Had to install this app which then made me sign in (using my work PC) to update the firmware on my damn controller. Wish there was a way to do this in Linux. I’m so over Microsoft’s crap.
Why does a game controller need updates??? I’m stuck on PS3 knowledge, someome help me out here.
Well, I can tell you trying to use the Xbox controllers I have on Linux, with Bluetooth was a nightmare until their firmware was updated.
You can avoid that by not using MS controllers in Linux, or using old controllers with a cable. My Retropie has xbox 360 controller support compiled in and every controller works OOB.
Xone is a kernel level driver and works with newer Xbox controllers. It’s worked flawlessly for years. All I had to do was make sure the controller’s firmware was updated once. The firmware update improves Bluetooth, but if you use a Microsoft dongle, it’s always worked without the firmware update.
So with a 10 min firmware update effort 2 years ago, my gaming rig supports all the controllers you brought up (for some reason?), plus modern ones.
Well, in the case of the Dualsense on PS5, they’ve made changes to improve things like haptic feedback, controller volume output from the speaker, better noise cancellation on the mic (though I doubt anyone uses that) and if you have the latest PS5 models (pro or non-pro), you now have adaptive charging.
I wish I had a way to permanently disable that mic. Why the fuck is that even there? Do console players use these?! All it does is yank priority from my actual mic if I plug it in to charge.
You can disable it permanently: https://www.thegamer.com/disable-mute-ps5-dualsense-microphone-party-chat/
better noise cancellation on the mic (though I doubt anyone uses that)
Oh brother, do people ever use the controller mic. They especially love to do it when they play music from their phone speaker on their lap. And they never use headphones, so when you unmute yourself to say “Hey, can you turn your mic down a bit? I can’t hear the game,” you end up blowing out your own eardrums hearing yourself through their TV at full volume.
Its called surveillance capitalism.
Microsoft is first and foremost a company that aims to profit on the data it can gather.
Please insert controller into rectum and drink verification can for authorization
Lots of things, just like with any hardware and software, issues can happen and some of those can be fixed with software. Also new features, I have a Gulikit KK3 which has gotten a lot of new features and improvements since I received it (won it in a giveaway), it was already the best controller I have ever used and it’s awesome to see them still continue to improve it.
If you keep hitting cancel, it’ll eventually error out and let you access the firmware update page without signing in.
why not spin up a qemu/kvm vm passthrough the controller and update it?
Why would a controller need firmware that needs updating to begin with? Its a controller
I can’t speak to Bluetooth as I don’t know much about it from a software development perspective, but when I first started working with USB I was surprised to find that the hardware is really simple but there’s a ton of software that makes it work. Specifications evolve over time to add features or improve efficiency. This neccesitates code changes, and those code changes have to be made at both ends of the connection if you want the devices to continue to be able to talk to each other. Aside from maintaining the interface code, there are probably also changes and improvements to the device itself. Thus, firmware updates. Make sense?
For earnest reasons? 8bitdo does firmware updates to improve stability and latency, and fix features broken when Xbox, or Nintendo update something on their consoles. All using a stand alone app that just phones home and downloads the latest firmware payload for ALL its controllers without any login.
EDIT: You don’t even need the app. 8bitdo’s website has all their firmwares available to download and install as and when you need. The app is so dyslexic fools like me don’t accidentally brick something with the wrong payload.
Microsoft however, may push some bullshit does nothing update simply to make you sign into their app.
Should check out the Gulikit controllers. Not only do they not suffer from stick drift, they’re the same form factor as an Xbox controller but without the MS bullshit. Was just using one in Linux not even an hour earlier.
