Using an Echo Dot to Control a DISH Hopper and Joey

[PCarrick]

I've got an echo dot and I have it working with a Broadlink RM2 with my Samsung Smart TV. It works well. I'm using custom code from python-broadlink at https://github.com/mjg59/python-broadlink and HA-Briridge at https://github.com/bwssytems/ha-bridge running on a MacBook pro. It all works fine  for the Samsung smart TV.

I want to use the Echo Dot to control my Dish Hopper and Joey as well, so I picked up a Dish 20.0 IR Remote. I've tested the remote on my Hopper and Joey and it works just fine. I also looked at the data coming into and out of the Broadlink RM2. It is seeing the IR data when in "learning mode" and transmitting the data but it isn't working with the dish devices.

I even went so far as to try to use the Broadlink e-Control app on my iPhone. I can control the Samsung Smart TV using the e-Control app but if I try to use it with the dish remote it doesn't work. I've come to the conclusion that the Broadlink RM2 doesn't work with DISH even in IR mode.

So my questions are has anyone gotten a Broadlink RM2 to work with a Dish Receiver at all (with or without an Echo involved)? Does anyone have another solution that works with an Echo and DISH?

Any help is greatly appreciated.

Paul Carrick

[inconnu_homme]

I believe Dish Hopper/Joey uses UHF, not IR.  You need to enable IR the settings.  It should be something similar to this:  Settings screen  >  select the Remote Manager icon  >  IR button from the list on the right  >  select Enable  >  then Save.  The issue now have is that Dish Hopper/Joey remotes emits UHF signals.  So, you would need a universal remote, with the correct IR commands, to program your Broadlink.

[PCarrick]

Thanks for replying. Your response is deeply appreciated.

> I believe Dish Hopper/Joey uses UHF, not IR.
> You need to enable IR the settings.  It should be something
> similar to this:  >Settings screen  >  select the Remote Manager icon  >  IR button from the list on the right  >  select Enable  >  then >Save.
> The issue now have is that Dish Hopper/Joey remotes emits UHF signals.  So, you would need a universal remote,
> with the correct IR commands, to program your Broadlink.

Yes, I have done all that. I enabled IR mode and ordered a 20.0 Remote from Dish (which is IR). The newer 40.0 remote is UHF (Ironically the Broadlink is also RF but the broadlink covers VHF not UHF frequencies). I then tested the 20.0 IR Remote with the hopper and it worked fine.

After that I used the Dish 20.0 IR remote to program the Broadlink and I was able to see the IR codes in learning mode. So there is no question that the remote is transmitting IR and that the Hopper is working with the IR remote. It's that the Broadlink doesn't work with the hopper even when I use the iPhone app.

This is what the Broadlink saw for the Cancel Button from the Dish 20.0 IR Remote:
0x26, 0x00, 0x14, 0x01, 0x0c, 0xca, 0x0d, 0x5d, 0x0d, 0x37, 0x0c, 0x5e, 0x0c, 0x5e, 0x0c, 0x38, 0x0c, 0x5e, 0x0c, 0x5e, 0x0c, 0x5e, 0x0c, 0x5e, 0x0c, 0x5e, 0x0c, 0x5e, 0x0c, 0x5e, 0x0c, 0x5e, 0x0c, 0x5e, 0x0c, 0x5e, 0x0c, 0x5e, 0x0c, 0xcb, 0x0c, 0x5e, 0x0c, 0x37, 0x0c, 0x5e, 0x0c, 0x5e, 0x0c, 0x38, 0x0c, 0x5e, 0x0c, 0x5e, 0x0c, 0x5e, 0x0c, 0x5e, 0x0c, 0x5e, 0x0c, 0x5e, 0x0c, 0x5e, 0x0c, 0x5e, 0x0c, 0x5e, 0x0c, 0x5e, 0x0c, 0x5e, 0x0c, 0xcb, 0x0c, 0x5e, 0x0c, 0x37, 0x0c, 0x5e, 0x0c, 0x5e, 0x0c, 0x38, 0x0c, 0x5e, 0x0c, 0x5e, 0x0c, 0x5e, 0x0c, 0x5e, 0x0c, 0x5e, 0x0c, 0x5e, 0x0c, 0x5e, 0x0c, 0x5e, 0x0c, 0x5e, 0x0c, 0x5e, 0x0c, 0x5e, 0x0c, 0xcb, 0x0c, 0x5e, 0x0c, 0x37, 0x0c, 0x5e, 0x0c, 0x5e, 0x0c, 0x38, 0x0c, 0x5e, 0x0c, 0x5e, 0x0c, 0x5e, 0x0c, 0x5e, 0x0c, 0x5e, 0x0c, 0x5e, 0x0c, 0x5e, 0x0c, 0x5e, 0x0c, 0x5e, 0x0c, 0x5e, 0x0c, 0x5e, 0x0c, 0xcb, 0x0c, 0x5e, 0x0c, 0x38, 0x0b, 0x5e, 0x0c, 0x5e, 0x0c, 0x38, 0x0c, 0x5e, 0x0c, 0x5e, 0x0c, 0x5e, 0x0c, 0x5e, 0x0c, 0x5e, 0x0c, 0x5e, 0x0c, 0x5e, 0x0c, 0x5e, 0x0c, 0x5e, 0x0c, 0x5e, 0x0d, 0x5d, 0x0c, 0xcb, 0x0c, 0x5e, 0x0c, 0x35, 0x0f, 0x5d, 0x0c, 0x5e, 0x0c, 0x38, 0x0c, 0x5e, 0x0c, 0x5e, 0x0c, 0x5e, 0x0c, 0x5e, 0x0c, 0x5e, 0x0c, 0x5e, 0x0c, 0x5e, 0x0c, 0x5e, 0x0c, 0x5e, 0x0c, 0x5e, 0x0c, 0x5e, 0x0c, 0xcb, 0x0c, 0x5e, 0x0c, 0x38, 0x0c, 0x5d, 0x0c, 0x5e, 0x0d, 0x37, 0x0c, 0x5e, 0x0c, 0x5e, 0x0c, 0x5e, 0x0d, 0x5d, 0x0c, 0x5e, 0x0c, 0x5e, 0x0c, 0x5e, 0x0c, 0x5e, 0x0c, 0x5e, 0x0c, 0x5e, 0x0c, 0x5e, 0x0c, 0xcb, 0x0c, 0x5e, 0x0c, 0x38, 0x0c, 0x5d, 0x0d, 0x5d, 0x0c, 0x38, 0x0d, 0x5d, 0x0c, 0x5e, 0x0c, 0x5d, 0x0d, 0x5e, 0x0d, 0x5d, 0x0c, 0x5e, 0x0c, 0x5e, 0x0c, 0x5e, 0x0c, 0x5e, 0x0c, 0x5e, 0x0c, 0x5e, 0x0c, 0x00, 0x0d, 0x05, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00

Thanks again for your response.

[PCarrick]

Mystery solved (sort of). The Broadlink is VERY sensitive to positioning with the Hopper or Joey.

While the DISH IR remote worked several feet away. The Broadlink has to be in a very exact position: not too close, not too far, not too high up and not too low down (within a 1 foot square area about a foot away from the Hopper or Joey).

Once I got the positioning right it works consistently.