Gamepad occasionally identified as a sound device and at times as an Xbox 360 controller.
Gamepad occasionally identified as a sound device and at times as an Xbox 360 controller.
Hello everyone.
I own a generic third-party PS4 controller that I connect to my PC. When I power on the PC with the controller plugged in, it appears as an audio device in Windows Device Manager (listed under PC/PS3/Android) and all input functions are set to D-input. But if I disconnect and reconnect the USB, it switches to Xbox 360 recognition and uses X-input. I’m curious about why this behavior changes. Also, when detected as an audio device, it doesn’t switch to Xbox 360 mode at the same time, and vice versa—it seems it’s always one or the other.
For my situation, I’d like the controller to consistently recognize itself as an Xbox 360 device for X-input, which would make game compatibility smoother without needing translation layers like Steam Input or DS4Windows. How could I set this up without constantly plugging and unplugging it?
Thanks in advance.
I have a generic third party PS4 controller
The problem might very well be with the controller. Does the issue crop up when you've hooked the controller to another system with the same OS?
Please list the specs to your build like so:
Motherboard:
PSU:
Chassis:
OS:
include the age of the PSU apart from it's make and model. BIOS version for your motherboard at this moment of time.
Have you tried hooking the controller to other USB ports on your build? Perhaps try and manually reinstall your USB/chipset drivers in an elevated command, i.e, Right click installer>Run as Administrator.
Does the software come with the controller?
You can experiment with antimicro. It's free and functions on games that don't support controllers.
GitHub - AntiMicro/antimicro: [NOT maintained anymore] A graphical tool to convert keyboard keys and mouse actions into gamepad inputs. Ideal for playing games without gamepad compatibility.
[NOT maintained anymore] A graphical utility for mapping keyboard and mouse commands to a gamepad. Helpful for games lacking gamepad support. - AntiMicro/antimicro
This would not work. There is no bundled software involved, and all driver actions run through Windows. When recognized as an audio device, it employs Windows' USB-audio driver; when identified as an Xbox 360 controller, it uses Microsoft's Xbox accessories (the Microsoft Xbox 360 controller for Windows). Regarding the antimicro, while the feedback is valued, my goal is to avoid translation layers or input mappers and let Windows manage everything naturally, though this approach has shown inconsistent results.
I've experienced similar issues on my laptop with this controller, so I'm not sure if my desktop setup is the issue. It would likely point to the controller or Windows itself. I tried opening it up to check if I could unplug the 3.5mm jack from the mainboard, but unfortunately everything is integrated into the same logic board and I lack both interest and skills to handle that.
I am uncertain about the immediate feasibility of that scenario.
The idea in question is:
"I would really like the controller to always behave like the Xbox 360 one for X-input, since it offers better compatibility with the games I play and thus I wouldn't need translation layers such as Steam input, DS4Windows and the like."
For reference, the relevant Microsoft resource from 5/4/2023 is:
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/window...irectinput
It contains some initial discussion and a C++ solution that might assist.
Nevertheless, I have no means to verify the code or its effectiveness. Therefore, I must rely on discussions about this topic.
A clear point from the link is:
"Windows Store apps do not support DirectInput."
This information could still be useful as a starting point for addressing your needs.
I don't grasp much of coding concepts, so the link's content seems a bit unclear to me. But I think this isn't important for what I'm trying to achieve. I just need my gamepad to always be recognized as an Xbox 360 controller, even after plugging in and unplugging. Just make sure the plugging isn't part of the issue.
Keep in mind that a standard PS4 controller might not work perfectly everywhere...
The main goal is to switch modes without having to disconnect and reconnect.
I discovered this information through an Amazon link:
"The controller starts in dinput mode automatically. To switch to xinput, hold the Start button for roughly 5 seconds. Dinput appears as a USB Gamepad; xinput shows up as a X-Box Controller. After rebooting the computer or removing the controller, it will return to dinput when you plug it back in."
I also came across another resource:
https://www.makeuseof.com/tag/connect-xb...roller-pc/
There are several potential hardware fixes that could work, though their suitability may vary.
[Note: I plan to relocate this discussion from Computer Peripherals to PC Gaming. A more gaming-focused audience might contribute additional ideas.]