How do you get the background image of what you are watching in the skyq decoder? I cannot see it also if i set the artwork option to cover or full-cover.
Its a combination of SOAP and REST requests to the box on different ports.
If you diff my master and skyqa branches and review the skyq_remote.py file it should hopefully paint a picture of the amount of calls and structure. Check out getCurrentMedia function and https://github.com/MadmanMonty/Home_Assistant_SkyQ_MediaPlayer/blob/d7df8bcd29b12a05505a5baf81cc707f5f097ca5/skyq/sky_remote.py#L147 for more specifics details
Sorry, but i am really e noob about programming, so it’s impossible for me now to understand what you mean… 
this is my attempt… i’ll try to make it better tomorrow 
entity: media_player.sky_q_salone
type: 'custom:mini-media-player'
artwork: cover
source: icon
icon: 'mdi:remote-tv'
name: Sky Q Salone
hide:
volume: true
source: false
power_state: false
shortcuts:
columns: 3
buttons:
- icon: 'mdi:plus-circle'
type: source
id: CUP
- icon: 'mdi:arrow-up-circle'
type: source
id: UP
- icon: 'mdi:home-circle'
type: source
id: HOME
- icon: 'mdi:arrow-left-circle'
type: source
id: LEFT
- icon: 'mdi:checkbox-marked-circle'
type: source
id: OK
- icon: 'mdi:arrow-right-circle'
type: source
id: RIGHT
- icon: 'mdi:minus-circle'
type: source
id: CHDOWN
- icon: 'mdi:arrow-down-circle'
type: source
id: DOWN
- icon: 'mdi:alpha-e-circle'
type: source
id: EXIT
This is what i get:
How to make the buttons and the texts more readable?
Hi,
I have tried to run the debug as I am having the same issue with the ‘now playing’ not showing anything.
However, when trying to run it I get an error saying ‘no module named xmltodict’. If I comment this out then none of the SOAP requests seem to work.
Happy to try and debug for you.
Cheers
Jonathan
Try:
pip install xmltodict
That should do it, depending on your OS and setup. Do need to make sure it’s python 3, not 2 in use, I recall having a few troubles with that on my Mac.
If that looks like a it’s anymore complicated than that I will recreate my cURL commands I was using during code/testing as alternative and share.
Sure! Heres the config! The volume is done by sending the requests direct to my Sony TV using the Bravia media player component. Works well
entity: media_player.skyq_bedroom
hide:
icon: true
power: true
source: false
volume: true
more_info: false
shortcuts:
buttons:
- icon: 'mdi:plus-circle-outline'
id: CUP
type: source
- icon: 'mdi:arrow-up-drop-circle-outline'
id: UP
type: source
- data:
entity_id: media_player.bedroom_tv
icon: 'mdi:volume-high'
id: media_player.volume_up
type: service
- icon: 'mdi:arrow-left-drop-circle-outline'
id: LEFT
type: source
- icon: 'mdi:check-circle-outline'
id: OK
type: source
- icon: 'mdi:arrow-right-drop-circle-outline'
id: RIGHT
type: source
- icon: 'mdi:minus-circle-outline'
id: CDOWN
type: source
- icon: 'mdi:arrow-down-drop-circle-outline'
id: DOWN
type: source
- data:
entity_id: media_player.bedroom_tv
icon: 'mdi:volume-medium'
id: media_player.volume_down
type: service
- icon: 'mdi:arrow-left-circle'
id: Back
type: source
- icon: 'mdi:record-rec'
id: Record
type: source
- icon: 'mdi:home-circle-outline'
id: Home
type: source
- data:
entity_id: media_player.bedroom_tv
icon: 'mdi:power-standby'
id: media_player.toggle
type: service
column_height: 100
columns: 3
label: TV Input
list:
- data:
entity_id: media_player.bedroom_tv
source: HDMI 1
icon: 'mdi:video-input-hdmi'
id: media_player.select_source
name: HDMI 1
type: service
- data:
entity_id: media_player.bedroom_tv
source: HDMI 2
icon: 'mdi:video-input-hdmi'
id: media_player.select_source
name: HDMI 2
type: service
- data:
entity_id: media_player.bedroom_tv
source: HDMI 3/ARC
icon: 'mdi:video-input-hdmi'
id: media_player.select_source
name: HDMI 3
type: service
- data:
entity_id: media_player.bedroom_tv
source: HDMI 4/ARC
icon: 'mdi:video-input-hdmi'
id: media_player.select_source
name: HDMI 4
type: service
type: 'custom:mini-media-player'
To be honest not much experience with cURL, but if you want me to try something happy to help where I can with some pointers. Feel free to drop me a PM
Seems to be able to get the right information, just not reporting it back to HA:
Apologies for the screenshot, not at my usual computer.
