Homebridge-freemote NPM

homebridge-freemote

Homebridge plugin for Freebox remote control

This Homebridge plugin exposes Freebox v6 remote to Apple's Homekit.

Installation

The homebridge-freemote plugin obviously needs homebridge, which, in turn needs Node.js.:

Install the Node.js (with npm)
Make sure your $PATH is configuret to launch node, npm, and, later, homebridge.
You might want to update npm through sudo npm update -g npm.
Install homebridge following the instructions on https://github.com/nfarina/homebridge. For me, this installs homebridge version 0.4.6 to /usr/local/lib/node_modules. Make sure to create a config.json in ~/.homebridge, as described.
Install the homebridge-freemote plug-in through sudo npm install -g homebridge-freemote.
Edit ~/.homebridge/config.json and add the Freemote accessory provided by homebridge-freemote, see below.

Setup Freebox application

To setup your application id and get a token. I advice you to download this bash helper and follow instructions on https://github.com/JrCs/freeboxos-bash-api

Save your AppId and your AppToken for later.

Getting Remote Code

You can find your Remote Code under Settings > System > About Freebox Player and Server > Under Player tab > Remote code

The code may look like a 7-digits number.

Configuration

In homebridge's config.json you need to specify an accessory for homebridge-freemote:

 "accessories": [{
    "accessory": "Freemote",
    "name": "TV",
    "freebox_ip": "http://mafreebox.free.fr/",
    "remote_code": "12345678",
    "appid": "[AppId]", 
    "token": "[AppToken]"
  }],

The following parameters modify homebridge-freemote's behaviour:

freebox_ip: The IP of your freebox. By default, on your local network, the Freebox is accessible through http://mafreebox.free.fr/
remote_code:The remote code you'll find under Settings in the Freebox panel
appid: The appid you registered in your freebox (see section Setup Freebox application)
token: The token associated with your appid (see section Setup Freebox application)

Usage

Once everything is done, just launched Homebridge and check that Homekit is know detecting your Freemote Accessory with the name you specified in the config.json. You can know tell Siri commands like:

Hey Siri, turn TV on -> The TV switch on
Hey Siri, set TV to 5 -> The TV change to channel 5

Note: The Accessory is interpreted as a Lightbulb, so you may talk to Siri has if it was one. The channel command is interpreted as a brightness setting. So you can tell Siri to change the Brightness of your TV.

Troubleshooting

If you find any issue or improvements, do not hesitate to send me an email, or open an issue. I'm doing this in my free time so for my personal use, so it might not work "as is" in your network configuration (I didn't test it somewhere else to be honest).

For the moment, the plugin does not support volume changes. (But the API does) I'm searching for a practical way to change the volume by Siri command.