BluezGP

Turns any Keyboard and Gamepad into Bluetooth HID devices using a Raspberry Pi (could work with other Linux systems).

Features

Intercepts key and button events from USB devices (keyboards, mice, controllers, etc).
Advertises itself as a keyboard or as a Bluetooth gamepad.
Sends key and button events to connected Bluetooth devices.
Support for analog joysticks and triggers.
Includes Retropie menu integration.

Installation

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install bluetooth bluez blueman pi-bluetooth python-bluez python-pip
sudo pip install evdev
cd
git clone https://github.com/smoscar/BluezGP.git
sudo reboot now

Configuration

Disable all bluetooth plugins except 'time' by editing these files:

sudo vi /etc/systemd/system/dbus-org.bluez.service

Make sure bluetoothd is executed with the time plugin only by editing its line to look like the following:

ExecStart=/usr/lib/bluetooth/bluetoothd -p time

Edit the bluetooth init file too:

sudo vi /etc/init.d/bluetooth

And make sure the bluetoothd daemon line looks like this:

DAEMON=/usr/sbin/bluetoothd -p time

Copy the DBUS profile included:

sudo cp ~/BluezGP/dbus/org.bluezgp.btservice.conf /etc/dbus-1/system.d/.

Copy your Bluetooth's chip address:

sudo hciconfig hcio

...paste it in line 18 and reboot:

vi ~/BluezGP/Bluetooth.py
sudo reboot now

Pairing devices

Connect through SSH to your device and run:

sudo python ~/BluezGP/Main.py

On a new terminal do:

sudo bluetoothctl
>agent on
>default-agent
>scan on
>scan off
>discoverable on

On your device search for "BT Keyboard" or "BT Gamepad" and connect to it.

Back on bluetoothctl, accept device and trust device

>Confirm passkey 291141 (yes/no): yes
>[CHG] Device YOUR_DEVICE_ADDRESS Modalias: bluetooth:v00E0p1200d1436
>...
>trust YOUR_DEVICE_ADDRESS

Your device should now be paired and connected.

Retropie config

This optional config will run the script for you without manually SSH-ing into the Pi.

cp ~/BluezGP/retropie/gamepad-mode.sh /home/pi/RetroPie/retropiemenu/
cp ~/BluezGP/retropie/gamepad.png /home/pi/RetroPie/retropiemenu/icons/

Add the following entry to the gamelist XML

vi /opt/retropie/configs/all/emulationstation/gamelists/retropie/gamelist.xml

        <game>
                <path>./gamepad-mode.sh</path>
                <name>Gamepad BT Mode</name>
                <desc>Enables a Bluetooth server to use the VMU as a BT Gamepad.</desc>
                <image>/home/pi/RetroPie/retropiemenu/icons/gamepad.png</image>
                <playcount>7</playcount>
                <lastplayed>20190704T182042</lastplayed>
        </game>

After rebooting you should see the option in Settings.

Final notes

If the script finds a device connected to the Pi with the name established in lines 17/25 of Main.py, it'll advertise itself as a Gamepad or it'll show itself as a keyboard.

smoscar / BluezGP