I Cannot get a Ps3 controller to connect via bluetooth on maverick

All I did was connect the PS3 controller to my MacBook Pro via USB which makes all 4 lights on the PS3 controller flash. Then I unplugged the PS3 controller and it connected to my Mac.

I am using OS X 10.9.

I have a Macbook Pro mid 2012 running Mavericks and it will not connect. Bluetooth shows controller connected with the 4 lights flashing but after about 20 seconds controller powers off. Have looked all through forums and tried various ways but it wont pair.

System shows that controller conecting but if it was paired one of the lights would be green. Have tried controller on PS3 and it works. Have used reset button on controller still no joy, people suggest using joystick mapper but no point if the controller wont pair properly. Turning bluetooth off and on displays playstation 3 controller in list shows connected but then controller powers off after 20 seconds. Have fully charged gamepad.

Have managed to even get the controller to ask for a passcode for pairing but it still doesn't pair, have tried every possible 4 digit passcode 0000,1234 etc nothing. It is a problem with pairing it with the bluetooth, the system sees the controller but cant get a bluetooth handshake from the controller. Do not want to have to buy a xbox 360 joypad much prefer the ps3 pad.

The controller isn't actually off. As long as it show connected in the Bluetooth menu you are good to go.

I tested it in Steam's Big Picture Mode and it works fine. Granted the it uses the Xbox 360 button scheme.

On the Bluetooth folder it shows connected when the lights are flashing but after about 20 seconds after the lights on the pad have gone out it shows disconnected. Only way i can get it to show connected again is by pressing the ps button on the controller and the 4 lights start flashing again, then it shows connected but only until the lights go out again. Still think its not properly paired with the controller, a lot of people on the forums are reporting the same problem. Driver was ok in Lion and mountain lion but since maverick it doesn't seem to connect in the same way. Have lost some of the options to make favorite etc in the Bluetooth folder.

Have you actually tried using the controller while the lights are flashing? This sounds a lot like my experience on my MBP 15 (late 2013 model with video card) and PS3 Dualshock 3 controller (have not tried an original Sixaxis controller):

1) Connected via USB and held PS button down on the controller for a few seconds

2) Pulled cord out of PS3 controller then checked bluetooth settings - shows as connected but the lights were all off on the controller

3) Tested in a game on Steam at this point, Rogue Legacy. Controller functioned normal even though lights were off.

4) Closed game, told bluetooth settings to disconnect PS3 controller.

5) Turned PS3 controller back on, showed up right away in bluetooth settings as connected but this time all 4 lights on controller flashed fast.

6) Tested in game again and works normal while all lights are flashing.

7) Closed game, told bluetooth settings to disconnect PS3 controller. Lights stop flashing and controller shows as disconnected.

8) All subsequent tests have the PS3 controller flashing all 4 lights fast but working normally. I only looked this up to see if there was a way to make the lights stop flashing.

I'm having the same issue with a new PS3 controller I brought home tonight. Strangely it's replacing another PS3 controller which worked fine yesterday, so I'm not sure it's Mavericks.

It seems entirely branded Sony, though the game store guy said it was "second party". Works fine via Bluetooth with the PS3 itself.

Curiously this is what I see when plugging it in:

exactly the same problem! Someone decided it?

Anyone have any luck?

I have also posted on stacks change here: http://apple.stackexchange.com/questions/126130/modify-bluetooth-plist-devicecac he-and-retain-changes with a more detailed look at what the problem seems to be.

Hi I had the same problem where I brought a brand new ps3 controller to work with my mac.

Short answer: You need to buy a PS3 recharge cable

Long answer: I brought the new ps3 controller and managed to connect with a usb cable and to which I thought was recharging due to the flashing lights. No luck with bluetooth so I brought a cheap second hand one and that worked fine (which I assume charged fine with my generic usb to mini usb cable). I tried changing the bluetooth preferences I found in another post on another website, still no luck. I took the controller back to the shop and had a chat with them. They agreed to test my old one with no luck (with later did we find out a generic usb cable). They replaced the one I brought with a new one, and again I asked for them to recharge it in the store. Again no luck then we had the epiphany of trying with a ps3 cable. That did the trick.

P.s. I have to still recharge the controller on my laptop with my new cable I brought.

Reading around a bit more it's clear these are not real Sony gamepads, though sold as such. I bought another one through Amazon this time and it works fine.

I had this problem. This fixed it:

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/4476914

I had a PS3 controller working fine but had the 4 blinking lights. To get rid of the blinking lights, you have to HOLD DOWN the PS button for 5 seconds with the USB cable connected during the first-time connection instead of just tapping it.

Has anyone been able to progress this thread? I'm facing the same scenario baloo mentions and it's driving me insane. No way to properly connect the ps3 gamepad. It remains connected for a couple of seconds and as soon as the lights on the gamepad go off, the Bluetooth window shows it as disconnected. This is the only thread that actually describes the same issue that I have...

Recharging the ps3 controller with a cable made for ps3. They must have wired it differently to create more sales. Mine is still working from my post since the 4th of May 2014.

While not an ideal solution, there is a Windows app that allows you to manually set the Mac's Bluetooth address to the PS3 controller. I use this app to manually sync my PS3 controller to my Android Tablet since you can't sync it in the normal way.

Maybe that will work if you have access to a Windows PC.