A universal media player can combine multiple existing entities in Home Assistant into a single media player entityAn entity represents a sensor, actor, or function in Home Assistant. Entities are used to monitor physical properties or to control other entities. An entity is usually part of a device or a service. [Learn more]. This is used to create a single media player entityAn entity represents a sensor, actor, or function in Home Assistant. Entities are used to monitor physical properties or to control other entities. An entity is usually part of a device or a service. [Learn more] that can control an entire media center.

Multiple media player entities may be controlled from a universal media player. Additionally, the universal media player can enable volume and power commands to be directed to other Home Assistant entities. This enables the media player power and volume commands to control devices like a television, amplifier or audio receiver, for example.

To use a universal media player add it to your configuration.yamlThe configuration.yaml file is the main configuration file for Home Assistant. It lists the integrations to be loaded and their specific configurations. In some cases, the configuration needs to be edited manually directly in the configuration.yaml file. Most integrations can be configured in the UI. [Learn more] file. After changing the configuration.yamlThe configuration.yaml file is the main configuration file for Home Assistant. It lists the integrations to be loaded and their specific configurations. In some cases, the configuration needs to be edited manually directly in the configuration.yaml file. Most integrations can be configured in the UI. [Learn more] file, restart Home Assistant to apply the changes.

# Example configuration.yaml entry
media_player:
 - platform: universal
 name: MEDIA_PLAYER_NAME
 children:
 - media_player.CHILD_1_ID
 - media_player.CHILD_2_ID
 commands:
 turn_on:
 action: SERVICE
 data: SERVICE_DATA
 turn_off:
 action: SERVICE
 data: SERVICE_DATA
 volume_up:
 action: SERVICE
 data: SERVICE_DATA
 volume_down:
 action: SERVICE
 data: SERVICE_DATA
 volume_mute:
 action: SERVICE
 data: SERVICE_DATA
 media_play:
 action: SERVICE
 data: SERVICE_DATA
 media_pause:
 action: SERVICE
 data: SERVICE_DATA
 media_previous_track:
 action: SERVICE
 data: SERVICE_DATA
 media_next_track:
 action: SERVICE
 data: SERVICE_DATA 
 attributes:
 is_volume_muted: ENTITY_ID|ATTRIBUTE
 state: ENTITY_ID|ATTRIBUTE
 browse_media_entity: media_player.CHILD_2_ID
 device_class: tv
 unique_id: a_unique_string

The universal media player will primarily imitate one of its children. The universal media player will control the first child on the list that is active (not idle/off). The universal media player will also inherit its state from the first active child if a state_template is not provided. Entities in the children: list must be media players, but the state template can contain any entityAn entity represents a sensor, actor, or function in Home Assistant. Entities are used to monitor physical properties or to control other entities. An entity is usually part of a device or a service. [Learn more].

Using active_child_template will allow you to specify an active entityAn entity represents a sensor, actor, or function in Home Assistant. Entities are used to monitor physical properties or to control other entities. An entity is usually part of a device or a service. [Learn more] if the default behavior is unsuitable for your task. The template must return the entity_id of the child that will be selected as active or None to return the default behavior.

It is recommended that the command turn_on, the command turn_off, and the attribute state all be provided together. The state attribute indicates if the media player is on or off. If state indicates the media player is off, this status will take precedence over the states of the children. If all the children are idle/off and state is on, the Universal Media Player’s state will be on. If not provided, the toggle command will delegate to turn_on or turn_off based on the state.

It is also recommended that the command volume_up, the command volume_down, the command volume_mute, and the attribute is_volume_muted all be provided together. The attribute is_volume_muted should return either True or the on state when the volume is muted. The volume_mute actionActions are used in several places in Home Assistant. As part of a script or automation, actions define what is going to happen once a trigger is activated. In scripts, an action is called sequence. [Learn more] should toggle the mute setting.

When providing select_source as a command, it is recommended to also provide the attributes source, and source_list. The source attribute is the currently select source, while the source_list attribute is a list of all available sources.

