Need help with new iMac and ps3 game controller

Sorry for dredging up this really old thread, but does anyone have any suggestions how to get around this?

I'm in the same exact situation as the original poster. I just bought a brand new Sony (not aftermarket) PS3 Controller and when I try to pair it with my Mac(s) running Lion 10.7.3 they all believe the controller is a wireless keyboard (requesting that I enter an 8 digit code on the keyboard to pair it!) including the same console message.

I've tried it on 4 different Mac systems: Macbook, Macbook Pro, Mac Mini, and iMac - all resulting in the same issue. They all feel the controller is a wireless keyboard instead of a controller or mouse when pairing with bluetooth.

The model number on the controller is CECHZC2H and Vendor ID is 0x054c / Product ID is 0x0268. If anyone has any ideas I'd like to hear them. Thanks!

I used my ps3 controller a while ago with no problems.
I used this app from the app store: http://itunes.apple.com/au/app/gamepad-companion/id428799479?mt=12

From memory I think you just have to plug it in via USB and it'll automatically pair it then u can just unplug it and its connected

leslie.g said:

I used my ps3 controller a while ago with no problems.
I used this app from the app store: http://itunes.apple.com/au/app/gamepad-companion/id428799479?mt=12

From memory I think you just have to plug it in via USB and it'll automatically pair it then u can just unplug it and its connected

Click to expand...

Thanks for the help. I haven't tried using the Gamepad Companion app yet, but I believe I'm doing the pairing right when I try to connect it.

I press the PS button on the controller (4 front lights on the controller start blinking), then I proceed to plug it into the USB port on the computer. OS X does prompts to pair the controller, but instead of coming up as a "controller/mouse" device it thinks the PS3 controller is really a wireless keyboard (see picture I posted.) So instead of just entering 4 numbers on the system keyboard to do the pairing, it prompts me to enter the 8 digits on the bluetooth keyboard (although, obviously it's not a keyboard so I'm unable to complete the pairing between the controller and OS X over bluetooth.)

The previous poster ran into the same issue. I've tried the controller with 4 different systems and they all behave the same way. I can't find anything unique about this PS3 controller and it's definitely not an aftermarket controller (bought from a legitimate dealer.)

I'm convinced there's something up with the controller. The other thing that has me pointing fingers at it is that the advertised Bluetooth services don't list it as a game controller (and I believe it should.) I even tried to Bluetooth pair the PS3 Controller with a Windows 7 system and it also thinks the controller is a keyboard device. I'm thinking of buying another one from a different reseller to see if I have any better luck with it.

Is there anyone who can dump the Bluetooth device screen for a PS3 Controller so I can compare mine? Thanks!

Well, I ended up buying another controller and sure enough this one pairs just fine (it correctly prompts to enter a 4-digit passcode for pairing, in my case I entered '0000' and it worked.)

The only physical difference between the two controllers that I can see is that the second controller has a slightly different model number and revision number "CECHZC2U A1" (vs. "CECHZC2H" on the old controller.) Otherwise, they look and feel virtually identical.

There's obviously something different between these two controllers in the firmware preventing it from pairing properly with computers. From what I can gather from talking directly with Sony and doing a little research of my own, the CECHZC2H model number controller appears to be completely counterfeit (thus the strange behavior and reason for it not working during pairing.) Although, it was sold to me under the pretense as being an authentic controller (obviously this is turned up not to be the case though.)

Anyhow, hopefully this information will help someone in the future experiencing the same issue.

You give me hope when all was lost, I'll try another controller!

I still have the same problem. I get the pairing request that tells me to enter 8 digits.
I have a MacBook Pro 15" retina with OS X 10.8.2 Mountain Lion.
My controller have model no CECHZC2U

The strange thing is that I had it kind of working a while ago. It paired with the 4 digit pin that you enter on the ordinary keyboard and everything. The reason for me to reset everything and start from scratch was that after it had connected and was paired it just died after a few seconds. And now I'm stuck with this think-the-controller-is-a-keyboard problem.

If anyone finds a solution I'm all ear. I would rather not buy a new one. This one is bought from a fishy shop in China so the risk of a fake can be considered quite high. It would be very good to get it to work even if it is a fake.

Have you tried this method?

http://www.cultofmac.com/198793/use-a-playstation-3-controller-on-your-mac-with-bluetooth-os-x-tips/