Hey everyone, I wanted to share my recent project that turned out to be a huge success! I’ve been struggling with the sluggish response of the default Xbox remote integration in Home Assistant. It was frustrating to wait for each button press to register, especially when I just wanted to enjoy my media without delays.
After spending a good chunk of my weekend tinkering, I finally found a solution that feels almost like using a physical remote. I utilized the custom:swipe-navigation-card to map out directional swipes and action buttons. The result? A super responsive remote interface that’s 100% LAN-based and feels incredibly smooth.
Here’s a quick rundown of what I did:
- Set Up Swipe Navigation: I configured the swipe navigation card to handle directional swipes (up, down, left, right) and mapped action buttons for menu, back, power, volume, and more.
- App Launching: I monitored the
call_serviceevent using Developer Tools to grab the necessarymedia_content_idfor apps like HBO Max, Hulu, and YouTube. - Quick-Launch Buttons: I added buttons at the bottom of my remote UI for easy access to my favorite apps, each configured with the correct
media_content_id.
One hiccup I ran into was with the power button functionality. Initially, the power state wasn’t updating quickly enough, so I created an input_boolean to manually track the power state. I also set up a script to decide whether to send a power command or turn off the Xbox based on the toggle state. An automation keeps the toggle synced with the actual Xbox state, ensuring everything stays consistent.
The final setup is a game-changer! No more waiting for commands to register, and the power button works seamlessly. I’m thrilled with how everything came together, and I’d love to hear if anyone else has tried something similar or has tips to improve this setup further.
Happy automating! 
