# Android Debug Bridge Binding

This binding allows to connect to android devices through the adb protocol.

The device needs to have usb debugging enabled and allow debugging over tcp, some devices allow to enable this in the device options but others need a previous connection through adb or even be rooted.

If you are not familiar with adb I suggest you to search "How to enable adb over wifi on <device name>" or something like that.

# Supported Things

This binding was tested on:

Device Android version Comments
Fire TV Stick 7.1.2 Volume control not working
Nexus5x 8.1.0 Everything works nice
Freebox Pop Player 9 Everything works nice
ChromeCast Google TV 12 Volume control partially working

Please update this document if you tested it with other android versions to reflect the compatibility of the binding.

# Discovery

Android TV and Fire TV devices should be discovered automatically (using mDNS).

Since other Android devices cannot be discovered automatically on the network, the manual discovery scan will try to connect via adb to all reachable IP addresses in the defined range.

You could customize the discovery process through the binding options.

Your device will prompt a message requesting you to authorize the connection, you should check the option "Always allow connections from this device" (or something similar) and accept.

# Binding Configuration

Config Type description
discoveryPort int Port used on discovery to connect to the device through adb
discoveryReachableMs int Milliseconds to wait while discovering to determine if the ip is reachable
discoveryIpRangeMin int Used to limit the number of IPs checked while discovering
discoveryIpRangeMax int Used to limit the number of IPs checked while discovering

# Thing Configuration

ThingTypeID Description
android Android device
Config Type Description
ip String Device ip address.
port int Device port listening to adb connections. (default: 5555)
refreshTime int Seconds between device status refreshes. (default: 30)
timeout int Command timeout in seconds. (default: 5)
recordDuration int Record input duration in seconds.
deviceMaxVolume int Assumed max volume for devices with android versions that do not expose this value.
volumeSettingKey String Settings key for android versions where volume is gather using settings command. (>=android 11)
volumeStepPercent int Percent to increase/decrease volume.
mediaStateJSONConfig String Expects a JSON array. Allow to configure the media state detection method per app. Described in the following section.
maxADBTimeouts int Max ADB command consecutive timeouts to force to reset the connection.

# Media State Detection

You can configure different modes to detect when the device is playing media depending on the current app.

The available modes are:

  • idle: assert not playing, avoid command execution.
  • media_state: detect play status by dumping the media_session service. This is the default for not configured apps
  • audio: detect play status by dumping the audio service.
  • wake_lock: detect play status by comparing the power wake lock state with the values provided in 'wakeLockPlayStates'

The configuration depends on the application, device and version used.

This is a sample of the mediaStateJSONConfig thing configuration - the label is optional:

[
    {
        "name": "com.amazon.tv.launcher",
        "mode": "idle",
        "label": "Home"
    },
    {
        "name": "org.jellyfin.androidtv",
        "mode": "wake_lock",
        "label": "Jellyfin",
        "wakeLockPlayStates": [
            2,
            3
        ]
    },
    {
        "name": "com.amazon.firetv.youtube",
        "label": "YouTube",
        "mode": "wake_lock",
        "wakeLockPlayStates": [
            2
        ]
    },
    {
        "name": "com.netflix.ninja",
        "label": "Netflix",
        "mode": "wake_lock",
        "wakeLockPlayStates": [
            4
        ]
    }
]

# Record/Send input events

As the execution of key events takes a while, you can use input events as an alternative way to control your device.

They are pretty device specific, so you should use the record-input and recorded-input channels to store/send those events.

An example of what you can do:

  • You can send the command UP to the record-input channel the binding will then capture the events you send through your remote for the defined recordDuration config for the thing, so press once the UP key on your remote and wait a while.
  • Now that you have recorded your input, you can send the UP command to the recorded-input event and it will send the recorded event to the android device.

Please note that events could fail if the input method is removed, for example it could fail if you clone the events of a bluetooth controller and the remote goes offline. This is happening for me when recording the Fire TV remote events but not for my Xiaomi TV which also has a bt remote controller.

# Channels

channel type description
key-event String Send key event to android device. Possible values listed below
text String Send text to android device
tap String Send tap event to android device (format x,y)
url String Open url in browser
media-volume Dimmer Set or get media volume level on android device
media-control Player Control media on android device
start-intent String Start application intent. Read bellow section
start-package String Run application by package name. The commands for this Channel are populated dynamically based on the mediaStateJSONConfig.
stop-package String Stop application by package name
stop-current-package String Stop current application
current-package String Package name of the top application in screen
record-input String Capture events, generate the equivalent command and store it under the provided name
recorded-input String Emulates previously captured input events by name
shutdown String Power off/reboot device (allowed values POWER_OFF, REBOOT)
awake-state Switch Awake state value.
wake-lock Number Power wake lock value
screen-state Switch Screen power state

# Start Intent

This channel allows to invoke the 'am start' command, the syntax for it is: <package/activity>||<<arg name>> <arg value>||...

