Making my Smart TV less dumb

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1

Hi Everyone,

I’ve recently been playing around trying to get my supposedly smart TV to integrate better with HASS and came up with a couple of ideas that improve the situation, which I’ve written up:

https://webworxshop.com/quick-project-making-my-smart-tv-less-dumb/

I’m interested in what other people are doing in this space. Anyone got any other ideas for integrating dumb TVs? (I’m already working on IR as another option).

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2

Im working on a code to switch my TV on depending on the state it gets back. If i want to Turn on netflix i’m planning to run a script/command with multiple template conditions. Including switching my Receiver on and putting it on the correct source with my IR remote.

'1555789745221':    
  alias: netflix_aan_commando
  sequence: 
  - data:
      language: en
      message: Netflix
    entity_id: media_player.living_room_speaker
    service: tts.google_translate_say    
  - service: remote.send_command #TV aan
    data_template:
      entity_id: remote.bedroom #mi remote invullen
      command: >
        {% if is_state('media_player.tv_woonkamer', 'off') %}
          tv_commando_aan
        {% else %}
          nope_commando_aan
        {% endif %}     
  - delay: 00:00:01    
  - service: remote.send_command
    data_template: #Receiver aan
      entity_id: remote.bedroom #mi remote invullen
      command: > 
        {% if is_state_attr('media_player.tv_woonkamer', 'source' ,Thuisbioscoop) %}
          nope_commando_aan
        {% else %}
          receiver_commando_aan
        {% endif %}     
  - delay: 00:00:01        
  - service: remote.send_command
    entity_id: 'remote.bathroom_remote' #mi remote invullen
    data:
      command:
        - 'receiver_commando_audio2'         
  - delay: 00:00:02 
  - service: media_player.select_source
    data:
      entity_id: media_player.tv_woonkamer
      source: "Netflix"

I’m not sure whether the code is working as i’m missing some entities in it which i need to integrate.

3

My TV is also dumb but it has an RS232 port which I’ve tried out a few years ago and it worked perfectly. Now the plan is to hook up the usb-to-rs232 to a raspberry pi behind the tv and then control it via HA :grin:

4

If you search my posts I integrated the ping sensor and a timer delay and a template switch to control my dumb tv and have it report power state.

The Android app called “sure” is a good way to find out the discrete ir codes for on and off and input selection for remotes.

5

@Infineghost That looks cool, it should be good when you get it working.

@claha That’s awesome, I think it should possibly be the law to have an exposed/documented serial connection (ideally 3.3v TTL UART for use with ESPs) on all devices these days!

@kiwijunglist That’s pretty much what I’m doing here. Thanks for the tip on the android app.