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Tutorial How to use Xbox controllers on your Android device

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Holy Jesus

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Are you saying that you can use the sixaxis app to map a xbox 360 controller? Doesnt it only work for the PS3 controller?

I want to buy a 360 controller for my nexus 7 but Ive heard they have compatibility issues with many games. Dont know what to do.


No you shouldn't need sixaxis for the nexus 7 depending on what games you're playing. Games like GTA Vice city have natural controller support, my wired 360 controller works no fuss with my nexus 7. The only time you'll need sixaxis is for mapping controls of games that don't feature native controller support.

Check out the nividia tegrazone app; it tells you what games feature controller support. You can get games without controller support to work by mapping your own controls using sixaxis
 
TheReefer

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Pretty awesome, and no need for root access also :eek:
 
Holy Jesus

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Can someone please clear this up? In many of the Youtube videos published over the last few weeks many reviewers have cited that wireless PS3 and Xbox 360 controllers are compatible with OUYA. Can someone verify this please? Here's my hesitations:

1) Xbox 360 Wireless Controller technology is proprietary only to Microsoft
2) PS3 controllers are bluetooth and can be paired very easily with a USB Cable
3) The only way I knew of to get Xbox 360 controllers working wirelessly with a PC was with the USB wireless accessory. Is this required for operation with the OUYA?

I'd like to get all the facts straight before assuming I have plenty of controllers ready to go.

Thanks!

I don't know much about the OUYA but I'll try my best to clear some things up for you.

1) It's Microsoft technology that they'd like you to think was exclusively useful. It is however merely an over-complicated base peripheral, put a bit of effort into whatever you're doing and you can get them to work with almost anything (I should mention that you will ALWAYS need the dongle for a wireless 360 controller). The wired controllers are easiest seeing as you need to factor in a wireless dongle for their counterparts. I've seen the military bomb disposal units control them disarm-or-accelerate-explosion robot things with a 360 controller on TV before. Although the pictured example appears to feature a wired controller I'm almost certain I can remember them using a wireless one.

xbox-robot.jpg


2) Correct. As to the OUYAs bluetooth compatibility I'm unsure but if the OUYA does feature bluetooth you should be able to pair a PS3 controller fairly easily. I know it's fair easier to connect a wireless PS3 controller to a phone/tablet than it is a wireless 360 controller.

3) You're correct in that you need the wireless adapter. You will also need it for the OUYA. The wireless system is proprietary like you mentioned so the OUYA won't have any way to recognize/sync the wireless controller without the dongle. You may also face slight issues with the controller mapping (I've heard the OUYA is reasonably forgiving with 360 controllers though) so be prepared to play around with that.

From what I've heard the OUYA is very versatile and has no problem working with 360 controllers. You should be able to get them working pretty easily if you're prepared to put in a little bit of effort/thought. Reading through some articles though, it appears as if they are pretty much supported through and through out of the box.
Just remember that the wireless dongle is essential for anything to do with the wireless controller unless you're using the xbox console itself. It's an essential component.
 
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Quick question, could be considered off topic so I apologize. But is it possible to un-root your device once it's rooted, or would it need a fresh software install?
 
Holy Jesus

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Quick question, could be considered off topic so I apologize. But is it possible to un-root your device once it's rooted, or would it need a fresh software install?

It's 100% possible to unroot without flashing stock rom or restoring factory settings. If you need to unlock your bootloader to root then you will need to wipe your phone if you want it restored completely to factory settings. It's not likely you'll have to touch the bootloader at all though.

What device are you thinking of rooting?
 
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It's 100% possible to unroot without flashing stock rom or restoring factory settings. If you need to unlock your bootloader to root then you will need to wipe your phone if you want it restored completely to factory settings. It's not likely you'll have to touch the bootloader at all though.

What device are you thinking of rooting?

Galaxy tab 2 7.0, and what you just said is completely incomprehensible to me xD As you can tell I'm new to androids :tongue:
 
Holy Jesus

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Galaxy tab 2 7.0, and what you just said is completely incomprehensible to me xD As you can tell I'm new to androids :tongue:


It's fine we were all like that in the beginning. If you root (that is, unlock the root filesystem of the ROM), it's 100% possible to unroot your device (essentially re-lock the access to root directories) without having to re-install (dubbed 'flashing') the operating system (commonly and incorrectly dubbed "ROM"). I realize how confusing that is. ROM is the operating system.

If you're unsure on what rooting actually is then there's this and this (pay attention particularly to the "what is rooting?" section) which pretty much sums it all up. If you don't understand a lot of it there's no need to worry, all you need to know is that it's essentially giving yourself administrator privileges on your tablet. A lot of the terminology is confusing and isn't really important.