This is a sample: com.netflix.ninja/.MainActivity||<a>android.intent.action.VIEW||<d>netflix://title/80025384||<f>0x10000020||<es>amzn_deeplink_data 80025384

Not all the arguments (opens new window) are supported. Please open an issue or pull request if you need more.

# Available key-event values

  • KEYCODE_0
  • KEYCODE_1
  • KEYCODE_11
  • KEYCODE_12
  • KEYCODE_2
  • KEYCODE_3
  • KEYCODE_3D_MODE
  • KEYCODE_4
  • KEYCODE_5
  • KEYCODE_6
  • KEYCODE_7
  • KEYCODE_8
  • KEYCODE_9
  • KEYCODE_A
  • KEYCODE_ALL_APPS
  • KEYCODE_ALT_LEFT
  • KEYCODE_ALT_RIGHT
  • KEYCODE_APOSTROPHE
  • KEYCODE_APP_SWITCH
  • KEYCODE_ASSIST
  • KEYCODE_AT
  • KEYCODE_AVR_INPUT
  • KEYCODE_AVR_POWER
  • KEYCODE_B
  • KEYCODE_BACK
  • KEYCODE_BACKSLASH
  • KEYCODE_BOOKMARK
  • KEYCODE_BREAK
  • KEYCODE_BRIGHTNESS_DOWN
  • KEYCODE_BRIGHTNESS_UP
  • KEYCODE_BUTTON_1
  • KEYCODE_BUTTON_10
  • KEYCODE_BUTTON_11
  • KEYCODE_BUTTON_12
  • KEYCODE_BUTTON_13
  • KEYCODE_BUTTON_14
  • KEYCODE_BUTTON_15
  • KEYCODE_BUTTON_16
  • KEYCODE_BUTTON_2
  • KEYCODE_BUTTON_3
  • KEYCODE_BUTTON_4
  • KEYCODE_BUTTON_5
  • KEYCODE_BUTTON_6
  • KEYCODE_BUTTON_7
  • KEYCODE_BUTTON_8
  • KEYCODE_BUTTON_9
  • KEYCODE_BUTTON_A
  • KEYCODE_BUTTON_B
  • KEYCODE_BUTTON_C
  • KEYCODE_BUTTON_L1
  • KEYCODE_BUTTON_L2
  • KEYCODE_BUTTON_MODE
  • KEYCODE_BUTTON_R1
  • KEYCODE_BUTTON_R2
  • KEYCODE_BUTTON_SELECT
  • KEYCODE_BUTTON_START
  • KEYCODE_BUTTON_THUMBL
  • KEYCODE_BUTTON_THUMBR
  • KEYCODE_BUTTON_X
  • KEYCODE_BUTTON_Y
  • KEYCODE_BUTTON_Z
  • KEYCODE_C
  • KEYCODE_CALCULATOR
  • KEYCODE_CALENDAR
  • KEYCODE_CALL
  • KEYCODE_CAMERA
  • KEYCODE_CAPS_LOCK
  • KEYCODE_CAPTIONS
  • KEYCODE_CHANNEL_DOWN
  • KEYCODE_CHANNEL_UP
  • KEYCODE_CLEAR
  • KEYCODE_COMMA
  • KEYCODE_CONTACTS
  • KEYCODE_COPY
  • KEYCODE_CTRL_LEFT
  • KEYCODE_CTRL_RIGHT
  • KEYCODE_CUT
  • KEYCODE_D
  • KEYCODE_DEL
  • KEYCODE_DPAD_CENTER
  • KEYCODE_DPAD_DOWN
  • KEYCODE_DPAD_DOWN_LEFT
  • KEYCODE_DPAD_DOWN_RIGHT
  • KEYCODE_DPAD_LEFT
  • KEYCODE_DPAD_RIGHT
  • KEYCODE_DPAD_UP
  • KEYCODE_DPAD_UP_LEFT
  • KEYCODE_DPAD_UP_RIGHT
  • KEYCODE_DVR
  • KEYCODE_E
  • KEYCODE_EISU
  • KEYCODE_ENDCALL
  • KEYCODE_ENTER
  • KEYCODE_ENVELOPE
  • KEYCODE_EQUALS
  • KEYCODE_ESCAPE
  • KEYCODE_EXPLORER
  • KEYCODE_F
  • KEYCODE_F1
  • KEYCODE_F10
  • KEYCODE_F11
  • KEYCODE_F12
  • KEYCODE_F2
