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Android with IR port as remote control


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#1 serdeliuk

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Posted 17 February 2020 - 11:55

Hello,

 

I wonder if anybody else tried to install any third party Android IR remote apps which works with vuplus and/or dreambox, maybe other stb devices.

There are a lot of android smartphones which have IR ports on the market and can be used as remote controls and/or keyboards over IR, as the input device from our boxes have a lot of more events than buttons on our remote controls.

 

Best regards,

 

 

Marc

 


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Re: Android with IR port as remote control #2 Trial

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Posted 17 February 2020 - 12:59

Hi,

I used the remote of my Galaxy S5 but not for my boxes. The vu will be a problem as they use a toggle signal.

 

Ralf



Re: Android with IR port as remote control #3 serdeliuk

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Posted 17 February 2020 - 13:55

Thanks @Trial for your input, i think you refer by toggle bit which probably it is used in almost any new IR consumer devices which let the receiver distinguish between successive key presses or if anything is interrupting the IR beam. If not, can you please give some more details?

I will try to build a new android app for this and all infos will be helpful.


Edited by serdeliuk, 17 February 2020 - 13:56.

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Re: Android with IR port as remote control #4 Trial

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Posted 17 February 2020 - 19:13

Hi,

I meant the toggle bit. A lot of universal remotes have problems with it so I assume that a simple smart phone might also have problems with it.

 

Ralf



Re: Android with IR port as remote control #5 serdeliuk

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Posted 17 February 2020 - 19:59

Thanks Ralf, i am not sure what this toggle bit is, do you have more info regarding this? Maybe a link to docs or something to read? Probably i will hit this at some point :) so better to be prepared :)

 

Marc


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Re: Android with IR port as remote control #6 serdeliuk

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Posted 17 February 2020 - 20:54

I have installed sure universal remote on my android device and it works well with my vuplus solo 4k over IR, but is not what i want, i want to build or install an android ir remote app which have not only standard IR keys but also PC keyboard keys as F ones, crontol, shift, etc.


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Re: Android with IR port as remote control #7 Trial

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Posted 18 February 2020 - 09:11

Hi,

there is no 1 standard there are X standards like RC5 or RC6 and each company can do what they want with these codes.

 

Ralf



Re: Android with IR port as remote control #8 serdeliuk

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Posted 18 February 2020 - 09:40

Well. indeed, it seems that out there is a harsh world in IR consumer market :)

 

But, as far i am concerned, in the STB world at least they obey dreambox standard, regardless IR transport protocol, so all remotes receivers are "dreambox advanced remote control (native)" with more or less keys/buttons/events implemented in kernel responsible module (which unfortunately it is closed source) so no other keys could be added beside the ones put available by the producer, however there are plenty more keys/events than the RC buttons so why not use them :) some kernel modules have even F-keys.

My Vu+ Solo4K RC has 45 buttons but 91 events, so if i could find/build an android app i can use all events over IR.


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Re: Android with IR port as remote control #9 Erik Slagter

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Posted 18 February 2020 - 14:03

No, VU+ RC protocol is really different to DMM. On more than one level.


Edited by Erik Slagter, 18 February 2020 - 14:03.

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Re: Android with IR port as remote control #10 serdeliuk

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Posted 18 February 2020 - 14:32

No, VU+ RC protocol is really different to DMM. On more than one level.

I have doubts that is very different as long as they didn't bothered to change the name of the device, evtest on my vuplus say...

 

root@vusolo4k:~# evtest
No device specified, trying to scan all of /dev/input/event*
Available devices:
/dev/input/event0: dreambox advanced remote control (native)

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Re: Android with IR port as remote control #11 serdeliuk

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Posted 18 February 2020 - 14:36

And this is not from enigma2 it is from kernel module

 

marc@G531GT:~/Documents/VUPLUS/0.infrared$ strings dvb-bcm7376.ko | grep dreambox
dreambox advanced remote control (native)

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Re: Android with IR port as remote control #12 Trial

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Posted 18 February 2020 - 15:57

Hi,

but this does not tell you what the driver receives and which event it creates. The pure IR signal from VU and Dreambox and most other boxes is different. The events might be the same. As I said it should be RC5.

