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Chowmain - Nvidia Shield / Amazon Fire TV 4K driver (Video Storm IRUSB)


alanchow

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Chowmain - Nvidia Shield / Amazon Fire TV 4K driver (Video Storm IRUSB) 

The Videostorm IRUSB device allows us to control any Android set top box including the Nvidia Shield, Amazon Fire TV, Foxtel Now, Xiaomi MiBox and more. 

The Chowmain IRUSB driver for Control4 provides IP control over the IRUSB with sms style text entry, direct app launching (via mini apps), transport controls and it also adds additional IR outputs to Control4 which can be used to control other devices in the local location such as TV’s and receivers. 

Note that this driver requires a installation of the IRUSB dongle created by Video Storm. No root access required. 


Features

  • IP control over the majority of Android based devices such as Amazon Fire TV, Nvidia Shield, Foxtel Now, Xiaomi Mi Box and more 
  • Adds an additional IR Output for control over local source (eg TV or receiver) 
  • SMS style text entry for SR-250 / SR-260 remote controls on number keys. 
  • Mini apps for direct launch on any navigator for many popular applications 
  • Custom mini app for launching of other applications not listed 

Mini Apps include 

  • ABC iview
  • Amazon 
  • DirectV 
  • Disney 
  • ESPN 
  • HBO 
  • HD Homerun 
  • Hulu 
  • iHeartRadio 
  • Kodi 
  • Netflix 
  • Pandora 
  • PBS 
  • PLUS7
  • Showtime 
  • Spotify 
  • Stan
  • Tunein
  • tenplay
  • VEVO 
  • Vimeo 
  • Youtube 
  • Youtube TV

FAQ 


What hardware will this work on? 
This driver will work for the following devices. 

  • Nvidia Shield 
  • Amazon FireTV 
  • Xiaomi MiBox 
  • Foxtel Now 

It should also work with the majority of Android Boxes but we recommend you test it prior to driver purchase. 
Note you will need to purchase and plug in the IRUSB dongle from Videostorm and install/configure the IRUSB application from Google Play store. 

Can you give us some examples of how we could use this driver? 

  • Add additional controlled AV zones to Control4 by simply adding an Android box. Control the TV using the IR emitter and control the Android box via IP. 
  • Devices such as the Nvidia Shield and Amazon Fire TV have problematic control. For example in 2017 Amazon broke ADB control in their 4K lineup of Fire TV’s. This hardware / software combo gets around these issues and ensures it won’t happen again. 

How do I find out more information about the driver? 
Please see the links below for more information about the driver. 

Chowmain Website 

Installation Guide 

How do I buy the driver? 
This driver can be purchased from our distributor driverCentral. 

Download Driver / Purchase Licence 

Who do i contact for technical support? 
We have two support desks. One in Australia and one in the US. Click on the link below for details. 

Support 

Do you provide trial licences? 
All Chowmain drivers for Control4 come with a 7 day trial. 
IRUSB2.png

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7 minutes ago, David Paxton said:

@alanchow

Will this driver interface with your previous Kodi Lite/Full drivers?

 

Thanks

No need.  We updated our Kodi Full driver to support the IRUSB dongle.  As soon as you quit Kodi it will change the IRUSB mode so you can navigate and use other apps.  It will also launch Kodi (if it is not already open) when you select it as a source.

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1 minute ago, Christopher Spitler said:

@alanchow no plex on the list? are you updating your plex full to work via irusb separately? 

Well spotted.  I did do plex but wasn't on the list (its on the screenshot though).

I am trying to update plex full to support it as well however am having difficulties as the Plex app for android has this weird function where you can keep clicking back and it will eventually exit plex but not close it.

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1 minute ago, alanchow said:

No need.  We updated our Kodi Full driver to support the IRUSB dongle.  As soon as you quit Kodi it will change the IRUSB mode so you can navigate and use other apps.  It will also launch Kodi (if it is not already open) when you select it as a source.

SO Kodi full users do not need this driver

what about Kodi Lite? I picked that as I preferred the movie grid view?

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Just now, David Paxton said:

SO Kodi full users do not need this driver

what about Kodi Lite? I picked that as I preferred the movie grid view?

Kodi Full does not need it.  Kodi Lite is on our list to do but make take some time due to a large backlog.  At this stage keep using your current Kodi solution.

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Just now, alanchow said:

Kodi Full does not need it.  Kodi Lite is on our list to do but make take some time due to a large backlog.  At this stage keep using your current Kodi solution.

