Adding support for Nvidia Shield TV

[rtguy]

On 5/7/2017 at 1:57 PM, ArmoredDragon said:

In case anybody is interested, I have figured out how to turn off the Shield TV with Harmony 650+Flirc (or more precisely, put the Shield TV to sleep.) Yes, I'm THAT OCD about keeping my power bill down (not to mention keeping my house cooler in Phoenix summers.)

What you'll want to do is tell your Harmony that in fact you do want to control the power of your Shield TV, and then set the Flirc to recognize your profile's power off button. Different profiles have different defaults in this regard, and I know people use different ones, so I'm just going to tell you how I configured mine:

1. I used DanVM's instructions (found here), only I used Flirc XBMC profile (when I chose it, MyHarmony called it Flirc Kodi) as my beginning template and renamed it to Shield TV.

2. In the MyHarmony application, Under Devices > Change Device Settings > Power Settings > Next > I want to turn off this device when not in use. > I press the same button for on and for off > Next > +Add Command > Under the dropdown menu, select PowerOff > Leave everything else default and click Finish

3. Open the Flirc application > Controllers > Media Keys > click the power icon button.

4. On your Harmony remote's LCD screen buttons, go to Devices > Shield TV (or whatever you named it) > Power Off. (If your flirc application says 'Recorded Successfully', then it worked, even if it suspended your PC.)

Done! Connect your Flirc to your Shield TV and your harmony remote should turn it off as expected.

Hi guys - I'm new to Flirc. I'm using it with a Harmony Elite Hub (which sends IR to my equipment rack in another room) to solve Bluetooth connectivity issues I was having between the Shield TV 2017 (non-IR version). I need Harmony to control the Shield in general (main menus, streaming apps like Netflix and YouTube) but mostly for Kodi. So far I like what I see. I experimented with the Hamony "Flirc / Shield TV", "Flirc / Kodi" and "Flirc / FireTV". So far the best one for my needs looks to be "Flirc / Kodi".  It has all the controls by default to control the Shield in general and also Kodi - I only needed to add chapter skip back/forward by mapping those functions to certain keys like page up/down, which worked nicely.

The only issue I'm having is that the Hamony will not put the Shield to sleep when I turn my system off. I followed the above instructions, but it didn't solve it. I think the problem is that the "PowerOff" command being sent is the command to shutdown Kodi, not to put the Shield to sleep. For instance when I manually sent the PowerOff command (as a test, through one of the other remote buttons), Kodi jumps to its Exit screen where you can hit Exit to have it shutdown and go back to the Shield main screen. What's the trick for sending the Shields sleep command then?

Also has someone already created a mapped Flirc keyboard controller for KODI? It seems I could do this manually, but I would think that probably dozens or more people have already done this and why invent the wheel...

Lastly, I'm confused about the various Controllers Flirc offers.  Can each one be loaded at the same time? Or you pick on (such as the Kodi one or keyboard one) and then upload just that one?

[fc42]

Any update on adding all buttons for the shield? The lack of double home is forcing me to keep the original shield remote on top of my harmony.

[ShoutingMan]

How do I install the Flirc software on my Shield? I bought a Shield this weekend, and swapped my (gen 1?) Flirc from my HTPC to my Shield. But in the Shield’s add-app system, I can’t find a Flirc app.

I'm at a loss for how to even start programming my Shield to work with my URC MX780.

 

I appreciate any help. :)

Edited November 12, 2018 by ShoutingMan

[jason]

5 hours ago, ShoutingMan said:

How do I install the Flirc software on my Shield? I bought a Shield this weekend, and swapped my (gen 1?) Flirc from my HTPC to my Shield. But in the Shield’s add-app system, I can’t find a Flirc app.

I'm at a loss for how to even start programming my Shield to work with my URC MX780.

 

I appreciate any help. :)

Pair on your PC, then bring it over to your shield, it'll work with your previously paired remote without any additional software

[ShoutingMan]

7 hours ago, jason said:

Pair on your PC, then bring it over to your shield, it'll work with your previously paired remote without any additional software

 

I don’t know what that means, to “pair” it on the PC and bring it to the shield.

Without the FLIRC software, how do I assign remote control buttons to Shield inputs? That’s how it worked on the PC. I assigned remote codes to the remote control — arbitrary IR outputs that didn’t conflict with any other device in my system. Then I used the FLIRC software to map the remote buttons to Windows keys. How do I do that on the Shield?

