IP control of att Uverse Box BitWise Controls BC4

[#1]

I wish to control and get status responses from a U-Verse set top box using the script capability of a BitWise Controls BC4 - this sends IP commands to the BOX.

From data in this thread it seems that we are required to log into the u-verse network before we can send commands to the set top box

Can this be done currently, from the various answers on this thread it seems the answer is negative

If positive where can I get information about loging in?

[#2]

I hope I am capturing what you are trying to do as I am unfamiliar with a Bitwise Controls BC4. You are looking to use the Bitwise Controls BC4 as a controller for the U-verse receiver, i.e. you want to be able to send commands from the Bitwise Controls BC4, and for the Bitwise Controls BC4 to receive status updates from the U-verse receiver.

Unless the Bitwise Controls BC4 uses the android OS, this will not be possible. The ability to communicate with the U-verse is restricted to applications that use the U-verse Enabled SDK, currently the iOS version of the SDK is the only version released.

From the last line of your post, you seem to have the impression that you solely have to login to the system and you will have access. This is incorrect and there are a number of security procedures that the SDK will perform on your behalf. After the device, receiver and your application are authenticated, through the API calls in the SDK, you will then be able to communicate between the device and the receiver.

You can view the SDK by downloading the iOS version of the SDK at iOS U-verse Enabled SDK

[#3]

The restriction to IOS only to get access to the u-verse box restricts its use significantly. For example the inability to control and accept 2-way communication over the U-Verse box by home control platforms like Creston, HAI etc make the box basicly unusable for an integrated Home Automation Systems that requires several sub systems to be integrated under flexable control platforms. The only way to integrate the u-verse box is left to IR commands that are very combersome to implement. With most manufactures of A/V equipment are implementing control and 2-way communication to there new devices via IP Scrips. This type of capability allows us to integrate other sub systems into the A/V environment such that an event trigger like an occupancy sensor can cause the A/V equipment to accept commands.

[#4]

Pete;

The Uverse DVR box can already be managed by AT&T-provided iOS, Android, and Windows Phone7 applications, as well as by a web interface (I suspect you might be able to script this with something like scriptMonkey).  Other than DVR control, what possible home automation might you want to do with a separate control platform? IP-based remote?

[#5]

I'll also jump in again, since Pete is echoing my concerns.

What we're talking about is *NOT JUST* home automation. We're talking about a complete audio/visual control system.

For me, the biggest issue with U-Verse is the limit of four streams. The competitors (i.e. DirecTV) provide discrete power commands (via IR, serial and IP) - this is huge especially when you limit yourself to four streams. Scenario:

Kids are watching TV downstairs. You're watching TV in the living room, and there are two shows being recorded. You use your $20,000 (which is a very cheap A/V control sytem) to turn off the living room, and you retire to your bedroom. You go to watch the TV in there - but wait! It tells you that you cannot watch it because all streams are being used. How is this possible? Well, because AT&T only does not allow a HTTP connection to the box, or discrete IR commands, the box is still on in the living room. Now, you have to go downstairs to the rack and manually power off the U-Verse box in your expensive rack, and then lug it back up two flights of stairs to your master suite to resume watching TV - which you've already missed another five minutes of programming because of this major inconvenience. This of course, is if you're the home owner.

If you're the integrator, you *might* be lucky NOT to receive a phone call in this situation, at 11 o'clock at night. Usually, when your client does call, you have to walk them through this painful procedure. Then explain to them that it's not your fault, and instead it is the limitation of the U-verse system. Once they start asking if all systems are like this, because you're an honest integrator, you say "No, DirecTV does not have these limitations. Nor does your local cable company."

We have clients that value our opinion, especially when they're going to drop $60-70-80-100k in audio/video equipment in their home. We steer them clear of AT&T as it's not a viable option, and not just for the reasons I outlined above.

As integrators, we just want reliable control over the pieces we control. So, having full control over a piece of equipment is essential - a power toggle does not suffice any more. IR control typically isn't the goto control interface anymore, it's Ethernet.

Please A&T - cut us some slack and let us control the box via IP without complex authentication, or other boloney. I personally just want all of the controls of the remote, plus discrete on and off, and a way to querry the channel it's currently on.  Is that so hard? We're dealing with a set top box - not a nuclear bomb or state secrets.

[#6]

What we want to do

The first example is a specific the second is general example so you understand the flexability we are looking for.

First Example

This is for the BitWise BC4, BC1 but could also be URC or Crestron control Platforms. The BC4 has its own OS. We build MACRO's for it than send out control commands to A/V devices. It can send out one way IR commands or Serial or IP 2-way commands. The ability to control more than one device with a single Macro is significant. Also to get status of an A/V device so an IF/ELSE command can be sent based on status is great. I currently use the IR capability to control the u-verse box but it is combersome and only 1-way communication which limits its use. The ability to control and A/V device via IP commands and 2-way communication between a control platform is the direction that A?V devices are moving. The BC4 control platforms include IOS and Andriod and custom GUI screens are built for these platforms. But there are other platforms some of which are simple keypads.

GENERAL EXAMPLE

The home owner is away from home and the security system is on and it is after dusk.

A specific person comes home and he/she sypes there access card in an access reader and then inputs a security code. The alarm turs off that person is identifed by the Home Control System as being home. The time of day and that person being home trigers the HVAC in a specific zone to be set to on, specific lights are turned on at dimmed level and the TV is turned on, the A/V receiver is turned on the set top box is turned on and the channel selected is set to FOX. All this is done without and iPad, iPhone or Andrion in the mix.

[#7]

Support for IP Scripts is not currently available on our U-verse equipment and remote control capabilities have only been extended beyond IR to iOS applications using our SDK.  Your feedback is greatly appreciated and has been forwarded to the U-verse Enabled Product Management team for future consideration as we support additional application capabilities with this platform.

[#8]

I too am a control system programmer, Crestron to be exact. Is there a way we can integrate over IP just the remote functions with discrete power commands with feedback for channnel and power state? There is a whole world out there of control systems that can use this ability to control your product. Yes we can do ir, but for a true integration that does not meet the bar. We mainly need the feedback so the rest of the control system can perform functions based from the information that is received from the uverse box. The power state, current channel can be displayed on a touch panel for the home owner, so they know what is going on with the system. There is a large need for this especially when you get into your higher end homes. I understand that the uverse has the ability to do a lot if you are a app developer, but we are in need of basic control and feedback. Could this be done by giving access to a certain IP port of the uverse box that would allow the remote function commands to work the box and that would not interfear with the more secure information so we would not have to do the AAP, that we cannot integrate into our code?

[#9]

Hi Eric12

Currently there is not a way to access the remote control functions and information about the current channel / program without using the SDK. The U-verse Enabled Product Management team is aware of the strong interest in being able to access this functionality over IP, without using the SDK, so custom remote controls would have access to this functionality. This will be considered in the future planning for the U-verse Enabled SDK.

I would encourage anybody else interested in this functionality to continue to register their interest in the ability to control the U-verse receiver over IP with using the SDK, in this forum thread.

[#10]

John - it's good to know AT&T is starting to hear the custom integration community.

If AT&T were to open up a specific port for control & feedback only (channel feedback, remote control, etc.), I'd much prefer a raw TCP connection rather than an HTTP connection like DirecTV.

Just my two cents.