Remote Transmitter

The remote_transmitter component lets you send digital packets to control devices in your home. For example this includes infrared data or 433MHz RF signals.

First, you need to setup a global hub that specifies which pin your remote sender is connected to. Then you can use the available actions to send encoded remote signals.

See Setting up Infrared Devices and Setting Up RF Devices for set up guides.

Note

This component is more accurate on the ESP32, since that chipset has a dedicated peripheral for sending exact signal sequences.

# Example configuration entry
remote_transmitter:
  pin: GPIO32
  carrier_duty_percent: 50%

# Individual switches
switch:
  - platform: template
    name: "Panasonic TV Off"
    turn_on_action:
      remote_transmitter.transmit_panasonic:
        address: 0x4004
        command: 0x100BCBD

Configuration variables:

  • pin (Required, Pin): The pin to transmit the remote signal on.

  • carrier_duty_percent (Optional, int): How much of the time the remote is on. For example, infrared protocols modulate the signal using a carrier signal. Set this to 50% if you’re working with IR LEDs and to 100% if working with other things like 433MHz transmitters.

  • id (Optional, ID): Manually specify the ID used for code generation. Use this if you have multiple remote transmitters.

Remote Transmitter Actions

Remote transmitters support a number of actions that can be used to send remote codes. All supported protocols are listed below. All actions additionally have these configuration variables:

Configuration variables:

  • repeat (Optional): Optionally set the code to be repeated a number of times. Defaults to sending the code only once.

    • times (int): The number of times to repeat the code.

    • wait_time (Time): The time to wait between repeats.

  • transmitter_id (Optional, ID): The remote transmitter to send the remote code with. Defaults to the first one defined in the configuration.

If you’re looking for the same functionality as is default in the rpi_rf integration in Home Assistant, you’ll want to set the times to 10 and the wait_time to 0s.

remote_transmitter.transmit_aeha Action

This action sends a AEHA code to a remote transmitter.

on_...:
  - remote_transmitter.transmit_aeha:
      address: 0x1FEF
      data: [0x1F, 0x3E, 0x06, 0x5F]

Configuration variables:

  • address (Required, int): The address to send the command to, see dumper output for more details.

  • data (Required, list): The command to send, A length of 2-35 bytes can be specified for one packet.

AEHA refers to the Association for Electric Home Appliances in Japan, a format used by Panasonic and many other companies.

remote_transmitter.transmit_canalsat Action

This action sends a CanalSat infrared remote code to a remote transmitter.

Note

The CanalSat and CanalSatLD protocols use a higher carrier frequency (56khz) and are very similar. Depending on the hardware used they may interfere with each other when enabled simultaneously.

on_...:
  - remote_transmitter.transmit_canalsat:
      device: 0x25
      address: 0x00
      command: 0x02

Configuration variables:

  • device (Required, int): The device to send to, see dumper output for more details.

  • address (Optional, int): The address (or subdevice) to send to, see dumper output for more details. Defaults to 0

  • command (Required, int): The command to send.

  • All other options from Remote Transmitter Actions.

remote_transmitter.transmit_canalsatld Action

This action sends a CanalSatLD infrared remote code to a remote transmitter.

Note

The CanalSat and CanalSatLD protocols use a higher carrier frequency (56khz) and are very similar. Depending on the hardware used they may interfere with each other when enabled simultaneously.

on_...:
  - remote_transmitter.transmit_canalsatld:
      device: 0x25
      address: 0x00
      command: 0x02

Configuration variables:

  • device (Required, int): The device to send to, see dumper output for more details.

  • address (Optional, int): The address (or subdevice) to send to, see dumper output for more details. Defaults to 0

  • command (Required, int): The command to send.

  • All other options from Remote Transmitter Actions.

remote_transmitter.transmit_coolix Action

This action sends one or two (stricted or not) 24-bit Coolix infrared remote codes to a remote transmitter.

on_...:
  - remote_transmitter.transmit_coolix:
      first: 0xB23FE4
      second: 0xB23FE4

Configuration variables:

  • first (Required, templatable, uint32_t): The first 24-bit Coolix code to send, see dumper output for more info.