 

(I’ve read through chunks of the manual and also searched this thread. But I’m missing something fundamental, compared to how FLIRC works on Windows. Thanks for any help. )

Edited November 12, 2018 by ShoutingMan

[jason]

Download my software. Plug in your flirc and go to Controllers-->"Nvidia Shield"

http://cl.flirc.io/35e1393420d2

Hit go and pair your IR Remote. Take out Flirc, and plug it into your shield. Should work with your previously paired remote on your shield with no pairing software needed on the shield

[ShoutingMan]

Ok, thanks! I'll try that. (I'd misunderstood. From using it in windows, I thought the Flirc software was the driver system that interpreted everything coming from the USB dongle. I had no idea that the dongle itself was programmed by the FLIRC software, and then the software was no longer needed.)

[ShoutingMan]

Is it possible to program the long-press of the Back and Home buttons, that bring up  settings and application panes?

[jason]

Just now, ShoutingMan said:

Is it possible to program the long-press of the Back and Home buttons, that bring up  settings and application panes?

I can't figure out how they are doing their long press. I've lost all contacts at amazon because of their turnover.

One day, I'll need to sit down and test a bunch of keys. Theoretically, it's possible. But we need to figure out what HID key they expect.

[ShoutingMan]

Ok, thanks. I think I can get along without those long-press keys in daily use. 

 

I understand the flirc side of things now. Just need to revise my  URC MX-780 programming. 

 

 

[slatz4prez]

Hi folks, need some help optimizing my setup (Shield TV/Flirc/Harmony 900).

I just replaced my Nexus Player with a Shield TV. I had my Harmony 900 working perfectly with my old setup and it's working with the new one but the lag is just horrible on the Shield. I had no lag with the Nexus Player so I can't figure that out. I've played with adjusting the response time settings in the remote but that hasn't helped. FYI, with the Harmony 900 I have to use the old desktop software. Do you think this is a remote issue, Shield, or Flirc?

[jason]

The harmony had no lag with the nexus?

The harmony remotes have tremendous lag, I've talked with them about it, it's built in on purpose. 

There shouldn't be any lag with flirc.

[T_Tronix]

On 11/22/2016 at 12:46 PM, jason said:

Ah, thanks yawor, my mistake. I changed it so I can open it in a hex editor. Forgot to change it back.

Anyone knows how I can open @jason my_flirc_config.fcfg file to see the mapped codes? I am trying to enter them into my hassio setup.

[ImmortalRat]

Just to reiterate, my understanding is that currently there is no way to initiate Voice Search using the current version of flirc_util (3.20.4) and flirc firmware (4.4.2 in Flirc 2.0).

There are conflicting reports of what HID commands need to be issued for that to work. One article mentioned Windows key (0x65 on the keyboard), but that didn't work. Earlier in this thread it was mentioned that Shield uses command 0x221 from HID Consumer Table, but as expected, `flirc_util record_api 0 545`  did not work as well.

If anybody is wondering why you would want to click the Voice Search button on a remote without the mic, the answer is that this is not really a real issue - Shield TV supports generic USB mics, and you can also put the Shield Controller somewhere next to you (it has a mic; I have not confirmed if it's on all the time, but something is draining the battery like crazy). 

Also, if you are wondering why not just say "Hey Google" (current Shield TV firmware supports this as Experimental/Beta feature), my personal answer is that in this case at least a pair of Home Minis and multiple google pixels all wake up and try to help with the request, and while phones and Home Minis don't duplicate an attempt and record something like "responded on another device", they do not really communicate the same way to the Shield, so typically 2 devices (including Shield) simultaneously responds with drastically different results from different parts of the room and start acting as voice input to each other and then apologizing for not getting what I want to do. :) It's very fun to hear, but impossible to use.

@jason Let me know if I am saying something wrong, and also if the functionality becomes possible at some point, would it be possible to make a reply here since this thread comes up in search a lot. It would be greatly appreciated, same all all the great work of your team!

[deadfolk]

Just got hold of one of these - great little device.

The issue I'm having initially is that I when I power on or select my Shield activity, it brings up the inbuilt Android menu on my TV.  I think this might be related to the fact that pressing 'Menu' on my Harmony remote has the same affect.  Maybe 'Home' is the command being sent to wake up the Shield, and my TV understands the same command?

 

Has anyone else come across this?  Is there a workaround?

[jason]

Depends on your harmony. You have to see what happens in the ‘activity’ you created. If you said it to turn on your TV, make sure it was on the same input, and then ‘wake’ up your android, it might arbitrarily be sending the home key to get it to wake. You can change that to ‘back’.

[deadfolk]

Wow - thanks for the lightning fast response!

I think I fixed it by randomly trying things.  The setting that actually did it was changing 'Displays Picture' to Shield in the activity.  I guess they're really asking what renders the picture, not what displays it.  Confusing.  Works a treat now - I'm just setting up the buttons in the activity.

