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Bliss Box 4-play compatibility


brudibru

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Posted

I would like to open a thread for everyone here who have received their Bliss Box 4-play and have started using it.

I have received mine yesterday and tried it with 8 different controllers.

The start has been rocky, to say the least, as nothing was working at first.

Depending on the USB port where it was plugged the device was detected or not until finally I found a working one.

 

Once detected Windows 10 shows 4 mouse devices named 4-play and in the properties you can try the sticks and the buttons.

I have tried the following controllers: Playstation dual shock, Zipstick, Coleco, Atari 2600, Saturn, Dreamcast, Super Nintendo and Nintendo.

They are all working except the Dreamcast controllers (I have tried 3 different ones).

Ulao has tried to help but with no results as it seems that I am the first one with such a problem.

 

Finally I have tried the different working controllers with their respective emulators.

First you have to make sure that the emu is using the dinput library and not the xinput one

The emus are displaying the 4 different 4-play ports and you have to find the right one for your controller.

 

So far I have managed to make it work with:

  • 1964
  • Project64
  • RetroArch
  • SSF
  • PCSX2 

I am currently stuck with WinUAE as it does detect the 4-play ports but not my Zipstick.

 

That's my experience with the 4-play until now. 

I hope more people can share their own experience with this device so we can maybe build an emulator compatibility list.

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Posted

I would like to open a thread for everyone here who have received their Bliss Box 4-play and have started using it.

I have received mine yesterday and tried it with 8 different controllers.

The start has been rocky, to say the least, as nothing was working at first.

Depending on the USB port where it was plugged the device was detected or not until finally I found a working one.

 

Once detected Windows 10 shows 4 mouse devices named 4-play and in the properties you can try the sticks and the buttons.

I have tried the following controllers: Playstation dual shock, Zipstick, Coleco, Atari 2600, Saturn, Dreamcast, Super Nintendo and Nintendo.

They are all working except the Dreamcast controllers (I have tried 3 different ones).

Ulao has tried to help but with no results as it seems that I am the first one with such a problem.

 

Finally I have tried the different working controllers with their respective emulators.

First you have to make sure that the emu is using the dinput library and not the xinput one

The emus are displaying the 4 different 4-play ports and you have to find the right one for your controller.

 

So far I have managed to make it work with:

  • 1964
  • Project64
  • RetroArch
  • SSF
  • PCSX2 

I am currently stuck with WinUAE as it does detect the 4-play ports but not my Zipstick.

 

That's my experience with the 4-play until now. 

I hope more people can share their own experience with this device so we can maybe build an emulator compatibility list.

 

What was your process for RetroArch...

 

Did you create one AutoConfig using the controller with the most buttons... ie PS2 controller... and then everything with equal or fewer buttons just works?

Posted

I had a similar issue with PS2 and Dreamcast controllers not working but switching the to another usb port fixed the issue. This actually happened on two separate computers. For the desktop I could only get the PS2 and Dreamcast controllers to work on the onboard usb 3.0 ports but not the case usb ports that went to the motherboard headers. For my Intel NUC they would only work when plugged into the front usb3.0 port that is considered to be the "charging port". I believe this issue is because the device is not getting enough power supplied to it to power the PS2 and Dreamcast controllers but haven't tested the theory out yet bc I currently do not have a power adapter that will work for it.

 

Question I have for you since you are setting these up in emulators already. How do you get the ports on the 4play to assign the same joyid each time you connect it to the same computer? While I was testing the 4play out the first time I plugged it in the ports where assigned joyid 3,2,0,1 from left to right but later it assigned the joyid 0,1,2,3. I only tested this in nestopia since setting up the controllers is easy.

Posted

I got mine and I had to replace the USB cable, after I got that replaced I tested all of my cables and they all worked.

I have tested:

Atari:

Official cx40 joystick,

Have and need to test still paddles, driving and 3rd party

Nintendo:

NES official, Hudson Soft Joycard SANSUI SSS Controller

SNES official US, super famicom, interact SnPro

N64- official US

Gamecube - official US, donkey Konga drums

Sega:

Saturn- official 6 button and 3D controller

Dreamcast- official controller,

Have and need to test still - official fishing controller

I still need to test in all emulators (only test in retroarch so far)but I will probably flash to upgraded firmware first so each port is unique.

Posted

What was your process for RetroArch...

 

Did you create one AutoConfig using the controller with the most buttons... ie PS2 controller... and then everything with equal or fewer buttons just works?