  • second (Optional, templatable, uint32_t): The second 24-bit Coolix code to send, see dumper output for more info.

remote_transmitter.transmit_dish Action

This action sends a Dish Network infrared remote code to a remote transmitter.

on_...:
  - remote_transmitter.transmit_dish:
      address: 1
      command: 16

Configuration variables:

  • address (Optional, int): The number of the receiver to target, between 1 and 16 inclusive. Defaults to 1.

  • command (Required, int): The command to send, between 0 and 63 inclusive.

  • All other options from Remote Transmitter Actions.

You can find a list of commands in the LIRC project.

remote_transmitter.transmit_drayton Action

This action sends a Draton Digistat RF remote code to a remote transmitter.

on_...:
  - remote_transmitter.transmit_drayton:
      address: '0x6180'
      channel: '0x12'
      command: '0x02'

Configuration variables:

  • address (Required, int): The 16-bit ID to send, see dumper output for more info.

  • channel (Required, int): The switch/channel to send, between 0 and 127 inclusive.

  • command (Required, int): The command to send, between 0 and 63 inclusive.

  • All other options from Remote Transmitter Actions.

remote_transmitter.transmit_jvc Action

This action sends a JVC infrared remote code to a remote transmitter.

on_...:
  - remote_transmitter.transmit_jvc:
      data: 0x1234

Configuration variables:

  • data (Required, int): The JVC code to send, see dumper output for more info.

remote_transmitter.transmit_lg Action

This action sends an LG infrared remote code to a remote transmitter.

on_...:
  - remote_transmitter.transmit_lg:
      data: 0x20DF10EF # power on/off
      nbits: 32

Configuration variables:

  • data (Required, int): The LG code to send, see dumper output for more info.

  • nbits (Optional, int): The number of bits to send. Defaults to 28.

  • All other options from Remote Transmitter Actions.

remote_transmitter.transmit_magiquest Action

This action sends a MagiQuest wand code to a remote transmitter.

on_...:
  - remote_transmitter.transmit_magiquest:
      wand_id: 0x01234567
      magnitude: 0x080C

Configuration variables:

  • wand_id (Required, int): The wand ID to send, as a hex integer. See the dumper output for your wand ID.

  • magnitude (Optional, int): The magnitude of swishes and swirls of the want to transmit. See the dumper output for examples. If omitted, sends 0xFFFF (which the real wand never uses).

  • All other options from Remote Transmitter Actions.

remote_transmitter.transmit_midea Action

This action sends a 40-bit Midea code to a remote transmitter. 8-bits of checksum added automatically.

on_...:
  - remote_transmitter.transmit_midea:
      code: [0xA2, 0x08, 0xFF, 0xFF, 0xFF]

on_...:
  - remote_transmitter.transmit_midea:
      code: !lambda |-
        // Send a FollowMe code with the current temperature.
        return {0xA4, 0x82, 0x48, 0x7F, (uint8_t)(id(temp_sensor).state + 1)};

Configuration variables:

remote_transmitter.transmit_nec Action

This action sends an NEC infrared remote code to a remote transmitter.

Note

In version 2021.12, the order of transferring bits was corrected from MSB to LSB in accordance with the NEC standard. Therefore, if the configuration file has come from an earlier version of ESPhome, it is necessary to reverse the order of the address and command bits when moving to 2021.12 or above. For example, address: 0x84ED, command: 0x13EC becomes 0xB721 and 0x37C8 respectively.

on_...:
  - remote_transmitter.transmit_nec:
      address: 0x1234
      command: 0x78AB

Configuration variables:

  • address (Required, int): The address to send, see dumper output for more details.

  • command (Required, int): The NEC command to send.

  • All other options from Remote Transmitter Actions.

remote_transmitter.transmit_nexa Action

This action a Nexa RF remote code to a remote transmitter.

on_...:
  - remote_transmitter.transmit_nexa:
      device: 0x38DDB4A
      state: 1
      group: 0
      channel: 15
      level: 0

Configuration variables:

  • device (Required, int): The Nexa device code to send, see dumper output for more info.

