More than 2 Vive Controller setup

[QFGlenn]

I contacted Vive support on the HTC website and asked hey can you have more than 2 controllers setup to the same HMD?

They said yes but that they don't sell the controllers seperate, they TOLD me they RECOMMEND buying ANOTHER VIVE.

So I fork over another 820$ and my Vive arrived. I came back to them and they told me oh it won't work unless you have both Vive plugged into the computer.

...
...
...

WHATTTTTT?!?!?! this is NOT what was implied through our previous conversation.

So I beg of you fellow developers, if you know of a way to pair 4 controllers to the same HMD or you've experimented with this at all to please reply here and help me decide how to proceed with this.

[Jaymis]

Have you tried removing the Vive headset and just having the dongle attached?

This link just came up in my feed, which mentions the process: http://steamcommunity.com/app/507090/discussions/0/312265473878773762/

[AR@Trion]

Originally posted by LukeTyWalker:

Did anybody get this to work? If so, can you share your experience with us (with directions if possible). I tried to reflash a steam controller dongle and it didn't work (it never seemed to find the controller dongle when I reflashed it). I read this link:

https://developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki/SteamVR/HowTo_Update_Firmware

I tried to reflash the dongle by using this command:

tools\lighthouse\bin\win32\lighthouse_watchman_update.exe -d tools\lighthouse\firmware\vr_controller\watchman_dongle.bin

I have successfully gotten this to work. Details:

Seeing as I'd gotten an extra Steam Controller dongle from Steam Dev Days (thank you Valve!) it's long past time I actually tried this and verified whether or not it worked.

I started off by disconnecting everything else Vive related from my system, and just plugged in the new dongle. I tried your command, but that didn't work, however I quickly figured out why. If you want to convert a Steam Controller dongle, you need to use an uppercase -D not a lowercase -d in the command.

Once I used the correct command, it quickly updated. The command line looked like this:

C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\SteamVR>tools\lighthouse\bin\win32\lighthouse_watchman_update.exe -D tools\lighthouse\firmware\vr_controller\watchman_dongle.bin
Attempting to update Watchman Dongles to version 1450758230...
Converting steam controller dongle to watchman dongle. Switching to bootloader
Looking for 1 bootloaders
HID opened: VID 28de PID 1042 serial (null) seq 1 | if -1
Attempting to convert Steam Controller dongle into Watchman Dongle...
Valve Nordic bootloader version 19.0
P2vvX........vvvvvvvvP3X........vvvvvvvvP4X........vvvvvvvvP5X........vvvvvvvvP6X........vvvvvvvvP7X........vvvvvvvvP8X........vvvvvvvvP9X........vvvvvvvvP10X........vvvvvvvvP11X........vvvvvvvvP12X........vvvvvvvvP13X........vvvvvvvvP14X........vvvvvvvvP15X........vvvvvvvvP16X........vvvvvvvvP17X........vvvvvvvvP18X........vvvvvvvvP19X........vvvvvvvvP20X........vvvvvvvvP21X........vvvvvvvvP22X........vvvvvvvvP23X........vvvvvvvvP24X........vvvvvvvvP25X........vvvvvvvvP26X........vvvvvvvvP27X........vvvvvvvvP28X........vvvvvvvvP29X........vvvvvvvvP30X........vvvvvvvvP31X........vvvvvvvvP32X........vvvvvvvvP33X........vvvvvvvvP34X........vvvvvvvvP35X........vvvvvvvvP1vvvvvvvvP0X........vvvvvvvv
Successfully converted firmware.
Found all expected bootloaders

After that, I was able to successfully pair a Vive Pre controller with the dongle and once I'd hooked up my original equipment, SteamVR started with the expected 3 controllers available.

While I hope the people involved with the whole hardware course will have better alternatives available for us soon, if you want another tracked device *today* this is probably your best bet.

