OK for all 3 people in this thread having this issue, I just took five minutes and setup my ps3 controller to work over bluetooth.

Please refer to this guide https://github.com/RetroPie/RetroPie-Setup/wiki/PS3-Controller not some random youtube video when doing this. Also make sure you have at least a keyboard configured to work in ES.

Once you have completed these steps and connected your PS3 controller via USB at least once as it asks you to do in the settings, then all you need to do is press whatever button you have configured as start for your keyboard in ES, then scroll down to configure controller, last HOLD the PS button until it takes you to the next page where you can map the controls! Done.

Oh also don't forget to "sudo nano /etc/rc.local" and add in the sixad --start & somewhere before the exit 0 line. I recommend also adding #This line starts Sixaxis pairing on startup directly above the sixad line so you know what the hell it does, that's just my preference though and has no bearing on making it work and presist through a reboot.

I have successfully gotten everything to work out now! I did a fresh install of Retropie 4.1, and the bluetooth connection worked straight away after installing the drivers. Maybe it is possible that trying to update Retropie from an older version was making something corrupt? I had not updated for probably close to a year or so, if not more. Even though I now have to reload all of my roms and everything, it seems like a small price to pay to get everything running smoothly. :) Hope this helps somebody else too!

-Ibprofen98

@vincedj no problem. Lr-mame4all works with it but not sure what you are needing out of the non libretro version (ie:special controller, shaders, etc..). Mame 2003 is a libretro and support trackballs, mouse and stuff like that.

@windale if you like you can try this out. Assuming you know how to build from source. Https://GitHub.com/dark-show/sixad

Let me know if it mitigates the problem. It's just a hot fix until they work btsix support into bluez.

@cbarr Manufacturer: SZMY-POWER CO.,LTD

SZMY-Power is a Chinese manufacturer. Looks like the controller is not official Sony brand. What you would want for this brand is the "Gasia only" driver, which it sounds like you've been using.

@BuZz Thanks for trying to get it fixed.

Any news on this? Same problem here. Any other controller that is working better?

Alright, I've decided to buy a Pi3 Kit and go with it, since it comes with all those built in functionalities. Thanks for the fast replies!

Hello ferdnand,

First of all, thanks for you reply.
So I just followed the steps you recommended, but I stuck in the same point.
I've plugged the PS3 controller whilst the Pi2 was booting up, went thru the driver install process and in the step to remove the USB cable, after removing it, the control didn't vibrate. I pressed the PS button, the control vibrates and I have the "1" led on.
Going on the Configure Input, it says 1 control detected but when pressing the buttons on the control nothing happens.

My BT dongle is a "Cambridge Silicon Radio, Ltda Bluetooth Dongle (HCI mode)

in the terminal, when I check the sixad service it says
Active (running)
and in the last line I have the service started correctly. Seems for me that the retropie environment is not recognizing the service. Is that possible?

● sixad.service - LSB: Start sixad
Loaded: loaded (/etc/init.d/sixad)
Active: active (running) since Fri 2016-09-30 22:24:42 UTC; 17min ago
Process: 2106 ExecStart=/etc/init.d/sixad start (code=exited, status=0/SUCCESS)
CGroup: /system.slice/sixad.service
├─2114 sudo /usr/bin/sixad --start
├─2121 /bin/bash /usr/bin/sixad --start
├─2169 /usr/sbin/sixad-bin 0 0 0
├─2366 /usr/sbin/sixad-sixaxis 00:06:F5:3B:BE:5B 0
└─6324 sleep 5

Sep 30 22:24:42 retropie sixad[2106]: Starting sixad:.
Sep 30 22:24:42 retropie systemd[1]: Started LSB: Start sixad.
Sep 30 22:24:42 retropie sudo[2114]: root : TTY=unknown ; PWD=/ ; USER=root...rt
Sep 30 22:24:42 retropie sudo[2114]: pam_unix(sudo:session): session opened...0)
Sep 30 22:24:46 retropie sixad-bin[2169]: started
Sep 30 22:24:46 retropie sixad-bin[2169]: sixad started, press the PS button now
Sep 30 22:25:25 retropie sixad-sixaxis[2366]: started

Thanks again

GMarrara

@thord I did what you said and the problem persists. I'm on my original install of 4.0.2 on a Pi 3b. Should I try to update all installed packages? Why am I asking? That's what I'm going to try anyway. With this problem I've also noticed that my iclever bluetooth, mini keyboard will function during a dreamcast game, but only in the command prompt (which displays along with the game for glitchy reasons I presume). The game won't respond to the keyboard after idle. I might try plugging a usb ibuffalo snes pad. Wonder if it works to plug it in after the idle glitch. I also wonder if my iclever keyboard, bluetooth dongle is interfering with the on chip bluetooth.

Try my approach combined with Luetzels' here:
https://luetzels.raspiblog.com/?p=1870

Install the patched Bluez from the blog (overwriting default raspbian bluez – do not uninstall it first, just overwrite). Then Shanwan sixad. Reboot, then its working like a boss..

Try this first.

no probs! glad it's working on the new install at least.

It was easier than I expected, thanks @ferdnand

Just arrived to RetroPie and still trying to configure my devices, after reading full topic here are my two cents:

unistalled PS3 Driver (clone) Paired Sony official PS3 bluetooth controller successfully Installed PS3 Driver (clone) Connect PS3 Clone Gamepad on USB then disconnect Push PS button to connect Gamepad. All done :)

At this point two devices works properly. I can change from retorpie to kodi and back again and all its fine. Just played some games on joypad, exit retropie onto kodi, navigate using keyboard.. all fine !

But... after reboot, bluetooth keyboard can't be paired again. I need to start over again from point 1.

the question is: It's possible on boot process, disable sixaxis while normal stack connects to bluetooth keyboard (or other devices) and after some time (maybe 1 minute) reenable sixaxis again?
How is started bluetooth device during boot? and where are the scripts?

Any advice are welcome if someone has tryed something like this.

Obocaman