  • state (Required, int): The Nexa state code to send (0-OFF, 1-ON, 2-DIMMER LEVEL), see dumper output for more info.

  • group (Required, int): The Nexa group code to send, see dumper output for more info.

  • channel (Required, int): The Nexa channel code to send, see dumper output for more info.

  • level (Required, int): The Nexa level code to send, see dumper output for more info.

  • All other options from Remote Transmitter Actions.

remote_transmitter.transmit_panasonic Action

This action sends a Panasonic infrared remote code to a remote transmitter.

on_...:
  - remote_transmitter.transmit_panasonic:
      address: 0x1FEF
      command: 0x1F3E065F

Configuration variables:

  • address (Required, int): The address to send the command to, see dumper output for more details.

  • command (Required, int): The command to send.

  • All other options from Remote Transmitter Actions.

remote_transmitter.transmit_pioneer Action

This action sends a Pioneer infrared remote code to a remote transmitter.

on_...:
  - remote_transmitter.transmit_pioneer:
      rc_code_1: 0xA556
      rc_code_2: 0xA506
      repeat:
        times: 2

Configuration variables:

  • rc_code_1 (Required, int): The remote control code to send, see dumper output for more details.

  • rc_code_2 (Optional, int): The secondary remote control code to send; some codes are sent in two parts.

  • Note that repeat is still optional, however Pioneer devices may require that a given code is received multiple times before they will act on it. Add this if your device does not respond to commands sent with this action.

  • All other options from Remote Transmitter Actions.

At the time this action was created, Pioneer maintained listings of IR codes used for their devices here. If unable to find your specific device in the documentation, find a device in the same class; the codes are largely shared among devices within a given class.

remote_transmitter.transmit_pronto Action

This action sends a raw code to a remote transmitter specified in Pronto format.

on_...:
  - remote_transmitter.transmit_pronto:
      data: "0000 006D 0010 0000 0008 0020 0008 0046 000A 0020 0008 0020 0008 001E 000A 001E 000A 0046 000A 001E 0008 0020 0008 0020 0008 0046 000A 0046 000A 0046 000A 001E 000A 001E 0008 06C3"

Configuration variables:

remote_transmitter.transmit_raw Action

This action sends a raw code to a remote transmitter.

on_...:
  - remote_transmitter.transmit_raw:
      code: [4088, -1542, 1019, -510, 513, -1019, 510, -509, 511, -510, 1020,
             -1020, 1022, -1019, 510, -509, 511, -510, 511, -509, 511, -510,
             1020, -1019, 510, -511, 1020, -510, 512, -508, 510, -1020, 1022,
             -1021, 1019, -1019, 511, -510, 510, -510, 1022, -1020, 1019,
             -1020, 511, -511, 1018, -1022, 1020, -1019, 1021, -1019, 1020,
             -511, 510, -1019, 1023, -1019, 1019, -510, 512, -508, 510, -511,
             512, -1019, 510, -509]

Configuration variables:

  • code (Required, list): The raw code to send as a list of integers. Positive numbers represent a digital high signal and negative numbers a digital low signal. The number itself encodes how long the signal should last (in microseconds).

  • carrier_frequency (Optional, float): Optionally set a frequency to send the signal with for infrared signals. Defaults to 0Hz.

  • All other options from Remote Transmitter Actions.

remote_transmitter.transmit_rc5 Action

This action sends an RC5 infrared remote code to a remote transmitter.

on_...:
  - remote_transmitter.transmit_rc5:
      address: 0x1F
      command: 0x3F

Configuration variables:

  • address (Required, int): The address to send, see dumper output for more details.

  • command (Required, int): The RC5 command to send.

  • All other options from Remote Transmitter Actions.

remote_transmitter.transmit_rc6 Action

This action sends an RC6 infrared remote code to a remote transmitter.

on_...:
  - remote_transmitter.transmit_rc6:
      address: 0x1F
      command: 0x3F

Configuration variables:

  • address (Required, int): The address to send, see dumper output for more details.