Perfect, the Kodi driver is awesome and the ability to re enable my leanback launcher and use other feature on my shield makes it even better.

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7 minutes ago, alanchow said:

Well spotted.  I did do plex but wasn't on the list (its on the screenshot though).

I am trying to update plex full to support it as well however am having difficulties as the Plex app for android has this weird function where you can keep clicking back and it will eventually exit plex but not close it.

awesome thanks. my IRUSB should get here this week ( @videostorm is not too far from me), happy to test any plex-related functionality as i have a pretty large plex presence. 

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On 01/02/2018 at 2:57 PM, elee532 said:

But do you also get the mini apps direct launch capability for Netflix and other apps when using the Kodi Full driver? 

For the Kodi app please quit and launch manually.  Also can you please stop posting AND PMing me the same question.  One or the other.  I don't mind which you do.

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Hi @alanchow. I don't see any way when I am controlling Kodi music or movies from my iPad to get back to the home screen on the Nvidia Shield. If I am controlling Kodi using the SR-260 remote, then I can go to the Kodi home screen, exit, and then I get to the Nvidia home screen. Am I missing something?

Thanks!

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2 hours ago, elee532 said:

Hi @alanchow. I don't see any way when I am controlling Kodi music or movies from my iPad to get back to the home screen on the Nvidia Shield. If I am controlling Kodi using the SR-260 remote, then I can go to the Kodi home screen, exit, and then I get to the Nvidia home screen. Am I missing something?

Thanks!

If Kodi has quit you cannot browse any library items (since kodi isn't running).  THere is a property in the driver (UI Selects Device) which when set to true will attempt to launch kodi after it fails and displays the kodi is not running message.  ALso note to anyone reading @elee532 is posting about our Kodi Full driver.  Nothing to do with the Nvidia Shield driver.

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6 hours ago, alanchow said:

If Kodi has quit you cannot browse any library items (since kodi isn't running).  THere is a property in the driver (UI Selects Device) which when set to true will attempt to launch kodi after it fails and displays the kodi is not running message.  ALso note to anyone reading @elee532 is posting about our Kodi Full driver.  Nothing to do with the Nvidia Shield driver.

Sorry for causing confusion!! I will move my question to its own thread. Thanks!

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This is way cool and is typical of the awesome work of the one and only and simply awesome Alan chow who continues to set the benchmark of what out great Control4 platforms are capable of...! 

Alan will you continue to add linked Content services? I mean how many? Is the sky the limit?

Alan will these Dongles and your driver work with the Android based Sony TV's? 

Can a Dongle "command" (once launched) switch to a set app (the same app) on a different device (if there is "double up")? So lets say you have two versions of a Netflix app in the one viewing/room cluster... one on the Sony TV and one on an AppleTV?... The apple TV giving you the better "streaming experience".. Can you set in the driver which particular Netflix "app" will be used? 

What could potentially break this awesome set up? Can it be "broken"? Could a change in Android break it? Are you able to let us know prior to a droid firmware change? Do you recommend setting potential firmware upgrades to "manual"?

W

 

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4 hours ago, wappinghigh said:

This is way cool and is typical of the awesome work of the one and only and simply awesome Alan chow who continues to set the benchmark of what out great Control4 platforms are capable of...! 

Alan will you continue to add linked Content services? I mean how many? Is the sky the limit?

Alan will these Dongles and your driver work with the Android based Sony TV's? 

Can a Dongle "command" (once launched) switch to a set app (the same app) on a different device (if there is "double up")? So lets say you have two versions of a Netflix app in the one viewing/room cluster... one on the Sony TV and one on an AppleTV?... The apple TV giving you the better "streaming experience".. Can you set in the driver which particular Netflix "app" will be used? 

What could potentially break this awesome set up? Can it be "broken"? Could a change in Android break it? Are you able to let us know prior to a droid firmware change? Do you recommend setting potential firmware upgrades to "manual"?

W

 

Depends on the content services.  Obviously since they are just android apps we could go forever.  The majority of the hard work was done by Video Storm so thanks should really go to them.  All i did was create an alternative version of the driver which offers a more streamlined experience.

No it will not work with the Sony TV.  It is designed for step top boxes.  Since it is app based and USB HID based the API is fully under Video Storm's control and won't break with firmware updates.

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hey @alanchow i finally got home and got my IRUSB. everything is set up on my project but i'm having a weird app launch issue. Netflix launches OK, but everything else doesn't do anything. i can control plex but i can't launch it direct. here's the debug output, any ideas? i'm using the 29JAN version which I think is the latest? 

