Remote Page Turning Controller

[McCauley]

Originally Posted by frostschutz

Reviving this vaporware...
....
Maybe next year.

I thought to pick you up on this, I have an Kobo Aura one and I am still looking for a remote page turner.
Have there been any developments on that front I've missed or that you want to share with us?

[frostschutz]

No, still vaporware. Little motivation to do anything Kobo related lately.

Sorry to disappoint.

[McCauley]

Originally Posted by frostschutz

No, still vaporware. Little motivation to do anything Kobo related lately.

Sorry to disappoint.

Too bad, maybe you find motivation for this again. Though admittedly I am just a lazy person, I believe disabled people would appreciate to have something like this for a true e-reader that supports an open format like epub (I know there is a decent solution for Amazons Kindle with its proprietary format).

Anyway, thanks for responding so swiftly! :-)

[kglo]

Hi, this is a question probably mostly for frostschutz but I thought I'd post here so it's visible for everybody.

I've been experimenting with nrf52 bluetooth low energy devices and I think they would be perfect for a remote page turn button as they are tiny but very capable and very power-efficient.

I was thinking a nrf52 could be mounted internally and be controlled by a small wireless button (like the cheap bluetooth Android camera remote shutter buttons that are available), and send commands via one of the internal Serial UARTs.

I'd be happy to have a go at it as a project but I'm not sure about the Kobo side as I haven't done anything to hack my unit yet.

So my question is, is it possible to simulate a page turn via one of the internal UARTs, and also what do I need to do to go from my unhacked Kobo Glo to a hacked device that can accept commands this way?

[McCauley]

I'd be still interested in a remote page turner for my Aura One as well, hopefully someone finds a way to enable this. :-)

[frostschutz]

https://youtu.be/TnIanWuF7fI

[wesley6j]

Check this out, turn pages forward/backward using a connected computer:
https://github.com/wesley6j/kobo_uti...aster/pageturn

[NiLuJe]

@wesley6j:

Random remarks:

I'd either piggyback on the Forma's PgTurn keycodes (even if it requires basically enforcing hasKeys = true for every Kobo model for that to be honored), or adding brand new keycodes, because right now, you're effectivley killing SleepCover & Light button handling .

I'd also ship the KOReader patch as a diff and apply it client-side (or device-side, the Kobo busybox build appears to ship with the patch applet included) .

[frostschutz]

Originally Posted by NiLuJe

(or device-side, the Kobo busybox build appears to ship with the patch applet included) .

careful with that, it patches the wrong lines sometimes... (or was it the wrong file? busybox has odd bugs sometimes, kobo's busybox more so)

it's interesting to interface directly with the software, my approach is still strictly to record and replay touch-events (as outlined in post #19 of this thread), even if that means that misinputs cannot be avoided (if you trigger it while not reading but inside a menu or something).

I'm hoping to turn this vaporware into actual release, sometime soon.

[wesley6j]

Originally Posted by NiLuJe

or adding brand new keycodes

I did not know this is possible. Could you explain a bit more about it?

[NiLuJe]

@wesley6j: A very quick test showed that you're absolutely right, that doesn't work ;p.

Didn't look into whether it was possible to convince the kernel that a specific device could in fact support additional keys, but somehow I doubt it...

[wesley6j]

Originally Posted by NiLuJe

I'd either piggyback on the Forma's PgTurn keycodes (even if it requires basically enforcing hasKeys = true for every Kobo model for that to be honored), or adding brand new keycodes, because right now, you're effectivley killing SleepCover & Light button handling .

The side effect is gone.

I assume key_repeat should be very very unlikely for sleep cover:

https://github.com/wesley6j/kobo_uti...2c4d9a24ca36a2

[NiLuJe]

@wesley6j: Oh, good idea .

The Forma does (stupidly) repeat the SleepCover key event, but that's the only device that does it (that I know of).

Might be worth it to move to KEY_H, although I have no idea what it might have been used for originally (the Home button on devices which had one?). In any case, shouldn't be an issue in KOReader .

[Gibbo]

Any new developments?.

P. S. Remembered I have one of those selfie sticks tried it on my tablet and Kindle/Kobo and play books work

[dredd-style]

Originally Posted by frostschutz

This is an experiment, cable based remote controller. Actually, it just uses the "unplug charger" event to flip the page. All you'd have to do is build a charger cable with a button that disconnects it for a short time.

[deleted vidme link]

It could also be done through WiFi, possibly using the GoPro remote controller so you'd have a hand-held, wireless device. It's a bit too expensive to just buy it on a lark. Also, it has a short battery life and keeping WiFi always on drains the Kobo rather quickly, too.

Hello frostschutz !
I read with interest your posts because I'm a lazy man who wants to read lying in his bed without having to move his arms!

Unfortunately your link to [deleted vidme link] is no longer accessible and I'm curious to know how the hack works via the charging cable.

As I understand it, you have to modify a USB cable to add an on/off switch and the reader perceives the signal as a command to turn the page.

Should a mod (script ?) be installed on the kobo to allow it to interpret this event?

Thank you for all