Control Your Smart Home with Ease: Android TV Remote Integration with Home Assistant

[@SmartHomeJunkie]

Thanks Andrej! Nice info again!

[@BeardedTinker]

Thank you Ed!!!

[@dougbas3980]

Just found you thru the HA Android info. This can be very helpful. I handle 3 remotes now to use my home entertainment system. That is very hard for my wife. We have Echo-dots and I would like to allow my wife to watch her favorites with a verbal command to Alexa. It sounds like this may be enough to achieve that. BTW, I enjoy you humor and you are a good teacher as well. I have subscribed. Thank YOU!

[@Claudiu.]

So weird that just yesterday I noticed my TV asking me that code after clicking 'configure' the new device and didn't realize what I was doing. Thank you again for how detailed your explanations are. Like the engineering style.

[@BeardedTinker]

Thank you :) There is a example in documentation on how to add remote to UI also, but I haven't shown that. Usually it's faster to pick the remote than use any UI (web or phone).

[@Claudiu.]

@@BeardedTinker I would see the need for it through services and in a scene or automation. But good to know. I did notice it in the video.

[@jmr]

Great video. I recently figured out I could do something like this with the FireTV which in many ways is just an Android TV device. I came upon your video researching the idea just now. I decided to use the FireTV stick without a monitor. I plan to use a Bluetooth speaker for audio which seems to work well so far. I believe I can grab button push information and have home assistant do things based on those button pushes. Since it uses a voice remote I also have access to Alexa.

[@music_master12]

I would love for you to see how to add to the remote control Mouse pad option and the possibility of adding space to write via mobile

[@BeardedTinker]

For that you would need to use ADB integration but I haven't played with keyboard and input fields there.

[@music_master12]

do you have guide for that?@@BeardedTinker

[@louisviciedo]

Great video, has anyone found the URL for Hulu?

[@BeardedTinker]

Haven't seen it so far. Did you try to find it yourself? It's actually not that hard. Takes about 10-15 minutes total time.

[@louisviciedo]

@@BeardedTinker thanks, but I did try and was not successful

[@troyd-motorsport9933]

Nice video thanks. I noticed in your first screen you a remote like card in HA, is that android TV?

[@timdaeleman]

Just wondering, would you be able to use the Chromecast TV remote for Home Assistant instead of the Android TV dongle? I already use my Harmony to operate the Android TV dongle.

[@BeardedTinker]

Not sure I get the question? This integration is used to create virtual Android TV remove. Chromecast dongle doesn't have Android TV firmware. SO if that was the question, than no.

[@kfash5198]

Is there anyway to be able to read the state/activity of google tv? For example, how can i know when the TV is on netflix app or HBO max. I want to use this state to run different automations based on what is showing on the TV. Meaning even if i use the google remote to change apps, i should be able to know which app it is on home assistant so that i can run my automations based on the app

[@JazJonFL]

How do we get the On Off button to show up Apple home kit? The on off button works inside home assistant but I’m not seeing any new accessories to add in the iOS Home app for HomeKit.

[@BeardedTinker]

Really not sure on how to add it. I'm not using HomeKit that much and most of the controls are done through HA, not through HomeKit.

[@bryonhulcher851]

Is there a way to get the assistant button on the CCGTV remote into home assistant ? I tried using the sdk send text command service to get youtube tv on this device to switch channels ( fox, cbs, nbc, etc) but it doesnt work. I can only get the youtube tv app to open. When i physically use the black assistant button on the remote, I can tell it to turn to CBS on KZbin Tv. any suggestions for channel changing ?

[@BeardedTinker]

I've seen some using ADB integration and send_command for that (on community forum), but never tried it to be honest.

[@Badg0r]

On our old chromecast we had an automation to turn on a dimmed light scene when the chromecast started playing, and to brighten the lights after we have pressed play. This stopped working properly with the chromecast with Android tv. Hopefully this will work again too.

[@BeardedTinker]

I still have that working - I use trigger for media_player.google_tv and test when it's in the state playing to trigger it.

[@Badg0r]

@@BeardedTinker thank you for your answer. I'll try that. I've removed it a few months ago but still used the chromecast states instead of Google tv states. Maybe that will do the trick

[@JoshFisher567]

Android TV still works via the ADB add on, I was having issues at first after the latest uodate but figured out what qas wrong. If you are running the ADB add on (which is deprecated) you just have to delete the AndroidTV folder under the custom-comoonts folder and reset it up and everything starys working again. At least it did for me.

