Support Custom Remote Controller with Ubuntu 18.04

[step 1] Install LIRC Package
[step 2] Configuring LIRC and driver module
[step 3 (1)] Case 1 : Registering Hardkernel remote controller
[step 3 (2)] Case 2 : Registering custom remote controller
[step 4] restart lircd service

$ sudo apt-get install lirc

Now you need to set up lirc_options.conf to specify the configuration to run as a daemon.

target

$ sudo vi /etc/lirc/lirc_options.conf

lirc_options.conf is generated by default when lirc is installed
and the following parts are needed to modified.

(1) driver and device

driver          = default
device          = /dev/lirc0

(2) module init

[modinit]
code = /sbin/modprobe meson-ir

(3) input event

[lircd-uinput]
add-release-events = True
release-timeout    = 50
release-suffix     = _EVUP

All necessary configuration is done, you can simply start the service lirc by command line or reboot the device.

target

$ sudo service lircd restart
$ sudo systemctl enable lircd-uinput

Then, you can find lirc0 node under /dev/.

target

$ ls /dev/lirc*
/dev/lirc0

Please note that some parts in lirc_options.conf depend on the toolchain version,
so select the correct conf file among the following references based on your board.

lirc_options.conf

ODROID-C2/N2/C4/HC4

lirc_options.conf

[lircd]
nodaemon        = False
driver          = default
device          = /dev/lirc0
output          = /var/run/lirc/lircd
pidfile         = /var/run/lirc/lircd.pid
plugindir       = /usr/lib/aarch64-linux-gnu/lirc/plugins
permission      = 666
allow-simulate  = No
repeat-max      = 600
#effective-user =
#listen         = [address:]port
#connect        = host[:port]
#loglevel       = 6
#release        = true
#release_suffix = _EVUP
#logfile        = ...
#driver-options = ...
 
[lircmd]
uinput          = False
nodaemon        = False
 
[modinit]
code = /sbin/modprobe meson-ir
 
[lircd-uinput]
add-release-events = True
release-timeout    = 50
release-suffix     = _EVUP

ODROID-C1

lirc_options.conf

[lircd]
nodaemon        = False
driver          = default
device          = /dev/lirc0
output          = /var/run/lirc/lircd
pidfile         = /var/run/lirc/lircd.pid
plugindir       = /usr/lib/arm-linux-gnueabihf/lirc/plugins
permission      = 666
allow-simulate  = No
repeat-max      = 600
#effective-user =
#listen         = [address:]port
#connect        = host[:port]
#loglevel       = 6
#release        = true
#release_suffix = _EVUP
#logfile        = ...
#driver-options = ...
 
[lircmd]
uinput          = False
nodaemon        = False
 
[modinit]
code = /sbin/modprobe meson-ir
 
[lircd-uinput]
add-release-events = True
release-timeout    = 50
release-suffix     = _EVUP

If you want to adjust a key release time, please change the value, release-timeout under [lircd-uinput] category.

If you use a Hardkernel remote controller, you can use the following lircd.conf.
Or please refer to the next section if you use other remote controllers.

target

$ sudo vi /etc/lirc/lircd.conf.d/hk.lircd.conf

hk.lircd.conf

begin remote
 
name odroid
bits 16
flags SPACE_ENC|CONST_LENGTH
eps  30
aeps 100
 
header 9000 4500
one 563 1688
zero 563 564
ptrail 563
pre_data_bits 16
pre_data 0x4DB2
repeat 9000 2250
repeat_gap 96187
toggle_bit_mask 0x0
    begin codes
        KEY_LEFT  0x9966
        KEY_RIGHT  0x837C
        KEY_UP  0x53AC
        KEY_DOWN  0x4BB4
        KEY_ENTER  0x738C
        KEY_HOME  0x41BE
        KEY_MUTE  0x11EE
        KEY_MENU  0xA35C
        KEY_BACK  0x59A6
        KEY_VOLUMEDOWN  0x817E
        KEY_VOLUMEUP  0x01FE
        KEY_POWER  0x3BC4
    end codes
end remote

Before starting irrecord, please check if lircd service is running and stop the service first.

target

$ sudo service lircd stop

If lircd service is loaded, you will have the following error message from irrecord.

target

Warning: Running as root.
Using driver default on device /dev/lirc0
Could not init hardware (lircd running ? --> close it, check permissions)

Lirc package provide a tool, irrecord, to help registering the buttons of own remote controller. Once the tool is started, for example, you will be asked to press the buttons and it will analyse the signals of your remote controller like protocol type or headers. After this analysis you can start register the buttons one by one.

target

$ sudo irrecord --device /dev/lirc0 lircd.conf

Once signal analysis is done, you will be asked with the message below to enter the button name to register and press the applicable button. In this step, you can register many buttons as much as you expect to register. If you done, just press enter key on the prompt.

Please enter the name for the next button (press <ENTER> to finish recording)

The tool would ask you more steps to finalize and store the configuration file with the below message.

Successfully written config file.

For example, if you have done whole steps successfully with Hardkernel's stock remote controller, your will have the configuration file like below very similiary.

Now you must copy the configuration file, lircd.conf, to /etc/lirc/ so that lirc service can recognize the button.

target

$ sudo cp lircd.conf /etc/lirc/lircd.conf.d/hk.lircd.conf

Then, you need to restart lircd and lircd-uinput.

target

$ sudo service lircd restart
$ sudo systemctl enable lircd-uinput
$ sudo service lircd-uinput restart

Now, you can run irw to confirm your ODROID-C2 is ready.

target

odroid@odroid64:~# irw
000000004db29966 00 KEY_LEFT lircd.conf
000000004db2837c 00 KEY_RIGHT lircd.conf
000000004db253ac 00 KEY_UP lircd.conf
000000004db24bb4 00 KEY_DOWN lircd.conf
000000004db2738c 00 KEY_ENTER lircd.conf

You can check if the daemon is running properly.

target

$ ps -ax | grep lirc
root       536  0.0  0.0   4804  1400 ?        Ss   09:39   0:00 /usr/sbin/lircmd --nodaemon
root       580  0.0  0.0   4720  1296 ?        Ss   09:39   0:00 /usr/bin/irexec /etc/lirc/irexec.lircrc
root       727  0.1  0.2   7456  4056 ?        Ss   09:39   0:00 /usr/sbin/lircd --nodaemon
root       728  0.0  0.0   4808  1376 ?        Ss   09:39   0:00 /usr/sbin/lircd-uinput
odroid    1216  0.0  0.0   2704   664 ttyS0    S+   09:40   0:00 grep --color=auto lirc

As well as necessary drivers are loaded.

target

$ lsmod 
Module                  Size  Used by
ir_lirc_codec           4934  3
lirc_dev               10879  1 ir_lirc_codec
ir_mce_kbd_decoder      3402  0
ir_jvc_decoder          1725  0
ir_sanyo_decoder        1657  0
ir_sony_decoder         1663  0
ir_rc6_decoder          2010  0
ir_nec_decoder          1789  0
ir_rc5_decoder          1586  0
meson_ir                3356  0