  • command (Required, int): The RC6 command to send.

  • All other options from Remote Transmitter Actions.

remote_transmitter.transmit_rc_switch_raw Action

This action sends a raw RC-Switch code to a remote transmitter.

on_...:
  - remote_transmitter.transmit_rc_switch_raw:
      code: '001010011001111101011011'
      protocol: 1

Configuration variables:

  • code (Required, string): The raw code to send, copy this from the dump output.

  • protocol (Optional): The RC Switch protocol to use, see RC Switch Protocol for more information.

  • All other options from Remote Transmitter Actions.

RC Switch Protocol

All RC Switch protocol settings have these settings:

  • Either the value is an integer, then the inbuilt protocol definition with the given number is used.

  • Or a key-value mapping is given, then there are these settings:

    • pulse_length (Required, int): The pulse length of the protocol - how many microseconds one pulse should last for.

    • sync (Optional): The number of high/low pulses for the sync header, defaults to [1, 31]

    • zero (Optional): The number of high/low pulses for a zero bit, defaults to [1, 3]

    • one (Optional): The number of high/low pulses for a one bit, defaults to [3, 1]

    • inverted (Optional, boolean): If this protocol is inverted. Defaults to false.

remote_transmitter.transmit_rc_switch_type_a Action

This action sends a type A RC-Switch code to a remote transmitter.

on_...:
  - remote_transmitter.transmit_rc_switch_type_a:
      group: '01001'
      device: '10110'
      state: off
      protocol: 1

Configuration variables:

  • group (Required, string): The group to send the command to.

  • device (Required, string): The device in the group to send the command to.

  • state (Required, boolean): The on/off state to send.

  • protocol (Optional): The RC Switch protocol to use, see RC Switch Protocol for more information.

  • All other options from Remote Transmitter Actions.

remote_transmitter.transmit_rc_switch_type_b Action

This action sends a type B RC-Switch code to a remote transmitter.

on_...:
  - remote_transmitter.transmit_rc_switch_type_b:
      address: '0100'
      channel: '1011'
      state: off
      protocol: 1

Configuration variables:

  • address (Required, int): The address to send the command to.

  • channel (Required, int): The channel to send the command to.

  • state (Required, boolean): The on/off state to send.

  • protocol (Optional): The RC Switch protocol to use, see RC Switch Protocol for more information.

  • All other options from Remote Transmitter Actions.

remote_transmitter.transmit_rc_switch_type_c Action

This action sends a type C RC-Switch code to a remote transmitter.

on_...:
  - remote_transmitter.transmit_rc_switch_type_c:
      family: 'C'
      group: 3
      device: 1
      state: off
      protocol: 1

Configuration variables:

  • family (Required, string): The family to send the command to. Range is a to p.

  • group (Required, int): The group to send the command to. Range is 1 to 4.

  • device (Required, int): The device to send the command to. Range is 1 to 4.

  • state (Required, boolean): The on/off state to send.

  • protocol (Optional): The RC Switch protocol to use, see RC Switch Protocol for more information.

  • All other options from Remote Transmitter Actions.

remote_transmitter.transmit_rc_switch_type_d Action

This action sends a type D RC-Switch code to a remote transmitter.

on_...:
  - remote_transmitter.transmit_rc_switch_type_d:
      group: 'c'
      device: 1
      state: off
      protocol: 1

Configuration variables:

  • group (Required, int): The group to send the command to. Range is 1 to 4.

  • device (Required, int): The device to send the command to. Range is 1 to 3.

  • state (Required, boolean): The on/off state to send.

  • protocol (Optional): The RC Switch protocol to use, see RC Switch Protocol for more information.

  • All other options from Remote Transmitter Actions.

remote_transmitter.transmit_samsung Action

This action sends a Samsung infrared remote code to a remote transmitter. It transmits codes up to 64 bits in length in a single packet.

on_...:
  - remote_transmitter.transmit_samsung:
      data: 0x1FEF05E4
  # additional example for 48-bit codes:
  - remote_transmitter.transmit_samsung:
      data: 0xB946F50A09F6
      nbits: 48

Configuration variables:

  • data (Required, int): The data to send, see dumper output for more details.

