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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

    Bluetooth RetroPie Setup Script Issues

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    bluetoothraspberry pi 44.7.18bitdo
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    • J
      jtcuth48 @pscotto1234
      last edited by

      @pscotto1234 Sure! It's this one: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07QL7C6WG/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

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      • L
        loopsheloop
        last edited by loopsheloop

        Hi, I was about to post this exact topic.

        I tried with an SN30 Pro and a Switch Pro and am experiencing the same problem - the setup utility freezes when selecting a security mode.

        Pi Model or other hardware: Raspberry Pi 4B
        Power Supply used: Canakit Pi 4
        RetroPie Version Used (eg 3.6, 3.8.1, 4.1 - do not write latest): 4.7.1
        Built From: Pre-made image from website
        USB Devices connected: USB storage stick, keyboard
        Controller used: 8BitDo SN30 Pro, Switch Pro controller

        Occasionally after the failed pairing I'm unable to remove the device:
        alt text
        Restarting the Pi seems to fix this.

        EDIT:: Found a workaround from this thread on the official forums:

        https://www.raspberrypi.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=63&t=304000&hilit=Bluetooth&start=25

        At the command line, type these commands:

        sudo systemctl daemon-reload
        sudo systemctl restart bluetooth
        

        Then restart emulationstation and go to Bluetooth config. This allows me to pair and use the SN Pro. Rebooting breaks it again, but you don't need to re-pair - type the above into command line again, then go to Connect all paired devices in the Bluetooth config and make sure your controller is on.

        EDIT 2:: "Pair all Connected" isn't working very well for me anymore. For best results, after every reboot, restart the daemon/bluetooth service, remove the paired device, then pair again. This also will fail occasionally; it seems like if I get the org.bluez.error screen on a boot, nothing will get it to work. Try rebooting again.

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

          @loopsheloop said in Bluetooth RetroPie Setup Script Issues:

          Occasionally after the failed pairing I'm unable to remove the device:

          What Pi4 model do you have ? Can you run cat /proc/cpuinfo and post the output ?

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          • L
            loopsheloop @mitu
            last edited by

            @mitu said in Bluetooth RetroPie Setup Script Issues:

            What Pi4 model do you have ? Can you run cat /proc/cpuinfo and post the output ?

            It's the Pi 4 B. Results look pretty similar to the one previously posted:

            alt text

            2 lines that the console remembers isn't the worst workaround I've ever dealt with :) Thanks for looking at this!

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            • mituM
              mitu Global Moderator
              last edited by mitu

              @loopsheloop said in Bluetooth RetroPie Setup Script Issues:

              It's the Pi 4 B.

              Just wanted to confirm this is a 1.4 model (last line) - thank you. Looks like it's not an issue with older models (as @pscotto1234 also noticed), I'm wondering what's different in 1.4 vs older models during the Bluetooth start-up that requiring a restart of the bluetooth service necessary.

              I have one of the older models (1.1) and can't seem to replicate this either with my current install or with a fresh one.

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              • V
                velez66
                last edited by velez66

                Okay, here is what I have some far.

                Bought the Bluetooth adapter. Was able to connect my 8BitDo SN pro+ Worked for a few reboots. Then stopped working completely. Unpaired tried to pair.

                Then get the error - “ bluetooth device (Creating device failed: org.bluez.Error.AlreadyExists:already Exists)

                Any ideas. Thanks

                mituM 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                • mituM
                  mitu Global Moderator @velez66
                  last edited by

                  @velez66 Did you disable the onboard Bluetooth after connecting the dongle ?
                  Also, the 8Bitdo gamepads have a tendency to not reconnect when you're just rebooting the Pi - usually powering them off and on is enough for them to re-connect.

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                  • V
                    velez66 @mitu
                    last edited by velez66

                    @mitu Hello - Yes I did. Also reboot and did a complete power off.

                    Note: I am using a NESPi 4 CASE, which I have heard that the SSD feature creates interference with the onboard Bluetooth.

                    It might be affecting the Bluetooth dongle that I bought

                    Going to try the Bluetooth dongle on my Argon case to eliminate that possibility and for troubleshooting

                    Help and input it is appreciated.

                    Thanks a lot!!

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                    • V
                      velez66
                      last edited by velez66

                      Okay, got it to work on the Argon Case using the Bluetooth Dongle. Not sure if I am going back to the Retroflag Nespi 4 Plus and try again. The Nespi Case is really nice.

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                      • V
                        velez66
                        last edited by

                        Well back to the error again. Extremely frustrating.