  • KEYCODE_F3
  • KEYCODE_F4
  • KEYCODE_F5
  • KEYCODE_F6
  • KEYCODE_F7
  • KEYCODE_F8
  • KEYCODE_F9
  • KEYCODE_FOCUS
  • KEYCODE_FORWARD
  • KEYCODE_FORWARD_DEL
  • KEYCODE_FUNCTION
  • KEYCODE_G
  • KEYCODE_GRAVE
  • KEYCODE_GUIDE
  • KEYCODE_H
  • KEYCODE_HEADSETHOOK
  • KEYCODE_HELP
  • KEYCODE_HENKAN
  • KEYCODE_HOME
  • KEYCODE_I
  • KEYCODE_INFO
  • KEYCODE_INSERT
  • KEYCODE_J
  • KEYCODE_K
  • KEYCODE_KANA
  • KEYCODE_KATAKANA_HIRAGANA
  • KEYCODE_L
  • KEYCODE_LANGUAGE_SWITCH
  • KEYCODE_LAST_CHANNEL
  • KEYCODE_LEFT_BRACKET
  • KEYCODE_M
  • KEYCODE_MANNER_MODE
  • KEYCODE_MEDIA_AUDIO_TRACK
  • KEYCODE_MEDIA_CLOSE
  • KEYCODE_MEDIA_EJECT
  • KEYCODE_MEDIA_FAST_FORWARD
  • KEYCODE_MEDIA_NEXT
  • KEYCODE_MEDIA_PAUSE
  • KEYCODE_MEDIA_PLAY
  • KEYCODE_MEDIA_PLAY_PAUSE
  • KEYCODE_MEDIA_PREVIOUS
  • KEYCODE_MEDIA_RECORD
  • KEYCODE_MEDIA_REWIND
  • KEYCODE_MEDIA_SKIP_BACKWARD
  • KEYCODE_MEDIA_SKIP_FORWARD
  • KEYCODE_MEDIA_STEP_BACKWARD
  • KEYCODE_MEDIA_STEP_FORWARD
  • KEYCODE_MEDIA_STOP
  • KEYCODE_MEDIA_TOP_MENU
  • KEYCODE_MENU
  • KEYCODE_META_LEFT
  • KEYCODE_META_RIGHT
  • KEYCODE_MINUS
  • KEYCODE_MOVE_END
  • KEYCODE_MOVE_HOME
  • KEYCODE_MUHENKAN
  • KEYCODE_MUSIC
  • KEYCODE_MUTE
  • KEYCODE_N
  • KEYCODE_NAVIGATE_IN
  • KEYCODE_NAVIGATE_NEXT
  • KEYCODE_NAVIGATE_OUT
  • KEYCODE_NAVIGATE_PREVIOUS
  • KEYCODE_NOTIFICATION
  • KEYCODE_NUM
  • KEYCODE_NUMPAD_0
  • KEYCODE_NUMPAD_1
  • KEYCODE_NUMPAD_2
  • KEYCODE_NUMPAD_3
  • KEYCODE_NUMPAD_4
  • KEYCODE_NUMPAD_5
  • KEYCODE_NUMPAD_6
  • KEYCODE_NUMPAD_7
  • KEYCODE_NUMPAD_8
  • KEYCODE_NUMPAD_9
  • KEYCODE_NUMPAD_ADD
  • KEYCODE_NUMPAD_COMMA
  • KEYCODE_NUMPAD_DIVIDE
  • KEYCODE_NUMPAD_DOT
  • KEYCODE_NUMPAD_ENTER
  • KEYCODE_NUMPAD_EQUALS
  • KEYCODE_NUMPAD_LEFT_PAREN
  • KEYCODE_NUMPAD_MULTIPLY
  • KEYCODE_NUMPAD_RIGHT_PAREN
  • KEYCODE_NUMPAD_SUBTRACT
  • KEYCODE_NUM_LOCK
  • KEYCODE_O
  • KEYCODE_P
  • KEYCODE_PAGE_DOWN
  • KEYCODE_PAGE_UP
  • KEYCODE_PAIRING
  • KEYCODE_PASTE
  • KEYCODE_PERIOD
  • KEYCODE_PICTSYMBOLS
  • KEYCODE_PLUS
  • KEYCODE_POUND
  • KEYCODE_POWER
  • KEYCODE_PROFILE_SWITCH
  • KEYCODE_PROG_BLUE
  • KEYCODE_PROG_GREEN
  • KEYCODE_PROG_RED
  • KEYCODE_PROG_YELLOW
  • KEYCODE_Q
  • KEYCODE_R
  • KEYCODE_REFRESH
  • KEYCODE_RIGHT_BRACKET
  • KEYCODE_RO
  • KEYCODE_S
  • KEYCODE_SCROLL_LOCK
  • KEYCODE_SEARCH
  • KEYCODE_SEMICOLON