I am really not a specialist of RetroArch but yes I have done as you said as all the controllers are mapped about the same within the 4-play

Posted

I had a similar issue with PS2 and Dreamcast controllers not working but switching the to another usb port fixed the issue. This actually happened on two separate computers. For the desktop I could only get the PS2 and Dreamcast controllers to work on the onboard usb 3.0 ports but not the case usb ports that went to the motherboard headers. For my Intel NUC they would only work when plugged into the front usb3.0 port that is considered to be the "charging port". I believe this issue is because the device is not getting enough power supplied to it to power the PS2 and Dreamcast controllers but haven't tested the theory out yet bc I currently do not have a power adapter that will work for it.

 

Question I have for you since you are setting these up in emulators already. How do you get the ports on the 4play to assign the same joyid each time you connect it to the same computer? While I was testing the 4play out the first time I plugged it in the ports where assigned joyid 3,2,0,1 from left to right but later it assigned the joyid 0,1,2,3. I only tested this in nestopia since setting up the controllers is easy.

I will try what you said about changing to another USB port (From my first tests I know that some ports are not working at all). I have asked the developer about the possibility of a lack of power supplied to the controller but he thinks it has nothing to do with this problem.

Concerning your question I must admit that I have not been that far yet even if I know it could be a problem. I think we should ask directly to Ulao (the site admin) in this forum or in the Bliss Box forum.

Posted

I got mine and I had to replace the USB cable, after I got that replaced I tested all of my cables and they all worked.

I have tested:

Atari:

Official cx40 joystick,

Have and need to test still paddles, driving and 3rd party

Nintendo:

NES official, Hudson Soft Joycard SANSUI SSS Controller

SNES official US, super famicom, interact SnPro

N64- official US

Gamecube - official US, donkey Konga drums

Sega:

Saturn- official 6 button and 3D controller

Dreamcast- official controller,

Have and need to test still - official fishing controller

I still need to test in all emulators (only test in retroarch so far)but I will probably flash to upgraded firmware first so each port is unique.

Namdor, thanks for your feedback.

By "changing the USB cable" you mean the cable that goes from the 4-play to the PC right?

Its a printer like USB cable so I could try that solution maybe.

I have also flashed the device with the 1.53 firmware but I am not sure to understand what you mean by making each port unique.

Posted

Just dropping a friendly note on compatibility with the DC. Since 07 I have had my challenges. Dream cast is the leader of that platoon. DC controllers send a data bit with 98 nano seconds apart reading with a 12mhz chip. The only way to do it is not to read but "guess" where the data are. I bought 27 DC controllers to test with and to my surprise they very just a bit in communication. If you think about speeds where data is nanoseconds apart, you can not hiccup. Now the dream cast does not read it this way, nor was it intend to be. The Bliss-Box chip could be bumped up to a 16mhz and read all DC controllers but its a redesign we can not afford.

 

brudibru, here some how found not one but 2 that do not work. Its possible to make the 4-play read them but not without having them here to test with. So if anyone here has an OEM DC that does not read and causes issues let me know! The problem that brudibru is having could be a number of issues. I'm not sure what all he has tried however, the symptom is characteristic of the communication from 4-play to dream cast being interrupted. I have seen that before with software on my computer using the usb buss. The dream cast is just very picky.

 

If anyone has compatibility concerns get that info to me on the forums. compatibility is one of the 4-plays highest priorities.

 

 

fsancu bb.png

Posted

A bit off topic, but I read there was a work around to make the bliss box be recognized as Xinput and therefore already working for MESS MAME and retroarch. Has anyone tried this?

Posted

I would like to open a thread for everyone here who have received their Bliss Box 4-play and have started using it.

I have received mine yesterday and tried it with 8 different controllers.

The start has been rocky, to say the least, as nothing was working at first.

Depending on the USB port where it was plugged the device was detected or not until finally I found a working one.

 

Once detected Windows 10 shows 4 mouse devices named 4-play and in the properties you can try the sticks and the buttons.

I have tried the following controllers: Playstation dual shock, Zipstick, Coleco, Atari 2600, Saturn, Dreamcast, Super Nintendo and Nintendo.

They are all working except the Dreamcast controllers (I have tried 3 different ones).

Ulao has tried to help but with no results as it seems that I am the first one with such a problem.

 

Finally I have tried the different working controllers with their respective emulators.

First you have to make sure that the emu is using the dinput library and not the xinput one

The emus are displaying the 4 different 4-play ports and you have to find the right one for your controller.

