NeTV web services

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HTTP API

The NeTV HTTP API provides a mechanism to interact with NeTV through web interface on port 80.
The API can be called from a standard web browser, which will also display any results.
This method is probably the easiest way to experiment with the API commands.

The simplest command to try out is

http://localhost/bridge?cmd=Hello (from within NeTV)
http://xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx/bridge?cmd=Hello (from other device. Replace xxx by the IP address of NeTV)

This will give some basic status and ID information about the device.

More complex commands can be constructed as a POST Request as follow.
- POST to: http://localhost/bridge or http://xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx/bridge
- Content-Type must be set to application/x-www-form-urlencoded
- variable cmd : command name, case insensitive
- variable data : optional variable to submit arguments with the command, formatted as a XML string

Example: to send a remote control key command (single parameter)
- cmd=RemoteControl
- data=<value>right</value>
Example: to send a TickerEvent command (multiple parameters)
- cmd=TickerEvent
- data=<message>abcdefghifk</message><title>blahblah</title><image>full url to an image<image>
[The above format is deprecated]

Variables can now be POST directly as normal POST variable (must be URI-encoded).
Example: to send a remote control key command (single parameter)

  • cmd=RemoteControl
  • value=right

Example: to send a TickerEvent command (multiple parameters)

  • cmd=TickerEvent
  • message=abcdefghifk
  • title=blahblah
  • image=full url to an image


Generic return format

The return format is a XML string in the following format

<xml>
   <status>.....</status>
   <cmd>........</cmd>
   .......
</xml>
  • status:
    • 0 - Unimplemented command
    • 1 - Success
    • 2 - General error
  • cmd: is echo of the command name
  • data: is the return data of the command, it is designed to be an array of XML elements. For single value response, this is always "<value>...</value>"

NeTVServer

These webservices are provided by NeTVServer process, which is a custom built webserver, located in /usr/bin/NeTVServer
It hosts:

  • HTTP server on port 80, document root is located in /usr/share/netvserver/docroot
  • TCP server on port 8081, accepting command & response in XML format
  • UDP server on port 8082, accepting command & response in XML format

There is a helper script to start/stop/restart this process

/etc/init.d chumby-netvserver start
/etc/init.d chumby-netvserver stop
/etc/init.d chumby-netvserver restart

NeTVServer is a console application implemented with C++ and Qt libraries.
Only 1 instance of NeTVServer is allowed to run at once. The 2nd instance starts up and return immediately.

Commands

Command names are case-insensitive
Parameters are case-sensitive

Hello

Return some basic information about the device.
Parameters:
(optionals) type = netvbrowser/android/iphone/ipad/ipod/desktop
(optionals) version = some version number
These parameters are currently used by NeTVServer & NeTVBrowser to identify each other.
This is designed such that each client may function as an extension to NeTVServer.
In this case, NeTVBrowser provides UI/HTML/JavaScript extension.
HTTP GET example:
http://10.0.88.1/bridge?cmd=hello
(replace with NeTV's IP address)
Return:

<xml>
   <cmd>HELLO</cmd>
   <status>...</status>
   
      <guid>A620123B-1F0E-B7CB-0E11-921ADB7BE22A</guid>
      <dcid>...a long string of 1024 bytes...</dcid>
      <hwver>...hardware version number...</hwver>
      <fwver>...firmware version number...</fwver>
      <internet>true/false/connecting</internet>
      <mac>48:5D:60:A3:AC:FF</mac>
      <ip>xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx</ip>
      <network>...a long XML string from network_status.sh...</network>
   
</xml>

guid - a unique ID for each device. This is generated the very first time NeTV powers up
hwver - hardware version
fwver - firmware version, changed (increases) after every software update
internet - true: connected to Internet; connection: trying to associate with WiFi network; false: cannot associate with WiFi network
mac - MAC address of the WiFi interface
ip - IP address of WiFi interface. When NeTV is in Access Point mode, the IP is always 192.168.100.1
network - raw network status from shell command 'network_status.sh' providing some useful network parameters like dns, netmask, gateway, network configuration

Command table

[The table below is being revamped]

Command (cmd) Parameters return value
WifiScan -
<xml>
<cmd>WIFISCAN</cmd>
<status>...</status>
<data>
   <wifi><ssid>chumby_test_ap_1</ssid><qty>54/70</qty><lvl>-56</lvl><ch>3</ch><mode>Master</mode><encryption>NONE</encryption><auth>OPEN</auth></wifi>
   <wifi><ssid>bec</ssid><qty>28/70</qty><lvl>-82</lvl><ch>6</ch><mode>Master</mode><encryption>WEP</encryption><auth>WEPAUTO</auth></wifi>
   <wifi><ssid>ChumbyWPA</ssid><qty>50/70</qty><lvl>-60</lvl><ch>1</ch><mode>Master</mode><encryption>AES</encryption><auth>WPA2PSK</auth></wifi>
</data>
</xml>
RemoteControl
value=cpanel/widget/up/down/left/right/center (pick one)
<xml>
<cmd>REMOTECONTROL</cmd>
<status>...</status>
<data>
   <value>echo of the actual button name received</value>
</data>
</xml>
FileExists
value=full path to a local file
<xml>
<cmd>FILEEXISTS</cmd>
<status>...</status>
<data>
   <value>true/false</value>
</data>
</xml>
GetParam
value=name of the parameter
<xml>
<cmd>GETPARAM</cmd>
<status>...</status>
<data>
   <value>new value to be set</value>
</data>
</xml>
SetParam
myKey1=myValue1
myKey2=myValue2
myKey3=myValue3
...
<xml>
<cmd>SETPARAM</cmd>
<status>...</status>
<data>
   <value>number of keys received</value>
</data>
</xml>
TickerEvent
message=......
title=......(optional)
image=......(optional)
type=system/widget (optional)
level=critical/medium/low/default (optional)
<xml>
<cmd>TICKEREVENT</cmd>
<status>...</status>
<data>
   ...queue size? ETA? (TBD)...
</data>
</xml>



TCP/UDP API

The NeTV TCP/UDP API provides a mechanism to interact with NeTV through socket interface.
For UDP messages, the client can either choose to use either broadcast or unicast. However, the reply from NeTV is always unicast.

  • TCP socket port 8081 (Flash AS3 socket <-> NeTV)
  • UDP Socket port 8082 (Android/iOS client <-> NeTV)

All commands & parameters are identical to HTTP API, except the they have to be wrapped in XML format


Example messages to be transmitted to NeTV over UDP:
No parameter

<xml>
   <cmd>Hello</cmd>
</xml>

One parameter

<xml>
   <cmd>RemoteControl</cmd>
   <data>
      <value>right</value>
   </data>
</xml>

Many parameters

<xml>
   <cmd>SetParam</cmd>
   <data>
      <myKey1>myValue1</myKey1>
      <myKey2>myValue2</myKey2>
   </data>
</xml>