[@BeardedTinker]

I'm not using AddOn. Instead I've been using internal ADB (Android TV) Integration.

[@MrToup]

Really interesting thanks for the video as usual. What is the difference with the Android Debug Bridge integration? If I remember good I could start applications with it no?

[@BeardedTinker]

Thank you! :) ADB integration should allow more control of the device than Remote integration. For example you can upload/download files via ADB that I don't think you can do with Remote integration.

[@alondinbar6193]

great video - but the tv turn on (chromecast) to the window i need to choose which profile (google profile). how to overcome it?

[@BeardedTinker]

This depends also on TV settings. I had to enable "allow hdmi cec" for this to work.

[@alondinbar6193]

@@BeardedTinker already with this setting. I control the tv with chromecast physical remote /: any other ideas? Not matter which app i try, first window is to choose which google profile to use.

[@BeardedTinker]

I only have one profile on it, maybe that's the difference. Do you have multiple profiles? Also, what android TV device are you using?

[@yerunski]

I feel the video is incomplete. Sure, the calls service works fine. But then what's next? Quite tidious to use call service all the time just to switch on KZbin or Netflix in HA. Or maybe I missed something?

[@BeardedTinker]

Add them to automation or script - why would you run them by hand... When motion is detected in living room, turn to Netflix if it's 21:30, for example.

[@aptthepigeon]

@@BeardedTinkerthis video is 10 minutes long.

[@ronm6585]

Thanks B.T.

[@BeardedTinker]

Thank you Ron!!!!

[@necrobot2262]

"I don't judge you.... yet" 🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@BeardedTinker]

😂😉😂😂

[@SmartLifeEnthusiast]

I already have a Chromecast integration. Does this replace that integration, or does it add anything extra? By the way: Chromecast integration often incorrectly reports which app is open. E.g. When I open KZbin (Kids) via the remote and later open a different app via the Home menu, it still shows that KZbin video. Also detecting when something's playing doesn't work fully, so my lights don't always dim correctly.

[@BeardedTinker]

Chromecast or Android TV? Chromecast integration usually just exposes media_player integration. Android TV (now called ADB) and Android TV Remote allow you to control (start/stop apps) and Remote also allows you to navigate Android TV.

[@SmartLifeEnthusiast]

@@BeardedTinker Chromecast 4K with Google TV

[@BeardedTinker]

@@SmartLifeEnthusiast same as me. I have both internal ADB and Remote integration. ADB takes a bit of time to get update, while Remote is faster in that regard. But none of them from what I've seen will do it instantly. As for lights, I catch playing state of Google TV media player and that one usually responds in first 1-2 seconds when I start to play. Also stopping or pausing will turn the light back again, and same it takes about 1-2 seconds for it to respond.

[@EsotericArctos]

Did you find any issues with turning off the TV? If I say "Hey Google, turn off the living room tv" then it all turns off fine, using the remote: turn off in Home Assistant turned the Google TV thing off, but the TV stayed powered on a blank screen.

[@BeardedTinker]

Haven't tested turning TV off. But also, I remember there was a setting on older Android TV box that allowed to specify if you want to also turn off TV when turning box off. Can't remember if I had same setting on Google TV.

[@EsotericArctos]

@@BeardedTinker Mine turns on and off the TV if I use voice commands, just wouldn't turn off the actual TV via HA. I mihgt have to play and see if there is another setting or something :)

[@MS-gn4gl]

To do this you need to have a setting turned on to allow arc to turn on the TV when it's off.

[@MS-gn4gl]

And i mean on your tv itself not on the Chromecast etc.

[@syukrishahabuddin4618]

after integration with android tv and mi tv stick. anytime it those device go into deep sleep. i would lose the integration and need to remove and repeat the process once they are auto discovered. any advice to solve this?

[@BeardedTinker]

Does it maybe change the IP address? If yes, that could be the problem. I had MI TV Stick previously and it didn't show those issues. But also, you couldn't wake it up from within Home Assistant

[@catcam]

Thanks for that !

[@BeardedTinker]

You're welcome and thanks for the comment Nikša!

[@BenWilson24]

I had created this before this new integration and was limited on the frequency at which I pressed a button; I believe it would only respond to a given button one time per second. Is that still the case here?

[@BenWilson24]

Nevermind, answered my own question. This works great!

