Kodi volume control
- Overview
- Kodi: Enable the web server and remote control
- Controlling Kodi using a browser
- ha-bridge: Setting up the custom device
- ha-bridge: test the device
- Controlling the device
- Examples of other devices you can setup
- The Kodi Alexa Custom Skill
Using ha-bridge we will add a device that allows us to set the software volume level with commands like:
🗣️ "Alexa, set Kodi Sound to 50 percent”
🗣️ "Alexa, turn on Kodi Sound"
For those with no prior experience of HTTP requests:
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Kodi (formerly XBMC) is a free and open-source media player software application available on most operating systems. Though it is assumed you already know what Kodi is and have installed it on a box within your local network.
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JSON ("jay-son") is a lightweight data-interchange format. It is easy for humans to read and write. It is easy for machines to parse and generate.
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JSON-RPC an interface to communicate with Kodi using JSON. Whilst this guide focuses on the volume control, you can use the same technique for many of the methods available. See the official Kodi Wiki for more info
(off by default)
In Kodi navigate to Settings/Services/Control
💬 - you may need to change the settings level to see the available options (screenshot below is set to expert)
Change the settings to:
- Allow remote control via HTTP
- Change the username to something unique
- Set a strong password
- Change the port number if needed
- Allow remote control from applications on this system
- Allow remote control from applications on other systems
💬 - you might find it easier to type the details out into a text file then paste into Kodi
Before we set up ha-bridge to adjust the volume, we are going to change the volume using a URL and a browser to make sure that side of things is working correctly.
💬 - this next section might seem a little long winded and if you know what you are doing then feel free to jump ahead
1. Can we access the web server on Kodi
Open a browser in an incognito window and type in the ip address of the Kodi box and the port number you noted in the previous step (making sure Kodi is running).
If you are opening the browser on the same box you are running Kodi the URL would be http://localhost:8080
If Kodi is running on another computer you will need the ip address http://http://192.168.1.123:8080
You should see a box pop up saying "Authentication Required"
Click cancel
2. Including our login details in a URL
We need to log into the Kodi web server without having to fill in the popup each time. There is a way you can do this by putting the username and password in the URL.
3. Can we access JSON-RPC on Kodi
Use the example below replacing the relevant sections with the details that you defined in the Kodi settings screen in the first step.
http://KODI_USERNAME:[email protected]:8080/jsonrpc
Paste in your constructed URL to the browser.
If all is working as it should you see a page like this:
If you don’t see something that looks like the code above, then go back and double check your settings.
If it doesn't work in the browser it won't work in ha-bridge
The URL is what connects you to Kodi, JSON is what is used to communicate with it.
4. The JSON command
The JSON that is used to set the volume level is:
{"jsonrpc":"2.0","method":"Application.SetVolume","params":{"volume":100},"id":1}5. Sending the JSON using a browser
Join the two together by adding ?request= to the end of the URL and then add the JSON to the end of the request. You will end up with something like:
http://KODI_USERNAME:[email protected]:8080/jsonrpc?request={"jsonrpc":"2.0","method":"Application.SetVolume","params":{"volume":100},"id":1}
Make sure something is playing in Kodi then test the combined URL/JSON in a browser changing 100 to whatever level you want to set.
Kodi should adjust the volume accordingly, try a few different levels to be sure it is working correctly.
💬 - The browser will reformat the URL each time you press return so don’t build the URL in the browser bar without making a copy first. Ideally build the URL in a text document which you can easily edit and then copy/paste each time
You should now be able to control the volume of Kodi using the structured URL you built above in a browser.
If you can’t get it to work in a browser then you won’t be able to get it to work in ha-bridge.
Open your ha-bridge configuration in your browser and open the Add/Edit tab.
Name
Give the device a unique name that doesn’t include “volume” as it will cause conflicts with the Echo’s built in volume controls. A device name of “kodi sound” works well, if you are having trouble getting Alexa to hear "kodi" correctly, you can also try "cody", though "kodi" does work.
On Items
Type
Select HTTP Device from the dropdown
Target Item
Use the same URL you used to see the big page of JSON, removing the ?request= bit from the end e.g.
http://KODI_USERNAME:[email protected]:8080/jsonrpc
HTTP Verb
Select POST from the dropdown
HTTP Body (body args)
Expand the text field if needed and paste in:
{"jsonrpc":"2.0","method":"Application.SetVolume","params":{"volume":100},"id":1}Content type
Select application/json from the dropdown
Manage
Click Add
Dim Items
Enter exactly the same information as the On Item for all the fields
The only difference is the HTTP Body (body args) where instead of a number we are going to put ${intensity.percent} which will allow ha-bridge to replace it with the spoken value it hears.
{"jsonrpc":"2.0","method":"Application.SetVolume","params":{"volume":${intensity.percent}},"id":1}
Don't forget to set the content type and Click Add
Off Items
Enter exactly the same information as the prevous two and for HTTP Body (body args) we use the same as the On Item but instead of {"volume":100} we want {"volume":0} which will mute the sound.
{"jsonrpc":"2.0","method":"Application.SetVolume","params":{"volume":0},"id":1}Add the new device
Click the BLUE button at the top of the page Add Bridge Device
You should have something that looks like this:
Open the Bridge Devices and click the Test On Test Dim Test Off buttons with Kodi playing something.
You can use the commands as listed in the README
🗣️ "Set Kodi Sound to 50 percent"
🗣️ "Dim Kodi Sound to 70 percent"
🗣️ "Turn on Kodi Sound"
🗣️ "Turn off Kodi Sound"
🗣️ "Turn up Kodi Sound"
🗣️ "Turn down Kodi Sound"
Enjoy
🎉
Using Input.ExecuteAction you can send button presses to Kodi.
{"jsonrpc":"2.0","method":"Input.ExecuteAction","params":{"action":"togglefullscreen"},"id":1}
With a device name of "Kodi fullscreen" you would say:
🗣️ "Alexa, turn on Kodi fullscreen"
There are 200 "Actions" you can use, See the official Kodi Wiki for more info
If you have multiple user profiles in Kodi you can turn them on or off
Device Name "Tina's Profile"
💬 - It is OK to include apostrophes in possessive (“Tinas’s” and “Mother's”) names
On Items
{"jsonrpc": "2.0","method": "Profiles.LoadProfile","params": {"profile": "Tina"},"id": 1}
Off Items
To set it back to Master profile
{"jsonrpc": "2.0","method": "Profiles.LoadProfile","params": {"profile": "Master User"},"id": 1}
🗣️ "Alexa, turn on Tina's Profile"
🗣️ "Alexa, turn off Tina's Profile"
Because ha-bridge uses the Smart Home Skill Kit it can feel a little awkward saying "turn on Kodi fullscreen"
There is an excellent Skill available that allows you to use commands like:
🗣️ "Alexa, ask Kodi to play a random episode of King of the Hill"
🗣️ "Alexa, ask Kodi to pause"
🗣️ "Alexa, ask Kodi to play the movie Spirited Away"
🗣️ "Alexa, ask Kodi to skip this"
🗣️ "Alexa, ask Kodi to play season 5 episode 7 of Bob's Burgers"
🗣️ "Alexa, ask Kodi if there are any new shows to watch"
🗣️ "Alexa, ask Kodi to play a random horror movie"
🗣️ "Alexa, ask Kodi are there any new episodes of The Simpsons"
and 70+ more