I'm sorry if I've confused you more. I don't really know how else to put it.
 
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Pier2012

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It's fine we were all like that in the beginning. If you root (that is, unlock the root filesystem of the ROM), it's 100% possible to unroot your device (essentially re-lock the access to root directories) without having to re-install (dubbed 'flashing') the operating system (commonly and incorrectly dubbed "ROM"). I realize how confusing that is. ROM is the operating system.

If you're unsure on what rooting actually is then there's this and this (pay attention particularly to the "what is rooting?" section) which pretty much sums it all up. If you don't understand a lot of it there's no need to worry, all you need to know is that it's essentially giving yourself administrator privileges on your tablet. A lot of the terminology is confusing and isn't really important.

I'm sorry if I've confused you more. I don't really know how else to put it.

Ah, I guess I sort of understand. So what can you do with these administrative powers? The only reason I really want a rooted device is so I can get free games and change the colours and aesthetics of the menu and stuff. Is this possible with a rooted device?
 
Holy Jesus

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Ah, I guess I sort of understand. So what can you do with these administrative powers? The only reason I really want a rooted device is so I can get free games and change the colours and aesthetics of the menu and stuff. Is this possible with a rooted device?


You can get free games without a rooted device. I'm not sure if we're allowed to discuss this on the public forums but try aptoide. It's like the play market except the "paid" apps are free. If that fails search google for the app you want followed by ".apk" and you should find something. Be careful though.

Root access will give you complete customization ability. Sometimes it's not simply as easy as hitting a button but where there's a will there's a way. Sometimes you can get a fair bit of customization without rooting, depends what you really want to change.
 
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You can get free games without a rooted device. I'm not sure if we're allowed to discuss this on the public forums but try aptoide. It's like the play market except the "paid" apps are free. If that fails search google for the app you want followed by ".apk" and you should find something. Be careful though.

Root access will give you complete customization ability. Sometimes it's not simply as easy as hitting a button but where there's a will there's a way. Sometimes you can get a fair bit of customization without rooting, depends what you really want to change.

Oh, in that case I might just stick to a stock device, if you can get free games on them xD I would really like to modify the top bar that you pull down, the colours are horrible on it :confused:
 
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Initial requirements -

USB OTG compatibility - If you don't have it the information in this thread is useless to you. See http://www.themobimag.com/check-device-compatibility-for-usb-otg/ to check for your devices compatibility. Most modern devices have this feature.

Common devices that feature USB OTG -
  • Google/asus nexus 7
  • Samsung Galaxy tab 10.1/8.9 (Requires different OTG cable to other devices)
  • Samsung Galaxy S3/S2
  • Motorola Droid X
  • Sony Xperia (some models - Google your device model for more information)
  • LG Optimus (some models - Google your device model for more information
  • Many more devices feature this capability, if yours isn't listed Google your model number followed by "OTG"
USB OTG cable - This cord connects to your device and allows you to connect other peripherals (such as the controller). For this exercise you will require a male micro-usb to female USB cable. For the Galaxy Tab devices you may require a different male 30pin to female usb cable. These can both be picked up from ebay or amazon for ~$3. See below for pictures of what you're looking at.

usb-otg-cable1.jpg

For galaxy tab variants -
315%2BvwqZsqL._SY300_.jpg

An Android device running 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) or higher - These android versions include controller support without root or kernal/rom modifications. It is possible on other versions of android but you'll require root and other modifications which I'm not going to go through here.

Microsoft Xbox 360 controller - This can be either wired or wireless. If you have a wired controller use it, save yourself the trouble of configuring a wireless one. Use of wireless controllers will also require root access (for some games/emulators) and a Microsoft Xbox 360 Wireless Controller Receiver on top of the USB OTG cable. These range from $10 (3rd party) to around $25. I'll explain configuration of wireless controllers later on in the thread. Third party controllers can be used but to save heartbreak and compatibility issues I recommend using a Microsoft branded controller.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Alright, now that's over let's get into it.

How to connect and use an Xbox 360 controller (wired) on Android -
1. Plug USB cable of Xbox controller into Female USB port of OTG cable
2. Plug OTG cable into your device
3. That's all. It's really that simple for a wired controller.

Some games will not respond well to controller input (without the help of 3rd party apps) and this is normal. A list of known compatible games will be featured at the end of this post.

If this doesn't work -
-You may be missing the Keylayout file for USB Xbox 360 controllers. This is unusual but does occur on some devices. You can download the file here. Paste it into the directory /system/usr/Keylayout. (Will require root access).

