Kodi Remote

GooseGoose · March 19, 2021, 10:52pm

Hey,

Does anyone know how to launch an addon? or the TV guide/recorded episodes? I am using the TVHeadEnd addon on kodi

I have tried and failed at understanding the JSON-RPC API.

Cheers
Danny

tom_l · April 22, 2021, 8:26am

You have to edit your Kodi settings, see: how to change how much fast forward and rewind skip?

Locations of the advancedsettings.xml file (you may have to create it) can be found in the table lower down on this page if Kodi is not installed on Windows: https://kodi.wiki/view/HOW-TO:Modify_time_seeking

I just created the advancedsettings.xml file with this inside:

<advancedsettings>
  <video>
    <timeseekforward>10</timeseekforward>  <!-- Time to seek forward in seconds when doing a short seek.  Defaults to 30. -->
    <timeseekbackward>-10</timeseekbackward>  <!-- Time to seek backward in seconds when doing a short seek.  Defaults to -10. -->
    <timeseekforwardbig>30</timeseekforwardbig>  <!-- Time to seek forward in seconds when doing a long seek.  Defaults to 600 (30 minutes). -->
    <timeseekbackwardbig>-30</timeseekbackwardbig>  <!-- Time to seek forward in seconds when doing a long seek.  Defaults to -600 (10 minutes). -->
  </video>
</advancedsettings>

And after a restart of Kodi it works perfectly. +10, -10, +30, and -30 second skips.

hassioNewb · April 22, 2021, 9:24pm

Tom,

Thank you for responding.
I now get why my changes to the skipstep under player settings in Kodi had no effect as it was an advanced setting.
Do you have a list of the commands that can be used via scripts?
On my physical remote I used right and left to skip the steps under player settings and it was nice to keep and as of now it doesn’t seem to work via the script.
I have also unsuccessful tried to call sendtext with the value e to get the EPG guide showing up but that doesn’t work.
Any links you might have to the commands would be greatly appreciated.

tom_l · April 23, 2021, 1:06am

You should be able to use the Kodi Call Method service to call any of the Kodi API commands.

Getting the format right can be tricky and I’m certainly no expert.

Search this topic for some examples. e.g. Billy’s post just a few above uses this:

  - type: button
    tap_action:
      action: call-service
      service: kodi.call_method
      service_data:
        entity_id: media_player.libreelec
        method: Player.SetSpeed
        playerid: 1
        speed: increment
      target: {}
    hold_action:
      action: call-service
      service: kodi.call_method
      service_data:
        entity_id: media_player.libreelec
        method: Player.SetSpeed
        playerid: 1
        speed: decrement
      target: {}

anonforumposter · August 17, 2021, 3:04pm

Thought I might share my own take on this

The layout/icons closely resemble the native iOS / Chorus designs for consistency
I’m using Mini Media Player for the “Now playing” area
Just as @tom_l mentions- using the kodi.call_method service call, there’s no need for scripts to execute Kodi commands
Only two script are required, for the “Turn on/off” buttons
This setup requires one input_boolean.kodi_tv_state and two template sensors
To minimise Kodi API service calls, I’m using native media_player calls where possible