 

DEBUG MODE = PRINT
05/02/2018 23:40:14 - ReceivedFromProxy [5001] : WATCH_BUTTON
05/02/2018 23:40:14 - ROOM_ID
	41
05/02/2018 23:40:14 - Proxy Command not defined: WATCH_BUTTON
05/02/2018 23:40:21 - ReceivedFromProxy [5002] : GET_VIDEO_PATH
05/02/2018 23:40:21 - Proxy Command not defined: GET_VIDEO_PATH
05/02/2018 23:40:21 - ReceivedFromProxy [5002] : GET_AUDIO_PATH
05/02/2018 23:40:21 - Proxy Command not defined: GET_AUDIO_PATH
05/02/2018 23:40:21 - ReceivedFromProxy [5002] : ON
05/02/2018 23:40:21 - CONNECT
	1
05/02/2018 23:40:21 - Proxy Command not defined: ON
05/02/2018 23:40:21 - ReceivedFromProxy [5002] : CONNECT_OUTPUT
05/02/2018 23:40:21 - CLASS
	HDMI
05/02/2018 23:40:21 - OUTPUT
	2000
05/02/2018 23:40:21 - Proxy Command not defined: CONNECT_OUTPUT
05/02/2018 23:40:21 - ReceivedFromProxy [5002] : SET_INPUT
05/02/2018 23:40:21 - INPUT
	3201
05/02/2018 23:40:21 - CLASS
	HDMI
05/02/2018 23:40:21 - OUTPUT
	2000
05/02/2018 23:40:21 - VIDEO
	False
05/02/2018 23:40:21 - SWITCH_SEPARATE
	False
05/02/2018 23:40:21 - AUDIO
	True
[string "Lua Code"]:194: attempt to concatenate local 'appName' (a nil value) (ReceivedFromProxy)
05/02/2018 23:40:22 - ReceivedFromProxy [5002] : ON
05/02/2018 23:40:22 - CONNECT
	1
05/02/2018 23:40:22 - Proxy Command not defined: ON
05/02/2018 23:40:22 - ReceivedFromProxy [5002] : CONNECT_OUTPUT
05/02/2018 23:40:22 - CLASS
	HDMI
05/02/2018 23:40:22 - OUTPUT
	2000
05/02/2018 23:40:22 - Proxy Command not defined: CONNECT_OUTPUT
05/02/2018 23:40:22 - ReceivedFromProxy [5002] : SET_INPUT
05/02/2018 23:40:22 - INPUT
	3201
05/02/2018 23:40:22 - CLASS
	HDMI
05/02/2018 23:40:22 - OUTPUT
	2000
05/02/2018 23:40:22 - VIDEO
	False
05/02/2018 23:40:22 - SWITCH_SEPARATE
	False
05/02/2018 23:40:22 - AUDIO
	True
05/02/2018 23:40:22 - ReceivedFromProxy [5002] : GET_VIDEO_PATH
05/02/2018 23:40:22 - Proxy Command not defined: GET_VIDEO_PATH
05/02/2018 23:40:22 - ReceivedFromProxy [5002] : GET_AUDIO_PATH
05/02/2018 23:40:22 - Proxy Command not defined: GET_AUDIO_PATH
05/02/2018 23:40:22 - ReceivedFromProxy [5001] : SELECT_SOURCE
05/02/2018 23:40:22 - PATH_TYPE
	1
05/02/2018 23:40:22 - MEDIA_ID
	0
05/02/2018 23:40:22 - ROOM_ID
	41
05/02/2018 23:40:22 - Proxy Command not defined: SELECT_SOURCE
05/02/2018 23:40:22 - ReceivedFromProxy [5001] : ON
05/02/2018 23:40:22 - Proxy Command not defined: ON
05/02/2018 23:40:22 - ReceivedFromProxy [5002] : ON
05/02/2018 23:40:22 - CONNECT
	1
05/02/2018 23:40:22 - Proxy Command not defined: ON
05/02/2018 23:40:22 - ReceivedFromProxy [5002] : CONNECT_OUTPUT
05/02/2018 23:40:22 - CLASS
	HDMI
05/02/2018 23:40:22 - OUTPUT
	2000
05/02/2018 23:40:22 - Proxy Command not defined: CONNECT_OUTPUT
05/02/2018 23:40:22 - ReceivedFromProxy [5002] : SET_INPUT
05/02/2018 23:40:22 - INPUT
	1001
05/02/2018 23:40:22 - CLASS
	HDMI
05/02/2018 23:40:22 - OUTPUT
	2000
05/02/2018 23:40:22 - VIDEO
	True
05/02/2018 23:40:22 - SWITCH_SEPARATE
	False
05/02/2018 23:40:22 - AUDIO
	False
05/02/2018 23:40:22 - ReceivedFromProxy [5001] : SELECT_SOURCE
05/02/2018 23:40:22 - PATH_TYPE
	3
05/02/2018 23:40:22 - MEDIA_ID

