Calling iphone devs! Using the iPhone as a bluetooth keyboard for the Playstation 3

[DeltaFX]

Wow this thread really got my attention, I think an app like that would be awesome! Hopefully some developers will jump on board with the idea. And sorry I'm not donating my ps3, I need a mental escape from this economy.

[truncj]

So what happened to the guy looking into the 3.0 sdk? I agree that this would be a great feature not only for the ps3, but for any bluetooth keyboard capable device

[abrrymnvette]

I would like it to be able to use as a remote for the blu-ray player more than a keyboard.

[HR19]

This is an interesting concept. I'm still more interested in getting a Bluetooth keyboard to work with my iPod touch, but this could open up lots of new things. However, for remote capabilities, something that might be easier to do would be to develop a little IR attachment at the bottom, then an application that can read the outputs from another remote, record them, and then reproduce them (like Novii Remote does, for WM and Palm). You might also see about asking the developers of Mobile Air Mouse to see if they can develop a version of their client software for the PS3, then just get Mobile Air Mouse on your iPod touch or iPhone and go from there.

[Hybridx24]

Wow, this sounds amazing... I hate typing with the controller and can't afford to waste any money on a bluetooth keyboard. Is anyone going to give this a shot?

[chrispy212]

Just a quick note, I AM still looking into this. I say still, I mean have started again. Problems include an overzealous Apple protecting the bluetooth stack something chronic. I know I can do this open toolchain, but that's all a bit new to me, I'm used to standard apple SDK. Nonetheless, with my game development on hold, this will be a welcome relief from the woes of my degree!

One MAJOR issue is that my only iPhone OS device is a 1st gen iPod touch. No bluetooth. My girlfriend has a jailbroken 2nd gen iTouch, but that limits testing to whenever I have access to her iPod, AND time to develop. And especially in the early stages, it'll be more testing than coding, 'cos I have no idea if what I try will work!

Upside, it's definately possible. Downside, not sure I will ever get enough time to complete it. But I will certainly try.

EDIT:

OK, couple of things I've gleaned from the last 30 minutes

1. 100% impossible with Apple SDK. Unless you want to play audio via bluetooth, SDK is useless
2. Open SDK includes some headers for working with Bluetooth, but they'r undocumented and so I'd be fumbling in the dark

Does anyone have experience of using private Apple bluetooth API calls? How does one get that to work?

[HR19]

1. 100% impossible with Apple SDK. Unless you want to play audio via bluetooth, SDK is useless

WHAT a surprise! Apple would only would only put an extra inch on someone's chain, and expect that to be enough? Nev4r!</sarcasm>

[chrispy212]

Hey all,

Well, I've persisted and decided that the btstack recently used to connect bluetooth keyboard to the iPhone is gonna give us a great shot at this. It's obviously not a million miles from what we want to do, so it's progress. I shall pinch my Dad's iPhone whilst I'm home for the Holidays, jailbreak it and use it for testing. I'm sure he won't mind!

I'm just having problems with getting the stack setup, aclocal giving me grief, and I've never been much good with using hacky stuff like this, I've always been a bit of a straight-and-narrow developer, sticking to published API's. This sorta thing is much more complex, but the possible payoff much more exciting!

[HR19]

Indeed, this could be pretty awesome.

[TBSS]

Anyone try BD Touch? I found this in the App store for free, but it needs a BDTouch Blue-Ray disc inserted in the console before it will connect. I don't have any Blue-Ray movies to try it. This is there website BD Touch -

[jeangontijo]

Just remember, bluetooth is not a only way, wifi is a solution.
BD Touch, for example, use wifi. Mobile Air Mouse too.

[chrispy212]

Just remember, bluetooth is not a only way, wifi is a solution.
BD Touch, for example, use wifi. Mobile Air Mouse too.

Can the PS3 use a WiFi keyboard though? I didn't think it could...

[lfc_]

i was gonna post this thread
well im glad a developer is trying to get it done! if i can help in any way i will be glad to

edit: and nah it can only connect through bluetooth

when i connect my iPod Touch 2G to my PS3 it connects as an audio device so im able to use it as an microphone, but it has no voice recorder.. but at least a iPhone would work. dont know if that helps you in anyway?

[HR19]

edit: and nah it can only connect through bluetooth

You'd be hard-pressed to prove that one. If you mean specifically, in its current setup, without any modifications to the PS3, then you're right. However, WiFi and Bluetooth are interfaces for data transfer. As long as a device has the hardware, it can connect to any other device with that hardware, as long as the software is present (it can be made, if it's not present). Then, all that has to happen is you have to tell each device what information to send, and how to interpret the information. It's less complicated than it seems, but it's not easy by any means.

[lfc_]

You'd be hard-pressed to prove that one. If you mean specifically, in its current setup, without any modifications to the PS3, then you're right. However, WiFi and Bluetooth are interfaces for data transfer. As long as a device has the hardware, it can connect to any other device with that hardware, as long as the software is present (it can be made, if it's not present). Then, all that has to happen is you have to tell each device what information to send, and how to interpret the information. It's less complicated than it seems, but it's not easy by any means.

if the ps3 was hacked then it probably be possible, but the ps3 isnt so it only gives us the option to connect via bluetooth. its most likely capable of connecting via wifi but since the option isnt available it wont happen. even if you did manage to make a request from the iphone to the ps3 to connect via wifi it wont work since the ps3 doesnt have the program built in to answer/reply/connect like that

[HR19]

It might not even take hacking, just getting the right program to load onto it. Does the PS3 accept a MemoryStick or any type?

[lfc_]

It might not even take hacking, just getting the right program to load onto it. Does the PS3 accept a MemoryStick or any type?

yeah it accepts USB (i think mass storage only)
but its a very secure system, im not sure what you could do through a USB

[HR19]

I'm sure it'll run programs designed for the PS3, so write a program to connect via wifi or bluetooth and run in the background, processing data that's being transmitted from the iPhone.

[lfc_]

I'm sure it'll run programs designed for the PS3, so write a program to connect via wifi or bluetooth and run in the background, processing data that's being transmitted from the iPhone.

nah theres no such thing as programs for ps3. the only programs on the ps3 are made by sony and either come with the console or are in firmware updates. its impossible to put your own programs on it or anything home made (except themes)

[HR19]

nah theres no such thing as programs for ps3.

Sure there are, it's just not easy