type: vertical-stack
cards:
  - type: horizontal-stack
    cards:
      - type: entity
        entity: sensor.kodi_tv_computed_state
        name: Kodi TV
      - type: conditional
        conditions:
          - entity: input_boolean.kodi_tv_state
            state: 'off'
        card:
          type: button
          tap_action:
            action: call-service
            service: script.kodi_power_on
            service_data: {}
            target: {}
          entity: input_boolean.kodi_tv_state
          icon: mdi:power
          name: Turn on
      - type: conditional
        conditions:
          - entity: input_boolean.kodi_tv_state
            state: 'on'
        card:
          type: button
          tap_action:
            action: call-service
            service: script.kodi_power_off
            service_data: {}
            target: {}
          entity: input_boolean.kodi_tv_state
          name: Turn off
          icon: mdi:power
  - type: horizontal-stack
    cards:
      - type: conditional
        conditions:
          - entity: sensor.kodi_tv_is_volume_muted
            state: 'false'
        card:
          type: button
          icon: mdi:volume-off
          tap_action:
            action: call-service
            service: media_player.volume_mute
            service_data:
              is_volume_muted: true
            target:
              entity_id: media_player.koditv
          hold_action:
            action: none
          show_name: false
      - type: conditional
        conditions:
          - entity: sensor.kodi_tv_is_volume_muted
            state: 'true'
        card:
          type: button
          icon: mdi:volume-high
          tap_action:
            action: call-service
            service: media_player.volume_mute
            service_data:
              is_volume_muted: false
            target:
              entity_id: media_player.koditv
          hold_action:
            action: none
          show_name: false
      - type: button
        icon: mdi:volume-minus
        tap_action:
          action: call-service
          service: media_player.volume_down
          target:
            entity_id: media_player.koditv
        hold_action:
          action: none
        show_name: false
      - type: button
        icon: mdi:volume-plus
        tap_action:
          action: call-service
          service: media_player.volume_up
          target:
            entity_id: media_player.koditv
        hold_action:
          action: none
        show_name: false
  - type: horizontal-stack
    cards:
      - type: button
        icon: mdi:subtitles-outline
        tap_action:
          action: call-service
          service: kodi.call_method
          service_data:
            method: Player.SetSubtitle
            playerid: 1
            subtitle: next
          target:
            entity_id: media_player.koditv
        hold_action:
          action: none
        show_name: false
      - type: button
        icon: mdi:stop
        tap_action:
          action: call-service
          service: media_player.media_stop
          service_data: {}
          target:
            entity_id: media_player.koditv
        hold_action:
          action: none
        show_name: false
        show_icon: true
      - type: button
        icon: mdi:play-pause
        tap_action:
          action: call-service
          service: media_player.media_play_pause
          service_data: {}
          target:
            entity_id: media_player.koditv
        hold_action:
          action: none
        show_name: false
      - type: button
        icon: mdi:open-in-new
        tap_action:
          action: call-service
          service: kodi.call_method
          service_data:
            method: GUI.SetFullscreen
          target:
            entity_id: media_player.koditv
        hold_action:
          action: none
        show_name: false
  - type: horizontal-stack
    cards:
      - type: button
        icon: mdi:skip-previous
        tap_action:
          action: call-service
          service: kodi.call_method
          target:
            entity_id: media_player.koditv
          service_data:
            method: Player.Seek
            playerid: 1
            value: bigbackward
        hold_action:
          action: none
        show_name: false
      - type: button
        icon: mdi:rewind
        tap_action:
          action: call-service
          service: kodi.call_method
          target:
            entity_id: media_player.koditv
          service_data:
            method: Player.Seek
            playerid: 1
            value: smallbackward
        hold_action:
          action: none
        show_name: false
      - type: button
        icon: mdi:fast-forward
        tap_action:
          action: call-service
          service: kodi.call_method
          target:
            entity_id: media_player.koditv
          service_data:
            method: Player.Seek
            playerid: 1
            value: smallforward
        hold_action:
          action: none
        show_name: false
      - type: button
        icon: mdi:skip-next
        tap_action:
          action: call-service
          service: kodi.call_method
          target:
            entity_id: media_player.koditv
          service_data:
            method: Player.Seek
            playerid: 1
            value: bigforward
        hold_action:
          action: none
        show_name: false
  - type: horizontal-stack
    cards:
      - type: button
        icon: mdi:home
        tap_action:
          action: call-service
          service: kodi.call_mathod
          target:
            entity_id: media_player.koditv
          service_data:
            method: Input.Home
        hold_action:
          action: none
        show_name: false
        icon_height: 40px
      - type: button
        icon: mdi:chevron-up
        tap_action:
          action: call-service
          service: kodi.call_method
          target:
            entity_id: media_player.koditv
          service_data:
            method: Input.Up
        hold_action:
          action: none
        show_name: false
      - type: button
        icon: mdi:information-outline
        tap_action:
          action: call-service
          service: kodi.call_method
          target:
            entity_id: media_player.koditv
          service_data:
            method: Input.Info
        hold_action:
          action: none
        show_name: false
        icon_height: 40px
  - type: horizontal-stack
    cards:
      - type: button
        icon: mdi:chevron-left
        tap_action:
          action: call-service
          service: kodi.call_method
          service_data:
            method: Input.Left
          target:
            entity_id: media_player.koditv
        hold_action:
          action: none
        show_name: false
      - type: button
        icon: mdi:kodi
        tap_action:
          action: call-service
          service: kodi.call_method
          service_data:
            method: Input.Select
          target:
            entity_id: media_player.koditv
        hold_action:
          action: none
        show_name: false
        icon_height: 50px
      - type: button
        icon: mdi:chevron-right
        tap_action:
          action: call-service
          service: kodi.call_method
          service_data:
            method: Input.Right
          target:
            entity_id: media_player.koditv
        hold_action:
          action: none
        show_name: false
  - type: horizontal-stack
    cards:
      - type: button
        icon: mdi:subdirectory-arrow-left
        tap_action:
          action: call-service
          service: kodi.call_method
          service_data:
            method: Input.Back
          target:
            entity_id: media_player.koditv
        hold_action:
          action: none
        show_name: false
        icon_height: 40px
        entity: media_player.koditv
      - type: button
        icon: mdi:chevron-down
        tap_action:
          action: call-service
          service: kodi.call_method
          service_data:
            method: Input.Down
          target:
            entity_id: media_player.koditv
        hold_action:
          action: none
        show_name: false
        show_icon: true
        show_state: false
      - type: button
        icon: mdi:menu
        tap_action:
          action: call-service
          service: kodi.call_method
          service_data:
            method: Input.ContextMenu
          target:
            entity_id: media_player.koditv
        hold_action:
          action: none
        show_name: false
        icon_height: 40px
  - type: custom:mini-media-player
    entity: media_player.koditv
    volume_stateless: false
    hide:
      power: true
      controls: true
      volume: true
      icon: true
    artwork: full-cover
    name: Now Playing

