Rock Band wireless guitar for PS3 rocks the FCC

While there's no indication that they got the game to test it with, the folks at the FCC did at least get to spend a bit of time with the new wireless guitar for the PS3 version of Rock Band, which is more than enough to make us a tad envious. Somewhat interestingly, the guitar looks to come bundled with a fairly unassuming-looking dongle (check it out after the break), which would seem to be unnecessary if the guitar used Bluetooth, as some had previously speculated. Otherwise, the FCC filing looks to be about as standard as they come, complete with a snippet of the manual, a slew of test reports, and a few shots of the guitar's innards thrown in for good measure (click on through for a glimpse of that).

[Joshua W @ Sep 24th 2007 4:46PM]

The dongle is likely included so the FCC can test the device for interference. Therefore, avoiding having to pair the guitar with a PS3 unit.

[Arctic @ Sep 24th 2007 4:52PM]

Joshua, good call, i'll agree with that

[Tony C @ Sep 24th 2007 5:42PM]

Pretty odd... Because while the FCC specifications clearly points to it being a Bluetooth device -- 2408-2474MHz, GFSK modulation, 20dB bandwidth test for long range spec -- the User's Manual on the other hand clearly mentions and shows a USB dongle nearly identical to the one in the test photos.

Hmmm...

[tb @ Sep 24th 2007 7:23PM]

dongle is probably to allow the user to choose to use a usb cable instead of wireless, would make sense

[Oliver Sayers @ Sep 24th 2007 11:44PM]

https://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/prod/oet/forms/blobs/retrieve.cgi?attachment_id=845509&native_or_pdf=pdf

Manual states the use of the dongle so looks like you'll need a couple of dongles sticking out, kinda lame.

[MearWolf @ Sep 24th 2007 4:55PM]

Is it just me or does the cable on the dongle look a lot like the xbox 360 USB play and charge cable.

YUP, just looked at mine and it is ,with the bump on the top and holes in the surge protector

[Mak @ Sep 24th 2007 4:55PM]

The "dongle" looks decidely lashed up, and makes me think it's for test purposes, nothing else.

[MearWolf @ Sep 24th 2007 5:02PM]

I agree, doesn't look like a saleable product

[Mak @ Sep 24th 2007 5:20PM]

But lets wait for the rabid XBots with their wired guitars have their 5 minutes of glory, before the dongle is debunked.

[BrokenMonkey @ Apr 12th 2008 10:39AM]

How did that debunking work out?

[Adam Sidelsky @ Sep 24th 2007 4:55PM]

I'm guessing the buttons wont be actual buttons anymore...?
Looks pretty awesome but I hope they still bring rockband and/or GH3 to ps2

[Kichigai Mentat @ Sep 24th 2007 11:44PM]

GH3 is confirmed for PS2, isn't it?

[Andrew Bakke @ Sep 25th 2007 11:47AM]

RB was also announced for PS2 at Leipzig.

[Laxcat @ Sep 24th 2007 5:09PM]

Sweet. Now, will it work with GH3? Even more importantly, will it work with the PS2 versions of GH1 and GH2?

This is crucial info. I don't want to buy more than one guitar for all these next gen guitar games. Plus, it'd be nice to retire my PS2. Right now it's just a Guitar Hero player.

[Jeff @ Sep 24th 2007 5:28PM]

If you look at the rest of the documentation on the FCC site the dongle is an official part of the PS3 Rock Band Guitar.

[Jeff @ Sep 24th 2007 5:38PM]

Also, was it know this would take AA batteries? WTF?

[R Hamel @ Sep 24th 2007 5:33PM]

Read up on rockband anywhere else, all the Qs you ask are answered.
The buttons ARE buttons, the color is no the sides, so you can see it when you look down. the top face is the same color as the neck so it looks like a real guitar.

It WILL wok with GH 1-3, although for GH1-2 on the PS2 you might have to buy the 360 guitars, since those are wired. The PS3 guitar is bluetooth.

Rockband IS coming out on the PS2.

[rafa @ Sep 24th 2007 5:43PM]

Find me the source that confirms the RB guitar will work in GH. All speculation has so far hinted that Activision doesn't want it to happen.

On the other hand, the RB team has said that the GH guitar will work with RB.

[MasterCKO @ Sep 24th 2007 7:42PM]

OR: The mysterious dongle accessory is for use with the PS2. Meanwhile, the PS3 interfaces directly with the BT on the guitar, no dongle required.

Mystery solved.

[R Hamel @ Sep 24th 2007 8:10PM]

if you have the 360 GHII and RB the guitars from both can play both. Since no info is out about the PS2 version i dont know. The PS3 Guitar is Bluetooth so that wont wok backwards.
Read here. http://tinyurl.com/24k48o
He even mentions where these things are really nothing more than a standard controller made to look fancy like a guitar or drums.

Its also been addressed in the B forums i believe.

[neon @ Sep 24th 2007 5:44PM]

you guys are FCC wh0res

[Dahk @ Sep 25th 2007 1:02AM]

We're glad someone's willing to do the dirty work for us =).

[Pesty @ Sep 24th 2007 5:58PM]

Did anyone else notice the headstock on the guitar is missing? I'm kinda curious about that.

[MasterCKO @ Sep 24th 2007 7:45PM]

yeah, I was wondering about that, too. they probably just left it off for the the testing so they could open it up more quickly or something, since it's entirely non-essential to the operation of the device. That's my guess, anyway.

[Paranoid @ Sep 24th 2007 10:03PM]

Look at the manual pictures. It snaps on.

[Rainier @ Sep 24th 2007 6:29PM]

I don't see any pickups, so what's with the pickup switch?

[Jazzay @ Sep 24th 2007 11:48PM]

Well, it doesn't have strings but it still has frets. Pickups are. well, non-essential to the game. but having a pickup switch to change the sound would be a neat interaction with the game.

[Paranoid @ Sep 24th 2007 7:57PM]

I dont know I think this is an XBOX guitar
look at the buttons in the internal picture
A B X Y
unless they are using the same board to save money....

[Geir E @ Sep 24th 2007 10:02PM]

Might just be the charger for the guitar too?

[why not the LS2LS7? @ Sep 25th 2007 12:03AM]

That's clearly a 360-style dongle. It's likely used on 360 and PC/Mac, it probably just goes straight to the PS3.

This is almost certainly why the 360 wireless guitar costs $10 extra, to pay for the dongle. Look at the style of the cable and even the ferrite bead, it's just like that on the 360 wired controller.

It would seem that the MS stranglehold on wireless controllers for the 360 is as yet unbroken.

Microsoft, knock this stuff off. Squeezing your customers is a crappy way to treat them.

[nojak @ Sep 26th 2007 2:51PM]

I can't wait til these all break like the XBOX 360 guitars did... *sigh* What a nightmare. Looks cool, though. Hopefully they won't have issues this time... (crosses fingers)