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layout	title	description	date	sidebar	comments	sharing	footer	logo	ha_category	featured	ha_release	ha_iot_class
page	LIRC	Instructions how to integrate IR remotes with LIRC into Home Assistant.	2016-05-22 19:59	true	false	true	true	lirc.gif	Automation	false	0.21	Local Push

LIRC integration for Home Assistant allows you to receive signals from an infrared remote control and control actions based on the buttons you press. You can use them to set scenes or trigger any other automation.

Sending IR commands is not supported in this component (yet), but can be accomplished using the shell_command component in conjunction with the irsend command.

{% linkable_title Installation %}

To allow Home Assistant to talk to your IR receiver, you need to first make sure you have the correct dependencies installed:

$ sudo apt-get install lirc python3-lirc

Check the version of python3-lirc:

$ apt-cache show python3-lirc
Package: python3-lirc
Source: python-lirc
Version: 1.2.1-2

If you do not have this version or you are running in a virtual environment, then your system will completely freeze with this component active. You will need to build python3-lirc from source. The version of this library in the Python package index is also broken, so the typical dependency system cannot fix this. Build it from source like this:

As regular user:

sudo apt-get install liblircclient-dev

As the user that runs hass:

(hass) $  git clone https://github.com/tompreston/python-lirc.git
(hass) $  cd python-lirc
(hass) $  make py3
(hass) $  python3 setup.py build
(hass) $  python3 setup.py install

If you are not using a virtual environment setup, then you'll need a sudo before the install line above.

If you are configuring on a Raspberry Pi, there are excellent instructions with GPIO schematics and driver configurations [here](http://alexba.in/blog/2013/01/06/setting-up-lirc-on-the-raspberrypi/). Consider following these.

{% linkable_title Configuring LIRC %}

Now teach LIRC about your particular remote control by preparing a lircd configuration file (/etc/lirc/lircd.conf). Search the LIRC remote database for your model. If you can't find it, then you can always use the irrecord program to learn your remote. This will create a valid configuration file. Add as many remotes as you want by pasting them into the file. If irrecord doesn't work (e.g. for some air conditioner remotes), then the mode2 program is capable of reading the codes in raw mode, followed by irrecord -a to extract hex codes.

Next, you have to make a ~/.lircrc file that maps keypresses to system actions. The configuration is a bit tedious but it must be done. Use the prog = home-assistant for all keys you want to be recognized by Home Assistant. The values you set for button must be the same as in the lircd.conf file and the values you put for config entry will be the sensor value in Home Assistant when you press the button. An example may look like this:

begin
    remote = SONY
    button = KEY_1
    prog   = home-assistant
    config = KEY_1
end
begin
    remote = SONY
    button = KEY_2
    prog   = home-assistant
    config = KEY_2
end
begin
    remote = SONY
    button = KEY_3
    prog   = home-assistant
    config = KEY_3
end

Test your LIRC installation before proceeding by running:

$ ircat home-assistant

and pressing some buttons on the remote. You should see them register on the screen if LIRC is properly configured.

{% linkable_title Configuration Home Assistant %}

# Example configuration.yaml entry
lirc:

{% linkable_title Events %}

The LIRC component fires ir_command_received events on the bus. You can capture the events and respond to them in automation scripts like this:

# Example configuration.yaml automation entry
automation:
  - alias: Off on Remote
    trigger:
      platform: event
      event_type: ir_command_received
      event_data:
        button_name: KEY_0
    action:
      service: homeassistant.turn_off
      entity_id: group.a_lights

The button_name data values (e.g. KEY_0) are set by you in the .lircrc file.