 

Ralf



Re: Android with IR port as remote control #13 serdeliuk

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Posted 18 February 2020 - 16:19

Well... i don't really think it matters this as long as i am able to control the VU from my phone via IR. Now i need to figure out how to add the missing buttons on the phone :) there are two approaches, i build a new android app or i find one which allow me to add buttons.

 

But just to continue the discussion, because it can be constructive, if they use code from dreambox it is possible to use at least for the receiver same IR chip, then for transmitter it is possible to use same chip as on the dreambox remotes, then there is only a matter of modulation between those two (receiver/transmitter) to be different between stb models, however the encoding does not matter anymore as long as we know that my phone can control the receiver, at least Vu+ Solo4K, possible all models, including dreamboxes because we know that they use at least same demodulating software.


Edited by serdeliuk, 18 February 2020 - 16:20.

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Re: Android with IR port as remote control #14 serdeliuk

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Posted 19 February 2020 - 14:29

I had laying around a nesdr usb-dvb stick used for sdr from time to time, but i remember that this small device has a IR receiver so installed "ir-keytable", loaded all available keymap tables, started to listen for events and voila

 

Pressing number button from 1 to 0 and the last one OK, basically the protocol is philips rc6_6a_32, now lets build a small android app to send back those codes :)

 

110443.965314: lirc protocol(rc6_6a_32): scancode = 0x80521001
110443.965329: event type EV_MSC(0x04): scancode = 0x80521001
110443.965329: event type EV_SYN(0x00).
110445.401249: lirc protocol(rc6_6a_32): scancode = 0x80529002
110445.401266: event type EV_MSC(0x04): scancode = 0x80529002
110445.401266: event type EV_SYN(0x00).
110445.613291: lirc protocol(rc6_6a_32): scancode = 0x80529002
110445.613310: event type EV_MSC(0x04): scancode = 0x80529002
110445.613310: event type EV_SYN(0x00).
110446.029751: lirc protocol(rc6_6a_32): scancode = 0x80521003
110446.029758: event type EV_MSC(0x04): scancode = 0x80521003
110446.029758: event type EV_SYN(0x00).
110446.241361: lirc protocol(rc6_6a_32): scancode = 0x80521003
110446.241379: event type EV_MSC(0x04): scancode = 0x80521003
110446.241379: event type EV_SYN(0x00).
110446.861299: lirc protocol(rc6_6a_32): scancode = 0x80529004
110446.861317: event type EV_MSC(0x04): scancode = 0x80529004
110446.861317: event type EV_SYN(0x00).
110447.489113: lirc protocol(rc6_6a_32): scancode = 0x80521005
110447.489125: event type EV_MSC(0x04): scancode = 0x80521005
110447.489125: event type EV_SYN(0x00).
110447.701008: lirc protocol(rc6_6a_32): scancode = 0x80521005
110447.701025: event type EV_MSC(0x04): scancode = 0x80521005
110447.701025: event type EV_SYN(0x00).
110448.321121: lirc protocol(rc6_6a_32): scancode = 0x80529006
110448.321140: event type EV_MSC(0x04): scancode = 0x80529006
110448.321140: event type EV_SYN(0x00).
110448.941195: lirc protocol(rc6_6a_32): scancode = 0x80521007
110448.941214: event type EV_MSC(0x04): scancode = 0x80521007
110448.941214: event type EV_SYN(0x00).
110449.561126: lirc protocol(rc6_6a_32): scancode = 0x80529008
110449.561144: event type EV_MSC(0x04): scancode = 0x80529008
110449.561144: event type EV_SYN(0x00).
110449.773145: lirc protocol(rc6_6a_32): scancode = 0x80529008
110449.773164: event type EV_MSC(0x04): scancode = 0x80529008
110449.773164: event type EV_SYN(0x00).
110450.189147: lirc protocol(rc6_6a_32): scancode = 0x80521009
110450.189168: event type EV_MSC(0x04): scancode = 0x80521009
110450.189168: event type EV_SYN(0x00).
110450.401145: lirc protocol(rc6_6a_32): scancode = 0x80521009
110450.401165: event type EV_MSC(0x04): scancode = 0x80521009
110450.401165: event type EV_SYN(0x00).
110451.021619: lirc protocol(rc6_6a_32): scancode = 0x80529000
110451.021626: event type EV_MSC(0x04): scancode = 0x80529000
110451.021626: event type EV_SYN(0x00).
110451.641133: lirc protocol(rc6_6a_32): scancode = 0x8052105c
110451.641161: event type EV_MSC(0x04): scancode = 0x8052105c
110451.641161: event type EV_SYN(0x00).