/config/template_sensors.yaml

- name: Kodi TV computed state
  state: >
    {% if is_state('media_player.koditv', 'idle') and is_state('input_boolean.kodi_tv_state', 'off') %}
    Off
    {% else %}
    {{ states('media_player.koditv')|title }}
    {% endif %}
  icon: >
    {% if is_state('media_player.koditv', 'idle') and is_state('input_boolean.kodi_tv_state', 'off') %}
    mdi:television-off
    {% elif is_state('media_player.koditv', 'playing') %}
    mdi:television-play
    {% else %}
    mdi:television
    {% endif %}
- name: Kodi TV is volume muted
  state: >
    {% if is_state_attr('media_player.koditv', 'is_volume_muted', true) %}
    true
    {% else %}
    false
    {% endif %}

/config/scripts.yaml

kodi_power_on:
  alias: 'Kodi: Power on'
  sequence:
  - service: input_boolean.turn_on
    target:
      entity_id: input_boolean.kodi_tv_state
  - service: kodi.call_method
    target:
      entity_id: media_player.koditv
    data:
      method: GUI.ActivateWindow
  - service: kodi.call_method
    target:
      entity_id: media_player.koditv
    data:
      method: Addons.ExecuteAddon
      addonid: script.json-cec
      params:
        command: activate
  mode: single
  icon: mdi:kodi
kodi_power_off:
  alias: 'Kodi: Power off'
  sequence:
  - service: input_boolean.turn_off
    target:
      entity_id: input_boolean.kodi_tv_state
  - service: media_player.media_stop
    target:
      entity_id: media_player.koditv
  - delay:
      hours: 0
      minutes: 0
      seconds: 5
      milliseconds: 0
  - service: kodi.call_method
    target:
      entity_id: media_player.koditv
    data:
      method: Addons.ExecuteAddon
      addonid: script.json-cec
      params:
        command: standby
  mode: single
  icon: mdi:kodi

MaestroMetty · November 11, 2021, 1:55am

I’ve done a little script to send keyboard input from HA to Kodi just like Kore Remote.

For anyone interested all you need is a input_text helper, use any card you like to edit it (I use custom:text-input-row), and launch this script with a button:

alias: KR_SEND_TEXT
sequence:
  - service: kodi.call_method
    data:
      method: Input.SendText
      text: |
        {{ states('input_text.kodi_buffer') }}    //The helper you choose
      done: true    //If true kodi will hit select after text input, otherwise it will just show the text on the 
                        keyboard
      entity_id: media_player.kodi   //Your kodi device
  - wait_template: ''
    timeout: '0:00:02'
    continue_on_timeout: true
  - service: input_text.set_value
    data:
      value: ''
    target:
      entity_id: input_text.kodi_buffer    //The helper you choose
mode: single

Lordgurt · December 2, 2021, 1:25pm

Awesome! Do you perhaps know what call method to use calling numeric digits… For changing channels? I have simple PVR Client and I can set everything up except the numeric numbers…

Lordgurt · December 4, 2021, 12:43pm

Hi guys,

My remote is working just fine, but I would really like to change my channels on a PVR addon…

So i.o.w if I press the channel numbers on my remote (physical mini keypad) for example 102 it works perfect… How can I simulate this via home assistant? Numbers 0-9… I 'think" it should be relatively simple…

Thanks guys

tom_l · December 4, 2021, 1:17pm

I think it would be a script like this (untested):

kodi_0:
  sequence:
  - service: kodi.call_method
    data:
      method: Input.Action
      action: "number0"

Likewise for:

"number1"
"number2"
"number3"
"number4"
"number5"
"number6"
"number7"
"number8"
"number9"

Lordgurt · December 5, 2021, 4:32am

Hi Tom, thanks, yup tried exactly that… It says trigged if fired but not showing the digit been pressed as per mini keyboard… So not responsive as thought… It’s almost as if it’s only listening to “specific” methods" but it doesn’t make sense… scratching my head again because that seemed totally plausible…

tom_l · December 5, 2021, 4:40am

What about this?

kodi_0:
  sequence:
  - service: kodi.call_method
    data:
      method: Input.ExecuteAction
      action: "number0"

Lordgurt · December 7, 2021, 3:18am

It works Tom! Thanks buddy!

