| paleface [sys=PC; cat=Hardware; reg=WLD] |
| | | Download added: 00_front_charge.jpg (63381 bytes)
"Front view while charging--no option not to have that charging light at dock base go on"
(Apparently 8bitdo are based in China, as far as various Google hits say.)
Mostly small-ish things I'm not crazy about:
- The five tiny function buttons in the middle of the controller are hard to locate and distinguish by touch; seems slightly amateurish compared with controller interfaces by the big boys
- Can't map the "Star" button or the paddles in other apps (PCSX2)--which is to say, I can USE them in other apps, as long as I've pre-mapped them to other controller buttons in the 8bitdo Ultimate Software first, but I can't map them directly to functions or keyboard keys or whatnot in other programs.
- There's a big kinda bright charging light at the front base of the dock and no option to disable it
- The d-pad is tiny compared to the DS4's. Not that it matters for me because I found pretty quick that no, I just cannot use the d-pad comfortably in that "asymmetric" position; I'll stick to the DS4 for d-pad games. That's fine; I got this for analog stick games. ... Okay, for OutRun 2006. But it'll probably be good for Soulsin or whatnot.
- 8bitdo Ultimate Software: have to click the "Sync" button to have changes sent to controller, and have to close the program to get the controller to work!
- The Software only supports 3 profiles, and feels very slight compared to the ability to create more or less unlimited, program-specific profiles in DS4Windows, for instance
Was getting keyboard buttons coming out when using the face buttons in non-Steam programs--had to go into "Steam Settings - Controller - Desktop Layout" and turn that off. ; P Dang Steam.
My fingers don't seem to land on the paddles (they're really just buttons, not extended on shafts or anything) naturally if I'm holding the controller how I would for normal use of the shoulder and face buttons; like, they're sort of in-between my resting finger positions or something. But if I'm using them in a dedicated fashion, like as gas and brake in a racing game, they work well, and give me a fresh hand position to use--seems like a very useful ergonomic option to have.
I like the Ultimate's heft. It's easy to plunk into the dock. Surprised by its slightly small size. Sticks and buttons feel good. Grips feel a little narrow compared to DS4, not sure that's going to pose an ergonomic problem though. |
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| | | | Oh, forgot to say that somehow the two profiles I'd set already got reset, and I had to redo them. ; P |
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| | | Download added: 01_x_for_win.jpg (20014 bytes)
"Software, with controller on D by USB, and receiver on direct USB"
Under "How can I connect my Ultimate 2.4g Wireless Controller to PC?," the FAQ https://support.8bitdo.com/faq/ultimate-2-4g-controller.html says "For wireless connection please plug the 2.4g receiver to the USB port of your Windows device, controller will work in Xinput when the mode switch is on X, in Dinput when the mode switch on D." But I can only seem to get the controller to show up in DInput aka mode D--in which the paddles register as individual buttons in Windows' USB Game Controllers' Properties window, presumably meaning they could be mapped in functions in other programs--when plugged into the PC via USB; wirelessly, on D, it does not register as a controller, and the ring around the Home button keeps flashing.
The manual https://download.8bitdo.com/Manual/Controller/Ultimate/Ultimate-2.4g-wireless-Controller.pdf?00 specifically says to use X for both wired and wireless operation in Windows.
I used the Pairing Tool https://download.8bitdo.com/Tools/PairTools/8BitDo-Ultimate-Pair-Tools.zip on the controller and receiver together--with the controller in D mode, as the program instructs--and it said they were paired, but once I close the Pairing Tool, unplug the controller from the USB connection, and unplug and replug the receiver, as the program instructed, the controller once again does not register; when I then reconnect and run the Pairing Tool again, it says "The controller does not match with the current receiver."
If I have the controller wired, and the receiver plugged in directly via USB, and run the Software, it pops up a picture pointing to the mode switch in the X position, captioned "X for Windows."
Controller and receiver are on the latest firmware (controller v2.03, receiver v1.08).
I'm writing to their Support about it, but I suspect they're going to say that the Manual is correct and only XInput is supported in Windows; the Manual says to use D for Android, so maybe the FAQ and the Pairing Tool are supposed to be setting the receiver up for Android or something, uh, I don't know. : P |
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| | | Well, the significantly narrower grips than the DS4, both in terms of distance apart and angle--or something--is messing with my wrist, so it's gonna go back to Amazon regardless. I'll try an Xbox controller and its wide ol' grips; and if that doesn't work, just have to stick with playing by d-pad on the DS4. ; )
Also, using the paddle buttons for gas/brake turned out to be even less comfortable than the bumpers, so I won't be needing those on a controller I guess. |
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| | | | Bumpers are mushier and more hollow-feeling than DS4. |
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| | | This was the "updated" version with Hall effect analog sticks. Same magnetic sensing method used by Sega in its Saturn and DC analog sticks and triggers. : P Unlike electrical sensors, means no physical contract, no wearing of parts, and no stick drift.
Only controller I ever had stick drift on was one DS3. |
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| | | Yep:
"Greetings.
Nice to hear from you.
D mode is not designed for PC, please use X mode.
Kind regards.
------------------------------"
But your FAQ... And the Pairing Tool-- Oh, never mind. ; D |
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| | | Download added: 02_vs_ds4.jpg (139458 bytes)
"DS4, 8bitdo Ultimate, my foot in a slipper"
The tapered ends of the Ultimate's grips were also messing with me a bit, I think. And I have relatively tiny hands. : P |
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| | | As offalynne very patiently explained to me https://selectbutton.net/t/methods-of-input-part-2/12364/1073 , Bluetooth was actually added to the Ultimate 2.4G ($20 cheaper than the Ultimate Bluetooth--and since at least mid-January, also being sold with included Hall effect analog sticks, which used to be exclusive to the Ultimate Bluetooth) in the 2.00 firmware update, according to the update log available from the highlight menu at https://support.8bitdo.com/ (I really would have thought it would required a separate piece of radio hardware, shows what I know!) :
"Firmware v2.00
1. Added the Bluetooth connection for Dinput mode.
Note: After this update for the controller, the Bluetooth connection mode of the controller would be the default setting,
hold the profile button for 5 seconds to switch to Bluetooth connection mode(controller vibrates once)/2.4ghz dongle
connection mode(controller vibrates twice), the mode you've changed will remain. Hold the Star button for 3 seconds to
enter its pairing mode when it's on Bluetooth connection."
So that must be how DInput would work in Windows--after switching to BT. Which would have defeated a good chunk of the purpose of why I wanted the Ultimate in the first place, for that 2.4G connection. Funny though how they don't bother explaining the BT thing in their FAQ, and basically denied it when I contacted their tech support!! Maybe they're trying to keep it on the down-low to avoid ticking off those Ultimate BT buyers. = p |
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