Edited by serdeliuk, 19 February 2020 - 14:29.

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Re: Android with IR port as remote control #15 serdeliuk

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Posted 29 February 2020 - 11:49

Hi,

I meant the toggle bit. A lot of universal remotes have problems with it so I assume that a simple smart phone might also have problems with it.

 

Ralf

I started to poke around documentation, unfortunately for RC6 does not exists much, however, i understand now what this toggle bit is and is not so scary anymore :)

It represents a single bit which can have a value of 0 or 1 and it depends if the key was pressed once or twice, the toggle bit can be set also in case you press a key and quickly press other one to form 12 from pressing button 1 and button 2, basically detects two successive buttons press.

 

I started to work on an android app to test sending RC6 command, i will keep you posted.

We can easily see the toggle bit in action in my output above changing overall value in the middle 21 vs 29


Edited by serdeliuk, 29 February 2020 - 11:52.

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Re: Android with IR port as remote control #16 serdeliuk

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Posted 29 February 2020 - 12:48

Just to recap, i do not want to build another IR android app but an app which will send all events/buttons accepted by kernel module.

 

 

In my case on Vu+ Solo4K the evtest output is as following and it means that i can have an android IR keyboard which is full qwerty, plus a lot of extra buttons as enter, minus, equal, semicolon, left and right shift buttons, left and right alt buttons and so on.

 

 

