IR remote
I am currently searching for a way to control my LEAD strips and my TV with pimatic. I know that this is possible with the plugin “lirc”, but I assume that the IR LED would have to be connected directly with the Pi.
Is there any way to use e.g. a ESP8266 and mqtt to do the same?
@TheOnlyNexus said in IR remote:
I am currently searching for a way to control my LEAD strips and my TV with pimatic. I know that this is possible with the plugin “lirc”, but I assume that the IR LED would have to be connected directly with the Pi.
Is there any way to use e.g. a ESP8266 and mqtt to do the same?
https://github.com/koffienl/ESPimatic/wiki
ESPimatic is a great tool to do what you want.
Yes, it should be possible according to the following posts (the second is mainly for hardware). A minimal integration into pimatic would be to execute curl commands via pimatic-shell-execute, but I guess it possibly can be done smarter using the MQTT integration at both ends…
https://community.home-assistant.io/t/esp8266-cheap-ir-remote/3140
https://kaistech.wordpress.com/2016/10/09/wifi-infrared-ir-remote-extension-using-esp8266/
"It always takes longer than you expect, even when you take into account Hofstadter's Law.", Hofstadter's Law
Thank you for your responses.
Just for me to sum up:
I need a ESP8226 e.g. (https://www.amazon.de/dp/B01N9RXGHY/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_xxVbzbC6EWEQ3)
IR LED and receiver e.g.
(https://www.amazon.de/dp/B00EFOTJZE/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_KyVbzbZSMHPK6)
and batteries to power the whole thing, right?
Is there already a complete .ino file of ESPimatic on GitHub that I can directly upload to the ESP with the Arduino IDE?
(Btw. I have never flashed an Arduino, so please bear with me if I don’t get it 
)
@TheOnlyNexus said in IR remote:
Thank you for your responses.
Just for me to sum up:
I need a ESP8226 e.g. (https://www.amazon.de/dp/B01N9RXGHY/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_xxVbzbC6EWEQ3)
IR LED and receiver e.g.
(https://www.amazon.de/dp/B00EFOTJZE/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_KyVbzbZSMHPK6)and batteries to power the whole thing, right?
Is there already a complete .ino file of ESPimatic on GitHub that I can directly upload to the ESP with the Arduino IDE?
(Btw. I have never flashed an Arduino, so please bear with me if I don’t get it
I would get an NodeMCU as an esp8266:
https://m.nl.aliexpress.com/item/32339203041.html#autostay
This has the esp8266 on-board. If you only buy an esp8266, you also need a usb converter to program it.
Also, order an micro-usb cable to power the NodeMCU, you also need it to upload the .ino through Arduino IDE.
You will need a receiver to get the raw commands. You can record it also with the NodeMCU:
https://github.com/markszabo/IRremoteESP8266
And last but not least, how are you going to put it in pimatic? This is how i did it.
Create a new variable with the raw code you recorded as a value:
$aircopoweron has value 3356,1653,444,1184,363,1255,364,472,378,455,379,454,363,1256,363,472,362,471,444,1185,364,1255,363,472,362,1256,380,455,401,433,362,1256,363,1255,444,402,362,1255,364,1256,363,471,363,471,363,1255,403,432,362,472,443,1186,363,471,363,472,401,433,362,471,362,472,362,472,362,472,443,402,362,472,362,471,363,471,362,472,362,472,362,472,362,472,443,401,363,472,402,1215,364,471,362,472,362,1256,363,472,362,471,444,1185,364,471,362,472,362,472,362,471,363,472,402,431,363,471,443,1186,364,471,362,1256,363,471,363,472,362,472,402,431,362,472,443,402,362,1256,404,431,362,1256,363,471,363,471,362,472,362,1256,444,402,362,471,363,472,403,430,362,472,362,472,362,472,362,472,443,401,363,471,363,471,362,472,362,472,362,472,403,431,362,472,438,407,362,471,362,472,362,472,362,472,362,472,362,471,421,410,443,401,363,471,363,471,362,472,362,472,362,472,362,471,363,471,443,1186,363,472,362,472,362,1256,363,472,403,430,363,1256,362,1256,437
Then, we execute it by rule:
WHEN yourbuttonispressed THEN execute "sudo curl --silent --data 'action=ir&value=$aircopoweron' http://192.168.x.x/api > /dev/null"
As you can see, the action is IR and the value is the variable i mentioned. Replace ip with your ESPimatic ip.
I’ve made my IR sender with a old remote led and receiver from an old settop box.
For installing ESPimatic, see this page. Cant go wrong
https://github.com/koffienl/ESPimatic/wiki/Installing-ESPimatic
Gleno0h
Thanks for your answer!
