It will never replace my main gaming rig, or the homemade Steam Box sitting next to my TV, but I’m quite fond of my PS4. I’m enjoying it’s performance, the games I get on PS+, the ease of use and it’s even coming into its own as a media player. It’s been a good buy.
But I’ve been really starting to love it in the last couple of weeks — because I’ve been able to play everything with my Xbox Elite controller.
I wrote late last year about a breakthrough on the CronusMAX back-end, software for a little USB device that functions like a converter for your consoles. It basically lets you use any controller with almost any console, although in my instance I’m purely using it for two specific purposes.
Well, mostly one.
Ever since I got my hands on the Xbox Elite controller last year I’ve loved it, and I’m not ashamed to hold it up as one of the best controllers for any console in any generation. It feels like it’s worth $200. And the reaction from people I’ve seen who have never held one before has been the same. It feels sturdy. It feels like it’s worth the asking price. It feels nice in the hand.
So, naturally, I want to use it all the time. And that includes when I’m playing on the couch. Why should I have to use Sony’s controller?
Thankfully, I don’t. That’s where the CronusMAX comes in.
White on black, with a touch of Team Green
I dropped about $100 on this little device knowing very well it could be a complete and catastrophic failure. I considered the possibility Sony might have some kind of advanced detection that would frown upon me playing online games while using a non-Sony sanctioned controller.
None of that happened. The most annoying thing was not having a USB hub at the start, but I’ll get to that in a second.
I bit the bullet just after the start of the year, getting a CronusMAX Plus device with shipping for $98.98 from OZModChips. The site has a range of chips and other items I have no interest in. I just wanted to play with the controller I wanted while using my PS4.
After updating the firmware and having a squizz around the CronusPRO software, which lets you upload all manner of profiles including what appears to be a highly dodgy set of anti-recoil measures for games like Call of Duty and Destiny, I plugged the device into one of my PS4’s two USB slots. From there, I plugged my Xbox Elite in and fired up Need for Speed with great delight.
For the first ten minutes.
There’s a trick I didn’t immediately remember upon installation. Prior to their breakthrough late last year, the developers of the controller were only able to get Xbox One controllers (and the Xbox Elite as well) to stay authenticated with the PS4 for a maximum of 10 minutes. Afterwards, the controller would drop out and reconnect after 10 minutes, aggravating any game that automatically drops you into a pause menu whenever a controller disconnects.
Looks legit
Getting around this requires a four-port USB hub. And you also need to know the numbers of each of the USB ports, something I had to download a third-party program for. And once that’s done, you have to plug the PS4 controller into the first port and the Xbox One controller into the last port. (Unless it doesn’t work, in which case you move the PS4 controller into the 2nd or 3rd slot.)
And when it does work, you get a nice LED 0 — meaning the controller’s authenticated, and you can play to your heart’s content with no more disconnects. And that’s when a lot of my games instantly started to get better.
Driving games became more enjoyable because I could have much finer control of steering, acceleration and braking than what the standard DS4 triggers allow. The smoother movement of the analog sticks made HELLDIVERS far easier because I could be as efficient with my pistol and sniper rifle as I wanted.
Fighting games got a huge bump, because the custom binds I set through the Xbox Accessories app were replicated on the PS4. That meant I could easily rebind the L3/R3 buttons for special moves, and the same change makes sprinting in shooters (hello Call of Duty, Destiny, or Warframe) a breeze as well.
There are some caveats. While bluetooth support for custom controllers is possible, I’ve decided to keep everything wired for the time being. It stops me from having to pair and repair devices if I want to switch to my Steam box or my main gaming rig. It also stops me from having to worry about batteries, which I’m terrible at doing. But if you’d prefer a wireless experience, that’s entirely possible, although you’re on your own there.
It’s almost like I’m now treating my console as if it’s an ordinary computer. I’m using the device I want without restrictions, and the all-around experience is better as a result. I can appreciate why that’s not the status quo. Microsoft and Sony need to make money off accessories, and there are other considerations at play.