[whoInvited]

following the steps described by AR@Trion, I was able to reflash a steam controller dongle.

screenshot of the reflashing process[imgur.com]

After that, I was able to successfully pair a Vive Pre controller with the dongle

Now I'm trying to figure out how exactly to pair a Vive controller with this newly flashed watchman dongle :thinking-face:

Originally posted by AR@Trion:

Originally posted by LukeTyWalker:

Did anybody get this to work? If so, can you share your experience with us (with directions if possible). I tried to reflash a steam controller dongle and it didn't work (it never seemed to find the controller dongle when I reflashed it). I read this link:

https://developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki/SteamVR/HowTo_Update_Firmware

I tried to reflash the dongle by using this command:

tools\lighthouse\bin\win32\lighthouse_watchman_update.exe -d tools\lighthouse\firmware\vr_controller\watchman_dongle.bin

I have successfully gotten this to work. Details:

Seeing as I'd gotten an extra Steam Controller dongle from Steam Dev Days (thank you Valve!) it's long past time I actually tried this and verified whether or not it worked.

I started off by disconnecting everything else Vive related from my system, and just plugged in the new dongle. I tried your command, but that didn't work, however I quickly figured out why. If you want to convert a Steam Controller dongle, you need to use an uppercase -D not a lowercase -d in the command.

Once I used the correct command, it quickly updated. The command line looked like this:

C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\SteamVR>tools\lighthouse\bin\win32\lighthouse_watchman_update.exe -D tools\lighthouse\firmware\vr_controller\watchman_dongle.bin
Attempting to update Watchman Dongles to version 1450758230...
Converting steam controller dongle to watchman dongle. Switching to bootloader
Looking for 1 bootloaders
HID opened: VID 28de PID 1042 serial (null) seq 1 | if -1
Attempting to convert Steam Controller dongle into Watchman Dongle...
Valve Nordic bootloader version 19.0
P2vvX........vvvvvvvvP3X........vvvvvvvvP4X........vvvvvvvvP5X........vvvvvvvvP6X........vvvvvvvvP7X........vvvvvvvvP8X........vvvvvvvvP9X........vvvvvvvvP10X........vvvvvvvvP11X........vvvvvvvvP12X........vvvvvvvvP13X........vvvvvvvvP14X........vvvvvvvvP15X........vvvvvvvvP16X........vvvvvvvvP17X........vvvvvvvvP18X........vvvvvvvvP19X........vvvvvvvvP20X........vvvvvvvvP21X........vvvvvvvvP22X........vvvvvvvvP23X........vvvvvvvvP24X........vvvvvvvvP25X........vvvvvvvvP26X........vvvvvvvvP27X........vvvvvvvvP28X........vvvvvvvvP29X........vvvvvvvvP30X........vvvvvvvvP31X........vvvvvvvvP32X........vvvvvvvvP33X........vvvvvvvvP34X........vvvvvvvvP35X........vvvvvvvvP1vvvvvvvvP0X........vvvvvvvv
Successfully converted firmware.
Found all expected bootloaders

After that, I was able to successfully pair a Vive Pre controller with the dongle and once I'd hooked up my original equipment, SteamVR started with the expected 3 controllers available.

While I hope the people involved with the whole hardware course will have better alternatives available for us soon, if you want another tracked device *today* this is probably your best bet.

[r0mps]

I had the flashed usb dongle working for a couple days with my third controller until steam VR said my headset needed to be updated. I updated the firmware and now the dongle doesnt work anymore. When i try to Pair the controller again through steam vr it says theres already two controllers paired and I can't pair more. When I try to do the flashing of the software again I get a windows error saying "This app can't run on your pc" and on the command prompt it shows "Access is denied." Any clue on how to get the dongle working again?

[AR@Trion]

Originally posted by whoInvited:

following the steps described by AR@Trion, I was able to reflash a steam controller dongle.

screenshot of the reflashing process[imgur.com]

After that, I was able to successfully pair a Vive Pre controller with the dongle

Now I'm trying to figure out how exactly to pair a Vive controller with this newly flashed watchman dongle :thinking-face:

How to pair a Vive controller with a newly flashed dongle is described on the wiki page. Here's a direct link to where it describes it:

https://developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki/SteamVR/HowTo_Update_Firmware#Pair_a_Dongle_with_a_Controller

@r0mps - sorry, I haven't been using it lately, so I don't know about any changes that may have occurred.

