Asus DH Remote: Crafting an OS X driver 2009-11-02
Some ASUS mainboards are supplied with a remote control, the „Asus DH Remote“. I’m running Mac OS X Snow Leopard on a P5W DH Deluxe, which is quite old from a technical point of view, but actually doing a good job. As often, there are only Windows drivers for the remote, but none for Linux or even OS X. For the Linux part, there is already a driver for LIRC.
When I realized that the IR receiver is a simple USB HID device, I started brewing an OS X user-space utility together that interfaces the receiver. It is merely a hack based off example code I found at the Mac Dev Center, but that got it to work in a short time.
Basically, what you get from the receiver is the message that a key on the remote was pressed or released. Using this information, the tool is using Brandon Holland’s IRKeyboardEmu to emulate HID command reports sent by an Apple Remote. This allows you to use the Asus DH Remote as a controller for FrontRow or iTunes!
It is far from being perfect, but I think it’s a good starting point for your own inventions.
Download
Source and Universal Binary: AsusRemote-v0.1.zip
Installation
- Download and extract the archive.
- Install the binary:
# sudo cp AsusRemote /usr/local/bin/AsusRemote
# sudo chown root:wheel /usr/local/bin/AsusRemote
# sudo chmod +s /usr/local/bin/AsusRemote
Note the SUID bit for AsusRemote. It needs superuser rights to interface to IRKeyboardEmu! Else it will issue an error issuing a sysctl command. - To be able to use the daemon right after booting OS X, you need to copy com.tinowagner.AsusRemote.plist to /Library/LaunchDaemons/:
# sudo cp com.tinowagner.AsusRemote.plist /Library/LaunchDaemons/
# sudo chown root:wheel /Library/LaunchDaemons/com.tinowagner.AsusRemote.plist
- Finally, you should download the newest binary of IRKeyboardEmu and copy it to /System/Library/Extensions. Just follow the instructions in the readme.
- After rebooting, check that the daemon is running. There should be a process called AsusRemote.
Key assignment
This is a hard coded part. It tries to match the keys on the Apple Remote.
- AP LAUNCH: Menu. Start FrontRow.
- + and – : Up and down arrows, Volume up/down.
- Reverse and Forward: Previous/Rewind, Next/Fast-forward
- Play/Pause: Enter, Play/Pause
There is no action assigned to the other keys.
Troubleshooting
If nothing happens after pressing a key, try running AsusRemote from command line. First kill the daemon running in the background:
# sudo killall AsusRemote
# AsusRemote
You should now see a version message. Pressing an arbitrary key on the remote should produce an output:
AsusRemote v0.1
2009, (c) Tino Wagner <ich@tinowagner.com>Key: Plus
Key: Minus
Key: Reverse
Key: Forward
Key: Play/Pause
Key pressed: Plus
Key released: Plus
Key pressed: Minus
Key released: Minus
Key pressed: Forward
Key released: Forward
Key pressed: Reverse
Key released: Reverse
Key: AP Launch
Key: AP Launch
^C
Notes
Feel free to modify the code to your likes! But please drop me a note if it’s an improvement that could be useful for everybody, so I can post it here.
Am 30. November 2009 um 12:11 Uhr
Hi, I followed your step by step tutorial and I get this errors for:
Keys: Play/Pause, +, -, FW and RW
ERROR: Unable issuing sysctl command, errno = 2!
what am I doing wrong?
I’m on Snow Leopard 10.6.2, Asus P5B Vista Edition, Asus IR and remote.
Thank you.
Iulian
Am 30. November 2009 um 12:51 Uhr
Hi Iulian,
have you checked that IRKeyboardEmu is installed correctly and loaded? You can check so by running “sudo kextstat | grep IRKeyboardEmu” in a terminal. If there’s a line indicating the kernel extension is loaded, everything should be fine. If not, you could try loading the kernel extension manually using kextload.
Best regards,
Tino
Am 7. Dezember 2009 um 11:59 Uhr
Hi
Got also problems with the install.
AsusRemote works and receives commands form the Remote checked while running AsusRemote via interactive mode.
IRKeyboardEmu is running.
But it looks that ther is no mapping from AsusRemote to IRKeyboardEmu.
Which version of IRKeyboardEmu do you used?
THX
gigo
Am 7. Dezember 2009 um 12:00 Uhr
.. running un 10.5.8 leopard, MAc Mini G4
Am 7. Dezember 2009 um 21:19 Uhr
HI
Started AsusRemote from CommandLine and keys are recognized and forwarded to theIRKeybooardEmu.
Looks that id don’t work only if startet as daemon. Do you have any hints?
Thank you
Gigo
Am 7. Dezember 2009 um 21:35 Uhr
Hi,
it seems AsusRemote is not running with super-user priviledges. If you run “ps aux | grep AsusRemote” in a terminal window, you should see a line starting with “root”. If this line is missing, AsusRemote is unable to forward the commands to IRKeyboardEmu. Is it possible that you missed changing the owner of /usr/local/bin/AsusRemote to root?
HTH
Best regards,
Tino
Am 13. Dezember 2009 um 16:46 Uhr
HI
Thank you for your response but this is not the solution/problem.
