[Solved] Can I pair a PS4 Dualshock controller with two Pi 4s?

Addison

I have a Pi 4 in my bedroom and also in the living room.

Latest Retropie updates on both of them.

Is that possible without having to reset the bluetooth controller each time with that small button thingy on the back?

It took me two hours and Googling to pair it just one time on my current setup.

I don't know what I did so wrong for that.

Anyway, I'm worried on trying this again for my other Pi and losing what good I've already done.

Cheers.

Addison

Hmm.....

How do I re-pair a PS4 controller that's already a registered device in Retropie?

I did the setup correctly, but since then, I synced the controller back to my Playstation.

Because the device was previously saved, what's the easiest way to pair it again?

Addison

I'll keep this simple.

I have a PlayStation 4 Dualshock controller.

It's already a registered device on my Pi 4.

pi@retropie:~ $ bluetoothctl
Agent registered
[bluetooth]# paired-devices
Device 40:1B:5F:BA:D5:A0 Wireless Controller

However, the controller is currently paired and connected with my PlayStation.

What is the step by step process to connect the controller to my Pi?

[bluetooth]# connect 40:1B:5F:BA:D5:A0
Attempting to connect to 40:1B:5F:BA:D5:A0
Failed to connect: org.bluez.Error.Failed

It's like I need either a password, which I'm not prompted for one, or the controller needs to be programmed with that MAC address.

I really don't understand any of this. :(

mitu

Remove the controller from the Bluetooth list of devices, then repeat the pairing process. You can't have the controller synced to 2 devices at once, the controller will only connect to the current paired partner.

Addison

@mitu

Okay.

I thought that since the controller was always given the same MAC address, there might be another way to connect it again.

I'll try writing a script where it deletes the registered device and adds it back again.

Thanks for the response.

Addison

Ooh! I got it! :D

Using Putty, I SSH into the Pi 4.

Here's the commands I type.

bluetoothctl
remove 40:1B:5F:BA:D5:A0
agent on
power on
scan on

I then hold the share and power button on the PS4 controller.

Once it finds the device again.

scan off
connect 40:1B:5F:BA:D5:A0
trust 40:1B:5F:BA:D5:A0

And done!

So how can I make all of that into an executable file?

It will need a few seconds so it can fully scan correctly.

Also, is there a place I can put this so it runs once I turn on the Pi?

That way, I can put the controller into pairing mode, turn on the Pi, and by the time Emulation Station is loaded, the controller would automatically be paired. :)

lostless

@Addison here is a quick answer. The ps4 controller only has a memory for 1 paired device. Doesn’t matter one the pis or ps4 is looking for it. The controller is only looking for the last device it was synced to.

Addison

Oh. I guess it needs to be written more like this.

bluetoothctl remove 40:1B:5F:BA:D5:A0
bluetoothctl scan on
sleep 5
bluetoothctl scan off
bluetoothctl connect 40:1B:5F:BA:D5:A0
bluetoothctl trust 40:1B:5F:BA:D5:A0

When running that as an executable in Emulation Station, it just hangs in Discovery Mode and doesn't progress any further.

Sorry, I don't know how to code.

Any help at all please?

navi87

@addison

Do you need to do the scan on/ off though? since you already know the device you want to pair with, seems unnecessary

Addison

@navi87

Yeah.

Say for example, my controller is currently paired with my PlayStation 4.

I'm just trying to easily switch it over to the Raspberry Pi.

It's not at easy as one would think. :)

Addison

@navi87 said in [Solved] Can I pair a PS4 Dualshock controller with two Pi 4s?:

@addison

Do you need to do the scan on/ off though? since you already know the device you want to pair with, seems unnecessary

Oh. Sorry.

Yeah, the controller is already a registered device on the Pi.

It won't connect though, with any commands that I know of, unless I delete it and rescan the controller again for some reason.

navi87

@addison
according to this article:
https://www.linux-magazine.com/Issues/2017/197/Command-Line-bluetoothctl

14. trust <DEVICE-MAC-ADDRESS>
Sets the device to re-pair automatically when it is turned on, which eliminates the need to pair all over again.

