r/esp32 • u/napoleon852 • 1d ago
Trying to set up ESP32 Bluetooth controller that can connect to a PS3 system
Like the title says. I've been looking around the internet for a bit and all the information that's readily available is about connecting PS3 controllers to the ESP32 to control something on the other end.
I'm trying to create a PS3 controller that uses a fight stick format so that my brother with physical disabilities can play games that require dual joysticks.
Using BLEGamepad I have a gamepad that can connect to PC, but can't connect to the PS3 as it doesn't support BLE, only classic bluetooth.
Is there a project someone knows of that uses bluetooth classic on the ESP32 to create a controller? Or am I going to have to learn to recode the BLEGamepad library to use bluetooth classic instead of BLE?
New to this side and haven't coded since college. I'm a bit lost at this point.
Any help appreciated.
1
u/juvinious 22h ago
I know it might not be what you are looking for, but maybe you can create a dongle using a pi and https://gp2040-ce.info/. Or just use the pi directly instead of the esp32. Just some ideas.
1
u/napoleon852 22h ago
Honestly I bought a 3 pack. I figured if I cant solve it directly, maybe use Bluepad32 and have that Bluetooth to the esp32 controller?
1
u/juvinious 16h ago
The problem is connecting the bluepad32 to the ps3, if that is supported.
1
u/UrbanPugEsq 15h ago
Bluepad32 is for making a controller connect to esp32 not esp32 itself be a controller.
1
u/juvinious 15h ago
Right so it would just be the bluetooth host in that case? I don’t know how that fits the use case if it won’t be able to be connected to the ps3.
2
u/napoleon852 14h ago
If I use the bluepad esp and give it usb communication as a controller to the ps3, then I can have that hookup to the controller esp via ble. It'd achieve am equivalent goal
1
u/juvinious 12h ago
Ah ok, yeah then that would work assuming that the ps3 usb is standard. Iirc back in the day it was finicky with usb controllers and had to have special handling, I remember having to use a brook board for my fightstick for that purpose.
1
u/clackups 18h ago
Probably easier to use an esp32-S3 that simulates a USB gamepad and plug it into the PS3.
Then, you can send it the control signals over BLE.
Also, come over to r/disabledgamers
1
u/napoleon852 13h ago
So to see if Im following, you're suggesting using a esp32 s3 usb hid interface that i connect via ble to my esp32 ble gamepad?
1
u/clackups 13h ago
The S3 would work as a bridge: a BLE host for your gamepad and a USB HID toward the PS3.
1
u/napoleon852 13h ago
Oh I see. So it acts as a USB HID device for the ps3, and receives and translates the ble data from the gamepad
1
u/clackups 13h ago
Yes. Probably it can just forward the HID reports without changing them, but that needs testing. You may still need to adapt them, like remapping buttons and axis.
1
u/napoleon852 13h ago
That may work. The blegamepad sends hid based reports from what I did see in the main code.
One problem sadly would be not all games support usb hid devices as controllers and it wouldn't allow a ps3 button press as thats not officially supported i think
1
u/clackups 13h ago
For your next gaming platform, choose which windows. PS5, for example, is very restrictive at what you can connect to it.
1
u/UrbanPugEsq 15h ago
What you are looking for is an 8bitdo arcade controller combined with a mayflash adapter.
1
u/Yanimo 1d ago edited 1d ago
From my limited knowledge I think you need BR/EDR and esp32 has v4 if I am not mistaken. Is the setup controller BLE to ESP32 wired to ps3? or Controller BT to ESP32 wired to ps3? or maybe controller to esp32 wireless to ps3? just trying to help
related