Add chromecast remote

[bicheTortue]

Hello,

I wanted to add the chromecast remote to input plumber. I tried doing it myself, but stumbled while trying to do so.
Can anybody tell me how, so I can add it to my steam deck and make a pull request to make the final work available to all.

Thanks.

[ShadowApex]

We will need more information about how the chromecast remote works on Linux. Some tools to help figure out how you can add your controller as a source device to inputplumber are:

• evtest - used to test evdev devices
• hid-recorder - used to test hidraw devices

If you can run either of those tools and find your remote and post the details of that device, we can help you add support for that input device.

[bicheTortue]

Hello,

I'm sorry for taking this long to reply.

Here is the output from evtest :

Input driver version is 1.0.1
Input device ID: bus 0x5 vendor 0x18d1 product 0x9450 version 0x110
Input device name: "Chromecast Remote"
Supported events:
  Event type 0 (EV_SYN)
  Event type 1 (EV_KEY)
    Event code 103 (KEY_UP)
    Event code 105 (KEY_LEFT)
    Event code 106 (KEY_RIGHT)
    Event code 108 (KEY_DOWN)
    Event code 113 (KEY_MUTE)
    Event code 114 (KEY_VOLUMEDOWN)
    Event code 115 (KEY_VOLUMEUP)
    Event code 152 (KEY_SCREENLOCK)
    Event code 158 (KEY_BACK)
    Event code 164 (KEY_PLAYPAUSE)
    Event code 172 (KEY_HOMEPAGE)
    Event code 217 (KEY_SEARCH)
    Event code 230 (KEY_KBDILLUMUP)
    Event code 353 (KEY_SELECT)
    Event code 377 (KEY_TV)
    Event code 588 (?)
    Event code 589 (?)
  Event type 4 (EV_MSC)
    Event code 4 (MSC_SCAN)

Here is the output from hid-recorder :

# Chromecast Remote
# 0x05, 0x0c,                    // Usage Page (Consumer Devices)       0
# 0x09, 0x01,                    // Usage (Consumer Control)            2
# 0xa1, 0x01,                    // Collection (Application)            4
# 0x85, 0x01,                    //  Report ID (1)                      6
# 0x0a, 0x9e, 0x01,              //  Usage (AL Terminal Lock/Screensaver) 8
# 0x09, 0xcd,                    //  Usage (Play/Pause)                 11
# 0x09, 0x42,                    //  Usage (Menu Up)                    13
# 0x09, 0x43,                    //  Usage (Menu Down)                  15
# 0x09, 0x44,                    //  Usage (Menu Left)                  17
# 0x09, 0x45,                    //  Usage (Menu Right)                 19
# 0x09, 0x41,                    //  Usage (Menu Pick)                  21
# 0x09, 0xe2,                    //  Usage (Mute)                       23
# 0x0a, 0x21, 0x02,              //  Usage (AC Search)                  25
# 0x0a, 0x23, 0x02,              //  Usage (AC Home)                    28
# 0x0a, 0x24, 0x02,              //  Usage (AC Back)                    31
# 0x09, 0xe9,                    //  Usage (Volume Up)                  34
# 0x09, 0xea,                    //  Usage (Volume Down)                36
# 0x09, 0x77,                    //  Usage (Camera Access Disabled)     38
# 0x09, 0x78,                    //  Usage (Camera Access Toggle)       40
# 0x09, 0x79,                    //  Usage (Keyboard Brightness Increment) 42
# 0x09, 0x89,                    //  Usage (Media Select TV)            44
# 0x15, 0x01,                    //  Logical Minimum (1)                46
# 0x25, 0x11,                    //  Logical Maximum (17)               48
# 0x95, 0x02,                    //  Report Count (2)                   50
# 0x75, 0x08,                    //  Report Size (8)                    52
# 0x81, 0x00,                    //  Input (Data,Arr,Abs)               54
# 0xc0,                          // End Collection                      56
# 
R: 57 05 0c 09 01 a1 01 85 01 0a 9e 01 09 cd 09 42 09 43 09 44 09 45 09 41 09 e2 0a 21 02 0a 23 02 0a 24 02 09 e9 09 ea 09 77 09 78 09 79 09 89 15 01 25 11 95 02 75 08 81 00 c0
N: Chromecast Remote
I: 5 18d1 9450

I hope this helps. Tell me if you need anything else. I'm down to do things myself just unsure about how to.

[pastaq]

@bicheTortue Thanks. Unfortunately the data is incomplete. Both reports show good static properties information for the device, but the question asking for those tests left out some details. Since we're familiar with these tools we sometimes forget that not everyone is. Sorry about that.

