I found a video by Feral demonstrating how the PS3 controllers pair with Snow Leopard (and now Lion) even without any software or drivers.
Any tips on how to get ps3 controllers working via Bluetooth in lion?
I've been tinkering with my new 2011 Mac mini all weekend with no luck. I've installed the USB driver and followed the instructions to pair the controllers with my mini to the letter but I get varying results. The controllers usually show up in the Bluetooth list, but won't ever allow input in MAME. Sometimes I'm asked for a pairing code and sometimes I'm not. Also, the controllers do work via USB in MAME.
I also tested the Bluetooth pairing method on my 2010 MacBook pro and a sixaxis and dualshock controller paired without any issues and worked great in MAME (which is why I assumed this was yet another Lion support issue).
Any help you can provide on this would be much appreciated!
These instructions I wrote should work fine, they are based on 10.6 but works fine here on 10.7.
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First thing to do is make sure you have the following items and software ready before you begin.
10.6 or better (10.5 is NOT supported)
No PS3 Gamepad driver software installed (UNINSTALL ALL DRIVERS THEY BREAK THE SUPPORT)
Thank you for your quick response! Can you please help me understand how to uninstall the PS3 controller driver? There's no uninstaller package with the driver and I don't know where to begin looking for those files on a mac.
Thanks in advance for your help!
What drivers did you install?
You can try and follow my instructions with the drivers installed if you are lucky they will not effect the PS3 pad from working so I would try that first.
If you have trouble then you will need to investigate more into what exactly you installed. Please note I have only tested the PS3 pad with Feral games in Lion but it should work in most games once you set it up.
Edwin
Totally understand and I realize I'm asking for help from people that didn't develop the driver I installed. I did try the instructions in the video, but I get a bluetooth popup saying I need to enter a code to pair the controller. I tried entering 0000 and I get a message saying that the pairing failed, most likely due to an incorrect passcode.
I installed the PS3 Controller driver from this website: http://tattiebogle.net/index.php/ProjectRoot/Ps3Controller
There's no uninstall package available however so I don't know how to go about removing that driver. Again, I totally understand nobody on this forum officially supports removing that driver, I'm just hoping someone knows enough about this process to help me out of the woods. I guess reinstalling Lion is always an option, but I'd rather not go through that process just to get the PS3 controller working if I can avoid it.
Double check the steps in the video, you should not try and add anything by clicking the + button just have the bluetooth window open but don't click on anything inside the window. The PS3 pad should just pop in after you unplug it from the USB.
I am off home now but I will see if I can offer some more advice tomorrow.
Cheers,
Edwin
Thanks again for the help. To clarify, here are the steps/results I'm using now:
1. PS3 controller is off, PS3 is unplugged.
2. Open Bluetooth Preferences via Settings Menu, verify bluetooth is on and discoverable
3. Plug PS3 into Mac Mini via USB
4. (4 lights blink slowly)
5. Press and hold PS3 button for 3 seconds
6. Release PS3 button
7. Unplug PS3 Controller
8. (4 lights blink quickly)
9. (Popup for Bluetooth Pairing request shows up asking for Pairing Code)
10. I've tried 0000 0001 and 0002 with no luck. Each time a second popup immediately appears saying the pairing failed most likely due to a bad passcode.
11. These popups for pairing requests continue appearing until I hold the PS button on the controller long enough to shut it off.
I tried searching around on my machine and the only file I can find named *ps3* is in the System/Library/Extensions folder called "PS3Enabler.kext". I've tried deleting that file, testing, reinstalling the plugin, and retesting, all yielding the same results.
If there's anything else I can try, I'll be glad to help test. Thanks in advance for your help!
I will have a look when I get a spare second on a few machines here. No promises but I think it's solvable (and that it is likely those drivers).
Edwin
I will have a look when I get a spare second on a few machines here. No promises but I think it's solvable (and that it is likely those drivers).
Edwin
Fantastic thread. I'm torn between which controller to buy, and I was going to go ahead with the XBOX360 controller. But now that I have read that PS3 controllers works great without drivers and with bluetooth. I'm practically sold.
One question though, do the controllers have to be Original Sony PS3 Wireless or the ones on generic ones would work too. They are going on eBay for £15.
That'd be an amazing if they do. Thanks a bunch.
These instructions I wrote should work fine, they are based on 10.6 but works fine here on 10.7.
********
First thing to do is make sure you have the following items and software ready before you begin.
10.6 or better (10.5 is NOT supported)
No PS3 Gamepad driver software installed (UNINSTALL ALL DRIVERS THEY BREAK THE SUPPORT)
PS3 Gamepad
USB charging cable for PS3 gamepad
Bluetooth enabled on your Mac
Once you are ready please download and watch the video below it will take you thorugh all the steps you need to take to connect your PS3 Gamepad to your Macintosh computer.
Walkthrough Video
I'm having similar problems pairing my PS3 controller to my Mac.
No drivers installed, above instructions followed to the letter.
Macbook Pro 17" (2009) running Lion - works perfectly as discussed, pairs with no passcode required
Macbook Air 11" (2011) running Lion - asks for passcode constantly, won't maintain connection, cannot use over bluetooth.
Again, I've tried all kinds of passcodes, including 0000, 000000, 1111. I've tried deleting my bluetooth prefs and retried. Google has not helped. I've seen similar posts on other forums with no answers on where to go from here.
I'm not quite sure what the difference is here, except that my MBP was upgraded to Lion from Snow Leopard, and the MBA came with Lion factory installed. Also I think the Bluetooth chipset is different between the machines.
I'd really LOVE a solution to pair the controller via Bluetooth on my Air...
I tried the method in the video but it didn't work for me. I kept getting asked for a pass code which obviously I didn't have. After trying several times I gave up.
We will have of course keep investigating the issue but early reports and testing it looks like this is a bug in OS X Lion & certain Bluetooth chips.
Edwin
Thanks for the reply. I suspect you're probably right. There is no reason that I can see for the PS3 controller to require a pass code. I'm thinking maybe I should just pick up a used wired Xbox 360 controller or see if there is a way to use one of my wireless Xbox 360 controllers. It seems certainly that the Xbox 360 controllers are supported a lot more in PC/Mac games anyway. I was hoping to go wireless as every other input device I use is wireless but untill this issue with the PS3 controllers gets sorted out I may not have a choice.
I would hang on a bit if you can (and maybe give Apple some feedback about the PS3 pad) as I would expect something like this to be fixed in a system update. I have no more clue than you if this will happen but based on previous releases most of the launch day bugs get fixed quite quickly in the .1 and .2 releases.
Edwin