[Swift_Eye]

Originally posted by QFGlenn:

So to plug in more, I just use USBs? That's cool. And how would I access them in blueprints or script? What is the id of the third connected device?

Did you ever find an answer to this part of the question?

[Glitch]

I'm also trying to pair a third controller to use for MixedVR recording in my game. Other posts seem to suggest that its possible to pair multiple controllers, but SteamVR just says that I already have two controllers in use and can't pair another.

[jashan]

Originally posted by Glitch:

I'm also trying to pair a third controller to use for MixedVR recording in my game. Other posts seem to suggest that its possible to pair multiple controllers, but SteamVR just says that I already have two controllers in use and can't pair another.

Have a look at the postings above - to pair more controllers, you need additional, special USB-Bluetooth dongles with the right firmware. The ones that come with the Steam-controllers work in principle but getting the correct firmware installed on the is a bit tricky. The bluetooth dongle built into the Vive HMD can only connect to two controllers.

[Jaymis]

Originally posted by Glitch:

I'm also trying to pair a third controller to use for MixedVR recording in my game.

Another option is to plug the 3rd controller in via USB. Pretty sure this just bypasses the entire dongle/pairing situation! Not useful for all camera setups, but it's a pretty good solution if you're just sitting camera on a tripod.

[Black Blade]

Originally posted by Jaymis:

Another option is to plug the 3rd controller in via USB. Pretty sure this just bypasses the entire dongle/pairing situation! Not useful for all camera setups, but it's a pretty good solution if you're just sitting camera on a tripod.

If you just set it in a tripod i think you better just setting a static locasion and not need to use a 3rd controller at all

[azadovski]

FYI everyone, there's a few typos above. Make sure your syntax is correct

The address that worked for me was:
C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\SteamVR\tools\lighthouse\bin\win32

HUGE PROBLEM ON DAY 3:
Everytime I plugged in the dongle and turned on the controller, it got recognized as an keyboard and mouse so the computer goes haywire and possessed. Attempting to uninstall things now and starting over again!

[Los Osos Furiosos]

Originally posted by The Wizard of Az:

HUGE PROBLEM ON DAY 3:
Everytime I plugged in the dongle and turned on the controller, it got recognized as an keyboard and mouse so the computer goes haywire and possessed. Attempting to uninstall things now and starting over again!

Did you figure out a way to re-flash the dongle? I'm having this same problem. I can't plug it in or my computer goes nuts. At this point I may just throw it away and get a new one :)

[Los Osos Furiosos]

Ok, the solution to the computer going haywire is apparently to launch Steam Big Picture. That allowed me to plug the dongle in and re-flash it. Unfortunately I can't get the controller to pair anymore. Ugh.

[Jaymis]

Originally posted by Los Osos Furiosos:

Originally posted by The Wizard of Az:

...
Everytime I plugged in the dongle and turned on the controller, it got recognized as an keyboard and mouse so the computer goes haywire and possessed...

Did you figure out a way to re-flash the dongle? I'm having this same problem. I can't plug it in or my computer goes nuts. At this point I may just throw it away and get a new one :)

I had this same issue, which I believe was due to the headset saying it requires a firmware update. First time I ran through the dongle flashing process I did the firmware update afterwards, which caused the "haywire" behaviour.

So I pulled everything out and started again. Re-flashed the dongle, re-paired the 3rd controller. I was then able to pair and connect it, but it kept immediately disconnecting and didn't show up in SteamVR as 3rd controller.

I eventually figured out that I'd purchased an old, never-used Vive controller (still can't officially buy spare controllers in Australia) which needed a firmware update itself, which I did by removing the dongle, plugging in the controller via USB and running through the firmware update routine.

SteamVR is still saying "Firmware Update Available", but everything works fine, so I'm going to leave it as-is for now. I guess I'll need to periodically remove the Mixed Reality dongle to check if it _actually_ needs a firmware update.

[online ball]

Does anybody know how to revert the dongle to its original state so that it works for a steam controller again? I'd image there's some firmware bin somewhere but I have no idea where to look.

EDIT: Also, the methods explained above work fantastically for re-flashing it to act as a watchman dongle, as long as you don't do a firmware update through SteamVR.