Spudiator
Artist Hume
High Priest of the Religion of Football
STC-O's resident footy obsessive
Posts: 2,815
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Post by Spudiator on Oct 25, 2010 15:25:20 GMT
My quest for a decent PC controller is still ongoing. I'm not overly keen on the layout of the Xbox controller but am willing to compromise after the Saitek wireless controller, which was an utter failure (6 batteries supplied, only 1 worked, and then it started interfering with my wireless keyboard), I need some info though. My understanding is that Xbox 360 controllers are backwardly compatible with Windows since they connect via USB (I assume this is still the case with the wireless controller), but is this correct? Can I just grab any wireless 360 controller, download the appropriate drivers and play on with it, or are there only specific 360 controllers designed to work in Windows?
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Post by Alex on Oct 25, 2010 15:52:32 GMT
You can only use a wired 360 controller.
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Post by Balls on Oct 25, 2010 15:59:21 GMT
If you get a wired 360 controller, it'll work with your PC right off the bat.
If you get a wireless one and a rechargeable battery back, that would connect through USB and, as far as I know, would also work (but I haven't tested this).
Otherwise, you can get 360 controllers for Windows which come with a dongle you need to use to use it on the PC. It's still the same controller, so if you buy a standard wireless 360 controller, then find the dongle separately, that would also work.
As even wireless PS3 controllers have USB cables for charging, they also work on PC, but you will have to download drivers (which aren't official or made by Sony, but if you search there are custom drivers, and I've tested to confirm that it does indeed work). You can download further drivers to use a PS3 pad wirelessly, as it connects via bluetooth instead of infrared on the 360.
However, official 360 and PS3 controllers are expensive, costing a minimum of £25 and a maximum of £40 (depending on whether they're pre-owned. There are better alternatives.
For example, I got a pre-owned third-party PS3 controller for a fiver in GameStation. It's wireless and requires batteries, and uses a dongle. It's also got a little switch on the dongle labeled "PC/PS3", so you wouldn't need any drivers for that. And it's a decent controller, barely altered from the official design.
Most unofficial PS3 controllers double up as PC controllers, and will state on the box as a selling point so you won't be taking any chances if you buy one that doesn't work.
Any wired unofficial 360 controller should also work.
Unofficial controllers are really cheap in comparison to wireless, too.
Another option is, if you have a PS2, you can pick up a USB converter for the controllers dirt cheap and use that on the PC (and, incidentally, the PS3, for anyone who doesn't want to spend a [censored]load on a new PS3 controller).
Basically, the two best controllers will be the 360 and PS3 official ones, but they're too damn expensive. Get a third party controller or a PS2/PC converter.
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Spudiator
Artist Hume
High Priest of the Religion of Football
STC-O's resident footy obsessive
Posts: 2,815
|
Post by Spudiator on Oct 25, 2010 16:07:13 GMT
I had considered the PS3 controller too, I just assumed the 360 one would be more straight-forward to set up. I would prefer a wireless controller above all else since my PC's hooked up to my telly and it saves having wires around when Baby Spud's in his walker. I'm not buying new though, way too expensive for that. I'm watching a few 360 controllers on eBay, might take a look for some PS3 ones too.
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Post by Balls on Oct 25, 2010 16:44:16 GMT
I'd recommend the third party PS3/PC controllers, then. Just have a browse in your local game-shops. They won't need any additional drivers like the official one will. Bear in mind they usually won't have it on display but will probably have something.
Just had a look around the net. You probably won't be able to get a 360 controller and PC dongle (comes in a bundle, so you don't have to make two purchases) for under £20 anywhere.
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Post by Alex on Oct 25, 2010 17:35:07 GMT
If you get a wired 360 controller, it'll work with your PC right off the bat.
If you get a wireless one and a rechargeable battery back, that would connect through USB and, as far as I know, would also work (but I haven't tested this).
It doesn't, unfortunately. Unless it suddenly does in Windows 7 somehow, but I don't think so. |
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Post by Balls on Oct 25, 2010 21:02:35 GMT
If you get a wired 360 controller, it'll work with your PC right off the bat.
If you get a wireless one and a rechargeable battery back, that would connect through USB and, as far as I know, would also work (but I haven't tested this).
It doesn't, unfortunately. Unless it suddenly does in Windows 7 somehow, but I don't think so.
Surely there are drivers and stuff around that you can use?
Either way, you can use a dongle and connect it wirelessly, which is what Spud's aiming for anyway. |
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Post by Alex on Oct 25, 2010 22:54:53 GMT
As far as I know, it doesn't work 'cos the play-n-charge pack doesn't actually connect the controller to the computer - just the computer to the battery.
Then again, I gave up trying ages ago, so if I ever saw a definitive reason why it wasn't working, I can't be sure that I remember it.
If there's some other way that connects it, then I guess that'd work fine, yeah.
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Post by Balls on Oct 26, 2010 4:51:46 GMT
Well, there are two types of play and charge kits. One of them plugs into the controller itself and one into the battery pack. One may work while the other doesn't but of course I haven't googled to check and am almost certainly wrong.
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Post by madhair60 on Oct 26, 2010 8:59:19 GMT
I got a wired one off Amazon, "Xbox 360 Wired Controller for Windows". Plug and play, works perfectly.
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Post by Mark on Oct 26, 2010 12:14:18 GMT
What Stu said.
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