Arch Linux

surf.bluecrab

Member

From: Halifax, NS, Canada

Registered: 2014-04-19

Posts: 20

8BitDo N30 gamepad - no devices in /dev nor in /proc/bus/input/devices

I decided to buy a bunch of different Bluetooth gamepad to use with different emulator cores on RetroArch.

The ones that works are:

8BitDo Pro 2     ( XInput and DirectInput )
8BitDo M30       ( XInput and DirectInput )
8BitDo SN30 Xbox ( designed for Android, connect as DirectInput )
Hori Battle Pad  ( designed for Switch )
Hyperkin Admiral

I am trying to get an 8bitdo N30 ( current model, look like an original NES ) working on Arch Linux.

The gamepad is officially designed for switch and the manufacturer doesnt claim to support pc.

I would assume however that since it is a Bluetooth controller there must be a way to get it working.

I have been able to get it to connect via Bluetooth without any issue using bluetoothctl and blueman however I do not get anything in /dev/input nor in /proc/bus/input/devices.

I am using latest kernel 5.17.1 which have hid-nintendo included.  I did tried manually installing hid-nintendo-dkms and hid-nintendo-nso-dkms without success and I tried loading the deamon joycond-git.

I am not too sure where to look next, if anyone could help it would be very appreciated.

The 8BitDo Pro 2 has a mechanical switch at the back, I turned it to Nintendo Switch to test and it create the same problem has the N30 however the Hori Battle Pad designed for Switch works fine.

The N30 shows "ID 057e:2009 Nintendo Co., Ltd Switch Pro Controller" when plugged with USB cable however nothing appear in /dev and the manufacturer claim it cannot work as a wired gamepad so my best bet would be to get it to work in Bluetooth.

The way I look at it is that since it connect to Bluetooth to the switch there must be a way to get my PC to understand the device as a pc gamepad.  It is a very simple gamepad, 13 digital buttons, nothing fancy and remaping could be done in RetroArch

I have a few questions:

1- What kind of input does the Switch use ( XInput, DirectInput, other ) ?

2- Should there be some possibility to make it work or is my idea a waste of time?

3- Does anyone understand the process that happend when a connected gamepad create a /dev/input/js0 or /dev/input/eventX or put something in /proc/bus/input/devices?  I got the Bluetooth connected but I need to find a way to make the device being understood as a joystick.

There is a controller profile file named 8Bitdo_N30_BT.cfg in the RetroArch config directory which make me want to beleive that someone somewhere must have make it work on pc.

Here are some info for the N30 from blueman:

Name    : Pro Controller
Class   : 0x002508
Icon    : input-gaming  ( it seems like blueman understand it is a gamepad )
UUID    : 00001124-0000-1000-8000-00805f9b34fb Human Interface Device Service (HID)
          00001200-0000-1000-8000-00805f9b34fb PnP Information
Modalias: usb:v057Ep2009d0001

I am using a modern PC with vanilla Arch and an Intel AX200 Wifi 6/Bluetooth.

Any help, info, links, advice would be appreciated.

Last edited by surf.bluecrab (2022-04-09 03:17:15)