  • nbits (Optional, int): The number of bits to send. Defaults to 32.

  • All other options from Remote Transmitter Actions.

remote_transmitter.transmit_samsung36 Action

This action sends a Samsung36 infrared remote code to a remote transmitter. It transmits the address and command in two packets separated by a “space”.

on_...:
  - remote_transmitter.transmit_samsung36:
      address: 0x0400
      command: 0x000E00FF

Configuration variables:

  • address (Required, int): The address to send, see dumper output for more details.

  • command (Required, int): The Samsung36 command to send, see dumper output for more details.

  • All other options from Remote Transmitter Actions.

remote_transmitter.transmit_sony Action

This action a Sony infrared remote code to a remote transmitter.

on_...:
  - remote_transmitter.transmit_sony:
      data: 0x123
      nbits: 12

Configuration variables:

  • data (Required, int): The Sony code to send, see dumper output for more info.

  • nbits (Optional, int): The number of bits to send. Defaults to 12.

  • All other options from Remote Transmitter Actions.

remote_transmitter.transmit_toshiba_ac Action

This action sends a Toshiba AC infrared remote code to a remote transmitter.

Note

This action transmits codes using the new(er) Toshiba AC protocol and likely will not work with older units.

on_...:
  - remote_transmitter.transmit_toshiba_ac:
      rc_code_1: 0xB24DBF4040BF
      rc_code_2: 0xD5660001003C

Configuration variables:

  • rc_code_1 (Required, int): The remote control code to send, see dumper output for more details.

  • rc_code_2 (Optional, int): The secondary remote control code to send; some codes are sent in two parts.

  • All other options from Remote Transmitter Actions.

Lambda calls

Actions may also be called from lambdas. The .transmit() call can be populated with encoded data for a specific protocol by following the example below. See the full API Reference for more info.

  • .transmit(): Transmit an IR code using the remote transmitter.

    // Example - transmit using the Pioneer protocol
auto call = id(my_transmitter).transmit();
esphome::remote_base::PioneerData data = { rc_code_1, rc_code_2 };
esphome::remote_base::PioneerProtocol().encode(call.get_data(), data);
call.set_send_times(2);
call.perform();

Setting up Infrared Devices

In this guide an infrared device will be set up with ESPHome. First, the remote code will be captured with an IR receiver module (like this one). We will use ESPHome’s dumping ability to output the decoded remote code directly.

Then we will set up a new remote transmitter with an infrared LED (like this one) to transmit the code when a switch is triggered.

First, connect the infrared receiver module to a pin on your board and set up a remote_receiver instance:

remote_receiver:
  pin: D0
  dump: all

Compile and upload the code. While viewing the log output from the ESP, press a button on an infrared remote you want to capture (one at a time).

You should see log output like below:

# If the codec is known:
[D][remote.panasonic] Received Panasonic: address=0x4004 command=0x8140DFA2

# Or raw output if it's not known yet
# The values may fluctuate a bit, but as long as they're similar it's ok
[D][remote.raw] Received Raw: 4088, -1542, 1019, -510, 513, -1019, 510, -509, 511, -510, 1020,
[D][remote.raw]   -1020, 1022, -1019, 510, -509, 511, -510, 511, -509, 511, -510,
[D][remote.raw]   1020, -1019, 510, -511, 1020, -510, 512, -508, 510, -1020, 1022

If the codec is already implemented in ESPHome, you will see the decoded value directly - otherwise you will see the raw data dump (which you can use just as well). You have just successfully captured your first infrared code.

