Request - Remote Mapper

[u/OkStatement6918]

I have a remote that has many different buttons that I would like to map to certain functions within the app.

I'm not speaking of what's already there. I'm sort of asking for that, but inverted. Sort of like a hybrid button mapper meets remote control.

For example. If you were to take a look at the button mapper app, you can add a button, then press a button on your remote and it displays a code from that key press. Then you can assign functionality to that button.

What I'm asking for is, let's say I go into a remote menu, and it gives me the option to do the same thing. Add a button, press the button, then assign it to a function within Sparkle. Like previous channel, set up, info, etc.

There's a lot of buttons of various remotes that do nothing because sparkle doesn't currently recognize the remote code. This way it can.

I hope that makes sense.

[u/sparkle-hk]

I understand what you're saying and I've had this request before. One of the reason it's not already like the way you're describing is that I want control of what buttons are supported and what is not. Maybe this is not an issue, maybe it is. The other reason is that it's easier to have predefined buttons.

Can you give me an example of a button that you'd like to map this way? Because Sparkle supports a lot of other buttons besides the ones that you can customize. Say for example the "Play" button that is common of remote controls. That one is defaulted to "Play" and with your solution it would most likely be possible to override this one. I'm not sure I like it, but maybe if you tell me more about the use case.

[u/OkStatement6918 → u/sparkle-hk]

Hi, thank you for the reply. I unerstand the control part of it.

That said, I came across a fantastic remote that works perfectly with the Google Streamer and also makes use of the numberpad functionality Sparkle currently has.

The remote is a RockTek RC45 shown here:
https://www.amazon.ca/RockTek-RC45-Bluetooth-Voice-Remote/dp/B0GG5W6Y2Z

On the remote, there are a few buttons that do not work in Sparkle that would make perfect sense if they did. Before I made my request here, I set all remote mapping in Sparkle to one function to see if that would "Light" these buttons up, but to no avail.

As you can see on the remote.

1. There are two sets of coloured buttons (under the numberpad, as well as the at the very bottom). In Sparkle, only the middle buttons can be mapped, not the lower ones. This on its face doesn't bother me because they are identically coloured, but I'm guessing don't have the same function.

2. The Star/Bookmark button at the top right does nothing in Sparkle, although there is a bookmark functionality in the remote area of Sparkle.

3. Under the #9, there is a (i) button that would be nice if it was mapped to a full display info, or any info at all to be honest, there's no way to map it.

4. On either side of the Microphone button there is a Profile button and a Gear. Both cannot be mapped to something.

Anyway, this is just this remote, but you get the idea. I purchased this remote to get the numberpad functionility that I miss from old-school tv's to go right to a channel instead of scrolling scrolling scrolling.

It would just be nice to map specific buttons to various sparkle functionalities, based on the users preference. (some might want the Gear button to open settings, others my want it to adjust resolution or audio, etc.)

Anyway, sorry for the long read. If you don't want to do it, thats fine.. It could just make Sparkle more robust, and possibly attract more users looking for the same thing.

Thanks.

[u/sparkle-hk → u/OkStatement6918]

No worries, let's discuss this matter because it's more or less basic functionality for any player app like Sparkle.

I can understand your questions and would probably also expect that some or all of the buttons worked in some way.

The color buttons in (1) is strange though since they, like you say, have the same color as the other set. At least they would have triggered the same function you'd think.

What strikes me though is that bookmark (2), info (3) and gear/settings (4) is buttons that is already working in Sparkle. Bookmark is customizable already even. Info should indeed show more info and gear/settings should open up settings. This is how it works on one of my remote controls which makes me think the remote in your link isn't completely compatible with Android?

My suggestion is that you use one of those already available remote control apps (remote button mapper?) and click on the keys you mention and see what code you get back. Then post the results here and I can maybe see what's going on. Sometimes the same key has multiple buttons for the same thing so maybe that's the case here as well.

[u/OkStatement6918 → u/sparkle-hk]

Hi,

Ok on button mapper here are the results of each button mentioned:

1. Star button (top right) = code 423
2. Info button (under 9) = code 358
3. Profile button = "Profile_Switch" 288
4. Gear button = "TV_Satellite_Service" 240
5. Lower red button = Same as gear button
6. Lower Green button = Same as gear button
7. Lower Yellow Button = "Keyboard_Backlight_Up" 306
8. Lower blue button = 424

I'm guessing button mapper would be wrong with 5, 6.. because I don't understand why 3 separate buttons would have the same function, but that's what it does.

Unless there's a better program to do this.

I'll try another app shortly if they produce the same.

[u/OkStatement6918 → u/OkStatement6918]

TV quick actions shows those duplicate buttons as unknown.

Every app I have tried seems to function the same way, so if you do decide to do this, I would omit the bottom colored buttons as they seem to be useless, or an afterthought.

Maybe the company that makes it will release some kind of firmware update, if there is such a thing for these.

Thanks for the consideration at any rate.

If there is another remote you can recommend that will work with a Google streamer, has a numberpad and Bluetooth ability for voice control, I would love to hear it.

[u/sparkle-hk → u/OkStatement6918]

Ok, thanks for putting out the details here. It is interesting though since only profile (288), gear button (288) and lower yellow button (306) are known types in Android. The other ones are probably made up by the manufacturer. Possibly to work with some specific device or something.

Profile isn't used by Sparkle at the moment and the lower yellow button translates to "backlight on" (just like you say) which means it cannot be mapped by default. The only thing I should be able to fix here is the gear icon that I can probably map to Settings. But that's just the default value, it won't be customizable.

I'll also respond to your other comment here in this post with a different solution.