[@BeardedTinker]

Check also documentation if you want to use arrows.

[@ice_ryda]

When i hit configure. I don't see pin on my tv

[@BeardedTinker]

Do you have ADB (USB debugging) enabled on your Android TV and is it on same network as Home Assistant? Nothing else for now pops on my head.

[@ice_ryda]

@@BeardedTinker 🙌🏿 that was it. You've solved my problem I'm was able to get the pin when USB debugging was enabled. Thank you 🙏🏿

[@BeardedTinker]

Glad it works and have fun with the integration!

[@asopoku]

When my TV is off I cannot turn it on from Home Assistant.

[@BeardedTinker]

Depends on TV. Have you enabled HDMI control of your TV? Sometimes you need to enable those settings in your TV

[@asopoku]

@@BeardedTinker yeah I have

[@BeardedTinker]

@@asopoku than it could be issue with Android TV device. From what I've tested, some like Mi TV Stick go in deep sleep after they've been turned off and you can't wake them up via network. Maybe that's the case here.

[@VALEK2001]

Great video, but can someone tell my why in my case I cannot turn ON the TV - remote entity is inactive 🙄

[@BeardedTinker]

Remote entity or TV entity? I haven't seen that in 10 days I've been testing this. Remote hasn't gone unavailable (except for a second or two).

[@BeardedTinker]

Also, try to power cycle device. Some devices (such as Shield) have issues until you fully power cycle them - unplug/plug again.

[@clairerovic]

Thanks as always very enjoyable

[@BeardedTinker]

Thank you Claire!!!

[@sur0x]

it doesnt show the pin on my mibox4

[@BeardedTinker]

Check that mibox has this app installed too -play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.google.android.tv.remote.service

[@sur0x]

@@BeardedTinker It has, already checked.

[@BeardedTinker]

@@sur0x I've tried this on Mi TV stick and it worked. Not sure what could be the problem here.

[@sur0x]

@@BeardedTinker is it the first older one or the second generation one?

[@BeardedTinker]

@@sur0x I think it's first.

[@zeal514]

This is backwards. Controlling a TV with home assistant isn't that needed. There are tons of remote apps, and remote options, the last thing we need is another poorly optimized remote app. We need the exact opposite of this. We need home assistant, and home assistant widgets/cards on Android TV. I should be able to go to the home page on my android TV, and select a widget or automation, that sets my lights to a certain configuration. I should be able to make a whole row of certain automations, pending my needs. I am shocked this isn't already a feature.

[@BeardedTinker]

I do understand what you would like. There are ways to get companion app on 3rd party boxes - sideloading. But here we have a problem of UI with navigation, as most of the boxes have simple remote that would make scrolling and selecting entities very hard. I use it on Oculus VR - sideloaded app and it works nice, but that's much easier to navigate due to hand tracking.

[@zeal514]

@@BeardedTinkerEdit: the app is called TV quick actions pro. And my theory seems to check out. I was able to create a "channel" on android TV. Now i am in the process of making a webhook, and seeing if it calls the automation properly. which seems like it will do that perfectly. -end edit- I think i found a way. I just gotta do some research, see if my theory is possible. But there is a app, that creates 'apps' which act like buttons on androidTV. It costs $3.99, and you can have it go to a website. If i am understanding webhooks properly, Im thinking i can create various webhooks, to activate certain automations, turn them into specific buttons, create a Row in my projectivy launcher for smart home for the buttons, than have it control the house in anyway that i may need. Its all theory at this point, and I am making a huge assumption on webhooks, and this apps capability. But if it works like how I am imagining it working, it should be pretty flawless.

[@BGraves]

@@BeardedTinker sorry, but he's right. Fortunately we have web browsers for our TV. There are plenty of Android TV apps that have complex menus which can be navigated with the arrows on the remote. Also, any person who is likely to set up home assistant also would consider a Bluetooth keyboard with a touchpad mouse a viable input device

[@ABnSuItan]

i just want to navigate right and left, why is google making this so hard :(

[@BeardedTinker]

Try this, if it works: action: call-service service: remote.send_command data: command: DPAD_LEFT (or DPAD_RIGHT)

[@ABnSuItan]

@@BeardedTinker wow and it's even fast, couple of years ago similar integration took forever for each command to execute thanks a lot

[@BeardedTinker]

@@ABnSuItan awesome! Glad it's working for you!!!