Sixaxis or DualShock 3?

The Sixaxis was the first PS3 controller and has no vibration motors. The DualShock 3 that replaced it looks almost the same, adds vibration and has DUALSHOCK 3 printed on it. Both connect with a mini USB cable. On Windows they usually need an extra driver before any app sees them, browsers included.

Tool description

This tester shows what your PS3 controller sends to the browser. Plug it in and press any button, since browsers only show a controller once one of its buttons is pressed.

The gamepad picture lights up ✕, ○, □, △, L1, R1, Select, Start and the PS button as you press them, fills L2 and R2 as far as you pull them and moves the sticks. L3 and R3 are the stick presses. Under the picture, each button has a tile with how far it's pressed, and both sticks show their exact X and Y position from -1 to 1.

Test vibration rumbles a DualShock 3 for one second, if your browser can make it vibrate. A Sixaxis stays still, since it has no motors. If the browser doesn't know the controller's layout, the tester says so and numbers the buttons and axes the way the browser reports them.

Checking the sticks

Let go of both sticks. A healthy stick rests close to zero, like 0.0039. A value that stays around 0.1 or more, or changes on its own, means the stick drifts. Pushed all the way, each stick should get close to -1 or 1 in every direction.

Features

  • A controller picture with the PlayStation symbols and Select, Start and PS
  • How far each button and trigger is pressed, and each stick's exact position
  • A one second vibration test for the DualShock 3