Once you start evtest on the device it will show the keycodes that each button has when pressed. It seems fairly straightforward considering the enabled events, but we'll still want to verify that each press works as expected. You should get some events when keys are pressed, and again when they are released. Ideally you would start and stop evtest between each button press, or if that is too much just paste each individual button's event block (press and release) separately with a label so we can identify them easier. I don't think we will need the raw HID values unless one of the buttons doesn't work for some reason.

[bicheTortue]

Hello, here it is.

Event code 103 (KEY_UP)

Event: time 1769977434.523975, type 4 (EV_MSC), code 4 (MSC_SCAN), value c0042
Event: time 1769977434.523975, type 1 (EV_KEY), code 103 (KEY_UP), value 1
Event: time 1769977434.523975, -------------- SYN_REPORT ------------
Event: time 1769977434.687255, type 4 (EV_MSC), code 4 (MSC_SCAN), value c0042
Event: time 1769977434.687255, type 1 (EV_KEY), code 103 (KEY_UP), value 0
Event: time 1769977434.687255, -------------- SYN_REPORT ------------

Event code 105 (KEY_LEFT)

Event: time 1769977652.357295, type 4 (EV_MSC), code 4 (MSC_SCAN), value c0044
Event: time 1769977652.357295, type 1 (EV_KEY), code 105 (KEY_LEFT), value 1
Event: time 1769977652.357295, -------------- SYN_REPORT ------------
Event: time 1769977652.533896, type 4 (EV_MSC), code 4 (MSC_SCAN), value c0044
Event: time 1769977652.533896, type 1 (EV_KEY), code 105 (KEY_LEFT), value 0
Event: time 1769977652.533896, -------------- SYN_REPORT ------------

Event code 106 (KEY_RIGHT)

Event: time 1769977756.277215, type 4 (EV_MSC), code 4 (MSC_SCAN), value c0045
Event: time 1769977756.277215, type 1 (EV_KEY), code 106 (KEY_RIGHT), value 1
Event: time 1769977756.277215, -------------- SYN_REPORT ------------
Event: time 1769977756.440565, type 4 (EV_MSC), code 4 (MSC_SCAN), value c0045
Event: time 1769977756.440565, type 1 (EV_KEY), code 106 (KEY_RIGHT), value 0
Event: time 1769977756.440565, -------------- SYN_REPORT ------------

Event code 108 (KEY_DOWN)

Event: time 1769977851.783917, type 4 (EV_MSC), code 4 (MSC_SCAN), value c0043
Event: time 1769977851.783917, type 1 (EV_KEY), code 108 (KEY_DOWN), value 1
Event: time 1769977851.783917, -------------- SYN_REPORT ------------
Event: time 1769977851.963867, type 4 (EV_MSC), code 4 (MSC_SCAN), value c0043
Event: time 1769977851.963867, type 1 (EV_KEY), code 108 (KEY_DOWN), value 0
Event: time 1769977851.963867, -------------- SYN_REPORT ------------

Event code 113 (KEY_MUTE)

Event: time 1769977957.203887, type 4 (EV_MSC), code 4 (MSC_SCAN), value c00e2
Event: time 1769977957.203887, type 1 (EV_KEY), code 113 (KEY_MUTE), value 1
Event: time 1769977957.203887, -------------- SYN_REPORT ------------
Event: time 1769977957.387218, type 4 (EV_MSC), code 4 (MSC_SCAN), value c00e2
Event: time 1769977957.387218, type 1 (EV_KEY), code 113 (KEY_MUTE), value 0
Event: time 1769977957.387218, -------------- SYN_REPORT ------------

Event code 114 (KEY_VOLUMEDOWN)

Event: time 1769978008.670544, type 4 (EV_MSC), code 4 (MSC_SCAN), value c00ea
Event: time 1769978008.670544, type 1 (EV_KEY), code 114 (KEY_VOLUMEDOWN), value 1
Event: time 1769978008.670544, -------------- SYN_REPORT ------------
Event: time 1769978008.850562, type 4 (EV_MSC), code 4 (MSC_SCAN), value c00ea
Event: time 1769978008.850562, type 1 (EV_KEY), code 114 (KEY_VOLUMEDOWN), value 0
Event: time 1769978008.850562, -------------- SYN_REPORT ------------

Event code 115 (KEY_VOLUMEUP)

Event: time 1769978227.100422, type 4 (EV_MSC), code 4 (MSC_SCAN), value c00e9
Event: time 1769978227.100422, type 1 (EV_KEY), code 115 (KEY_VOLUMEUP), value 1
Event: time 1769978227.100422, -------------- SYN_REPORT ------------
Event: time 1769978227.317161, type 4 (EV_MSC), code 4 (MSC_SCAN), value c00e9
Event: time 1769978227.317161, type 1 (EV_KEY), code 115 (KEY_VOLUMEUP), value 0
Event: time 1769978227.317161, -------------- SYN_REPORT ------------

Event code 152 (KEY_SCREENLOCK)