 

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We discovered this issue a day after that. Please download the latest version. See changelog below.

2018-01-30 - 2nd Feb 2018

  • Added Youtube TV

2018-01-30 - 20th Jan 2018

  • Fixed app launching
  • Added Australian applications (ABC iview, tenplay, stan, plus7)

2018-01-29 - 29th Jan 2018

  • Initial Version
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sorry about that @alanchow n00b mistake here. however, after updating i'm seeing a similar but slightly different issue. if i choose the plex mini driver, it never kicks over to the nvidia shield driver for control. when i choose "plex" from the remote it will do the AV switching as required, but the shield never launches plex and i have to manually go select the master shield driver in order to control anything on the shield. however, netflix works fine. any ideas? 

 

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sorry, here's the LUA output:

 

DEBUG MODE = PRINT
06/02/2018 10:23:35 - ReceivedFromProxy [5002] : GET_VIDEO_PATH
06/02/2018 10:23:35 - Proxy Command not defined: GET_VIDEO_PATH
06/02/2018 10:23:35 - ReceivedFromProxy [5002] : GET_AUDIO_PATH
06/02/2018 10:23:35 - Proxy Command not defined: GET_AUDIO_PATH
06/02/2018 10:23:35 - ReceivedFromProxy [5002] : ON
06/02/2018 10:23:35 - CONNECT
	1
06/02/2018 10:23:35 - Proxy Command not defined: ON
06/02/2018 10:23:35 - ReceivedFromProxy [5002] : CONNECT_OUTPUT
06/02/2018 10:23:35 - CLASS
	HDMI
06/02/2018 10:23:35 - OUTPUT
	2000
06/02/2018 10:23:35 - Proxy Command not defined: CONNECT_OUTPUT
06/02/2018 10:23:35 - ReceivedFromProxy [5002] : SET_INPUT
06/02/2018 10:23:35 - INPUT
	3201
06/02/2018 10:23:35 - CLASS
	HDMI
06/02/2018 10:23:35 - OUTPUT
	2000
06/02/2018 10:23:35 - VIDEO
	False
06/02/2018 10:23:35 - SWITCH_SEPARATE
	False
06/02/2018 10:23:35 - AUDIO
	True
[string "Lua Code"]:186: attempt to concatenate local 'appName' (a nil value) (ReceivedFromProxy)
06/02/2018 10:23:35 - ReceivedFromProxy [5002] : ON
06/02/2018 10:23:35 - CONNECT
	1
06/02/2018 10:23:35 - Proxy Command not defined: ON
06/02/2018 10:23:35 - ReceivedFromProxy [5002] : CONNECT_OUTPUT
06/02/2018 10:23:35 - CLASS
	HDMI
06/02/2018 10:23:35 - OUTPUT
	2000
06/02/2018 10:23:35 - Proxy Command not defined: CONNECT_OUTPUT
06/02/2018 10:23:35 - ReceivedFromProxy [5002] : SET_INPUT
06/02/2018 10:23:35 - INPUT
	3201
06/02/2018 10:23:35 - CLASS
	HDMI
06/02/2018 10:23:35 - OUTPUT
	2000
06/02/2018 10:23:35 - VIDEO
	False
06/02/2018 10:23:35 - SWITCH_SEPARATE
	False
06/02/2018 10:23:35 - AUDIO
	True
[string "Lua Code"]:186: attempt to concatenate local 'appName' (a nil value) (ReceivedFromProxy)

 

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  • 3 weeks later...
On 08/02/2018 at 12:05 PM, Christopher Spitler said:

@alanchow is there a list of supported buttons? for example, "guide" takes me to the guide, but i'm not sure how to get home to the main shield screen. also, is it possible to add the ability to map the color buttons on the SR remotes to custom actions like with the videostorm driver? thanks!

I missed this for some reason.  In future its probably best to submit a query via our website if you have questions.

 

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