LG WebOS TV won't pair

Configuration
1

Running HASSIO on RPi with:

  1. core-2021.4.3
  2. supervisor-2021.03.9
  3. Home Assistant OS 5.13
  4. LG webOS TV (model # 55LH575A)

My config.yaml has:

wake_on_lan:
webostv:
host: 192.168.1.31 # Address reserved on router over CAT6
name: Master Bedroom TV
turn_on_action:
service: wake_on_lan.send_magic_packet
data:
mac: 14:C9:13:XX:XX:XX

HA sends a notification that there is a “discovered” device that needs configuring but, when I press the “Start Pairing Request” button, nothing happens. I do get the error:
2021-04-13 02:19:38 ERROR (MainThread) [homeassistant.components.webostv] Unable to connect to host 192.168.1.31

I’ve tested the wake on LAN by calling the WOL from the developer’s tools UI and it works. My TV will turn on if i call:

service wake_on_lan.send_magic_packet
data:
mac: ‘14:c9:13:50:bb:43’

Nothing seems to work. MAC with single, double quotes, MAC with hyphens and with colons, restart, reload…

I did notice that there is a new file in config/webostv.conf. The file has the following text inside:

‘utf-8’ codec can’t decode byte 0xc1 in position 99: invalid start byte.

I’m all spent on this. I just got Amazon Rekognition working with my Ubiquiti cameras to detect people and now I want to send that image to my TV when a motion event is triggered. If this platform is no longer working, any other ideas? Maybe attach a $50 Chromecast to the TV and push an HTML5 notification?

2

Try to add:

  broadcast_address: 192.168.1.255
  broadcast_port: 9

after mac: 14:C9:13:XX:XX:XX

3

Added the broadcast but, it didn’t work.

4

Not sure if this will be helpful, but I have found this linux shell script implementation of the WebOS websocket functions to be very helpful in learning and debugging my LG TV as I build a ESP32 WebOS controller for my Home Assistant setup.

5

Thanks for the suggestion but, that’s getting too deep into the weeds for me. I think the most time/cost effective solution is to:

  1. Send a TTS message upon motion event to my Google speaker, say “Person Detected in Alley”
  2. Then, I’ll have to manually press the INPUT button on my TV remote and switch to HDMI 2 where there will be a ChromeCast device.
  3. For $50, I can send notification w/image from Home Assistant to the TV using HTML5 or Chromecast.

Not 100% automated but, it’s better than what I have now - endless motion events that I dont listen to.

6

Good hunting, hope you find a work flow that is useful. It is a problem to filter out too many noise events and get only the useful data. bummer that the LG TV cannot be a useful part of your toolchest.

7

Did you enable the LG connect apps option in your tv? I had a similar issue. You don’t have much time to accept the pairing request on your tv after starting it on home assistant.

8

I got the same error.
‘utf-8’ codec can’t decode byte 0xc1 in position 99: invalid start byte

Android apps are working.
Power on TV from app is also enabled

1 Like
9

@JRock3000
in finally noticed that the internal file editor can not show the content of the webos.conf file. It is not a classic conf-file. It is a sqlite file. I found my tv is working and found the working entity (not a whole device). Maybe it is the same on your side.

10

I’m waiting your solution.

11

I found how to initialize the pairing mode.
Check Notifications

image
image1199×906 83.6 KB

12

Were you able to get the pairing request on the TV?

13

For me what worked was to disconnect the tv from power for a couple of seconds and then turn it back in… no idea why that solves it

1 Like
14

Well this has beaten me. No matter what I try, i never get the “Pairing” screen to work. Always "Failure to connect, please turn on your TV or check ip address. I have tried

Wired and Wireless IP and MAC details
Turning on LG Connected Apps (and off just in case the switch was wrong) , absolutely nothing. I did notice did get a “Hello World” back when i use my browser for ports 3000 and 3001.

Ah well, had a good run !