Lordgurt · December 8, 2021, 1:34pm

Hey, Tom thanks for this! Again it works!! The other thing I’m trying to do is creating an actual keyboard template with alphanumeric keys a-z… Do you perhaps know the method for calling this?

tom_l · December 8, 2021, 2:01pm

You’ll probably have to use Input.SendText as shown above, Kodi Remote - #85 by MaestroMetty

tom_l · December 9, 2021, 9:37am

I have updated how my subtitle method works. From this:

lounge_kodi_input_next_subtitle:
  sequence:
    service: kodi.call_method
    data:
      entity_id: media_player.lounge_osmc_kodi
      method: Player.SetSubtitle
      playerid: 1
      subtitle: "next"
      enable: true

To this:

lounge_kodi_input_next_subtitle:
  sequence:
    service: kodi.call_method
    data:
      entity_id: media_player.lounge_osmc_kodi
      method: Input.ExecuteAction
      action: "nextsubtitle"

DUM · January 4, 2022, 3:44pm

Hi, I’m sorry to bring this back after so long time. You did a got job summarizing previous comments in this thread. But I’d need further explanation on the “templating” part.
I created a file templates.yaml with @tom_I’s code, and added to the configuration.yaml with “template: !include templates.yaml” but it is not working. Can you explain a little bit more how you did it?
Thanks in advance.

tanderson1992 · January 4, 2022, 4:11pm

Holy Necro, Batman! I have a hard time remembering what I did yesterday, let alone a year ago. Reading my post that you quoted, I went to my media dashboard in Lovelace (I’m assuming I created a new dashboard that was initially blank.) Then I clicked the 3 dot menu, edit dashboard, then clicked the 3 dot menu again, raw configuration editor, then I pasted in the button templates from @tom_l. For convenience, here’s that section from my raw Lovelace configuration:

button_card_templates:
  icon_button:
    aspect_ratio: 4/3
    color_type: icon
    hold_action:
      action: none
    layout: vertical
    show_label: false
    show_name: false
    show_state: false
    styles:
      card:
        - border-radius: 10px
        - border: solid 1px var(--primary-color)
        - box-shadow: none
        - padding: 6px 6px
        - margin: 0px 0px
        - '--paper-card-background-color': rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)
      icon:
        - width: 28px
      name:
        - justify-self: middle
        - align-self: end
        - font-size: 14px
        - padding: 0px 0px
        - color: var(--secondary-text-color)
    tap_action:
      action: call-service
  menu_button:
    aspect_ratio: 4/3
    color_type: icon
    hold_action:
      action: none
    layout: vertical
    show_label: false
    show_name: true
    show_state: false
    styles:
      card:
        - border-radius: 10px
        - border: solid 1px var(--primary-color)
        - box-shadow: none
        - padding: 6px 6px
        - margin: 0px 0px
        - '--paper-card-background-color': rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)
      icon:
        - width: 28px
      name:
        - justify-self: middle
        - align-self: end
        - font-size: 14px
        - padding: 0px 0px
        - color: var(--secondary-text-color)
    tap_action:
      action: call-service

I did not create a templates.yaml, so I can’t help you there. I pasted my config directly into the raw editor of the Media dashboard. Hope this helps!

DUM · January 4, 2022, 4:21pm

thanks for your quick answer, I’ll give it a try.

off-topic:
checking your name I assume you were born 92. Thats why you probably don’t know Japanese superRobot “Mazinger Z”. Give it try!

DUM · January 4, 2022, 7:42pm

I made it work with your comments. And learnt a starting point about button card !! what a profitable evening for me
Thanks so much.

quadhammer · January 25, 2022, 5:50am

tom_l:

lounge_kodi_player_skip_fwd_10:
  sequence:
    - service: media_player.kodi_call_method
      data:
        entity_id: media_player.lounge_osmc_kodi
        method: Player.Seek
        playerid: 1
        value: "smallforward" # "smallbackward" for the other way

I’m having difficulty trying to get this to work in node red sending it to Home Assistant. For instance, this works:

{
  "action": "pageup",
  "entity_id": "media_player.kodi_de1dd1bc895a38c",
  "method": "Input.ExecuteAction"
}

and it’s even simpler for just pressing the key up:

{"method":"Input.Up"}

EDIT: got smallforward working with:

{
    "playerid": 1,
    "value": {
        "step": "smallforward"
    },
    "method": "Player.Seek"
}

and including the entity_id doesn’t help either. https://kodi.wiki/view/JSON-RPC_API/v12#Player.Seek mentions a step parameter…