Thanks
Could you add support for HACs?
Would be great to not have to unzip/replace files manually (I mainly work on my instance from work on lunch - work blocks github downloads).
Hi @Coedy getting this into HACS is my plan.
As I’m new to HACS this week, my thought process is I’ll continue to fine tune this component for another week, then I’ll look into getting this added to HACS for the wider community.
1 Like
Sounds great! It’s working great at the moment and I’m super excited to get the now playing data, or even the channel numbers (if live). Making Automations for Lights off for Sky Cinema, RGB light on if Cbeebies is on (as it is 90% of the day at the moment…) should be fun!
Does it pick up Netflix/Youtube etc?
1 Like
Just to confirm, the skyqa branch now works perfectly for me. For those looking to do automations, I have added the following to my config, which shows what channel or recording is on, or shows ‘Off’ if the box is off.
- platform: template
sensors:
skyq_living_room:
friendly_name: Sky Q Living Room
value_template: >-
{% if (states.media_player.skyq_living_room.state == "off") %}Off{% else %}{{ state_attr('media_player.skyq_living_room', 'media_title') }}{% endif %}
1 Like
So all confirm that the only way for volume is not control SkyQ?
But why all button are mapped and volumes not?
I’m so confused why people keep asking this, the remote is what controls the volume, it’s a universal remote of sorts, you have to put a remote code into it. The sky boxes don’t even know the tv exists, just it’s outputting a signal to something.
If you want to control volume you are either going to have to go the IR blaster route or use hdmi-cec and bring it together in a universal media player as suggested.
Hopefully when I get a moment I will give this a go cause I never knew the universal media player existed until this thread.
When you press the volume button on your Sky remote, is the pop up that appears on screen the same as the one that pops up when you press the volume button on your standard tv remote?
If so (it will be) then it is nothing to do with the sky box. So a custom component that can control the sky box wont be able to control your TV directly.
Could someone give me a hand?
I’ve downloaded the Zip from the branch linked above: https://github.com/MadmanMonty/Home_Assistant_SkyQ_MediaPlayer/tree/skyqa
I tried just overwriting the files, doing a reboot of Hass but I’m not getting the new “Now playing” feature.
I then deleted the set of files, re-copied them over and still don’t get the new feature. But my switches from my config all still work, the media player still works, just no “now playing” or backgrounds, or channel details…?
Now is clear: it was clear that the volume is the one of the TV, but I was supposed that was the SkyQ box that was controlling the TV, not the remote control since it is bluetooth and not IR by default
So, if I properly understand, the remote control of skyq use bluetooth for command to decoder and IR to control the tv like for the volume, the source atc
I will use broadlink IR device
I had to change my template as it wasn’t working properly. It will now return:
- Off if the box is off
- The playing programme name (including series and episode name) if there is a recording playing
- The channel number if no recording is playing.
{% if (states.media_player.skyq_living_room.state == "off") %}
Off
{% else %}
{% if states.media_player.skyq_living_room.attributes.media_series_title is defined %}
{{ state_attr('media_player.skyq_living_room', 'media_series_title') }}
- Series {{ state_attr('media_player.skyq_living_room', 'media_season') }}
Episode {{ state_attr('media_player.skyq_living_room', 'media_episode') }}
{% else %}
{{ state_attr('media_player.skyq_living_room', 'media_channel') }}
{% endif %}
{% endif %}
3 Likes
Thanks for your template and massive thanks @MadmanMonty
I am going to download and have a play with the SkyQA branch. would be great to see what is now playing etc.
I have just downloaded a load of flaticons I was hoping to use on the remote but not sure if the shortcut buttons on the media player card can use images not just mdi icons? Cannot get them to work at the moment, and have asked on the mini media player thread but wondered if anyone here knew, the mdi icons seem a bit limited.
- type: custom:mini-media-player
entity: media_player.skyq
name: SkyQ
icon: mdi:blank #mdi:youtube-tv
#more_info: false
artwork: cover
background: "https://wi-images.condecdn.net/image/m9qkOnPpZnz/crop/1620/f/screen-shot-2015-11-18-at-100440.jpg"
hide:
volume: true
source: true
power_state: false
shortcuts:
columns: 6 # Max buttons per row
buttons:
# Channel Up
- image: /local/images/remote/remote_icons/001-sort-up.png
#name: 'Ch+'
type: source
id: 'CHup'