Custom TV Remote

Brainstorm
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1

Im considering building a Custom Bluetooth TV remote specifically to work with Plasma Bigscreen.

Problem:

  • My TV and Mini PC dont support CEC, Integrating the original TV remote to work with my Mini PC running Plasma Bigscreen is not an option.
  • I need to use two remotes: a wireless keyboard and TV remote to operate the TV/volume controls “Normally”.
  • Not everyone wants to use an app to control the TV (KDE Connect)
  • Plasma Bigscreen is not optimized enough to not need a touch pad to browse a web browser page.
  • I want a single remote controller that feels familiar to a traditional TV remote and can operate both my mini pc and TV
  • Those game controller - Full keyboard PC remotes are too complicated and buggy.

Solution:

ESP32 Bluetooth keyboard with IR Control.

IR Controls to work with traditional TV interface, ie: TV power, volume, HDMI source selection, or traditional TV browsing.

Bluetooth controls to interface with Plasma Bigscreen, Optimized keyboard/mini track-pad to seamlessly control Plasma Bigscreen with both TV and Bluetooth controls.

Other potential features:

  • Gyroscope mouse pointer
  • Laser pointer

My thought process is I could combine keystrokes/mouse pointer controls easier to get a seamless TV experience.

Im not sure if there are any decent solutions on the market that im not aware of. If there are please let me know before I go down this rabbit hole.

2

b4 you fab an esp32, a couple off the shelf options people use for this:

-cheap bt air mouse remotes (favi / similar) already do keyboard + tiny trackpad over bluetooth. plasma just sees a normal hid keyboard/mouse
-for tv power / volume / input with no cec, a usb ir blaster on the mini pc (or broadlink-ish on the lan) + a tiny script can fire the same ir codes. some people bind that to a shortcut
-esp32 + ble hid + ir led is doable if you want one brick. ble hid examples exist, just budget time for learning the ir codes per tv

kde connect as a phone remote is the lazy path if you ever soften on the app thing.

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