When using state_template, if you use a template that depends on the current time it is recommended to use now(). Using now() will cause templates to be refreshed at the start of every new minute. For more information see the time section in the template documentation.

The browse_media_entity parameter allows you to specify which media player will be used in media browser.

Usage examples

Chromecast & Kodi control with switches

In this example, a switch is available to control the power to the television. Switches are also available to turn the volume up, turn the volume down, and mute the audio. These could be command line switches or any other entityAn entity represents a sensor, actor, or function in Home Assistant. Entities are used to monitor physical properties or to control other entities. An entity is usually part of a device or a service. [Learn more] in Home Assistant. The turn_on and turn_off commands will be redirected to the television, and the volume commands will be redirected to an audio receiver. The select_source command will be passed directly to an A/V receiver.

The children are a Chromecast and a Kodi player. If the Chromecast is playing, the Universal Media Player will reflect its status. If the Chromecast is idle and Kodi is playing, the universal media player will change to reflect its status.

media_player:
 platform: universal
 name: Test Universal
 children:
 - media_player.living_room_cast
 - media_player.living_room_kodi
 commands:
 turn_on:
 action: switch.turn_on
 target:
 entity_id: switch.living_room_tv
 turn_off:
 action: switch.turn_off
 target:
 entity_id: switch.living_room_tv
 volume_up:
 action: switch.turn_on
 target:
 entity_id: switch.living_room_volume_up
 volume_down:
 action: switch.turn_on
 target:
 entity_id: switch.living_room_volume_down
 volume_mute:
 action: switch.turn_on
 target:
 entity_id: switch.living_room_mute
 select_source:
 action: media_player.select_source
 target:
 entity_id: media_player.receiver
 data:
 source: "{{source}}"
 volume_set:
 action: media_player.volume_set
 target:
 entity_id: media_player.receiver
 data:
 volume_level: "{{volume_level}}"

 attributes:
 state: switch.living_room_tv
 is_volume_muted: switch.living_room_mute
 volume_level: media_player.receiver|volume_level
 source: media_player.receiver|source
 source_list: media_player.receiver|source_list

Kodi CEC-TV control

In this example, a Kodi Media Player runs in a CEC capable device (OSMC/OpenElec running in a Raspberry Pi 24/7, for example), and, with the JSON-CEC Kodi add-on installed, it can turn on and off the attached TV.

We store the state of the attached TV in an input boolean, so we can differentiate the TV being on or off, while Kodi is always ‘idle’, and use the universal media player to render its state with a template. We now can differentiate between the ‘idle’ and the ‘off’ state (being the second when it is idle and the TV is off).

Because the input boolean used to store the TV state is only changing when using the Home Assistant turn_on and turn_off actions, and Kodi could be controlled by so many ways, we also define some automations to update this Input Boolean when needed.

The complete configuration is:

homeassistant:
 customize:
 media_player.kodi_tv:
 friendly_name: Kodi

input_boolean:
 kodi_tv_state:

media_player:
 - platform: universal
 name: Kodi TV
 state_template: >
 {% if is_state('media_player.kodi', 'idle') and is_state('input_boolean.kodi_tv_state', 'off') %}
 off
 {% else %}
 {{ states('media_player.kodi') }}
 {% endif %}
 children:
 - media_player.kodi
 commands:
 turn_on:
 action: media_player.turn_on
 target:
 entity_id: media_player.kodi
 turn_off:
 action: media_player.turn_off
 target:
 entity_id: media_player.kodi
 attributes:
 is_volume_muted: media_player.kodi|is_volume_muted
 volume_level: media_player.kodi|volume_level

