Infrared Guide - jaylikesbunda/Ghost_ESP GitHub Wiki

Infrared (IR) Guide

This guide explains the Infrared features in GhostESP: how to learn (receive) signals, transmit saved signals, manage IR files, and what hardware is required.

Quick overview

  • Learn (Receive): Capture signals from a remote and save them as .ir files.
  • Easy Learn Mode: Helps name buttons automatically.
  • Transmit: Send signals from Flipper-style .ir files or universal libraries.
  • Files: IR files live on the SD card under /ghostesp/infrared/remotes or /ghostesp/infrared/universals.
  • Protocols: The firmware supports many common IR protocols (NEC, Kaseikyo, Pioneer, RCA, Samsung, SIRC, RC5, RC6 and more).

What you can do

  • Learn a single button or entire remotes.
  • Use Easy Learn to auto-name common buttons (Power, Volume, etc.).
  • Browse .ir files and transmit an individual command.
  • Use universal library files (many commands in one file) and pick which command to transmit.
  • Rename, delete, or add remotes (on supported boards).

How to learn a signal

  1. Open the Infrared view and choose Learn Remote or Learn Button.
  2. If Easy Learn is enabled, follow on-screen prompts to map buttons; otherwise the device will show a learning popup.
  3. Point the original remote at the device and press the button you want to capture.
  4. The UI shows a preview and attempts to decode the protocol (if possible).
  5. Save the captured signal to the SD card as a .ir file or add it to an existing remote.

Notes:

  • Learning uses the RMT peripheral; the firmware initializes an RMT RX channel and a background learning task.
  • If the RMT channel is not available the UI will cancel the learning popup.

How to transmit signals

  1. In the Infrared view browse Remotes or Universals on the SD card.
  2. Open a remote file to list commands, or open a universal file to pick a named command.
  3. Select a command to transmit; the device sends the IR pattern via the configured IR TX pin.

Notes:

  • Universal files may be large; the UI scans files to extract unique command names for selection.
  • Transmission uses protocol encoders included in firmware to recreate the timing and carrier frequency.

Supported file formats and directories

  • Flipper .ir files are supported and expected to live under:
    • /ghostesp/infrared/remotes — individual remote files
    • /ghostesp/infrared/universals — universal library files
  • The UI lists .ir files by extension and presents contained commands for transmit.

Supported protocols

Supported protocols:

  • NEC / NECext
  • Kaseikyo
  • Pioneer
  • RCA
  • Samsung
  • SIRC (SIRC15, SIRC20)
  • RC5
  • RC6

If a protocol is not decoded, the device will still attempt to capture raw timings which may be replayable.

Managing IR files (Rename, Delete, Add)

  • Open a saved remote to view and manage it. You can rename or delete a remote file from the UI.
  • Add a learned signal to an existing remote or create a new file when saving.
  • The UI performs safe string handling when saving and will show errors if the SD card is not writable.

Hardware / Board support

  • Not every board includes IR TX/RX hardware. IR features are enabled only on boards that provide the necessary pins and hardware.
  • Supported boards include:
    • LilyGo S3TWatch (IR TX and virtual storage support)
    • ESP32-S3 Cardputer (IR TX)
    • LilyGo TEmbed C1101 (IR TX and RX)

Web UI file management

  • To manage IR files via Web UI:

    1. Open the Web UI and navigate to the SD card / file manager section (requires the web server to be running on the device).
    2. Use the file browser to view /ghostesp/infrared/remotes or /ghostesp/infrared/universals.
    3. Upload new .ir files to those directories or download existing files for inspection.
    4. Delete or rename files from the Web UI; uploaded files appear immediately in the Infrared view when the SD is mounted.

  • Notes:

    • The Web UI may require authentication depending on settings (webauth can be toggled); check your web settings before uploading.
    • The server treats /mnt as the SD mount root; paths used in the UI map to /mnt/ghostesp/... on the device filesystem.

Troubleshooting

  • Transmit not working: confirm TX pin wiring, try restarting the device or send a different signal.
  • Check serial logs and contact the team on discord for support.
  • Out of memory: large universal files may require more RAM to scan; try smaller files if the UI cannot list commands.

Privacy and safety

  • Only capture or transmit signals for devices you own or have permission to control.