I recently dove into the world of smart home automation and decided to tackle a project that would significantly enhance my TV viewing experience. The goal was to create an automation that allows me to switch between different Sony Bravia TV scenes using an input select list in Home Assistant. Scenes like ‘game’, ‘cinema’, and ‘music’ each offer tailored picture settings, and being able to switch between them seamlessly would be a fantastic addition to my setup.After some research, I discovered that the Sony Bravia API could be leveraged to fetch and control these scenes. The journey wasn’t without its bumps. Initially, I struggled with mapping the JSON response from the API to the input select options. The raw response included a list of available scenes along with the current scene, but extracting this information required some careful parsing.I decided to break the problem into smaller tasks. First, I needed to create sensors that could pull the current scene and the list of available scenes from the TV. This involved setting up REST sensors in Home Assistant that would send the appropriate API requests. Once I had this data, the next step was to populate an input select list dynamically with the available scenes.To achieve this, I wrote a custom automation that runs at startup and periodically refreshes the list. The automation uses a REST command to send a request to the TV, retrieves the list of scenes, and updates the input select options accordingly. This ensures that the list always reflects the current state of the TV.One challenge I encountered was ensuring that the automation could handle changes in the TV’s power state. I implemented checks to ensure that the automation only runs when the TV is active, preventing unnecessary API calls and potential errors.After several iterations and testing, the system worked perfectly. I can now switch between TV scenes with a simple selection from the input list, and the TV updates its settings accordingly. This integration has made my viewing experience more enjoyable and streamlined the way I interact with my smart home setup.Reflecting on this project, I learned the importance of breaking down complex tasks into manageable steps and the value of thorough testing at each stage. It also highlighted the power of Home Assistant’s automation capabilities and the wealth of resources available within the community for troubleshooting and inspiration.If you’re looking to enhance your TV viewing experience with scene automation, I highly recommend exploring the Sony Bravia API and Home Assistant’s REST integration. With a bit of patience and experimentation, you can create a seamless and personalized setup that elevates your entertainment experience.