Problem connecting a bluetooth ps3 controller

messy · 20 Oct 2020, 19:26

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?

mitu · 20 Oct 2020, 19:28

@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.

messy · 20 Oct 2020, 20:03

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.

mitu · 20 Oct 2020, 20:06

@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/.

messy · 20 Oct 2020, 20:12

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).

mitu · 20 Oct 2020, 20:14

@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.

messy · 20 Oct 2020, 20:21

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

mitu · 20 Oct 2020, 20:30

@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 ?

messy · 20 Oct 2020, 20:37

@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 :(

mitu · 20 Oct 2020, 20:53

@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.

messy · 20 Oct 2020, 21:25

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

mitu · 21 Oct 2020, 09:14

@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.

messy · 21 Oct 2020, 11:59

even though thats specifically what the error message says?

mitu · 21 Oct 2020, 12:02

@messy What error message ?

messy · 21 Oct 2020, 15:23

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

mitu · 21 Oct 2020, 15:44

As explained, that's not an error message.

messy · 21 Oct 2020, 16:45

ok, its not an error, but where it says "PS3 driver temporarily interupted" - does that mean it was just a blip and is now fine again? Or does it mean its been temporarily disabled in order to allow a generic device to work correctly?

messy · 21 Oct 2020, 17:31

I GOT IT WORKING!!!

Good Grief.....in the end I used the PS3 driver and what made ti work was, just after registering the device a window pops up saying you can now unplug your cable.

At this point, I unplugged and paired the controller and THEN with the keyboard moved back to the main menu to configure it.

Trying to pair the device at ANY other point during the process and it doesnt like it.

Have rebooted and the device still conect and works so it seems stable :D

Cheers for the help.