Event: time 1769978885.003745, type 4 (EV_MSC), code 4 (MSC_SCAN), value c019e
Event: time 1769978885.003745, type 1 (EV_KEY), code 152 (KEY_SCREENLOCK), value 1
Event: time 1769978885.003745, -------------- SYN_REPORT ------------
Event: time 1769978885.160447, type 4 (EV_MSC), code 4 (MSC_SCAN), value c019e
Event: time 1769978885.160447, type 1 (EV_KEY), code 152 (KEY_SCREENLOCK), value 0
Event: time 1769978885.160447, -------------- SYN_REPORT ------------

Event code 158 (KEY_BACK)

Event: time 1769978450.707233, type 4 (EV_MSC), code 4 (MSC_SCAN), value c0224
Event: time 1769978450.707233, type 1 (EV_KEY), code 158 (KEY_BACK), value 1
Event: time 1769978450.707233, -------------- SYN_REPORT ------------
Event: time 1769978450.707391, type 4 (EV_MSC), code 4 (MSC_SCAN), value c0224
Event: time 1769978450.707391, type 1 (EV_KEY), code 158 (KEY_BACK), value 0
Event: time 1769978450.707391, -------------- SYN_REPORT ------------

Event code 164 (KEY_PLAYPAUSE)

No button seemed to activate this code

Event code 172 (KEY_HOMEPAGE)

Event: time 1769979114.903912, type 4 (EV_MSC), code 4 (MSC_SCAN), value c0223
Event: time 1769979114.903912, type 1 (EV_KEY), code 172 (KEY_HOMEPAGE), value 1
Event: time 1769979114.903912, -------------- SYN_REPORT ------------
Event: time 1769979114.903968, type 4 (EV_MSC), code 4 (MSC_SCAN), value c0223
Event: time 1769979114.903968, type 1 (EV_KEY), code 172 (KEY_HOMEPAGE), value 0
Event: time 1769979114.903968, -------------- SYN_REPORT ------------

Event code 217 (KEY_SEARCH)

No button seemed to activate this code

Event code 230 (KEY_KBDILLUMUP)

No button seemed to activate this code

Event code 353 (KEY_SELECT)

Event: time 1769979232.260411, type 4 (EV_MSC), code 4 (MSC_SCAN), value c0041
Event: time 1769979232.260411, type 1 (EV_KEY), code 353 (KEY_SELECT), value 1
Event: time 1769979232.260411, -------------- SYN_REPORT ------------
Event: time 1769979232.400460, type 4 (EV_MSC), code 4 (MSC_SCAN), value c0041
Event: time 1769979232.400460, type 1 (EV_KEY), code 353 (KEY_SELECT), value 0
Event: time 1769979232.400460, -------------- SYN_REPORT ------------

Event code 377 (KEY_TV)

Event: time 1769979063.523730, type 4 (EV_MSC), code 4 (MSC_SCAN), value c0089
Event: time 1769979063.523730, type 1 (EV_KEY), code 377 (KEY_TV), value 1
Event: time 1769979063.523730, -------------- SYN_REPORT ------------
Event: time 1769979063.707121, type 4 (EV_MSC), code 4 (MSC_SCAN), value c0089
Event: time 1769979063.707121, type 1 (EV_KEY), code 377 (KEY_TV), value 0
Event: time 1769979063.707121, -------------- SYN_REPORT ------------

Event code 588 (?)

Event: time 1769978647.833887, type 4 (EV_MSC), code 4 (MSC_SCAN), value c0077
Event: time 1769978647.833887, type 1 (EV_KEY), code 588 (?), value 1
Event: time 1769978647.833887, -------------- SYN_REPORT ------------
Event: time 1769978648.033834, type 4 (EV_MSC), code 4 (MSC_SCAN), value c0077
Event: time 1769978648.033834, type 1 (EV_KEY), code 588 (?), value 0
Event: time 1769978648.033834, -------------- SYN_REPORT ------------

Event code 589 (?)

Event: time 1769978741.500585, type 4 (EV_MSC), code 4 (MSC_SCAN), value c0078
Event: time 1769978741.500585, type 1 (EV_KEY), code 589 (?), value 1
Event: time 1769978741.500585, -------------- SYN_REPORT ------------
Event: time 1769978741.700515, type 4 (EV_MSC), code 4 (MSC_SCAN), value c0078
Event: time 1769978741.700515, type 1 (EV_KEY), code 589 (?), value 0
Event: time 1769978741.700515, -------------- SYN_REPORT ------------

The last two buttons, with the ?, are the Youtube and Netflix buttons respectively.
You have the picture for reference.

The Google assistant button doesn't trigger any events.

Hope this helps now.

[pastaq]

Did the events all seem to fire when you released the button or was there a distinct up/down?

[bicheTortue]

I didn't think of checking that at first. After checking, the first part (before first SYN_REPORT) is when the button is pressed down and the second when released.