I would just try this:

bluetoothctl trust 40:1B:5F:BA:D5:A0

By itself, if that doesnt work, then maybe:

bluetoothctl remove 40:1B:5F:BA:D5:A0
sleep 5 (you might not need this, not sure, test with and without)
bluetoothctl connect 40:1B:5F:BA:D5:A0
bluetoothctl pair 40:1B:5F:BA:D5:A0

Addison

@navi87

It's already trusted.

So my Dualshock controller is currently paired with my Playstation 4.

I would now like to connect it to my Pi 4 that it already knows and remembers.

@mitu

pi@retropie:~ $ bluetoothctl paired-devices
Device 40:1B:5F:BA:D5:A0 Wireless Controller
pi@retropie:~ $ bluetoothctl pair 40:1B:5F:BA:D5:A0
Attempting to pair with 40:1B:5F:BA:D5:A0
Failed to pair: org.bluez.Error.AlreadyExists
pi@retropie:~ $ bluetoothctl connect 40:1B:5F:BA:D5:A0
Attempting to connect to 40:1B:5F:BA:D5:A0
[CHG] Device 40:1B:5F:BA:D5:A0 Connected: yes
Failed to connect: org.bluez.Error.Failed

Would deleting the file org.bluez.Error.AlreadyExists help any before trying to pair the controller back again with the Pi 4?

I'm asking since I don't want to delete anything and possibly make it all worse.

Addison

@navi87 said in [Solved] Can I pair a PS4 Dualshock controller with two Pi 4s?:

@addison
according to this article:
https://www.linux-magazine.com/Issues/2017/197/Command-Line-bluetoothctl

14. trust <DEVICE-MAC-ADDRESS>
Sets the device to re-pair automatically when it is turned on, which eliminates the need to pair all over again.

I would just try this:

bluetoothctl trust 40:1B:5F:BA:D5:A0

By itself, if that doesnt work, then maybe:

bluetoothctl remove 40:1B:5F:BA:D5:A0
sleep 5 (you might not need this, not sure, test with and without)
bluetoothctl connect 40:1B:5F:BA:D5:A0
bluetoothctl pair 40:1B:5F:BA:D5:A0

Once that MAC address is removed, it's no longer available until you scan on again.

Unless there's some special command to add it back which I haven't found.

Nice idea though. :)

mitu

@addison said in [Solved] Can I pair a PS4 Dualshock controller with two Pi 4s?:

Would deleting the file org.bluez.Error.AlreadyExists help any before trying to pair the controller back again with the Pi 4?

I don't think that's a file - I think you should remove the device before attempting pairing it again.

Addison

Finally got it! :D

I have this as an executable file under Ports in Emulation Station.

bluetoothctl remove 40:1B:5F:BA:D5:A0
timeout 10 bluetoothctl scan on
bluetoothctl scan off
bluetoothctl connect 40:1B:5F:BA:D5:A0
bluetoothctl trust 40:1B:5F:BA:D5:A0

Last question and I'll be all done.

Where can I insert these commands when Emulation Station begins to load?

I only need for it to run just once when the Pi is initially turned on.

Please and thank you.

mitu

@addison said in [Solved] Can I pair a PS4 Dualshock controller with two Pi 4s?:

Where can I insert these commands when Emulation Station begins to load?

EmulationStation is loaded fro the autostart.sh script - https://retropie.org.uk/docs/FAQ/#how-do-i-boot-to-the-desktop-or-kodi.

Addison

@mitu

Thank you so much!

End result:

/opt/retropie/configs/all/autostart.sh

sudo bluetoothctl remove 40:1B:5F:BA:D5:A0
sudo timeout 6 bluetoothctl scan on
sudo bluetoothctl connect 40:1B:5F:BA:D5:A0
sudo bluetoothctl trust 40:1B:5F:BA:D5:A0
emulationstation #auto

Now I can easily pair my controller back to the Pi on system startup without even having to plug it in using USB and navigating through all of the menu options.

So happy! :)