Now let’s use this information to emulate a button press from the ESP. First, wire up the IR diode to a new pin on the ESP and configure a global remote_transmitter instance:

remote_transmitter:
  pin: D1
  # Infrared remotes use a 50% carrier signal
  carrier_duty_percent: 50%

This will allow us to send any data we want via the IR LED. To replicate the codes we decoded earlier, create a new template switch that sends the infrared code when triggered:

switch:
  - platform: template
    name: Panasonic Power Button
    turn_on_action:
      - remote_transmitter.transmit_panasonic:
          address: 0x4004
          command: 0x8140DFA2

# Or for raw code
switch:
  - platform: template
    name: Raw Code Power Button
    turn_on_action:
      - remote_transmitter.transmit_raw:
          carrier_frequency: 38kHz
          code: [4088, -1542, 1019, -510, 513, -1019, 510, -509, 511, -510, 1020,
                 -1020, 1022, -1019, 510, -509, 511, -510, 511, -509, 511, -510,
                 1020, -1019, 510, -511, 1020, -510, 512, -508, 510, -1020, 1022]

Recompile again, when you power up the device the next time you will see a new switch in the frontend. Click on it and you should see the remote signal being transmitted. Done!

Setting Up RF Devices

The remote_transmitter and remote_receiver components can also be used to send and receive 433MHz RF signals. This guide will discuss setting up a 433MHz receiver to capture a device’s remote codes. After that we will set up a 433MHz transmitter to replicate the remote code with the press of a switch in the frontend.

First, connect the RF module to a pin on the ESP and set up a remote_receiver instance:

remote_receiver:
  pin: D0
  dump: all
  # Settings to optimize recognition of RF devices
  tolerance: 50%
  filter: 250us
  idle: 4ms
  buffer_size: 2kb

Compile and upload the code. While viewing the log output from the ESP, press a button on an RF remote you want to capture (one at a time).

You should see log output like below:

# If the codec is known:
[D][remote.rc_switch] Received RCSwitch: protocol=2 data='100010000000000010111110'

# Or raw output if it's not known yet
# The values may fluctuate a bit, but as long as they're similar it's ok
[D][remote.raw] Received Raw: 4088, -1542, 1019, -510, 513, -1019, 510, -509, 511, -510, 1020,
[D][remote.raw]   -1020, 1022, -1019, 510, -509, 511, -510, 511, -509, 511, -510,
[D][remote.raw]   1020, -1019, 510, -511, 1020, -510, 512, -508, 510, -1020, 1022

Note

If the log output is flooded with “Received Raw” messages, you can also disable raw remote code reporting and rely on rc_switch to decode the values.

remote_receiver:
  pin: D0
  dump:
    - rc_switch
  tolerance: 50%
  filter: 250us
  idle: 4ms
  buffer_size: 2kb

If the codec is already implemented in ESPHome, you will see the decoded value directly - otherwise you will see the raw data dump (which you can use just as well). You have just successfully captured your first RF code.

Now let’s use this information to emulate a button press from the ESP. First, wire up the RF transmitter to a new pin on the ESP and configure a global remote_transmitter instance:

remote_transmitter:
  pin: D1
  # RF uses a 100% carrier signal
  carrier_duty_percent: 100%

This will allow us to send any data we want via the RF transmitter. To replicate the codes we decoded earlier, create a new template switch that sends the RF code when triggered:

switch:
  - platform: template
    name: RF Power Button
    turn_on_action:
      - remote_transmitter.transmit_rc_switch_raw:
          code: '100010000000000010111110'
          protocol: 2
          repeat:
            times: 10
            wait_time: 0s


# Or for raw code
switch:
  - platform: template
    name: Raw Code Power Button
    turn_on_action:
      - remote_transmitter.transmit_raw:
          code: [4088, -1542, 1019, -510, 513, -1019, 510, -509, 511, -510, 1020,
                 -1020, 1022, -1019, 510, -509, 511, -510, 511, -509, 511, -510,
                 1020, -1019, 510, -511, 1020, -510, 512, -508, 510, -1020, 1022]

Recompile again, when you power up the device the next time you will see a new switch in the frontend. Click on it and you should see the remote signal being transmitted. Done!

Note

Some devices require that the transmitted code be repeated for the signal to be picked up as valid. Also the interval between repetitions can be important. Check that the pace of repetition logs are consistent between the remote controller and the transmitter node. You can adjust the repeat: settings accordingly.

See Also