  • KEYCODE_SETTINGS
  • KEYCODE_SHIFT_LEFT
  • KEYCODE_SHIFT_RIGHT
  • KEYCODE_SLASH
  • KEYCODE_SLEEP
  • KEYCODE_SOFT_LEFT
  • KEYCODE_SOFT_RIGHT
  • KEYCODE_SOFT_SLEEP
  • KEYCODE_SPACE
  • KEYCODE_STAR
  • KEYCODE_STB_INPUT
  • KEYCODE_STB_POWER
  • KEYCODE_STEM_1
  • KEYCODE_STEM_2
  • KEYCODE_STEM_3
  • KEYCODE_STEM_PRIMARY
  • KEYCODE_SWITCH_CHARSET
  • KEYCODE_SYM
  • KEYCODE_SYSRQ
  • KEYCODE_SYSTEM_NAVIGATION_DOWN
  • KEYCODE_SYSTEM_NAVIGATION_LEFT
  • KEYCODE_SYSTEM_NAVIGATION_RIGHT
  • KEYCODE_SYSTEM_NAVIGATION_UP
  • KEYCODE_T
  • KEYCODE_TAB
  • KEYCODE_THUMBS_DOWN
  • KEYCODE_THUMBS_UP
  • KEYCODE_TV
  • KEYCODE_TV_ANTENNA_CABLE
  • KEYCODE_TV_AUDIO_DESCRIPTION
  • KEYCODE_TV_AUDIO_DESCRIPTION_MIX_DOWN
  • KEYCODE_TV_AUDIO_DESCRIPTION_MIX_UP
  • KEYCODE_TV_CONTENTS_MENU
  • KEYCODE_TV_DATA_SERVICE
  • KEYCODE_TV_INPUT
  • KEYCODE_TV_INPUT_COMPONENT_1
  • KEYCODE_TV_INPUT_COMPONENT_2
  • KEYCODE_TV_INPUT_COMPOSITE_1
  • KEYCODE_TV_INPUT_COMPOSITE_2
  • KEYCODE_TV_INPUT_HDMI_1
  • KEYCODE_TV_INPUT_HDMI_2
  • KEYCODE_TV_INPUT_HDMI_3
  • KEYCODE_TV_INPUT_HDMI_4
  • KEYCODE_TV_INPUT_VGA_1
  • KEYCODE_TV_MEDIA_CONTEXT_MENU
  • KEYCODE_TV_NETWORK
  • KEYCODE_TV_NUMBER_ENTRY
  • KEYCODE_TV_POWER
  • KEYCODE_TV_RADIO_SERVICE
  • KEYCODE_TV_SATELLITE
  • KEYCODE_TV_SATELLITE_BS
  • KEYCODE_TV_SATELLITE_CS
  • KEYCODE_TV_SATELLITE_SERVICE
  • KEYCODE_TV_TELETEXT
  • KEYCODE_TV_TERRESTRIAL_ANALOG
  • KEYCODE_TV_TERRESTRIAL_DIGITAL
  • KEYCODE_TV_TIMER_PROGRAMMING
  • KEYCODE_TV_ZOOM_MODE
  • KEYCODE_U
  • KEYCODE_UNKNOWN
  • KEYCODE_V
  • KEYCODE_VOICE_ASSIST
  • KEYCODE_VOLUME_DOWN
  • KEYCODE_VOLUME_MUTE
  • KEYCODE_VOLUME_UP
  • KEYCODE_W
  • KEYCODE_WAKEUP
  • KEYCODE_WINDOW
  • KEYCODE_X
  • KEYCODE_Y
  • KEYCODE_YEN
  • KEYCODE_Z
  • KEYCODE_ZENKAKU_HANKAKU
  • KEYCODE_ZOOM_IN
  • KEYCODE_ZOOM_OUT

# Full Example

# Sample Thing

Thing androiddebugbridge:android:xxxxxxxxxxxx "xxxxxxxxxxxx" [ ip="192.168.1.10", port=5555, refreshTime=30 ]

# Sample Items

Group   androidDevice    "Android TV"
String  device_SendKey       "Send Key"                            (androidDevice)   {  channel="androiddebugbridge:android:xxxxxxxxxxxx:key-event" }
String  device_CurrentApp       "Current App"                            (androidDevice)   { channel="androiddebugbridge:android:xxxxxxxxxxxx:current-package" }