Arch Linux

zimt

Member

Registered: 2008-07-19

Posts: 17

vlc and lirc

Hi guys!

I need some help getting my remote to work with vlc. I configured lircd and have entries for mythtv, mplayer and vlc in my ~/.lircrc. The remote works fine with mplayer (after rebuilding using abs) and mythtv but not with vlc.

So far, I downloaded the vlc PKGBUILD using abs and added --enable-lirc:

#PKGBUILD
./configure --prefix=/usr \
              --enable-dvdread \
              --enable-lirc \
              --enable-dvdnav \
              --enable-madi \
              --enable-ffmpeg \
              --disable-rpath \
              --enable-qt4 \
              --enable-faad \
              --enable-alsa \
              --enable-skins2 \
              --enable-dvb \
              --enable-dmo \
              --with-ffmpeg-faac \
              --with-ffmpeg-vorbis \
              --with-ffmpeg-dts \
              --with-ffmpeg-ogg \
              --with-ffmpeg-theora \
              --enable-v4l \
              --enable-theora \
              --enable-flac \
              --enable-snapshot \
              --enable-hal \
              --enable-dbus \
              --enable-ogg \
              --enable-dbus-control \
              --enable-shared \
              --enable-nls \
              --enable-lirc \
              --enable-shout \
              --enable-pvr \
              --enable-release \
              --program-suffix= \
              --with-dv-raw1394=/usr/include/libraw1394 ${EXTRAFEATURES} || return 1

I rebuilt vlc using makepkg and pacman -U'd the new package. I added entries like

#~/.lircrc
# Mute
begin
prog = vlc
button = mute
repeat = 3
config = key-vol-mute
end

for vlc in my ~/.lircrc and restarted lircd. Somehow, im still missing something. Could you please give me a hint?

Cheers
zimt

dav7

Member

From: Australia

Registered: 2008-02-08

Posts: 674

Re: vlc and lirc

Perhaps try LIRC's debugging utilities/options and press random remote buttons (especially the ones you want to work), to make sure that LIRC is actually picking up on them.

-dav7

---

Windows was made for looking at success from a distance through a wall of oversimplicity. Linux removes the wall, so you can just walk up to success and make it your own.
--
Reinventing the wheel is fun. You get to redefine pi.

zimt

Member

Registered: 2008-07-19

Posts: 17

Re: vlc and lirc

Thank you for the hint. I did not find specific debugging utilities, but I did something else. I did

sudo /etc/rc.d/lircd stop
sudo /usr/sbin/lircd -n

to prevent lircd from going in the background. After starting, lircd prompted

lircd: lircd(all) ready

Then I started an .avi movie with vlc. The prompt did not show any output while startup or pressing any buttons of my remote control. Then I stopped vlc and opened the same movie with mplayer. This made lircd prompt

lircd: accepted new client on /dev/lircd

and

lircd: removed client

after I killed mplayer. I guess this is the correct output that should also be there when I start vlc. So it's not a button specific problem and rather me not being able to build vlc in a way that it supports lirc. Anyone any idea?

Last edited by zimt (2008-12-26 12:23:35)

zimt

Member

Registered: 2008-07-19

Posts: 17

Re: vlc and lirc

Here my solution if anybody has the same problem:

lirc is enabled for vlc in the Archlinux build by default. There is no need to recompile. After setting up your ~/.lircrc with the according entries, you have to call vlc with

vlc --control lirc

There does not seem a switch for starting vlc with lirc control without explicitely specifying it. If anybody finds a trigger in the GUI settings or in vlcrc, please let me know! As I like to start my movies from the file browser rather than from the command line, I put this in /usr/local/bin/:

#!/bin/bash
vlc --control lirc $1

and called it vlclirc. Now you only need to specify vlclirc as standard application for your different media formats.

Last edited by zimt (2009-01-08 21:23:20)

SiD

Member

From: Germany

Registered: 2006-09-21

Posts: 729

Re: vlc and lirc

old thread, but any news on this?

Is it possible without running vlc with option "control lirc" in current version?

azleifel

Member

Registered: 2007-10-28

Posts: 486

Re: vlc and lirc

Tools -> Options -> Show Settings All -> Interface -> Control Interface -> Infrared remote control interface

SiD

Member

From: Germany

Registered: 2006-09-21

Posts: 729

Re: vlc and lirc

hm,

there is only

Tools -> Options -> Show Settings All -> Controlb  Interface -> Infrared

but not "Infrared remote control interface"

Under "Tools-> .... -> Control Interface -> Infrared" there is a blank Input field named

"Change the lirc configuration file"

If entered my lirc file

~/.lircrc

but it does not work.

EDIT://
oh, ok, I missed the overwiev of "control interface" with the check boxes. :-/
Works now.

Last edited by SiD (2011-10-27 22:26:55)