Configuring a headless PiCorePlayer to use an Apple 1294 IR remote

.lircrc-A1156

begin
  remote = Apple_A1156
  button = KEY_UP
  repeat = 0
  prog = squeezelite
  config = volup
end

begin
  remote = Apple_A1156
  button = KEY_DOWN
  repeat = 0
  prog = squeezelite
  config = voldown
end

begin
  remote = Apple_A1156
  button = KEY_LEFT
  repeat = 0
  prog = squeezelite
  config = rew
end

begin
  remote = Apple_A1156
  button = KEY_RIGHT
  repeat = 0
  prog = squeezelite
  config = fwd
end

# the A1156 lircd.conf maps ">||" (center button) to KEY_PAUSE
begin
  remote = Apple_A1156
  button = KEY_PAUSE
  repeat = 0
  prog = squeezelite
  config = pause
end

# The "menu" key does power
begin
  remote = Apple_A1156
  button = KEY_ESC
  repeat = 0
  prog = squeezelite
  config = power
end

.lircrc-A1294

begin
  remote = Apple_A1294
  button = KEY_UP
  repeat = 0
  prog = squeezelite
  config = volup
end

begin
  remote = Apple_A1294
  button = KEY_DOWN
  repeat = 0
  prog = squeezelite
  config = voldown
end

begin
  remote = Apple_A1294
  button = KEY_LEFT
  repeat = 0
  prog = squeezelite
  config = rew
end

begin
  remote = Apple_A1294
  button = KEY_RIGHT
  repeat = 0
  prog = squeezelite
  config = fwd
end

begin
  remote = Apple_A1294
  button = KEY_OK
  repeat = 0
  prog = squeezelite
  config = pause
end

# The "menu" key does power
begin
  remote = Apple_A1294
  button = KEY_ESC
  repeat = 0
  prog = squeezelite
  config = power
end

begin
  remote = Apple_A1294
  button = KEY_PLAY
  repeat = 0
  prog = squeezelite
  config = play
end

README.md

Setup

This describes getting a silver apple remote (A1294) working with a headless piCorePlayer. It requires v5.0.0, which includes fixes for how squeezelite is called so that it finds the ~tc/.lircrc file.

I'm using it with an IQaudio DAC+ with a 3-pin header soldered into the appropriate holes.

LIRC has a git repository, lirc git repo, but unfortunately its web-based git browser isn't working. If you clone the repo, you'll find a configuration document that's interesting reading.

The LIRC project web site includes a database of lircd.conf files for various remotes that includes entries for the silver and white apple remotes. BUT, they're for an older version of LIRC and don't work with the piCorePlayer version. I found functional versions on the net for the A1294 and the [A1156][lirc-1156] (*untested).

Squeezelite uses the lirc_client API to interact with LIRC. It compares events that it receives with a set of cmds from the "squeezeplayer" remote and then from a table populated from a .lircrc file. When piCorePlayer has LIRC installed and you've uploaded a custom lircrc file, squeezeplayer is run with the -i /home/tc/.lircrc option.

Debugging

1. use sudo mode2 -d /dev/lirc0 to see the raw events coming from LIRC. This is the lowest-ish level and will confirm that you have the kernel bits in place and the hardware wired up correctly.
2. use irw to dump the higher level events (e.g. KEY_OK), which confirms that you have a lircd.conf file that works for your device.
3. enable ir debug (or sdebug?) output in the piCorePlayer squeezelite page and watch the log file (e.g. ssh into the pi at tc and tail -f /var/log/pcp_squeezelite.log) to see what squeezelite is doing with the events.

lircd.conf-A1156

#
# I found this via searching the Intertubes, here:
# https://github.com/osmc/osmc/blob/master/package/remote-osmc/files/etc/lirc/apple-white-A1156-lircd.conf
#

# Please make this file available to others
# by sending it to <[email protected]>
#
# this config file was automatically generated
# using lirc-0.9.0(default) on Tue Jun  2 22:56:05 2015
#
# contributed by DBMandrake
#
# brand:                       Apple
# model no. of remote control: A1156 (white)
# devices being controlled by this remote:
#
#
# "+"                -> 0x50 -> KEY_UP
# "-"                -> 0x30 -> KEY_DOWN
# "|<<"              -> 0x90 -> KEY_LEFT
# ">>|"              -> 0x60 -> KEY_RIGHT
# ">||" (play/pause) -> 0xA0 -> KEY_PAUSE
# "MENU"             -> 0xC0 -> KEY_ESC

begin remote

  name  Apple_A1156
  bits            8
  flags SPACE_ENC|CONST_LENGTH
  eps            30
  aeps          100

  header       9140  4510
  one           633  1666
  zero          633   537
  ptrail        631
  repeat       9137  2220
  pre_data_bits   16
  pre_data       0x77E1
  post_data_bits  8
  post_data      0x2C
  gap          108756
  toggle_bit_mask 0x0
  ignore_mask 0x80ff

      begin codes
          KEY_UP                   0x50
          KEY_DOWN                 0x30
          KEY_LEFT                 0x90
          KEY_RIGHT                0x60
          KEY_PAUSE                0xA0
          KEY_ESC                  0xC0
      end codes

end remote

lircd.conf-A1294

#
# I found this via searching the Intertubes, here:
# https://github.com/osmc/osmc/blob/master/package/remote-osmc/files/etc/lirc/apple-silver-A1294-lircd.conf
#
# See also: 
# https://github.com/osmc/osmc/blob/master/package/remote-osmc/files/etc/lirc/apple-white-A1156-lircd.conf
#####
# Please make this file available to others
# by sending it to <[email protected]>
#
# this config file was automatically generated
# using lirc-0.9.0(default) on Tue Jun  2 22:56:05 2015
#
# contributed by DBMandrake
#
# brand:                       Apple
# model no. of remote control: A1294 (silver)
# devices being controlled by this remote:
#

begin remote

  name  Apple_A1294
  bits            8
  flags SPACE_ENC|CONST_LENGTH
  eps            30
  aeps          100

  header       9140  4510
  one           633  1666
  zero          633   537
  ptrail        631
  repeat       9137  2220
  pre_data_bits   16
  pre_data       0x77E1
  post_data_bits  8
  post_data      0x2C
  gap          108756
  toggle_bit_mask 0x0
  ignore_mask 0x80ff

      begin codes
          KEY_UP                   0x50
          KEY_DOWN                 0x30
          KEY_LEFT                 0x90
          KEY_RIGHT                0x60
          KEY_OK                   0x3A 0xA0
          KEY_ESC                  0xC0
          KEY_PLAY                 0xFA 0xA0
      end codes

end remote