Process is running as root user.
Maybe the problem is the latency until the kernel extension is loaded.
Will make a test with kextload from the launch daemon to see if this will fix it,
thx Gigo
Am 2. Januar 2010 um 13:30 Uhr
HI
Fixed the problem I had with a shellscript that starts in the background via a Apple Script Application Bundle as a User Startup Item.
One problem is still left:
The Application Launch Button is recognized by the program, but it seems that ther is no mapping to “Start Frontrow” or “Menu”
Any hints?
Thx gigo
Am 3. März 2010 um 21:39 Uhr
Hello,
If I buy the IR receiver will it work with snow leopard and a normal apple remote? I don’t need the remote, I have the Apple one, just not the receiver.
Thanks.
Am 3. März 2010 um 22:42 Uhr
Hello Alex,
the receiver is listening only for commands of the Asus remote. So I don’t think it is possible to use it with a normal Apple Remote.
Best regards,
Tino
Am 6. März 2010 um 08:30 Uhr
Hello,
I succeeded to an installation
Thank you.
Not yet Snow Leopad 64bit.
Am 15. März 2010 um 09:57 Uhr
[...] Asus DH Remote: Crafting an OS X driver [...]
Am 22. Mai 2010 um 07:42 Uhr
hi.
thx to your work, my DH remote works fine on iTunes and FrontRow.
but it doesnt work on Plex.
is there any way to make it work on Plex or other apps?
thank you.
Am 22. Mai 2010 um 08:34 Uhr
Hi,
it’s nice to hear that it works for you. About Plex: I’m sure there’s a way to get the remote working with it, either by directy controlling Plex from my daemon or using Plex’ Apple Remote support. The latter way might not work as emulating Apple Remote commands using IRKeyboardEmu is quite prone to errors.
Best regards,
Tino
Am 22. Mai 2010 um 10:09 Uhr
thank you for the anwer.
unfortuantely, the later way doesn’t work here.
so could you please explain more detail about ‘directly controlling Plex from my daemon’?
i’m sorry but i’m a totally newbie to mac stuff.
thank you very much.
Am 22. Mai 2010 um 11:01 Uhr
I could do some quick changes to the code to let it emulate key presses, if you tell me, which keys should be pressed on the keyboard for each button on the remote.
Best regards,
Tino
Am 22. Mai 2010 um 11:24 Uhr
I really appreciate for your kindness!
I want ‘ap launch’ button to launch Plex. (instead of front row)
and on plex, ‘up down skip play menu’ buttons to the same as normal apple remote(arrows and return and esc keys)
thanks, again.
Am 22. Mai 2010 um 12:36 Uhr
Here you go: AsusRemote-v0.2.zip. I changed the code so it sends key presses for up/down/left/right and return. However I couldn’t get the daemon to launch Plex with a button on the remote.
By default, the program will work as before. You have to launch it with the parameter “-plex”. It will then send keystrokes to the active window.
Please try it from the command line first. You should see “* Emulating key presses for Plex *” the program is working in “Plex mode” …
To run it using launchd, add the parameter “-plex” to the program arguments in the plist.
Warning: I can’t guarantee that it works. I even couldn’t test it as I don’t have access to my Asus remote at the moment.
Am 22. Mai 2010 um 13:28 Uhr
wow Tino, you are my savior!
it works perfectly fine with -plex option except for ‘menu’ button doesn’t act ‘esc’ key.
could you please change the code again for this?
for me, it’s much better to use DH remote with -plex option.
thanks!!
Am 22. Mai 2010 um 13:44 Uhr
I’m happy that it works!
The “maximize” button (the one next to AP LAUNCH) should send esc now. Same link as above.
Am 22. Mai 2010 um 17:19 Uhr
big thanks!!
it works exactly as i wanted now.
nice work!!
Am 25. Juli 2010 um 03:06 Uhr
Thank you very much for your work. Is great on Mac OS X Snow Leopard 10.6 on a P5W DH Deluxe.
Am 25. Juli 2010 um 05:54 Uhr
I think is time for AsusRemote-v0.3 and update to work in Boxee!
Please.
:P
Am 30. Oktober 2010 um 02:35 Uhr
Hello there…
I have the same problem with Alex but i fixed.
I tried many ways such lirc etc to work my hackintosh with ir controll without luck!
Your app work!! 10 stars app, keep the good work!
Greetings from Greece!
Thank you!
Am 28. April 2011 um 18:05 Uhr
Installed it on Snow Leopard/P5W DH Deluxe. The only problem I had was that the folder /usr/local/bin did not exist. I manually created the bin folder inside /usr/local/. Otherwise, an awesome “driver” for something I never had hope for
One suggestion though:
Is it possible to write an interface for it so that the key presses emulated can be defined by the user?
Am 28. April 2011 um 21:27 Uhr
I’m glad you like it. Of course it would be possible to read in an existing configuration from a plist file and to create a small tool / system settings plugin to modify it. Unfortunately, I don’t have the time for this rather big rewrite at the moment, but maybe somebody else has. I just created a repository at Github for collaboration. This shortcutrecorder control might be very useful then.