Problem connecting a second bluetooth ps3 controller

messy

So I now have 3 PS3 controllers.

I finally managed to get all three to connect via bluetooth however I now have an issue where I can only have one connected at a time :(

If I do a reboot - any of teh 3 controllers will connect and work fine but neither of the other two will connect. If I reboot and connect a different controller first - that will then work and not the others.

help!

mitu

Are you using the ps3controller driver ? Try using the sixaxis driver instead - it supports multiple controllers connected.

messy

I was indeed :P - installed sixaxis and then everything went to hell. For a while everytime I tried to pair a device it crashed emulation station. Thats seemed to fix itself after a few reboots but now on all three controllers its random whether they will work with the cable attached so doing stuff is difficult.

It seems I can get one controller paired and connected, the second one pairs but wont connect.

Is there something I need to do to delete the ps3 driver? I couldnt see any option for it

mitu

If you install the sixaxis driver, it will automatically uninstall the ps3controller driver, since they're not compatible.
EmulationStation crashing - that happens when the connection to the controller is not stable. It happened to me with a a bad USB cable, that randomly disconnects and then connects again in a fraction of a second.

messy

@mitu

ah ok, well the crashing has stopped so i guess it must be stable again now. I def have the sixaxis driver installed so thats ok.

It still only seems to like one controller at a time tho

messy

@messy actually, after a reboot the other controller that paired ok wotnc onnect even if its the first one i try. The first controller I paired works.

messy

Starting from scratch - first controller pairs and connects ok.
Second controller pairs but then when I try to conenct it at teh screent hat says "you can now unplug the usb" it doesnt connect.

Same issue for the third controller.

All three controllers have successfully paired at some point in the past on their own so I know they work.

:(

mitu

Try to reboot your PI between each pairing (2nd and 3rd controller) and make sure the other controller(s) are not active at the time.
Can you get a system log from the 2nd (or 3rd) controller pairing ? Before pairing the controller, run from the command line:

sudo dmesg -c

then try to pair it, see that it's not working, then exit RetroPie-Setup and run from the command line:

dmesg

Post the output of this last command.

messy

@mitu sorry for the late reply. Rebooting didnt work.
How do you acces the command line, Do I need to SSH in?

mitu

@messy said in Problem connecting a second bluetooth ps3 controller:

How do you acces the command line, Do I need to SSH in?

Yes, if you have an additional PC, then it's the best option for running commands and copying their output.

retrodaniel

@messy in which screen/menu are you seeing the "you can unplug the controller now"? Is it on the "pair register bluetooth device" after going from EmulationStation > Bluetooth menu?