                        Worked for a few hours. Shutdown the system for the night

                        And today it doesn’t recognize the controller again

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                        • J
                          jtcuth48 @velez66
                          last edited by

                          @velez66 did you press "Set up udev rule for Joypad" when you got it to connect last time? If you don't do that with 8bitdo controllers they won't be recognized after a reboot.

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                          • V
                            velez66 @jtcuth48
                            last edited by

                            @jtcuth48 Yes I did 😊 Thanks

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                            • T
                              Ttazer
                              last edited by

                              Thank God for this thread, can't find anything anywhere I was going crazy, new pi 4 8gb, couldn't add 5 different expensive Bluetooth devices, froze everytime at same screen, 3 days of beating my head into a wall until I stumbled until this thread, bless you all!! Definetly an OS problem.

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                              • J
                                jtcuth48 @Ttazer
                                last edited by

                                @ttazer yeah, definitely a disconnect between the OS and the newer Pi 4 boards, because I've had a couple friends with older Pi 4 boards say theirs' was fine. Hopefully it's something that can be resolved in the future through a software update instead of a hardware update :)

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                                • P
                                  pscotto1234 @jtcuth48
                                  last edited by

                                  @jtcuth48 said in Bluetooth RetroPie Setup Script Issues:

                                  @ttazer yeah, definitely a disconnect between the OS and the newer Pi 4 boards, because I've had a couple friends with older Pi 4 boards say theirs' was fine. Hopefully it's something that can be resolved in the future through a software update instead of a hardware update :)

                                  I hope a software update can resolve. Other system like recallbox works fine with Bluetooth.

                                  1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                                  • V
                                    velez66
                                    last edited by velez66

                                    It is the board + OS. Yep

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                                    • L
                                      loopsheloop
                                      last edited by

                                      Edited my original post as Pair all Connected is pretty hit and miss. Re-pairing every time you reboot seems more effective, but still fails sometimes. If you've got it in a working state, I'd recommend just leaving the Pi on if possible.

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                                      • H
                                        hopkingreenfrog
                                        last edited by

                                        Joined to chime in with the same issue, except my Raspi4 (4GB) is a v1.2, according to cat /proc/cpuinfo. It's a new board, and loaded with Retropie 4.7.1 with all updates installed. It was freezing with a 8bitdo N30 Pro on the security mode selection, never connecting. I was able to get it going with the fix listed here:
                                        https://raspberrypi.stackexchange.com/a/123914/131922

                                        Afterwards, though, I got a couple of intermittent crashes on shutdown with the bluetooth stack. Ordered the usb bt dongle listed above from Amazon. Rolled back the fix and disabled the onboard bt, and it seems to be working consistently fine now across multiple reboots. Seems to connect smoother than with the fix installed, actually.

                                        L 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                        • L
                                          loopsheloop @hopkingreenfrog
                                          last edited by loopsheloop

                                          @hopkingreenfrog said in Bluetooth RetroPie Setup Script Issues:

                                          Joined to chime in with the same issue, except my Raspi4 (4GB) is a v1.2, according to cat /proc/cpuinfo. It's a new board, and loaded with Retropie 4.7.1 with all updates installed. It was freezing with a 8bitdo N30 Pro on the security mode selection, never connecting. I was able to get it going with the fix listed here:
                                          https://raspberrypi.stackexchange.com/a/123914/131922

                                          Afterwards, though, I got a couple of intermittent crashes on shutdown with the bluetooth stack. Ordered the usb bt dongle listed above from Amazon. Rolled back the fix and disabled the onboard bt, and it seems to be working consistently fine now across multiple reboots. Seems to connect smoother than with the fix installed, actually.

                                          Thanks for finding this! While going through it, I found examples of similar problems going back to to 2018 on a Pi Zero.

                                          After editing bt.helper, my SN 30 Pro seems to be working as intended (I think): after loading Emulation Station, the controller would pair itself when I powered it on. Tested with 2 reboots and 2 cold boots. I wonder why your device started crashing.

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                                          • H
                                            hopkingreenfrog @loopsheloop
                                            last edited by

                                            @loopsheloop said in Bluetooth RetroPie Setup Script Issues:

                                            Thanks for finding this! While going through it, I found examples of similar problems going back to to 2018 on a Pi Zero.

                                            After editing bt.helper, my SN 30 Pro seems to be working as intended (I think): after loading Emulation Station, the controller would pair itself when I powered it on. Tested with 2 reboots and 2 cold boots. I wonder why your device started crashing.

                                            Not sure about the crashes on shutdown, but it was only once or twice across 10-15 reboots/shutdowns. Chalk it up to a buggy bt implementation, I suppose. Still no issues with the bt dongle, though. Received one of the new 8bitdo Pro 2 controllers yesterday. That's working well with the dongle as well.

                                            1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
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