Switch 2 controllers support

[darthcloud]

Answers checklist.

• I have read and will follow the terms above.
• I have read the documentation BlueRetro wiki and the issue is not addressed there.
• I have updated my BlueRetro to latest version available.
• I have searched the issue tracker for a similar issue and not found a similar issue.

BlueRetro firmware version

ALL

BlueRetro firmware specification

HW1

BlueRetro firmware variant

Universal

BlueRetro hardware type

External adapter dongle (1 port only)

Manufacturer

ALL

System used

Nintendo GameCube

Bluetooth controller brand & name

No response

What is the problem? (only list ONE problem per report)

This issue will track progress adding support for Switch 2 controllers including:

• SW2 Pro
• SW2 Joycon
• SW2 GameCube

What did you expect to happen?

_

Attach BlueRetro debug trace here

No response

[shiftybee]

Adding debug trace for SW2 GameCube Controller on HW2

br_debug_trace.zip

[darthcloud]

@shiftybee I see no controller in the trace, was it set in pairing mode while you took it?
I'm actualy waiting for mine right now, it out for delivery!

[GizmoTheGreen]

just got mine, can't seem to pair with switch 1 neither over bluetooth or cable. doesn't appear on bluetooth on PC and over usb seen as If_HID but no button inputs....

Have they gone away from "standards" for this controller and made it more proprietery? that would suck...
I'm sure you will figure out how to get it working on blueretro but it would be be unusable on PC which would be my main use outside of with my actual Gamecube... ! I have laserbears v1 internal mod.

[bbsan2k]

br_debug_trace.bin.zip
This is a trace of an NSO GameCube Controller 😊

EDIT: Second try:

br_debug_trace (1).bin.zip

[shiftybee]

@shiftybee I see no controller in the trace, was it set in pairing mode while you took it? I'm actualy waiting for mine right now, it out for delivery!

I tried to, but I guess if you didn't see anything useful I guess not. Hopefully the other trace is helpful, or you're able to get yours working, I was just trying to give you a head start.

[RamsesUTL]

No luck pairing my SW2 GameCube Controller on HW2 so far :(
Did you got it to pair @shiftybee ?

[darthcloud]

Quick update, I got my Switch 2 & GC controller.

So from the get go this doesn't look like it's using BT standard for pairing. I'm not even sure if it BT at all.

Regular SW1 Pro controller connect to it, so at least the console itself support BT.
I did connect a fake SW Pro BT controller base on BR for debugging a bit.
Connection process look like a regular SW with a SW1 device.
The device name for SW2 over bluetooth appear to be same as SW1 = "Nintendo Switch"

I did name a BlueRetro to "Nintendo Switch" and also spooffed the SW2 BDADDR.
Using my SW2 GC controller that was paired to that BDADDR didn't yield any connection to BlueRetro.

I think that's a good hint it's not standard in some way.

FCC data suggest it's using a BR/EDR/LE IC:
https://apps.fcc.gov/oetcf/eas/reports/ViewExhibitReport.cfm?mode=Exhibits&RequestTimeout=500&calledFromFrame=N&application_id=mR8hRP0ewN278qkCQN4EYA%3D%3D&fcc_id=BKEBEE021

[RamsesUTL]

Damn you Nintendo. Is there still a chance of getting it to work? Otherwise I have two weeks to send it back ;)

[shiftybee]

No luck pairing my SW2 GameCube Controller on HW2 so far :( Did you got it to pair @shiftybee ?

No, I haven't been home since my first comment. Sounds like it's going to be a bit of a rocky road getting this thing to connect to anything other than the SW2 :(

[darthcloud]

OK took a better look at it.

Look like it's a BLE device

Here a trace of my laptop trying connecting to it (bonding fail):

linux_sw2_gc.log

Filter for beacon: bthci_evt.bd_addr == 3c:a9:ab:5f:cd:9e

[darthcloud]

Another trace this stime trying to scan service through chrome://bluetooth-internals

linux_sw2_gc_chrome.log

[darthcloud]

Another trace made with android while using LightBlue app

android_sw2_gc_lightblue_btsnoop_hci.log

There are a couple ways to proceed

1. Easiest would be to sniff HCI packets off the SW2 console Mediatek radio PCIe bus, unfortunately PCIe sniffers are expensive. Controller is a single chip design, so HCI is not exposed.
2. Create a mock BLE device based on GC controller exposed bits and trace on that side what a SW2 console accessing it does.
3. Poke GC controller randomly to figure how it work

My plan is to do approach #2 this weekend, it's going to take some time.

[darthcloud]

Couple trace I took with my BPA600 sniffer, not much to see after encryption start

sw2_gc_pair.zip

[egparadigm]

Thank you for getting to this with such urgency! 🔥