PS3 Remote

cakemote-mythtv.py layout for Sony PS3 Bluetooth remote control.

ps3 remote

ps3 remote - Sony BD Remote is a nice peice of hardware, It is bluetooth so no line of site is needed. This is great for a mythtv frontend that feeds multiple rooms. As a side note, the Logitec Cordless MediaBoard Pro™ is a nice cheap keyboard-touchpad combo that is also bluetooth.

The preferred method for setting up this remote can be found here

Unfortunately Debian based distributions bluetooth stack does not like the above method right now. The option for Distributions that will not work with the above method is to use the cakemote.py python script. The cakemote.py script as is, behaves badly due to the multi key press function and requires you to change all your key bindings in myth. With the multi key press function disabled and the remote keys mapped for mythtv this remote rocks. The cakemote-mythtv.py does not interface with lirc.

Drawback to the cakemote-mythtv.py is battery life of 4-5 days.

I have a 15 minute battery charger which makes it tolerable, yes short battery life is a pain in the butt, but the remote works so good my basement, kitchen, living room... that it is worth it, till k/ubuntu bluetooth stack works with the preferred method.

Credit to the original authors

Thanks to those below for their hard work.

#cakemote.py - uinput driver for PS3 remote
#Heavily hacked from work by Will Woods, Brett Rodgers and the WMD team
#by Jo Shields <directhex@apebox.org>

I only tweaked it for use with mythtv, all changes i made are commented.

Requirements

This is geared towards k/ubuntu. You will also need sudo privileges.

sudo apt-get install python-bluez

If you do not already have /home/username/bin directory lets make one

mkdir ~/bin

Download the files: cakemote-mythtv.py

File List:

cakemote-mythtv.py -- the script, should reside inside your ~/bin.
ps3-remote-cakemote-mythtv.png -- layout of the remote.
ps3remote-start -- command line bash script for starting the remote. should reside inside your ~/bin.
ps3remote-start-kde4 -- for kde4. should reside inside your ~/bin. add to your kde4 menu.
A directory called bd-remote-mythtv-svg -- this has the svg file for editing the picture of the remote layout, if you reassign the keys.

Extract all files into your ~/bin directory

tar -C ~/bin -xvzf filename.tar.gz

Then you must enter the Bluetooth Address of the Remote into the cakemote-mythtv.py on line 563. Use hcitool scan to get the address.

Hold 'Start' and 'Enter' buttons on the remote

 hcitool scan
 Scanning ...
           00:00:00:00:00:00       BD Remote Control
 

then add the address you get to the cakemote-mythtv.py about line 563

nano ~/bin/cakemote-mythtv.py  

You must log out and back in to make scripts in ~/bin directory to be seen in your shell.

Starting cakemote-mythtv.py

open a shell and run:

ps3remote-start

also included is ps3remote-start-kde4, add it to your kmenu then run it from their.

Shell startup scripts

ps3remote-start - run from a terminal

#!/bin/sh
##ps3remote-start
sudo   modprobe uinput             # make sure the uinput module is loaded
sudo   /etc/init.d/bluetooth stop  # will not connect while on - this will not disconnect anything 
sudo   killall cakemote-mythtv.py  # make sure cakemote-mythtv.py is not running
xmessage -center  "To connect the PS3 Remote
PRESS ENTER AND START and KEEP PRESSED DOWN on the remote 
then hit okay Then let go after 5 secs" #helps the wife get it done
sudo  ~/bin/cakemote-mythtv.py  &  #change to your path if this does not work
sleep 10                                # let it get going
sudo   /etc/init.d/bluetooth start # restart your bluetooth so your other devices will reconnect when they time out
exit                                    #see ya

ps3remote-start-kde4 - make a menu item in kde4

#!/bin/sh
#ugly script to start cakemote-mythtv.py in kde4 after you reboot, change batteries... 
#if you have a better way, pass it on plz
#use the kdemenu editor (right mouse click the "k" start button) to add the script to the menu by chosing new item.
kdesudo --comment "PS3 Remote startup" modprobe uinput             # make sure the uinput module is loaded
kdesudo /etc/init.d/bluetooth stop  # will not connect while on - this will not disconnect anything 
kdesudo killall cakemote-mythtv.py  # make sure cakemote-mythtv.py is not running
xmessage -center  "TO CONNECT THE PS3 REMOTE:
PRESS and HOLD - ENTER AND START on the PS3 Remote 
KEEP BOTH PRESSED DOWN 
then hit OKAY then LET GO AFTER 5 SECS"  
kdesudo ~/bin/cakemote-mythtv.py &    #change to your path if this does not work#helps the wife get it done 
sleep 10                              # let it get going
kdesudo /etc/init.d/bluetooth start   # restart your bluetooth so your other devices will reconnect when they time out
xmessage -center "Hopefully it connected
If not try again"
exit                                    #see ya

Mplayer key bindings

to make mplayer key bindings match we need to make a input.conf

nano ~/.mplayer/input.conf

and add the following:

##
## MPlayer input control file
##
F3 panscan -0.1 
F4 panscan +0.1
t  sub_visibility
i osd
w panscan +0.1

ps3 and color buttons setup

On the button layout picture, is the info for the setup of these buttons.