But I’m having more fun, and I like my console more. That’s worth the extra $100.
Comments
44 responses to “My PS4 Is Better Because I Can Use My Xbox Elite Controller With It”
I’m interested in this to be able to use my 360 fighting stick with the current generation (why won’t you just let me, Microsoft!), but I’d be looking to use other controllers in wireless mode because wires are for suckers. Anybody have any experience with wireless usage?
I’ll get back to you on this.
If possible can you get back to us with not just Arcade Stick but steering wheel support. I have read to much real world mixed stuff Alex.
I want a normal real person here in Aus to go “yes it worked or no too much BS” plus covering both the wheels and arcade stick should give you another decent article to write for the site 😉
I’ll try and rustle one up. We don’t have one around the office and I don’t have a wheel of my own, so it might take a while until I can borrow one.
As for arcade sticks, I know some people are already using the CronusMAX for older sticks. But I’m pretty sure that’s via a wired connection, which doesn’t help @batguy’s question.
@Batguy 360 fighting sticks will work no problem. I have used my wireless 360 arcade sticks on my PS3, PS4 & Xbone with no issues. You will however need a 360 wireless adapter to use any wireless peripherals (mine is a cheap generic brand from ebay so take that as confirmation they work well also).
@arkayn I have used a PS3/PC Driving Force GT Pro to play Forza Horizon 2 on my Xbone. Now for a steering wheel to work the Cronusmax must be plugged into the console with a mini USB cable then connected to a PC, which the steering wheel is connected too & software will then emulate the wheel as a “controller”. I found the actual steering itself to work quite well if you are happy to play around with dead-zones but the visual in car on the wheel has a definite noticeable lag to it. Personally I think wheel support that will be acceptable to the racing enthusiasts is still quite far off, but those people will more than likely have moved onto wheels that support current-gen anyway. For the casual race fan that already owns a decent wheel, it definitely works but I quickly went back to a controller.
thanks for taking the time to reply mate. 🙂
Super delayed, but checking back in: you’ll need a separate wireless controller which you can pair your stick (or other controller) with on the PC first.
From there you can plug this into the PS4, then plug the wireless controller into the port on the end, and then you should be good to go once it’s authenticated. (Takes a few seconds sometimes.)
Is there a way to do the reverse?
I believe it works for both i.e. Xbox to use PS4 controllers.
Cool
You can also use mouse/keyboard with either console too (in game, that is).
Does anything support or work that way?
Yeah, works much like the old XIM3 controllers used to. Perfect for a night of Call of Trolling Duty.
I never used that.
Played so many nights of two tvs & two PSXs multi Red Alert. All on the PSX controller, never bothered me, because I never played it with a mouse.
You can do this with Pokken Tournament as well, apparently.
I’d need a Wii U first :p
With a USB hub… Yes
http://controllermax.com/forums/showthread.php?t=151231
Not really an issue if you’re using it wired like this, but if you went unplugged would the battery life with the Elite be any better than with the standard PS4 controller?
About the same as a standard XB1 controller, which has always been noticeably better in my experience, but that’s purely anecdotal.
Would make sense, though, given the lack of light bar.
The xb1 controller doesnt know it’s not talking to an xbox, so the battery life would be the same as if it was connected to your xbone.
DS4 just aren’t very good at conserving energy
Personally I’m not one for the loose feel of the X1 sticks, but this could be really cool for me to be able to play some of the Rare collection games splitscreen without buying more X1 pads. I have plenty of DS4’s and 360 pads lying around. May have to look into this, just for versatility.
But isn’t CronusMax just a rip off of Titan One? Or that the guys who originally developed Cronus left and moved onto doing Titan One?
Wonder if it will work with steering wheels that somehow get locked into one system or another (infuriating really isn’t it?)
