PS Vita release: MiniVitaTV beta 5 by TheFloW (lets you connect up to 4 DS3/DS4 controllers to PS Vita)
Famous Vita scene developer TheFloW has released beta 5 of MiniVitaTV.
What is MiniVitaTV?
MiniVitaTV is a plugin for PS Vita that allows you to connect up to 4 controllers (DualShock 3 or Dualshock 4) to your PlayStation Vita. It does this by faking your PS Vita as a Vita TV, and uses the same driver as the Vita TV under the hood for controller connection. In the words of the developer:
Yes, the PS Vita screen is rather small, but I think it’s kinda cute to play on it with friends while travelling or so.
TheFloW also credits xerpi and cuevavirus for contributions to this tool.
What’s new in MiniVitaTV beta 5
Keep in mind that this is still a beta. There are known issues to this plugin (in particular: pressing the touchpad on DS4 crashes Adrenaline), so use accordingly. Version 5 brings the following changes (from the official changelog):
- Fixed vita analog controls. Thanks to cuevavirus and MERLev.
Download, Install and run MiniVitaTV beta 5
You can download the latest release of MiniVitaTV from the tool’s github here.
Install and use, From the official readme:
Installation
- Download minivitatv.skprx and ds3.skprx, and copy them to
ux0:tai
. - Add these lines to taiHEN config.txt at
ux0:tai/config.txt
:*KERNEL ux0:tai/minivitatv.skprx ux0:tai/ds3.skprx
- Reboot your device and relaunch HENkaku.
If you’re using enso you should boot with L trigger hold to skip plugins in case you want to remove this plugin. Remember it’s a beta.
Pairing a DS4 controller
Using it for the first time:
- Go to Settings → Devices → Bluetooth Devices
- Press SHARE+PS on the DS4 for about 3-4 seconds, until the lightbar blinks very quickly
- The DS4 will then connect and be paired (don’t press over it when it appears)
Using it once paired (see above):
- Just press the PS button and it will connect to the Vita
Pairing a DS3 controller
Using it for the first time:
- Download this tool (or this other one if you want to compile it yourself)
- Connect your DS3 to the PC and open the tool
- Introduce the Vita’s MAC address plus 1 to the tool (Settings → System → System information)
Using it once paired (see above):
- Just press the PS button and it will connect to the Vita
he did it. He made my wacky vita dream come true. I never told anyone. But I wanted just this at one time. I bow.
The absolute madman, I can’t wait to play Marvel Vs Capcom 3 using my DS4, great news!
its too bad that MVC 3 was only single player on one screen. awesome game, a big oversight on Sony. its the Flow and other developers bringing features to the Vita that should have been there from the start. Awesome work all the same.
Now I have to look for a PS4-Vita controller holder. Will make remote play so much better on the Vita for me if the design is sleek enough without creating too much weight.
I wish there was also a hack to output the video to TV. It’s too late to look for Vita TV.
That’s existed for a while, and is exactly what the use case for this plugin is.
Install the Vita UVC plugin on your Vita (https://github.com/xerpi/vita-udcd-uvc), then when you connect it to a PC / Mac / Raspberry Pi over PC, it will present itself as a webcam device.
Then, to make things simple plug-and-play, you can setup a Raspberry Pi (I use a 3B, but see the page – many models are supported) with VitaDock Plus (https://github.com/SilentNightx/VitaDockPlus).
Plug the Pi into your TV, and plug the Vita into USB on the Pi. It should come right up on the screen. Go into Bluetooth settings on the Vita and pair it to the Pi for the Pi to get the audio through the Pi.
When it’s all done, and you have the MiniVitaTV plugin installed as well, you end up with something that works just like a Switch. Unplugged, works just like a Vita. Plug it into the Pi, and it transfers right over to the TV and you can play with a DS4.
What abiut keeping the vita charged
The instructions for the UVC plugin say to turn off USB charging, but you only have to do that if you’re planning to use the audio out port with a 3.5mm cable to get audio in. With the various Vitadock solutions, you can use Bluetooth to the Pi for audio instead, at which point you can keep USB charging on, and the Vita will trickle charge while being used. Depending on the game, it will still discharge slowly, but not as much as if it was off power entirely, and it will charge back up when you turn the Vita off.
If you have any kind of sbc or an old legacy laptop lying around you may want to give udcd_uvc (or something like that) a shot. I am using it on an Linux tv box and it is great
is it possible to play two-player games with only one controller connected? player 1 using the vita’s buttons, player 2 using a ds4/3. I have been trying without success.
why not just get the psvita tv box thing? Four people huddled around a ps vita seems a bit dangerous while playing SFV…