Program to send keystrokes to a remote PC

Here is my problem:

Our TV is connected to a SBC running a GNOME/Wayland desktop, where we watch Jellyfin and sometimes Netflix/Hulu through Firefox.

I'd like to be able to trigger pause/play (space button) from Home Assistant, which is running on my home server.

What I am thinking of would be a server/daemon running on the TV computer that my home server would be able to send keys to via a CLI tool (in this case the space key). I am surprised to find that I cannot locate any program like this.

Can anyone provide any suggestions here?

Other ideas:

  • Jellyfin's HA integration doesn't let me pause/play from it, and that still doesn't handle Hulu/Netflix.
  • I was able to get this working through SSH and there are tools like ydotool/wtype here that work, but I found waiting for SSH to be a bit slow to connect.

Update: I got frustrated and coded up a solution: https://gitlab.com/neilsimp1/kbsrv

6 points · 10 comments · view on lemmy.world

10 Comments

Hailey312@kbin.social · 3 pts · 2y (2 replies)

Have you tried KDE Connect?

I have only used it to control my TV computer from my phone, but I can't see why it wouldn't work between 2 computers.
There is a 'Multimedia control' feature that allows pause/play/stop and volume control, the 'Remote Input' feature has a keyboard (so you should be able to trigger the space button) and if you want to do something more complicated you can set up and run commands.

headmetwall@lemmy.dbzer0.com · 1 pts · 2y (1 reply)

X2 on kde connect, I regularly use it to control my desktop with my laptop

Hailey312@kbin.social · 1 pts · 2y

Good to hear. I set it up on desktop and the controls work, other than Virtual monitor.

Have you had any luck getting Virtual monitor to run?
I think I need to open some ports but if you've got it running, any tips you could offer would be great.

key@lemmy.keychat.org · 2 pts · 2y

Of you're fine with proprietary there's Unified Remote.

athos77@kbin.social · 2 pts · 2y
Kalkaline@lemmy.zip · 1 pts · 2y (4 replies)

Where is the machine located compared to the viewing room? Could you not use a wireless keyboard?

spacemanspiffy@lemmy.world · 1 pts · 2y (3 replies)

I have a wireless keyboard. I want to be able to send a key event from CLI on another PC, though.

CameronDev@programming.dev · 2 pts · 2y (2 replies)

If your willing to write a little code, you could get an esp32, and use on of the keyboard libraries to make it appear as a keyboard?

https://hackaday.com/2021/03/26/usb-comes-to-the-esp32/

Very roundabout solution though.

spacemanspiffy@lemmy.world · 2 pts · 2y (1 reply)

I am fine with a little coding (see update in my post)

CameronDev@programming.dev · 1 pts · 2y

Thats definitely better than using a separate esp32. Nice!