You used to be able to use similar devices to used “blocked” steering wheels in the last gen, so something like that must be available for current gen.
Well by that logic my PC is better because I can use any controller with it.
http://cdn.meme.am/instances/500x/66300255.jpg
THANK YOU CAPTAIN OBVIOUS!!!!
Been eyeing one of these off to use my XB1 version Madcatz Killer Instinct TE2 with my PS4 for Street Fighter V. (That was a mouthful) Nice to hear good feedback.
Me too. Means I can keeps using my qanbas for SFV.
yeah I am interested in this too. I don’t want to buy yet another billion dollar arcade stick.
Alright sure but what do you do when a game requires the touch pad?
Its great. I bought a logitech g930 for forza 6 then use this on my brothers console to use my old g27 in forza and now have two wheel setups for multiplayer in my house. Works a treat! Only thing is the g27 looses force feedback but everything else works, all pedals and h shifter and padel shifters. When i eventually get a ps4 ill use it for xbox controllers too. 90 bucks well spent i reckon. 🙂
according to the forums rumble works now. If you do decide to look into it let me know how you go 🙂 – cause I am thinking of getting one to use my G27 on Forza 6.
Oh do you have to have the G27 plugged into a PC at the same time as the XB1?
Yeah its been a couple months since ive checked the forums. I heard rumble was coming. It’ll be more vibration in the wheel when you hit ppl rather than actual force feedback like fighting you when turning etc but it’ll at least add that extra dimension!
Yeah so you have to have the g27 plugged into your computer or laptop then the chronus plugged into your xbox and laptop and also a xbox one control. It basically tricks the game to thinking your on a controller and gets the inputs from the wheel via the computer and sends it to the game as controller commands. Sounds like a big mess but my computer is next to my xbox anyway. Or i just use laptop if I’m in the lounge.
This has been on my list to buy since I bought a PS4 and can now play SFV.
My old mad cats TE stick is just begging to be used again since it was abused when SFIV was released.
Will report back in when I test it. Placing an order now
Just tested and working perfectly! Highly recommended
Isnt the Brooks converter a better option? You dont need to have the DS4 plugged in all the time.
Pc is better because you can use any controller with it and play at 60 even 144fps and play at 1440p or even 4k or even on tv and has better graphics aaaaaand the games are much cheaper on it aaaaaand there are tons of indie games too aaaaaand you can use emulators to play games from all of the classic consoles aaaaaand……..
Yeah yeah pc master race wank wank..
All good until you get a game like fallout 4 and it has glitches all the time and often fails to load saves and crashes to desktop all the time. I get alot of people dont have these issues but other games ppl have issues with mine work fine. It comes down to luck alot with pc.. and whats that you say? You dont have any of these problems? Well good for you! Doesn’t mean they dont exist. All i can say is i wont be buying AMD again anytime soon and I’m gonna be sticking to single gpu setups..
But to buy a cheaper pc game to only have to buy it again on xbox to play it isnt that practical.
But yes.. when pc works it works great! 🙂
See whats annoying is people like you buying shitty amd systems and talking on behalf of pc community. I have been a pc gamer for years with nvidia and never had immersion breaking problems that i couldnt fix. Its all been a smooth and amazing experience. I have converted so many people to pc gaming just by showing them how my games look on Pc. Buy again on xbox so you can play at 900p25? Come on man. You are comparing ferrari to fiat here. Fallout 4 runs like a dream on my system. 1080p120 with graphics mods.
I don’t get it? I’ve always found the PS controllers much better than the xbox controllers.
That’s the main reason I play on playstation.
I am using a PS4 controller. Its very comfortable for play.
Mate got one of the elites last weekend for his PC… First day he wouldn’t stop raving about how good it was!
Went around there yesterday and hes back to using the ps4 controller lol
Thinking about buying one of these because my PS4 keeps dropping my bt connection to my ds4 controller. Thoughts?