and installed ps3controller
                        installed clone support gasia (fairly sure my controller is gasia, saw it a few times in messages while iv been messing about).

                        With the cable connected I checked for paired BT devices - none found
                        Registered new device
                        unplug ctrl - ps button - plug in ctrl

                        This time I was given an option of 2 devices (never had that before) One was just numbers and letters like a mac addres.
                        The second option was a mac like address followed by "playstation controller"
                        I selected the second option.

                        Got a message saying successful authentication, you can now remove the usb cable (never seen this before).
                        I removed the usb cable - nothing works although now the ctrl leds arnt all flashing, theres just one steady on which I assume means it connected.

                        I help teh PS button down - nothing until it turned off. Turned it back on, all lights flashed for a moment and then 1 steady on.
                        Nothing works.

                        Connected the usb cable - still noting works

                        Pulled the power cable to reboot with controller attached via cable.
                        On reboot the controller works fine with cable but nothing if I remove it.

                        I removed the registered BT device and re-registered this time choosing the first device option (that was all mac adress looking, not the one that said ps3 controller).

                        Now I get a message saying "PS3 driver temporarily interupted in order to allow compatibility with standard BT periferals. Please repair duel shock to continue or disregard.

                        Pressed ok,went back to menu - removed cable - nothing works.

                        1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                        • mituM
                          mitu Global Moderator
                          last edited by

                          @messy said in Problem connecting a bluetooth ps3 controller:

                          I help teh PS button down - nothing until it turned off. Turned it back on, all lights flashed for a moment and then 1 steady on.
                          Nothing works.

                          What do you mean by 'nothing works' ? The pairing seems to work, you can then go to configure the gamepad in EmulationStation, using the input configuration menu - https://retropie.org.uk/docs/Controller-Configuration/.

                          1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                          • M
                            messy
                            last edited by

                            as in - I press a button (any button) and nothing happens.

                            When you say go to configure the gamepad, you mean with the cable attached? (cos wireless isnt working).

                            mituM 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                            • mituM
                              mitu Global Moderator @messy
                              last edited by

                              @messy said in Problem connecting a bluetooth ps3 controller:

                              When you say go to configure the gamepad, you mean with the cable attached? (cos wireless isnt working).

                              No, with a keyboard attached or just restart EmulationStation/RetroPie and it should prompt you to configure a gamepad.

                              1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                              • M
                                messy
                                last edited by

                                none of that is happening.

                                I just uninstalled the driver, rebooted and then reinstalled then installed clone support for gasia.
                                Went and checked paired devices and was surprised to see the pad still paired so i removed it and then re-added - everythign seemed to go just fine except as I am quiting out of teh BT config bit I get that message again saying
                                "PS3 driver temporarily interupted in order to allow compatibility with standard BT periferals. Please repair duel shock to continue or disregard"

                                Click ok to go back to menu.

                                Now if i remove the usb cable it doesnt seem to pair

                                1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                • mituM
                                  mitu Global Moderator
                                  last edited by mitu

                                  @messy said in Problem connecting a bluetooth ps3 controller:

                                  Now if i remove the usb cable it doesnt seem to pair

                                  Just to get a common understanding - by pairing I mean the controller is connected via Bluetooth, without any USB connection. Connecting via USB is not pairing.

                                  none of that is happening.

                                  You don't get a prompt in EmulationStation to configure the controller, after a reboot/restart ?

                                  1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                  • M
                                    messy
                                    last edited by

                                    @messy said in Problem connecting a bluetooth ps3 controller:

                                    "PS3 driver temporarily interupted in order to allow compatibility with standard BT periferals. Please repair duel shock to continue or disregard"

                                    The very first time I started after a os install it prompted and i setup the controller with usb. It has never promted since.

                                    I have just done another fresh install of OS and gone through to the regestering the device - It still gives me "PS3 driver temporarily interupted in order to allow compatibility with standard BT periferals. Please repair duel shock to continue or disregard"

                                    Is that normal and I just didnt notice it before or is something now wrong with the controller? I could have sworn the first time I did this I didnt get that message and I hoped a fresh install would fix it.

                                    Also, while before teh controller would pair (no usb cable) but just not work - now it wont even pair anymore :(

                                    mituM 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                    • mituM
                                      mitu Global Moderator @messy
                                      last edited by mitu

                                      @messy said in Problem connecting a bluetooth ps3 controller:

                                      The very first time I started after a os install it prompted and i setup the controller with usb. It has never prompted since.

                                      I see, I thought you've reset the controllers before re-doing the pairing.
                                      The message about the PS3 driver appears when you have the ps3controller driver installed and it's ok. Because the ps3controller driver block the pairing with other Bluetooth devices, the driver is stopped during Bluetooth pairing.

                                      My advice would be to remove the ps3controller and try only with the sixaxis driver, configured for 3rd party controllers. Remove any Bluetooth connected devices from the Bluetooth menu before pairing.

                                      If pairing works - then go back to the main RetroPie-Setup menu, go to Configuration/Tools, then emulationstation and choose to clear/reset the controller configuration. Exit to the main RetroPie-Setup menu, then reboot.
                                      After restart, EmulationStation will prompt you to setup a controller - if the pairing worked and after the reboot the wireless connection is re-established, you can try to configure the Bluetooth connected controller.

                                      1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                      • M
                                        messy
                                        last edited by messy

                                        did a fresh install again and tried the sixaxis - everything seemed to go ok, didnt get the "driver disabled message" - however the pad wont pair at all this time. Im fairly sure this is what happened last time I tried the sixaxis driver.

                                        I then went back to the ps3 driver and at the end got that "driver disabled message". The first time I did this - when I managed to get it to pair, I dont think I got that message.

                                        I dont think that message is saying its blocking pairing with other devices -

                                        "PS3 driver temporarily interupted in order to allow compatibility with standard BT periferals. Please repair duel shock to continue or disregard"

                                        Its saying the driver has been interupted to allow some other device. It sounds like its trying to pair with some generic deivce and has interupted the driver in order to do so.

                                        When I go to add a new device, I see my ps3 controller and 1 other device, except I dont ahve any other devices, I even made sure my mobile phone has BT turned off.
                                        I do however live in flats so I guess It could be a neighbors device.

                                        Is there anyway to prioritise the driver? - I dont care about other BT peripherals

                                        1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                        • mituM
                                          mitu Global Moderator
                                          last edited by mitu

                                          @messy said in Problem connecting a bluetooth ps3 controller:

                                          Is there anyway to prioritise the driver? - I dont care about other BT peripherals

                                          I don't think that other devices showing up are an issue, I wouldn't worry about it.

                                          1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                          • M
                                            messy
                                            last edited by

                                            even though thats specifically what the error message says?

                                            mituM 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
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