How to connect and use an Xbox 360 controller (wireless) on Android (requires root) -
1. Plug Xbox 360 Wireless Controller Receiver into OTG cable
2. Plug OTG cable into device

Now comes the fun bit. Wireless controllers aren't naturally supported by android and will not work flawlessly without modification to some system files on your device. Many emulators and games will run perfectly happily simply on a plug-n-play basis but an issue presents itself often where this is not the case. Wireless controllers require calibration if you will to properly communicate with your Android device.

This is where root is needed. You need to access the Android shell and enter some commands to fix this problem. Once into the shell (using an app such as Terminal Emulator) enter the following commands -

Code:
su
cd /system/usr/keylayout/
mount -o remount,rw /system
cp Vendor_045e_Product_0291.kl Vendor_045e_Product_0719.kl
chmod 644 Vendor_045e_Product_0291.kl
chmod 644 Vendor_045e_Product_0719.kl
exit
exit

Then restart your device and your wireless controller should work fine. Remember that different devices will function differently and this may have no effect on your device. This DOES work on the Nexus 7. Credit to sleeplessninja of XDA-developers for his discovery relating to wireless controllers which can be found here.

All games are controller compatible, even if they aren't -
If you have root getting an app like sixaxis may prove invaluable. There definitely are games out there that aren't compatible with controllers, in fact more of them exist than it's opposite. Using these controller apps can help you map controller profiles for certain games allowing you to use a controller for games that weren't even considered controller capable. Be weary though, a lot of them are very different from device to device and using it doesn't guarantee that it'll agree with the app you're trying to make a profile for. It's just a thought to keep in mind.

Games that are compatible (I will be adding to this. Again, varies from device to device but these games do work on most Android devices) -
  • GTA Vice City
  • Max Payne mobile
  • Dead Trigger
  • Riptide GP
  • Bards Tale
Check for yourself what games are compatible -

There exists an app called TegraZone (There's a website to that does practically the same thing). You can use this app to search for a game and it'll tell you whether it's controller compatible or not. Check for a little green tick and/or some text that says 'controller'
46348.jpeg


Other useful information -
If you need to root your phone in order to use a wireless controller or add the Keylayoutfile and you aren't sure how to root or even what rooting is then post any questions below. These links will also be beyond useful -
Some FAQs regarding rooting -

  • Will it void my warranty? Yes (depending on company, some really don't care. Be sure to read up on this before taking action). Although it is possible to unroot and restore to factory settings wiping any evidence along the way. If you destroy your phone (after rooting) to the stage you can't even get into the bootloader then you're **** out of luck. Sending in a rooted phone for repair or replacement isn't ideal but if you have no other option it might go un-noticed.
  • Will I have to wipe my phone to root? This depends on multiple things but usually the answer is no. If you are required to unlock the bootloader before rooting (again, this isn't really common practice but exceptions exist) then yes you will usually have to wipe your phone. If this is the case be sure to research your phone extensively before doing anything and ALWAYS BACKUP YOUR APPS AND DETAILS!
  • What is a bootloader? http://forum.xda-developers.com/wiki/Bootloader
This is a working thread. I'll be adding more to it and fleshing it out with more in depth information.



How to past the vendor in keylayout ??
 
Tyler

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So is there a way to use a wireless receiver with wireless controller without rooting?

I have a Galaxy Note 2. I got a PS3 controller working, but the wireless doesn't appear to work without root. I have an OTG cable.
 
Holy Jesus

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So is there a way to use a wireless receiver with wireless controller without rooting?

I have a Galaxy Note 2. I got a PS3 controller working, but the wireless doesn't appear to work without root. I have an OTG cable.
Yes, depending on your android version. You just need a wireless receiver dongle which you plug into the OTG cable. These are sold so you can use a wireless controller on PC. They do work with Android. However I wouldn't recommend it because the compatibility is touchy and it will not work perfectly, or probably not even work at all for some games.

The reason root is required is so you can edit or add the keylayout files so your phone can recognize and understand both the dongle and the controller. You can read more about this here - http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1792531
 
Tyler

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Yes, depending on your android version. You just need a wireless receiver dongle which you plug into the OTG cable. These are sold so you can use a wireless controller on PC. They do work with Android. However I wouldn't recommend it because the compatibility is touchy and it will not work perfectly, or probably not even work at all for some games.

The reason root is required is so you can edit or add the keylayout files so your phone can recognize and understand both the dongle and the controller. You can read more about this here - http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1792531
Yeah I saw why root is needed usually.

I have the wireless receiver since I bought one from a member here. I prefer to not root though. If I can't do this then I'll survive. I got a PS3 controller going so that'll do.
 
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