root@vusolo4k:~# evtest
No device specified, trying to scan all of /dev/input/event*
Available devices:
/dev/input/event0: dreambox advanced remote control (native)
Select the device event number [0-0]: 0
Input driver version is 1.0.1
Input device ID: bus 0x0 vendor 0x0 product 0x0 version 0x0
Input device name: "dreambox advanced remote control (native)"
Supported events:
  Event type 0 (EV_SYN)
  Event type 1 (EV_KEY)
    Event code 2 (KEY_1)
    Event code 3 (KEY_2)
    Event code 4 (KEY_3)
    Event code 5 (KEY_4)
    Event code 6 (KEY_5)
    Event code 7 (KEY_6)
    Event code 8 (KEY_7)
    Event code 9 (KEY_8)
    Event code 10 (KEY_9)
    Event code 11 (KEY_0)
    Event code 12 (KEY_MINUS)
    Event code 13 (KEY_EQUAL)
    Event code 14 (KEY_BACKSPACE)
    Event code 16 (KEY_Q)
    Event code 17 (KEY_W)
    Event code 18 (KEY_E)
    Event code 19 (KEY_R)
    Event code 20 (KEY_T)
    Event code 21 (KEY_Y)
    Event code 22 (KEY_U)
    Event code 23 (KEY_I)
    Event code 24 (KEY_O)
    Event code 25 (KEY_P)
    Event code 28 (KEY_ENTER)
    Event code 30 (KEY_A)
    Event code 31 (KEY_S)
    Event code 32 (KEY_D)
    Event code 33 (KEY_F)
    Event code 34 (KEY_G)
    Event code 35 (KEY_H)
    Event code 36 (KEY_J) 
    Event code 37 (KEY_K)
    Event code 38 (KEY_L)
    Event code 39 (KEY_SEMICOLON)
    Event code 40 (KEY_APOSTROPHE)
    Event code 41 (KEY_GRAVE)
    Event code 42 (KEY_LEFTSHIFT)
    Event code 43 (KEY_BACKSLASH)
    Event code 44 (KEY_Z)
    Event code 45 (KEY_X)
    Event code 46 (KEY_C)
    Event code 47 (KEY_V)
    Event code 48 (KEY_B )
    Event code 49 (KEY_N)
    Event code 50 (KEY_M)
    Event code 51 (KEY_COMMA)
    Event code 52 (KEY_DOT)
    Event code 53 (KEY_SLASH)
    Event code 56 (KEY_LEFTALT)
    Event code 57 (KEY_SPACE)
    Event code 100 (KEY_RIGHTALT)
    Event code 102 (KEY_HOME)
    Event code 103 (KEY_UP)
    Event code 104 (KEY_PAGEUP)
    Event code 105 (KEY_LEFT)
    Event code 106 (KEY_RIGHT)
    Event code 107 (KEY_END)
    Event code 108 (KEY_DOWN)
    Event code 109 (KEY_PAGEDOWN)
    Event code 113 (KEY_MUTE)
    Event code 114 (KEY_VOLUMEDOWN)
    Event code 115 (KEY_VOLUMEUP)
    Event code 116 (KEY_POWER)
    Event code 128 (KEY_STOP)
    Event code 138 (KEY_HELP)
    Event code 139 (KEY_MENU)
    Event code 164 (KEY_PLAYPAUSE)
    Event code 167 (KEY_RECORD)
    Event code 168 (KEY_REWIND)
    Event code 174 (KEY_EXIT)
    Event code 176 (KEY_EDIT)
    Event code 207 (KEY_PLAY)
    Event code 208 (KEY_FASTFORWARD)
    Event code 272 (BTN_LEFT)
    Event code 273 (BTN_RIGHT)
    Event code 352 (KEY_OK)
    Event code 358 (KEY_INFO)
    Event code 370 (KEY_SUBTITLE)
    Event code 377 (KEY_TV)
    Event code 384 (KEY_TAPE)
    Event code 385 (KEY_RADIO)
    Event code 388 (KEY_TEXT)
    Event code 392 (KEY_AUDIO)
    Event code 393 (KEY_VIDEO)
    Event code 398 (KEY_RED)
    Event code 399 (KEY_GREEN)
    Event code 400 (KEY_YELLOW)
    Event code 401 (KEY_BLUE)
    Event code 402 (KEY_CHANNELUP)
    Event code 403 (KEY_CHANNELDOWN)
    Event code 407 (KEY_NEXT)
    Event code 412 (KEY_PREVIOUS)
  Event type 3 (EV_ABS)
    Event code 0 (ABS_X)
      Value      0
      Min        0
      Max     1280
    Event code 1 (ABS_Y)
      Value      0
      Min        0
      Max      720
 
 
If anyone else is interested to have this for their stb boxes please tell me the exact box model/version and the output of evtest, will to give a picture of the remote control if there is no one in the Pli github repo.

Edited by serdeliuk, 29 February 2020 - 12:49.

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Re: Android with IR port as remote control #17 serdeliuk

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Posted 29 February 2020 - 16:14

Heheee, it seems that my driver has also events for touchscreen/joystick, this could be used in conjunction with android motion sensors :)

 

Event type 3 (EV_ABS)
    Event code 0 (ABS_X)
      Value      0
      Min        0
      Max     1280
    Event code 1 (ABS_Y)
      Value      0
      Min        0
      Max      720

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Re: Android with IR port as remote control #18 serdeliuk

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Posted 29 February 2020 - 16:16

If you wonder at what possible this could be used i have ported dosbox on my solo4k and any PC-DOS game could be played :) without attaching a keyboard if i succeed building this ir app, actually any PC-DOS app works, but games are nice...


Edited by serdeliuk, 29 February 2020 - 16:18.

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Re: Android with IR port as remote control #19 Sjaaky

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Posted 5 March 2020 - 14:15

Why the requirement of using IR? Is the box not on the same network as your phone?

 

You might use the webinterface instead and send commands over your network like http://dreambox/web/...ontrol?command={command} as described here

This is also used by the webinterface itself to emulate the remote control.



Re: Android with IR port as remote control #20 serdeliuk

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Posted 5 March 2020 - 15:11

Hi @Sjaaky the requirements is to have all keys accepted by the kernel module, not only the keys from remote control, in my case beside the remote control keys the kernel module allow over IR another 50 keys, almost a full qwerty keyboard plus touchpad/joystick over the same IR.

 

I know, i can use an USB keyboard instead, but why to not use the existing IR port if possible.


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