# External CEC adapter ## USB - CEC Adapter from Pulse-Eight  ## Get the hardware * [Order from Pulse-Eight](https://www.pulse-eight.com/p/104/usb-hdmi-cec-adapter#) * [Pulse-Eight USB CEC adapter on Amazon](https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_1_22?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=pulse+eight+usb+cec+adapter&sprefix=usb+cec+adapter+pulse+%2Caps%2C218&crid=UK4LY390M5H2) ## Get the software {#software} 1. Connect "TV" port on the adapter to your TV 2. Connect USB mini port to you computer 3. Install the cec-client * Linux ```shell sudo apt-get install cec-utils ``` * macOS (using [MacPorts](https://guide.macports.org/#installing)) ```shell sudo /opt/local/bin/port install libcec ``` 4. run the client ```shell $ cec-client No device type given. Using 'recording device' CEC Parser created - libCEC version 4.0.2 no serial port given. trying autodetect: path: /dev/cu.usbmodemv1 com port: /dev/cu.usbmodemv1 opening a connection to the CEC adapter... DEBUG: [ 1] Broadcast (F): osd name set to 'Broadcast' DEBUG: [ 3] connection opened, clearing any previous input and waiting for active transmissions to end before starting DEBUG: [ 10] communication thread started DEBUG: [ 70] turning controlled mode on NOTICE: [ 255] connection opened DEBUG: [ 255] processor thread started DEBUG: [ 255] << Broadcast (F) -> TV (0): POLL TRAFFIC: [ 255] << f0 DEBUG: [ 255] setting the line timeout to 3 DEBUG: [ 403] >> POLL sent DEBUG: [ 403] TV (0): device status changed into 'present' ``` ## Add timestamps Use the `ts` command to add timestamps. ```shell $ cec-client | ts Nov 18 16:15:46 No device type given. Using 'recording device' Nov 18 16:15:46 CEC Parser created - libCEC version 4.0.4 Nov 18 16:15:46 no serial port given. trying autodetect: Nov 18 16:15:46 path: /sys/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:14.0/usb2/2-9 Nov 18 16:15:46 com port: /dev/ttyACM0 Nov 18 16:15:46 Nov 18 16:15:46 opening a connection to the CEC adapter... Nov 18 16:15:46 DEBUG: [ 386] Broadcast (F): osd name set to 'Broadcast' ``` ### ts is part of the moreutils package ```shell sudo apt-get install moreutils ``` ## cheat sheets * Show all connected devices ```shell $ echo scan | cec-client -s -d 1 ``` ## Available Commands [tx] \{bytes\} : transfer bytes over the CEC line. [txn] \{bytes\} : transfer bytes but don't wait for transmission ACK. [on] \{address\} : power on the device with the given logical address. [standby] \{address\} : put the device with the given address in standby mode. [la] \{logical address\} : change the logical address of the CEC adapter. [p] \{device\} \{port\} : change the HDMI port number of the CEC adapter. [pa] \{physical address\} : change the physical address of the CEC adapter. [as] : make the CEC adapter the active source. [is] : mark the CEC adapter as inactive source. [osd] \{addr\} \{string\} : set OSD message on the specified device. [ver] \{addr\} : get the CEC version of the specified device. [ven] \{addr\} : get the vendor ID of the specified device. [lang] \{addr\} : get the menu language of the specified device. [pow] \{addr\} : get the power status of the specified device. [name] \{addr\} : get the OSD name of the specified device. [poll] \{addr\} : poll the specified device. [lad] : lists active devices on the bus [ad] \{addr\} : checks whether the specified device is active. [at] \{type\} : checks whether the specified device type is active. [sp] \{addr\} : makes the specified physical address active. [spl] \{addr\} : makes the specified logical address active. [volup] : send a volume up command to the amp if present [voldown] : send a volume down command to the amp if present [mute] : send a mute/unmute command to the amp if present [self] : show the list of addresses controlled by libCEC [scan] : scan the CEC bus and display device info ## Sending Remote Control Events You can send CEC remote events using the `tx` command above. The format is as follows: ``` tx :: ``` where all of the above parameters should be filled in with a single HEX digit (except ``, which requires 2 digits). Here, we want to send commands to the Android TV, so we will place its ID in ``. The scan command above will give you the IDs for each device that the CEC adapter is aware of. In the examples below the DUT is a CEC player device with a logical address of 4. Here are some useful commands to execute remote actions: * Press home ``` tx 04:44:09 ``` * Press select ``` tx 04:44:00 ``` * Press d-pad up ``` tx 04:44:01 ``` * Press d-pad down ``` tx 04:44:02 ``` * Press d-pad left ``` tx 04:44:03 ``` * Press d-pad right ``` tx 04:44:04 ``` You can check out [https://www.cec-o-matic.com/](https]://www.cec-o-matic.com/) for more info on formatting your request and a full list of commands and their respective parameters.