Is this still coming?

[RickHOZ]

Any idea if this is still coming?Any alternatives/

[xlrx]

Meanwhile you can take a look at homebridge-dacp.

[Kyle1519]

Bump this for the author. Any info on a possible release? Thanks!

[evandcoleman]

This plugin should be pretty trivial to build using node-appletv

[lprhodes]

I'll be starting work on it one day this week.

[epheterson]

Apparently this is an active implementation of the dream: https://github.com/edc1591/homebridge-theater-mode

Edit: Actually, it's an interesting idea but not quite what this project was about. That project is only a theater mode, where lights can react to what your Apple TV is doing. It has no ability to control the Apple TV, which is what this project should enable (as well).

[Kazom]

wait so this doesn't actually work?

[lowbatteries]

Second line in the description: "Note: This is just a placeholder while I work on the plugin."

[Kazom]

@lowbatteries I thought he meant placeholder of that area in the description 😂. So what the heck did I just download on my pi? install -g homebridge-apple-tv

added 11 packages

[lowbatteries]

I have it installed on my pi too. Installed it without reading too closely. :)

[lprhodes]

Working on it currently. Let me know if there's specific use cases you want me to support

[leoneleone]

@lprhodes Use Cases:

1. Access to all main functions (buttons) on tv remote - including implementation for basic Right/Left/Up/Down and Enter functions.

Ideally as 1x Accessory with multiple Switches with revert back to OFF after being turned ON (momentary switches) for each Remote function. These can then be Grouped in the Home.app (if they appear as separate HomeKit switches) under a group named “Apple Tv Remote” or “Apple Tv Commands”. The user can then use these individual ‘momentary’ switches to send the Remote functions to the Apple TV. Example: Apple TV Remote (Device/Accessory/Group):

• Apple TV Play (momentary switch)
• Apple TV Pause (momentary switch)
• Apple TV Menu (momentary switch)
• Apple TV Right (momentary switch)
• Apple TV Left (momentary switch)
• Apple TV Enter (momentary switch)
• Apple TV Volume Up (momentary switch)
• Etc.

Siri Commands: Seeing as the switches will revert back to the OFF position. You can simply call out the name of the switch (button) and Siri will send the command to the Apple TV. Example: “Hey Siri, Apple TV Play”, “Hey Siri, Apple TV Menu” there is no need to use the words ‘turns on’ to toggle the command or switch, and if the switch itself automatically revert to OFF position, then all you have to do is use the same Voice Command by calling out “Hey Siri, ‘button/switch’ name” for consecutive voice commands.

*if ‘Apple Tv Play’ is too confusing for Siri the Name of each individual switch can be prefaced by ‘ATV’

2. A writable text (string) field which can be used in HomeKit apps like Elgato Eve for search field entries.

3. Some way to have access to opening tv apps directly using one Switch or Command in HomeKit??

[lprhodes]

Thanks for that. It should cover all of that except potentially the Siri commands. You have to specify that a switch be turned on I thought?

[leoneleone]

@lprhodes No, you do not need to specify that a switch be turned On. Siri Voice Command will turn on the switch if you simple say it’s Name. I have tested this with various HomeKit switches I have. You do have to specify a switch be turned OFF however, but seeing as the switches will turn off automatically (to simulate a button), you will never need to use Siri Voice Command for that 😊

If you already have any HomeKit switches as part of your setup, please test this to confirm for yourself 👍🏼

I mainly use Siri Voice Command via my HomePod to execute HomeKit actions, very rarely use an app for control, and truly believe that Siri Voice Commands is where the power of HomeKit can be seen. Until  decides to support ‘Remote Control’ devices, the multiswitch Accessory/Device (Array of momentary switches) method is the way to go for creating DIY HomeKit ‘Remotes’ 😉 The ease of Siri Voice Command control of the ‘Remote’ would rely entirely on the naming of the individual momentary switches in the array 🙏🏼

[leoneleone]

@lprhodes

I think this Siri Voice Command trick should be mentioned in the README once you’ve completed the plugin, because it is very useful 😁

[lprhodes]

Anyone managed to get node-appletv working? I'm getting "Timed out waiting for crypto sequence 2" which is preventing further development.

[evandcoleman]

Post an issue on the node-appletv github with some more info and I’ll help you out

[lprhodes]

Thanks @edc1591 - I posted an issue. Just doing some debugging on this end.

[Kazom]

Will this support seeing the Apple TV state and triggering actions off of it. I.e. Hit the pause button, HomeKit reacts by turning on dim lights.

[evandcoleman]

@Kazom that is what my homebridge-theater-mode plugin does.

[Kazom]

@edc1591 awesome, I saw your project before but I thought you had to actually trigger the actions on the Apple TV 'button' yourself in the home app. Glad to know it's actually reading the states!

[jlian]

Will this support detecting if the Apple TV is asleep/standby vs on? And will this support turning on/off the Apple TV?

[lprhodes]

Yes we can detect if it’s asleep or not. Turning on just requires any command to be sent. Turning off will currently require navigating to the Sleep menu in settings but support for a proper sleep command shall be coming in a next couple of months.

_{Sent with GitHawk}

[epheterson]

Couldn't you do a macro to hold the TV button, then press sleep? Might be faster than navigating to Settings.

[lprhodes]

I’m pretty much done with the plugin. Just need to write he documentation of the weekend. Unfortunately it doesn’t work with the just-released 11.3 so you may want to hold off upgrading for now.

_{Sent with GitHawk}

[lprhodes]

@epheterson there’s no way to do long press currently

_{Sent with GitHawk}

[evandcoleman]

@lprhodes there’s a command to suspend the Apple tv

[epheterson]

I just saw a push today, is it working!? Still only pre-11.3?

[lprhodes]

Initial release is out - 11.3 issue was fixed by @edc1591 👍

[Kazom]

@lprhodes documentation is broken for config.json example: https://lprhodes.github.io/homebridge-apple-tv-slate/config-sample.json