libCEC plugin for Pulse Eight HDMI-CEC usb adapter

[millab]

That was exactly what I needed, thanks barnabas1969

I couldn't figure out why cec-client.exe never used my persistent settings I had even made custom macros in Eventghost that would change the name and address

[barnabas1969]

This is great, thanks!
I plan on getting a Roku soon and will definitely be using this.

I actually want to do something similar for the Chromecast. I want to be able to at least send pause/play/next from an IR remote and have thought about doing something like this.

I bought four Chromecast devices 2-4 months ago. They do HDMI-CEC, but only to turn on the TV and switch inputs. Unfortunately, there was no way that I could find to control them with a remote (pause/play/FFWD/RWD/etc). That's why I dumped them and got a Roku 3. I plan to buy more Roku 3's for the bedrooms. It's a wayyyy better device than Chromecast. You can search for stuff on your smartphone/tablet, and start playback on a Roku box using the Roku app for your phone/tablet. Then, you can use the included Roku remote (or a programmable IR remote, or my EG plugin) to control playback on the Roku. It's a much better experience than using an app on your phone/tablet for things like RWD and FFWD.

[techoguy]

I bought four Chromecast devices 2-4 months ago. They do HDMI-CEC, but only to turn on the TV and switch inputs. Unfortunately, there was no way that I could find to control them with a remote (pause/play/FFWD/RWD/etc)

Some brief testing I did with the chrome cast showed that you can send pause/play/FFWD/RWD/etc through HTTP requests. Not sure if it's official but it looked like it should work. Basically any chrome enabled device can send those basic commands. In this case I started a stream from my phone, then used the chrome browser to see what was playing on my chromecast. When you do that, there are pause/play/etc buttons in the chrome window. Press those, capture the commands in wire shark and replicate in EG. Then correspond those request to the HDMI-CEC signals coming from the TV remote for the same rendering commands.

At least that's my train of thought. We'll see if I get it working. Working heavily on another plugin right now so not sure when i'll test this.

I agree though that normally looking for content on the TV through something like the Roku is better. In my case I have both and have certain plans for using chromecast (think home automation HTML5 web gui/feedback that can be wirelessly displayed on any tv with a chromecast).

[barnabas1969]

@techoguy: That should work. If you start with pretty much any plugin that communicates with something via HTTP requests (maybe the Insteon SmartLinc plugin), it shouldn't be too difficult to make your own plugin.

[kasinator]

Hi folks,

I updated the plugin to V0.3 with the comments about persistance you gave and closed the client-path configurability, see initial post.
I also made path to taskkill configurable (it kills all other libCEC clients to free up the adapter, useful when debugging)

have fun and comment
Kasinator

[thatguy]

Thanks for this! I'm using version 0.3 with libCEC 2.1.4. I can now turn on my Amp and TV when the Green button is pressed. And raise and lower the amp volume when System volume changes. This is greatly improving the WAF of my HTPC. I'm also using a "hacked" version of the Dell Gyration remote. This has allowed me to get rid of my RF Harmony remote with IR blasters which always seemed slow, had inconsistent reads from the IR signals, and had buttons that just refused to work. Much nicer!

I had received the Rainshadow Tech/RCAware CEC unit for christmas and it has been nothing but problems; always hanging, never recognized on reboot, windows 8.1 almost always refuses to recognize it. And when it did work the audio sync between the pc and the amp was all over the place. I'd hit volume up or down on the remote and I'd never know how much volume change I'd get. And the support is nearly non existent, especially from RCAware.

On contrast the Pulse Eight unit arrived with wires, is cheaper, smaller, hdmi in-line (only one port on my amp taken up instead of 2), and thanks to this plugin was up and running in under 10 minutes!

I've been using it only for a couple days now, but so far so it has been rock solid. My wife commented on Saturday how it was odd that I was having a day setting up the computer where almost everything was working.

Thanks again!

[pette_mm]

Hi!
I treid this plugin for eventghost but i can't get anything to work. I use the news version of eventghost and Puls eight drivers. When i add the plugin in eventghost the first thing is that i doesn't have any thing calld cec-client.exe i got cec-libtec.exe. WHen i change name or use the other exe the programstarts. But the plugin becomes inactive and will not show any actions. It works perfectly in XBMC, but i planing to use it in DVBviewer. Any ides why it's not working?

[kasinator]

Hi
Please include all version informations as I did in my initial post.
There must be a client that is monitoring the traffic on console level. It is normally part of libCEC.

Regards

[pette_mm]

My Config:
Software
Program Version: 0.4.1.r1640
Dvbviewer 5.2.0

System
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 8 , 64-bit
CPU: Intel i3 4330 1150
RAM: 8 gb

USB-Devices
Pulse-Eight USB to HDMI CEC Adapter (rev.2)

I got the plugin to activate now, but i can't seem to get it working. Or i don't know how to make command to the dvbviewer. How can i see if the remote is working or not?

[kasinator]

Hi Pette,

Please provide a log of the cecclient.exe startup.
Anyway, i can not give ans support for dvbviewer Plugin.
This Plugin is intended to provide events where other Plugins could be triggered from and to give the Chance to create New traffic the equipment could react on.

Regards
Kasinator

[tester]

I am interested to test this plugin, I believe it will help with my setup.

Couple of basic questions first, please keep in mind that I have no EventGhost experience.

Does this plugin work with the TV or HTPC remote ? Can I use my HTPC remote to turn on/off my TV & AVR ?
Or does it work with the TV remote to turn on/off the HTPC & AVR ?

Thanks
Tester

[kasinator]

Hi tester,

In principle both ways would work, as the transfered data will create events. I tried both
My experience is, that the tv doesn't provide 'enough' button events to control more than play stop cursor.
So I use htpc remote to control all equipment.

Enjoy and comment
Kasinator

[barnabas1969]

I have it setup to work both ways. That way, I don't have to give a visitor a 15 minute training class on how to use my programmable remote. I can just hand them the simple TV remote, and away they go.

[sea3pea0]

Is there a way to use this plugin while cec is enabled in xbmc? I can get this plugin to work if I disable the cec adapter in xbmc, but not while it is enabled. I have my cec adapter plugged in between a windows 8.1 machine and a sony receiver which is connected to a samsung tv.

While I have cec enabled in xbmc everything works well. If I disable cec in xbmc and enable the plugin, I have some problems. When I power on the tv the avr does not turn on by itself like it does with cec enabled in xbmc or with libcectray running. Also when I send the amp power on command from the plugin it switches inputs to TV from SAT/CATV and I haven't figured out the commands to change inputs yet for the sony avr with the cec plugin.

Thanks for your work on this plugin, being able to monitor cec traffic and send commands via cec while at the same time as using xbmc is something I could really use!

[barnabas1969]

Is there a way to use this plugin while cec is enabled in xbmc?

No. The CEC adapter looks like a COM port to Windows. When the COM port is opened by one program, it cannot be opened by another program at the same time.

While I have cec enabled in xbmc everything works well. If I disable cec in xbmc and enable the plugin, I have some problems. When I power on the tv the avr does not turn on by itself like it does with cec enabled in xbmc or with libcectray running. Also when I send the amp power on command from the plugin it switches inputs to TV from SAT/CATV and I haven't figured out the commands to change inputs yet for the sony avr with the cec plugin.

You have to setup your EG macros so that things like automatically turning on your amp will happen as you want them to. This plugin does not do anything except generate events when it sees CEC traffic, and allow you to create macros which send CEC commands to your other devices.