 

So far I have managed to make it work with:

  • 1964
  • Project64
  • RetroArch
  • SSF
  • PCSX2 

I am currently stuck with WinUAE as it does detect the 4-play ports but not my Zipstick.

 

That's my experience with the 4-play until now. 

I hope more people can share their own experience with this device so we can maybe build an emulator compatibility list.

brother i just want to thank you... i never heard of this till now since ive been gone from the scene for over a year... this thing looks amazing....also i wanted to purchase right away... but i cant the site for it  :(

 

again thanks brother.... you have made my day :)

24029608945_5082fafdb7.jpg
 
Posted

brother i just want to thank you... i never heard of this till now since ive been gone from the scene for over a year... this thing looks amazing....also i wanted to purchase right away... but i cant the site for it  :(

 

again thanks brother.... you have made my day :)

Alex I can only encourage you to buy the 4-play, it is really amazing to be able to use all those old controllers with their respective systems.

I now want to integrate the different ports to my arcade cabinet very much the same way Ashurax did (I have a drawer in front of it so it should be fairly easy):

http://www.hyperspin-fe.com/topic/9769-bliss-box-early-bird-sale-is-now-open/page-2

Posted

Just dropping a friendly note on compatibility with the DC. Since 07 I have had my challenges. Dream cast is the leader of that platoon. DC controllers send a data bit with 98 nano seconds apart reading with a 12mhz chip. The only way to do it is not to read but "guess" where the data are. I bought 27 DC controllers to test with and to my surprise they very just a bit in communication. If you think about speeds where data is nanoseconds apart, you can not hiccup. Now the dream cast does not read it this way, nor was it intend to be. The Bliss-Box chip could be bumped up to a 16mhz and read all DC controllers but its a redesign we can not afford.

 

brudibru, here some how found not one but 2 that do not work. Its possible to make the 4-play read them but not without having them here to test with. So if anyone here has an OEM DC that does not read and causes issues let me know! The problem that brudibru is having could be a number of issues. I'm not sure what all he has tried however, the symptom is characteristic of the communication from 4-play to dream cast being interrupted. I have seen that before with software on my computer using the usb buss. The dream cast is just very picky.

 

If anyone has compatibility concerns get that info to me on the forums. compatibility is one of the 4-plays highest priorities.

Ulao, thanks for dropping by in this forum.

I will make some new test with the DC controllers today.

Already I have tried with a third controller, still an official sega, with the same result but I will try with the other USB ports.

 

Anyway do you have a comment or answer to haze question regarding the joyid's? (post #3)

Posted

A bit off topic, but I read there was a work around to make the bliss box be recognized as Xinput and therefore already working for MESS MAME and retroarch. Has anyone tried this?

I haven't heard about that and I would be very interested to know as well, not for MAME or Retroarch which are working pretty well as is but for other emus like WinUAE, for which I have problems so far.

Posted

I had a similar issue with PS2 and Dreamcast controllers not working but switching the to another usb port fixed the issue. This actually happened on two separate computers. For the desktop I could only get the PS2 and Dreamcast controllers to work on the onboard usb 3.0 ports but not the case usb ports that went to the motherboard headers. For my Intel NUC they would only work when plugged into the front usb3.0 port that is considered to be the "charging port". I believe this issue is because the device is not getting enough power supplied to it to power the PS2 and Dreamcast controllers but haven't tested the theory out yet bc I currently do not have a power adapter that will work for it.

 

Question I have for you since you are setting these up in emulators already. How do you get the ports on the 4play to assign the same joyid each time you connect it to the same computer? While I was testing the 4play out the first time I plugged it in the ports where assigned joyid 3,2,0,1 from left to right but later it assigned the joyid 0,1,2,3. I only tested this in nestopia since setting up the controllers is easy.

Haze I think you can find an answer here :

http://blissbox.freeforums.org/software-to-help-manage-multiple-controllers-t233.html

Posted

I'd suggest the 4-play fix link, it works well.

buy page is here 4-play.bliss-box.net

How does this fix relate to official software releases? I'm not crazy about the official hardware/software developer recommending 3rd party software to address a bug...

Sent from my HTC6535LVW using Tapatalk

Posted

The fix uses illegal VID/PID's. Every USB developer has to buy these IDS. The 4 play is 4 devices each having the same. This is why OS's can't put them in order. The fix just adds 1 to each. So its "unethical" or technically wrong in the sense another device may already have this made up id. So to do this right I'll have to buy a few more and then offer the same. So this is more of a hack to the only solution possible. When Bliss-Box starts to profit and more money is available for things like the other cables ;) we will also buy more ID's. When we do , the same fix will be applied. It may comfort you to know the 3rd party is a friend.