 - platform: kodi
 name: "Kodi"
 host: 192.168.1.10
 turn_on_action:
 - action: input_boolean.turn_on
 target:
 entity_id: input_boolean.kodi_tv_state
 - action: media_player.kodi_call_method
 target:
 entity_id: media_player.kodi
 data:
 method: Addons.ExecuteAddon
 addonid: script.json-cec
 params:
 command: activate

 turn_off_action:
 - action: input_boolean.turn_off
 target:
 entity_id: input_boolean.kodi_tv_state
 - action: media_player.media_stop
 target:
 entity_id: media_player.kodi
 - action: media_player.kodi_call_method
 target:
 entity_id: media_player.kodi
 data:
 method: Addons.ExecuteAddon
 addonid: script.json-cec
 params:
 command: standby

automation:
 - alias: "TurnontheTVwhenKodiisactivated"
 triggers:
 - trigger: state
 entity_id: media_player.kodi_tv
 from: "off"
 to: "playing"
 actions:
 - action: media_player.turn_on
 target:
 entity_id: media_player.kodi_tv

 - alias: "TurnofftheTVwhenKodiisinidle>15min"
 triggers:
 - trigger: state
 entity_id: media_player.kodi_tv
 to: "idle"
 for:
 minutes: 15
 actions:
 - action: media_player.turn_off
 target:
 entity_id: media_player.kodi_tv

Harmony remote example

The complete configuration is:

media_player:
 - platform: universal
 name: Media Room TV
 attributes:
 state: remote.harmony_hub
 source_list: remote.harmony_hub|activity_list
 source: remote.harmony_hub|current_activity
 commands:
 turn_on:
 action: remote.turn_on
 target:
 entity_id: remote.harmony_hub
 turn_off:
 action: remote.turn_off
 target:
 entity_id: remote.harmony_hub
 volume_up:
 action: remote.send_command
 target:
 entity_id: remote.harmony_hub
 data:
 device: Receiver
 command: VolumeUp
 volume_down:
 action: remote.send_command
 target:
 entity_id: remote.harmony_hub
 data:
 device: Receiver
 command: VolumeDown
 select_source:
 action: remote.turn_on
 target:
 entity_id: remote.harmony_hub
 data:
 activity: "{{source}}"
 device_class: tv
 unique_id: media_room_harmony_hub

Denon AVR & HEOS

This media player combines the media players provided by the Denon AVR and HEOS integrations.

Features:

• Volume control via Denon entity (might be more fine-granular than HEOS volume control)
• ON/OFF button via Denon entity (not provided by HEOS media player)
• Sound mode selector via Denon entity (not provided by HEOS media player)
• Album art & Metadata via HEOS entity (not provided by Denon media player)

The complete configuration is:

media_player:
 - platform: universal
 name: Denon
 unique_id: denon_universal_remote
 device_class: receiver
 children:
 - media_player.denon_avr_x2700h # Denon AVR Integration entity
 - media_player.denon_avr_x2700h_heos # Denon HEOS Integration entity
 browse_media_entity: media_player.denon_avr_x2700h_heos
 commands:
 turn_off:
 action: media_player.turn_off
 data:
 entity_id: media_player.denon_avr_x2700h
 turn_on:
 action: media_player.turn_on
 data:
 entity_id: media_player.denon_avr_x2700h
 volume_up:
 action: media_player.volume_up
 data:
 entity_id: media_player.denon_avr_x2700h
 volume_down:
 action: media_player.volume_down
 data:
 entity_id: media_player.denon_avr_x2700h
 select_sound_mode:
 action: media_player.select_sound_mode
 target:
 entity_id: media_player.denon_avr_x2700h
 data:
 sound_mode: "{{sound_mode}}"
 attributes:
 sound_mode: media_player.denon_avr_x2700h|sound_mode
 sound_mode_raw: media_player.denon_avr_x2700h|sound_mode_raw
 sound_mode_list: media_player.denon_avr_x2700h|sound_mode_list

Override active children

This example shows how you can use active_child_template:

media_player:
 - platform: universal
 name: sony_tv
 unique_id: sony_tv
 children:
 - media_player.sony_tv_cast
 - media_player.sony_tv_psk
 active_child_template: >
 {% if is_state_attr('media_player.sony_tv_cast', 'app_name', 'TV') %}
 media_player.sony_tv_psk
 {% else %}
 media_player.sony_tv_cast
 {% endif %}