PS3: Bought a new controller and it won't connect wirelessly?

[Cadder]

Greetings, PS3ers.

I recently bought some new controllers for my PS3. Each one is a different colour, so my kids know which one is "theirs" without punishing any controllers used when grownups want to play. (The thumbsticks in the Cadder house have a notorious habit of "getting loose" after several months of play by under-7s.)

Anyway, long story short, I bought some original Sony controllers brand new, still in their packs, off fleaBay. I didn't buy them all from the same seller, but they did all come from Aussie sellers.

When they arrived, I plugged one into the PS3 with a USB cable and pressed the PS button to register the device with the machine, in the normal way.
That was fine, the controller gave its little light display and showed itself as device#1.

...that was, until I unplugged the device from the USB. Then all 4 lights flashed again, and the PS3 no longer responded to any button pressing. It was in a state of identity amnesia.
I tried another new controller, and it did the same thing. By this stage, I'd got all sorts of things running through my head, ranging from "damnit, now I know why these controllers were half the retail price" to "the kids are going to mutineer and lynch me if I don't make good on their individually-chosen coloured controllers"

Being a reasonably intelligent tech, I started going through the logic: Controller registers when hardwired, but when disconnected, they fall over. Logic dictates that must mean an inability of the bluetooth connection to register itself. That's what's supposed to happen when you press the PS button, yes?
A quick search on tha interwebs revealed others had come across this problem and given up... until I found one thread in an obscure corner of a linux forum (of all places) that suggested the bluetooth receiver itself needed a reset.

Sure enough, I turned the controller over, and near the top central screw on the bottom of the controller is an inconspicuous, unmarked pinhole. I plugged the controller back into the USB cable, and gave it a quick poke in that hole with the end of a paperclip, and to quote Sheldon Cooper, "Bazinga!"
Each controller in turn gave its 4-light flash then locked onto an individual channel. And re-established it when the USB was disconnected.

It's odd that I've never had to do that with any of the controllers that came with either of the PS3s I own - but if my 10 minutes of research can save someone else a bit of heartache, then I've done my duty.
Happy Gaming!

[Chief]

Originally Posted by Cadder

and to quote Sheldon Cooper, "Bazinga!"

please don't do that ever again


Thanks for the tip though

[Ancient_One]

+1 for you my friend.

I agree never seen that issue myself with any of the 4 PS3's we have had and 9 controllers. Some good advice their mate.

[Cadder]

Originally Posted by Ancient_One

I agree never seen that issue myself with any of the 4 PS3's we have had and 9 controllers. Some good advice their mate.

It seems to be peculiar to after-market PS3 controllers, regardless of the fact they're genuine Sony Dualshock3s. I had a third controller need the same treatment when it arrived.

[exploit]

+1 for Bazinga