most controllers like this need a reciever..my ps2 controller is battery operated..still needs a reciever...the guy says u dont need 1 so if it dont work...its on him.lol
i did a little research on the controller and here is what i found. Mad Catz has been known to cause hardware problems with Sony units. However, it sounds like you are just having a sync problem. Try plugging in a USB Cable to the PS3, connecting it to the controller, then pressing the Home button.