Hacking Does the Wii U Pro Controller send data over USB?

[Praxis]

Not so much a hacking question, but I thought the hackers might know.

We in the Smash Community have a bit of concern that it will be impossible to hold large scale Smash Bros tournaments because the Wii U no longer supports wired GameCube controllers, and 200+ bluetooth controllers in the same room will have issues with interference.

So, we wanted to know if the Wii U Pro controller will actually send data over USB. If so, this eliminates a huge concern. If not...we'll have to cross our fingers that Smash will have explicit support for it, or there can't be a big tournament scene like Melee and Brawl had. (I've been to 700+ man tournaments in Cali and NY.)

 

[Dork]

No, it does not, it's simply for charging.

And why are you so sure there will be interference? It's not 'impossible'.

 

[Praxis]

No, it does not, it's simply for charging.

And why are you so sure there will be interference? It's not 'impossible'.

Well, don't large volumes of bluetooth devices cause interference? It frequently causes issues at press conferences and is a reason they ask for cell phones to be turned off during events.

*Any* visible lag or missed input can change the entire course of a tournament and is unacceptable.

 

[Dork]

Well, don't large volumes of bluetooth devices cause interference? It frequently causes issues at press conferences and is a reason they ask for cell phones to be turned off during events.

*Any* visible lag or missed input can change the entire course of a tournament and is unacceptable.

Well, I don't know what to tell you. Also, if this new Smash has a real online infrastructure, just play comp online, hosting these conventions would be obsolete.

 

[Praxis]

Large scale tournaments will still happen and online play is never perfect. Street Fighter IV has the best online play to date, yet still has huge tournaments like MLG and Evo (which also do Smash). Large tournaments like Evo and MLG also ban wireless controllers.

Guess that's the information I needed. Nintendo needs to allow for USB controllers or large tournaments can't be hosted

 

[crwys]

It is wishful thinking but gamecube to usb controllers would be nice. Although I doubt it will be implemented at least for Super Smash Bros.

 

[maxd]

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BS520SG

Wham bam, solution.

 

[crwys]

That goes to a Wii remote which is still using bluetooth. So that is not at all a solution lol.

 

[blaisedinsd]

No, it does not, it's simply for charging.

And why are you so sure there will be interference? It's not 'impossible'.

Not saying you are wrong, but what is your source. (I don't even have a pro controller). Plenty of people think Dual Shock 3 cables are only for charging but they do send data over USB.

 

[Dork]

Not saying you are wrong, but what is your source. (I don't even have a pro controller). Plenty of people think Dual Shock 3 cables are only for charging but they do send data over USB.

http://gbatemp.net/threads/wii-u-pro-controller-to-pc-program-release.343159/

It's in this thread.

 

[blaisedinsd]

Again, not saying you are wrong but I glanced through that thread and I see

A) the program only works through bluetooth
B)one guy who states a couple of times no data and charge only

I have learned plenty of times that just because you see something on the internet doesn't mean it's true. The guy who states it is not guy who made the program or else I would have higher confidence in believing his statement. Maybe their is more convincing evidence in a post I did not see (that's a pretty big thread)

That the pro controller has a sync button mean it very well may be charge only.

 

[crwys]

even if it could transmit data who knows if it will be implemented in smash bros. why go wire when you can go wireless. im pretty sure they havent considered this issue

 

[Dork]

The guy who states it is not guy who made the program or else I would have higher confidence in believing his statement.

Which guy are we talking about? Because Daku did work on the program.

Not going to happen. No data is exchanged over USB.

 

[shuffle2]

the device does send data over standard usb while charging, but it is only the battery charge level.

 

[Satriani]

Yeah I'd like to know this too.....
Been talking to game shops about it, some say yay others nay. The nays are mainly an 'ughh... dunno maaaaaaaan.'
Got a pretty convincing 'Don't see why tht wouldn't work' today. ^^
The PS3 do, so do the X-bone, pretty sure the ps4 will too.
Need to find this out before I buy a Wii U.

 

[2ndApex]

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BS520SG

Wham bam, solution.

It's still on wireless.

Do the PS4 and Xbox One have this problem with wireless only controllers too?

 

[Satriani]

It's still on wireless.

Do the PS4 and Xbox One have this problem with wireless only controllers too?

I've done a bit of recon and if the ps4 is like the ps3 (which I would say it is) then you will be able to use the usb for a wired connection. Same with the X-bone.
Don't know yet if the bluetooth, or wireless respectively, switches off when the usb is connected though? Really wan't to find this out!
And if the Wii U Pro controller can connect through its usb port.

 

[KeyPuncher]

One of the first things I did with my pro controller was connect it to my PC via usb (didn't have a Wii U just yet) and it appeared in my devices as a charging 'something' and I also used a usb data monitoring device to see if any data was sent through the cable which it appeared none was.

So I would say that it's only for charging is accurate since even when you have the controller connected to the Wii U via usb it still has to sync to the console. But to truly determine if data is/can be sent through the cable you would have to pop open up a controller and look at the connections. And suppose those aren't connected, even if you made some modifications to get data sent via usb, that would only help with PC applications and not super smash bros.

So simple answer, it doesn't actually matter if data is or can be sent via usb, the Wii U only seems to read the input data coming in from it's bluetooth connection.