Note

This HOWTO (at least the installation part) does not apply on a more recent Ubuntu version (Gutsy 7.10 and newer). You can just execute 'aptitude install lirc' from a terminal to install it.

Contents

LIRC is a package that allows you to decode and send infra-red signals of many (but not all) commonly used remote controls.

Warning ! due to some bug into lirc-modules-source, lirc-0.7.3pre1 won't compile on dapper. more informations at https://launchpad.net/distros/ubuntu/+source/lirc/+bug/5343

Prepare the kernel source

• install the kernel source package:

  •    sudo apt-get install linux-source-2.6.12

• install setserial (this is needed to free the port)

  •    sudo apt-get install setserial

• run the following command to setup the kernel for compiling the modules:

  •    cd /usr/src
       tar xjvf linux-source-2.6.12.tar.bz2
       ln -s linux-source-2.6.12 linux
       cd linux
       cp /boot/config-2.6.12-9-386 .config
       
       make oldconfig
       make include/linux/version.h
       
       #this line is only need to create the file "/usr/src/linux/include/asm/param.h" that is needed
       # by the installation (and perhaps some more files). You don't have to compile all of the modules, just 
       # hit Ctrl+C after a minute or so.
       make modules

Install Lirc

• download the lirc source:

  •    wget http://lirc.sourceforge.net/software/snapshots/lirc-0.7.3pre1.tar.bz2

• install:

  •    cd /usr/src
       tar xjvf ~/downloads/lirc-*.tar.bz2
       cd lirc-0.7.3pre1
       ./setup.sh

• configuration (inside setup.sh):
  • This is the configuration for a simple DCD serial reciever:
  • 1. Driver Configuration:
    • 1. Home-brew (16x50 UART compatible serial port)
    • 1. COM1 (0x3f8, 4)
    • Driver specific options:
      • 1. With transmitter diode = YES
      • 2. Software generated carrier = YES
      • 3. Igor Cesko's variation = NO
  • 2. Software configuration:
    • 1. Compile tools for X-Windows = YES

  • 3. Save configuration & run configure

• run make and make install

  •    make
       make install

• free the serial port: (if your reciever is a serial device)

  •    setserial /dev/ttyS0 uart none

Get configuration files from the lirc ubuntu package

• download the lirc package:

  •    sudo apt-get -d install lirc

• extract the package and copy the files to the correct places:

  •    cd /tmp
       dpkg -x /var/cache/apt/archives/lirc_0.7.0.1-1ubuntu3_i386.deb lircdeb
       cd lircdeb/etc
       sudo cp -R * /etc

• create symlinks for lircd and lircmd:

  •    cd /usr/sbin
       sudo ln -s ../local/sbin/lirc* .

• create a symlink for lircd.conf:

  •    cd /etc
       sudo ln -s lirc/lircd.conf .

Configuration

• put the remote control configuration file in /etc/lirc/lircd.conf
• edit "lirc/hardware.conf" and set these variables: (change "MODULES" to fit the module for your device)

  •    DRIVER="default"
       DEVICE=""
       MODULES="lirc_dev lirc_serial"

• to make lirc run on startup:

  •    sudo update-rc.d lirc defaults

• to make irexec run on startup (irexec handles the button mapping):
  • goto System\Preferences\Sessions\Startup_Programs
  • add "irexec" to the list

Test

• to see if it's working run:

  •    irw

    and try pressing buttons in your remote control, you should see something like this:

       000000000000c230 00 > jvc-lp20337-004-vcr
       000000000000c230 00 > jvc-lp20337-004-vcr
       000000000000c230 01 > jvc-lp20337-004-vcr
       000000000000c230 02 > jvc-lp20337-004-vcr

Map buttons

• create a file called ~/.lircrc (this file configures what every key does),
  • here is a sample ~/.lircrc file to control mplayer, beep-media-player and volume:

  •    #Mplayer buttons
       begin
            button = VOL+
            prog = mplayer
            config = volume 1
            repeat = 1
       end
       begin
            button = VOL-
            prog = mplayer
            config = volume -1
            repeat = 1
       end
       begin
            button = ||
            prog = mplayer
            config = pause
       end
       begin
            button = Prog+
            prog = mplayer
            config = pt_step 1
       end
       begin
            button = Prog-
            prog = mplayer
            config = pt_step -1
       end
       begin
            button = MENU
            prog = mplayer
            config = vo_fullscreen
       end
       begin
            button = 1
            prog = mplayer
            config = seek -10
       end
       begin
            button = 4
            prog = mplayer
            config = seek -60
       end
       begin
            button = 3
            prog = mplayer
            config = seek 10
       end
       begin
            button = 6
            prog = mplayer
            config = seek 60
       end
       begin
            button = 7
            prog = mplayer
            config = audio_delay +0.1
       end
       begin
            button = 9
            prog = mplayer
            config = audio_delay -0.1
       end
       
       #Beep-Media-Player Control
       begin
           button = >
           prog = irexec
           config = beep-media-player --play-pause
           repeat = 0
       end
       
       begin
           button = >>
           prog = irexec
           config = beep-media-player --fwd
       end
       
       begin
           button = <<
           prog = irexec
           config = beep-media-player --rew
       end
       
       begin
           button = #
           prog = irexec
           config = beep-media-player --stop
       end
       
       #Volume
       begin
           button = Start+
           prog = irexec
           config = aumix -v+5
           repeat = 0
       end
       
       begin
           button = Start-
           prog = irexec
           config = aumix -v-5
           repeat = 0
       end

• for more information about .lircrc see http://www.lirc.org/html/configure.html

CategoryHardware