 

 

fsancu bb.png

Posted

I got mine and I had to replace the USB cable, after I got that replaced I tested all of my cables and they all worked.

I have tested:

Atari:

Official cx40 joystick,

Have and need to test still paddles, driving and 3rd party

Nintendo:

NES official, Hudson Soft Joycard SANSUI SSS Controller

SNES official US, super famicom, interact SnPro

N64- official US

Gamecube - official US, donkey Konga drums

Sega:

Saturn- official 6 button and 3D controller

Dreamcast- official controller,

Have and need to test still - official fishing controller

I still need to test in all emulators (only test in retroarch so far)but I will probably flash to upgraded firmware first so each port is unique.

Ulao,

 

Namdor was right and thanks to him I have now solved my problem with the DC controllers.

I have indeed changed the USB cable of the 4-play and now they work perfectly even with the accessories (the Bliss Box logo on the VMU is quite nice!).

The controllers were not at fault which makes more sense in the end.

 

Namdor, thanks again for your feedback, I was really disappointed with those pads not working and now everything's OK.

Just have to test them in the emus now...

Posted

The fix uses illegal VID/PID's. Every USB developer has to buy these IDS. The 4 play is 4 devices each having the same. This is why OS's can't put them in order. The fix just adds 1 to each. So its "unethical" or technically wrong in the sense another device may already have this made up id. So to do this right I'll have to buy a few more and then offer the same. So this is more of a hack to the only solution possible. When Bliss-Box starts to profit and more money is available for this like the other cables ;) we will also buy more ID's. When we do , the same fix will be applied. If may comfort you to know the 3rd part is a friend.

 

OK. So I'm trying to install the fix, but it's only flashing for 3 ports. The other (top right) port error out when I try to flash the update.I'm definitely holding down the button, Windows does a driver install/update as soon as I press the button... once the driver update completes in Windows, then I start the flash but I get the following error:

 

e8vdiw.png

 

I've tried unpugging the USB and replugging it in. Plugging it into a different USB port. Is my 3rd port defective?

 

Additionally, after flashing the custom software, although they are recognized in Windows as Blissbox port #1, 2, 4... the attached gamepads are no longer recognized at all by Windows. 

 

How do I contact you directly for support?

Posted

How did you get to this screen? Do you really need to update the firmware? Doesn't it come with the most up to date already installed? I need to test mine out still. I just plugged in the adapter last night and my computer recognized the new software, then I fell asleep lol, it was late

Tapatalk signature

Posted

Ulao,

 

Namdor was right and thanks to him I have now solved my problem with the DC controllers.

I have indeed changed the USB cable of the 4-play and now they work perfectly even with the accessories (the Bliss Box logo on the VMU is quite nice!).

The controllers were not at fault which makes more sense in the end.

 

Namdor, thanks again for your feedback, I was really disappointed with those pads not working and now everything's OK.

Just have to test them in the emus now...

No problem! Sorry I didn't get back to you quickly I haven't been on the forums in a couple days.

Posted

No problem! Sorry I didn't get back to you quickly I haven't been on the forums in a couple days.

Don't worry Namdor, When I found you were right that made my day !

 

By the way it also resolve my problem with WinUAE which can be counted now as compatible with the Bliss box.

Posted

How did you get to this screen? Do you really need to update the firmware? Doesn't it come with the most up to date already installed? I need to test mine out still. I just plugged in the adapter last night and my computer recognized the new software, then I fell asleep lol, it was late

Tapatalk signature

 

That screen is from the unofficial firmware updater

http://atarigalore.wix.com/4play

Posted

OK. So I'm trying to install the fix, but it's only flashing for 3 ports. The other (top right) port error out when I try to flash the update.I'm definitely holding down the button, Windows does a driver install/update as soon as I press the button... once the driver update completes in Windows, then I start the flash but I get the following error:

 

e8vdiw.png

 

I've tried unpugging the USB and replugging it in. Plugging it into a different USB port. Is my 3rd port defective?

 

Additionally, after flashing the custom software, although they are recognized in Windows as Blissbox port #1, 2, 4... the attached gamepads are no longer recognized at all by Windows. 

 

How do I contact you directly for support?

Newoski,

Have you been able to solve your problems?

I am wondering myself if I should install that firmware or not...

Posted

Newoski,

Have you been able to solve your problems?

I am wondering myself if I should install that firmware or not...

No. And no response from BlissBox support yet, either

Sent from my HTC6535LVW using Tapatalk

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