[jason]

23 hours ago, deadfolk said:

Wow - thanks for the lightning fast response!

I think I fixed it by randomly trying things.  The setting that actually did it was changing 'Displays Picture' to Shield in the activity.  I guess they're really asking what renders the picture, not what displays it.  Confusing.  Works a treat now - I'm just setting up the buttons in the activity.

Awesome, glad it’s up and running the way you like

[jason]

23 hours ago, deadfolk said:

Wow - thanks for the lightning fast response!

I think I fixed it by randomly trying things.  The setting that actually did it was changing 'Displays Picture' to Shield in the activity.  I guess they're really asking what renders the picture, not what displays it.  Confusing.  Works a treat now - I'm just setting up the buttons in the activity.

Awesome, glad it’s up and running the way you like

[randman]

I just got the Nvidia Shield TV Pro (2019 version, which came out today). It's my first Nvidia Shield. I'm looking to order the Flirc. I assume that setting up Flirc for use with the 2019 Nvidia Shield should be the same as the 2017 (non-IR receiving) Shield TV?

[randman]

Is it possible to define a discrete power on command, so that if the Shield is off/asleep, the power on command wakes it up, but if the Shield is already on, the power on command won't affect whatever the Shield is doing (for example, if it's currently playing a movie, the power on command won't interrupt it)?

 

[csalmon]

I have the same issue.  Using the new 2019 Nvidia Shield Pro/Flirc/Harmony Elite remote.  There is no power toggle command that I can use to put the shield to sleep but the new Shield remote has a single power button on it.

In the MyHarmony app I have a "Flirc" device with the "Shield TV" model number.  Please add a power button to the available commands.

Thanks

[Rojma]

On 12/8/2015 at 8:54 PM, whiskaz said:

So here's how to resolve the enter key issue:

Using this as a reference: http://www.usb.org/developers/hidpage/Hut1_12v2.pdf

The keypad 'Enter' is a different code than the regular 'Enter/Return'. It's Dec ID is 88. I used the flirc_util command line app to record that enter key as follows:

flirc_util.exe record_api 0 88

Then hit the button on my remote that I wanted mapped and voila. Now the remote works with the onscreen android keyboard as expected.

It didn't seem to make a difference with the CBS app though. Not sure what that's all about!

I connected a keyboard to the new Nvidia Shield TV Pro to see if I could discover any new or unknown keyboard shortcuts for the Nvidia Shield TV Pro. I discovered that the PrtScn (PrintScreen) key takes a screenshot. I figured this may be useful to have on my remote at some point so I went to record it using the Flirc GUI. However I then discovered that the Flirc GUI full keyboard is missing the Print Screen key. However I then found the above post to try to get around this problem only to discover that the link to the reference is broken. I dug around a bit at the site and found the updated link for the reference:

https://www.usb.org/sites/default/files/documents/hut1_12v2.pdf

From there I assume that I can record the Print Screen button using the following command:

flirc_util.exe record_api 0 70

I will give this a try later on to see if it works.

Edited November 11, 2019 by Rojma

[Rojma]

I got most of the functionality of the new Nvidia Shield Pro TV remote to work with Flirc and a Logitech Harmony 700 using the instructions for the older Nvidia Shield TV remote and from a lot of the information in this thread. However there are three things I have not been able to figure out:

1) The new Nvidia Shield Pro TV remote has a Settings button on it. From other posts I figured out that I can get this button to work with a long keypress of Esc. I captured the Esc key to my remote and when I hold that button down I did in fact confirm it works. However I would like to better emulate the behavior of the original remote where a quick press of the button instead of a long press of the button brings up the Settings. Is there any way to do this?

2) By connecting a keyboard to the Nvidia Shield Pro TV I discovered that F8 brings up a text (not voice) Search which is perfect. I recorded F8 to one of the buttons on my remote but it doesn't seem to work. I hit the button on the remote and nothing happens. All other buttons I have recorded work fine. I even erased the button and tried to rerecord it but it still doesn't work. Any idea what is going on?

3) One of the reasons I connected a keyboard to the Nvidia Shield Pro TV is to try and discover what maps to the Netflix button that is on the new remote. However I was not able to discover what the button is mapped to. Any idea what key the Netflix button is mapped to and/or how I can discover what key it is mapped to?

BTW great product! I have three and am using them on the new Nvidia Shield Pro TV and two gen 1 Amazon Fire TV Cubes.

Edited November 11, 2019 by Rojma

[Omartian]

Having issues w/1st Gen fpirc, Logitech harmony one and my 2019 shield. 

Edited November 14, 2019 by Omartian