So I’m gonna get a NodeMCU ESP8266 and I’ve already got a micro-USB cable.
Then, I’ll upload the IRremote8266 IRrecvDemo sketch you sent to the board and check for the receiving signals (where is the output printed to?).
Next, I should upload ESPimatic to the board and connect the sender IR LED to it, or do I even have to?
Btw: In your rule, which program/plugin executes the IR sending?
@TheOnlyNexus said in IR remote:
Gleno0h
Thanks for your answer!
So I’m gonna get a NodeMCU ESP8266 and I’ve already got a micro-USB cable.
Then, I’ll upload the IRremote8266 IRrecvDemo sketch you sent to the board and check for the receiving signals (where is the output printed to?).
Next, I should upload ESPimatic to the board and connect the sender IR LED to it, or do I even have to?
Btw: In your rule, which program/plugin executes the IR sending?
Output is printed into the arduinoide serial monitor. You can find it in the top menu.
Yes, just connect the IR led to a GPIO and a GND pin, you can set the pin in the config pages of ESPimatic (tip, use your phones camera to see if the led lights up 
)
The plugin is pimatic-shell-execute. So install it
Also worth mentioning, i didnt use any resistors. Some tutorials online mention it but i dont think it is needed.
Thanks!
Which file(s) from the ESPimatic GitHub repository do I have to upload to the ESP?
Just ESPimatic.ino?
@TheOnlyNexus said in IR remote:
Thanks!
Which file(s) from the ESPimatic GitHub repository do I have to upload to the ESP?
Just ESPimatic.ino?
Yeah, the .ino is the project code. It has a libraries folder, you have to place that into the arduino folder, im not sure but i think it was /mydocument/Arduino/.
Also, if a arduino project mentions that you need to use for example Arduino 1.6.5, dont use any other version for that sketch. Likely you would get errors.
Its realy simple. If you have the hardware, try it and report back to us
Thank you, will certainly do!
Could you provide me the code you used to receive the IR signals, as I am only receiving HEX codes and I am unsure if this is the right format for ESPimatic?
@TheOnlyNexus said in IR remote:
Could you provide me the code you used to receive the IR signals, as I am only receiving HEX codes and I am unsure if this is the right format for ESPimatic?
Ah im sorry i think i’ve given the wrong git. I’ll have access to my laptop in half an hour, BRB
@TheOnlyNexus said in IR remote:
Could you provide me the code you used to receive the IR signals, as I am only receiving HEX codes and I am unsure if this is the right format for ESPimatic?
Which .ino did you try?
Could you try the /examples/IRRecvDumpv2.ino ?
I have so many things in my library and im not sure anymore which one i used hehe
Should output something like this:
Encoding : NEC<br>Code : 8E76897 (32 bits)
Timing[67]:
+8900, -4450 + 600, - 450 + 600, - 550 + 550, - 550
+ 550, - 550 + 550, -1700 + 550, - 550 + 550, - 600
+ 500, - 550 + 550, -1700 + 500, -1700 + 550, -1700
+ 600, - 500 + 550, - 600 + 550, -1600 + 650, -1600
+ 550, -1650 + 600, - 500 + 550, -1700 + 600, -1600
+ 650, - 450 + 650, -1600 + 550, - 550 + 600, - 500
+ 650, - 450 + 650, -1600 + 550, - 550 + 650, - 450
+ 650, -1550 + 600, - 550 + 600, -1600 + 650, -1600
+ 600, -1600 + 600
unsigned int rawData[67] = {8900,4450, 600,450, 600,550, 550,550, 550,550, 550,1700, 550,550, 550,600, 500,550, 550,1700, 500,1700, 550,1700, 600,500, 550,600, 550,1600, 650,1600, 550,1650, 600,500, 550,1700, 600,1600, 650,450, 650,1600, 550,550, 600,500, 650,450, 650,1600, 550,550, 650,450, 650,1550, 600,550, 600,1600, 650,1600, 600,1600, 600}; // NEC 8E76897
unsigned int data = 0x8E76897;
I also tried this one, but everytime the upload is complete, my ESP seems to disconnect as there is no output on the console. How can I fix this?
@TheOnlyNexus said in IR remote:
I also tried this one, but everytime the upload is complete, my ESP seems to disconnect as there is no output on the console. How can I fix this?
Do you have the correct baudrate in the serial monitor (bottom right)?
Set to 115200 and reset the esp
Yes I hav got the correct baud rate
@TheOnlyNexus said in IR remote:
Yes I hav got the correct baud rate
Uhh thats weird.
Open the serial monitor before uploading the code and post a screenshot after the upload?