wireless controller solution

[CharlesLam]

having a heck of a time trying to figure this out. with all the retro usb controllers coming out, i simply love my n46 usb controllers. only problem is, the bloody wires. bluetooth controllers are hit/miss, the only ones i have found are NES and SNES bluetooth controllers. Currently i am looking at this solution:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=9SIA5HT1ZF0045&cm_re=usb_hub_network-_-9SIA5HT1ZF0045-_-Product

back in the day Wireless USB promotion group was really trying to get this type of solution out there...and failed for the most part.

anyone got a better solution? something that i am just not paying attention to?

Thanks,

Charles Lam

[Adultery]

That's interesting, never seen one of those before.

For me it's all about 360 wireless pads. I know that's not an option for you though.

I just don't know much about that tech. You might be better off with some USB extension cables.

[tthurman]

Hmmm that product is wired for UK or European outlets, I get them mixed up.

I've never seen one of those either, but for the price it might be worth a shot, if you can get it a 120v 60hz model.

At the recommendation of many here, I too went with the 360 wireless pad (2 thanks to Adultery) and have no regrets.

Edited December 11, 2014 by tthurman
Scratch that, I see the US adapter in the last picture.

[nullPointer]

I would worry that a device such as the one linked in the OP is not going to be optimized for gaming and thus is going to introduce crazy amounts of input lag. I'd join in with the rest of the guys recommending that you look for a controller designed with wireless connectivity in mind, or alternately go with the USB extension cables.

Being as Adultery and tthurman are pimping their favorite controllers ( ), I should mention that I've been very satisfied with the quality of my Logitech F710, which is not a Bluetooth controller but rather relies on a 2.4 GHz wireless connection to the host, like a lot of other wireless Logitech gaming products (though I do also incorporate a DualShock 3 if I need an additional controller).

[Draco1962]

I use a wired 360 controller for Xbox 360/PC and it is great. Most of the newer stuff is made to run "out of the box" with it and the wireless 360 controllers for Windows. Older stuff can utilize Xpadder very easily and, if run through GameEx, Adultery;s Xpadder plugin makes things a breeze.

[DazzleHP]

Twin wired 360's for me too. They are pretty much guaranteed to work out of the box with anything made in the last few years, nearly all recent emulators recognize them and they are so damn comfortable. One of the best controllers ever made in my opinion. If you spend most of your life playing games like i do, there is none better.

I'm not against authenticity at all either though and wouldn't mind having a small selection to break out occasionally, but as i get older i value simplicity more and more. It doesn't get simpler than 360 Pads+GameEx+Xpadder=Easy Life!

[Draco1962]

Remember the original 8-bit Atari controllers? I am all for authentic, but DAYUM! I get hand cramps just thinking about the torture devices.

[DazzleHP]

Yeah, but i never played on one long enough to feel the pain - it was my Dad's and i only got a few minutes if i was lucky My troubled memories come from the C64 controllers i had - even back then i played games to death, and one day my parents got a call from my teacher, inquiring why i always had huge blisters on my hands, and back then it was considered extremely weird to play video games that much - i think my parents would rather have confessed that they had me ploughing the fields by hand, than admitting i had a video game "problem".

The torture devices:

Eventually i upgraded to one of these and the inquiries stopped:

[Draco1962]

School: "That's a wierd place for your son to have a blister, Mr. HP."

Mr HP: "It's from playing with his joystick too much, I'm afraid to say.."

School: "So that's what they are calling it now days. Have you told him that too much will make him go blind?"

Mr HP: "Er, um, it's not what you think. It's a video thing!"

School: "Uh-huh. You know you should keep those kinds of videos locked away. What kind of parent are you?"

Mr. HP:

[DazzleHP]

That happened too

[tthurman]

"I'm a bad boy"

All kidding aside, playing missle command with those was nearly impossible.

[CharlesLam]

you get sore after playing on the atari 2600 controller? pftt your lack of gamer is disturbing. yeah n64 on a x360 controller just doesnt feel right. my other concern is sega saturn/sega cd games. 6 button vs. 4 button on the right hand. im not entirely a huge stickler for authentic, but on the sega stuff, and n64 controller is hard to get the feeling right on a x360 controller. i know there are wireless n64 controllers, but the sega controllers arent offered wireless anywhere. and i worry about adapter compatibility hell if i try to use the console wireless iterations with a port to usb converter.

[RIP-Felix]

I like this. It lets you pair 4 PS3 controllers with the single adapter. For N64 I use this. The drivers are plug and play, no compatability issues (windows anyway). For length, i spliced a dead N64 controller's cord to another, doubling its length. That works for me.

[CharlesLam]

i have thought about just extending the cords. but with 4 people all around one tv, cords knocking over drinks will happen regardless. my gf likes the xbox 360 version for the first link so we will use x360 controllers for mame, nes, snes, ps1,ps2, and dreamcast emulation. i worry about n64, gamecube, sega genisis/saturn/cd. and its frustrating that i cant find a single wireless solution for this. no bluetooth, no 2.4ghz wireless, nada for this type of configuration. i will give an update on how well this belkin works with the wireless usb. if its too cumbersome or too laggy i will order the original link i first purchased.

[Lighty]

Personally, I agree with the others, in regards to wireless xbox360 controllers. However I only use 360 controllers with newer games or games on MAME.

When playing retro emulators in GameEx, the best controllers to use are the real thing. Luckily, I saved all my old controllers from back in the day, and found USB adapters for them. For example, I won't play a Super NES game from the 90s, unless I'm using a Super NES controller from the 90s.

The adapters are between 10 and 20 bucks (U.S dollars), and you can find them on eBay. I've tried newer retro controllers that look like the real thing (3rd party clones), and it just doesn't feel the same.

Not sure if you have looked into them. If you don't have any retro controllers, try eBay. Or if you want to play it safe, buy a 3rd party clone and the adapter, or the retro USB built-in that you mentioned earlier. Of course, a wireless NES controller would indeed be pretty badass.

[CharlesLam]

Holy revived thread batman!  

Well, after doing some searching around, ive decided to use chinese knockoff n64 controllers with usb ends.  works pretty well.  the only issue with this of course is nemu hates usb controllers being unplugged/plugged in so anytime i want to use them, i have to go into the emulator and set joy1, joy2, etc.  but it saves the profile.  just a headache before playing the games.

 

initially i used x360 controllers, but im finding it definitely does not have the same feel when playing sega genisis/cd/saturn.  so no bueno, we end up just not playing them because of it.

 

As for the 4 button vs. 6 button layout, i have finally come to a solution to that. most of the emulators i can set the config.ini to read only after configuring the controllers.  i intend to use PS3 controllers.  why ps3 you may ask?  well with ps3, the wireless 6 button controllers are available (fightpads, etc.)  and all i need to do is just turn them on and sync them.  and when i get tired of those, throw them on the charger, let them disconnect, and sync up the standard controller.  no wires, no mess, and they completely resemble the sega saturn controller.  the gf will just have to get used to not using the x360 controllers :-P.  

[CharlesLam]

looking back i should have listened to felix.  lolz.  

On 12/17/2014 at 8:07 PM, RIP-Felix said:

I like this. It lets you pair 4 PS3 controllers with the single adapter. For N64 I use this. The drivers are plug and play, no compatability issues (windows anyway). For length, i spliced a dead N64 controller's cord to another, doubling its length. That works for me.