qt-android-remote 1.0.4

Desktop remote control application for Android TV using direct connection

QT Android Remote

A desktop remote control application for Android TV devices using direct connection via the androidtvremote2 protocol.

Screenshot

Features

• Direct Connection: Connect directly to Android TV devices without requiring Home Assistant
• Device Discovery: Automatically discover Android TV devices on your network using Zeroconf
• Pairing Wizard: Easy step-by-step pairing process with Android TV devices
• Full Remote Control: Complete remote control functionality including:
  • D-pad navigation (arrow keys, OK button)
  • Power control
  • Volume control and mute
  • Media controls (play/pause, stop, rewind, fast forward)
  • Home and back buttons
  • App launching (YouTube, Netflix, and custom apps)
  • Text input support
• Keyboard Shortcuts: Control your Android TV using keyboard shortcuts
• Multiple Remotes: Manage multiple Android TV devices
• Cross-Platform: Works on Windows, macOS, and Linux
• System Theme Support: Automatically adapts to your system's light/dark theme

Installation

From PyPI (Recommended)

pip install qt-android-remote

From Source

1. Clone the repository:

git clone https://github.com/dmarkey/qt-android-remote.git
cd qt-android-remote

2. Install dependencies:

pip install -e .

Usage

Starting the Application

qt-android-remote

Or if installed from source:

python -m qt_android_remote.main

Setting Up Your First Remote

1. Launch the application and click the "+" button to add a new remote
2. Device Discovery:
   • Click "Scan Network" to automatically discover Android TV devices
   • Or manually enter your Android TV's IP address
3. Connection Details: Configure the client name that will appear on your Android TV
4. Pairing:
   • The app will connect to your Android TV and start the pairing process
   • A pairing dialog will appear on your Android TV screen
   • Enter the 6-digit pairing code shown on your TV
5. Name Your Remote: Give your remote a descriptive name
6. Done: Your remote is now ready to use!

Keyboard Shortcuts

• Arrow Keys: Navigate (D-pad)
• Enter/Space: OK/Select
• Escape/Backspace: Back
• Home: Home button
• M: Menu
• P: Power
• +/-: Volume up/down

Supported Android TV Devices

This application works with any Android TV device that supports the Android TV Remote protocol v2, including:

• NVIDIA SHIELD TV
• Google Chromecast with Google TV
• Sony Android TVs
• Philips Android TVs
• TCL Android TVs
• And many more Android TV devices

Requirements

• Python 3.10 or higher
• PySide6
• androidtvremote2
• zeroconf
• cryptography
• protobuf

Configuration

Configuration files are stored in platform-specific locations:

• Windows: %APPDATA%\QTAndroidRemote\
• macOS: ~/Library/Application Support/QTAndroidRemote/
• Linux: ~/.config/qt-android-remote/

The configuration includes:

• remotes.json: Remote configurations
• certs/: SSL certificates for each paired device

Troubleshooting

Cannot Discover Devices

1. Ensure your Android TV and computer are on the same network
2. Check that your Android TV has "Network remote control" enabled:
   • Go to Settings > Device Preferences > About > Android TV OS build
   • Click 7 times to enable Developer options
   • Go to Settings > Device Preferences > Developer options
   • Enable "Network debugging"

Pairing Issues

1. Make sure your Android TV is turned on and connected to the network
2. Try restarting the Android TV Remote Service:
   • Go to Settings > Apps > See all apps > Show system apps
   • Find "Android TV Remote Service"
   • Force stop and restart it
3. Clear the Android TV Remote Service data if pairing continues to fail

Connection Problems

1. Verify the IP address is correct
2. Check firewall settings on both devices
3. Ensure the Android TV Remote Service is running
4. Try re-pairing the device

Development

Setting Up Development Environment

1. Clone the repository:

git clone https://github.com/dmarkey/qt-android-remote.git
cd qt-android-remote

2. Create a virtual environment:

python -m venv venv
source venv/bin/activate  # On Windows: venv\Scripts\activate

3. Install development dependencies:

pip install -e ".[dev]"

Running Tests

pytest

Code Formatting

black qt_android_remote/

Contributing

Contributions are welcome! Please feel free to submit a Pull Request. For major changes, please open an issue first to discuss what you would like to change.

License

This project is licensed under the MIT License - see the LICENSE file for details.

Acknowledgments

• androidtvremote2 - The underlying Android TV remote protocol implementation
• ha-desktop-remote - UI inspiration and design patterns
• Google's Android TV Remote protocol documentation

Related Projects

• androidtvremote2 - Python library for Android TV remote protocol
• ha-desktop-remote - Home Assistant desktop remote control

Support

If you encounter any issues or have questions, please:

1. Check the troubleshooting section
2. Search existing GitHub issues
3. Create a new issue with detailed information about your problem

Changelog

v1.0.0

• Initial release
• Direct Android TV connection support
• Device discovery via Zeroconf
• Complete pairing wizard
• Full remote control functionality
• Keyboard shortcuts
• Multi-device support
• Cross-platform compatibility