Bluetooth page turning for Kobo eReaders

[tsowell]

Hi everyone,

I've written a little plugin (using the wonderful NickelHook) for Kobo eReaders that allows the use of arbitrary Bluetooth devices for turning pages. I've been using it with a Kobo Libra 2 and an 8BitDo Zero 2 controller, but I think it should work with other Bluetooth-capable Kobo eReaders, and you can configure which Bluetooth input events trigger page turning.

Device configuration is unfortunately quite manual. You need to find the Linux input events you want to use as triggers and put them in a configuration file, but that at least only needs to be done once per device.

The code is here: https://github.com/tsowell/kobo-btpt

Installation and usage instructions are in the README, and you can grab a pre-built KoboRoot.tgz from the releases page: https://github.com/tsowell/kobo-btpt/releases

If anyone gets a chance to try it out, let me know how it goes. PRs are also welcome.

--
Tom

[Dra_w]

I test successfully on my Sage but it doesn't work on Libra 2 (same installation step).

[Cootey]

Originally Posted by tsowell

Hi everyone,

I've written a little plugin (using the wonderful NickelHook) for Kobo eReaders that allows the use of arbitrary Bluetooth devices for turning pages. I've been using it with a Kobo Libra 2 and an 8BitDo Zero 2 controller, but I think it should work with other Bluetooth-capable Kobo eReaders, and you can configure which Bluetooth input events trigger page turning.

Device configuration is unfortunately quite manual. You need to find the Linux input events you want to use as triggers and put them in a configuration file, but that at least only needs to be done once per device.

The code is here: https://github.com/tsowell/kobo-btpt

Installation and usage instructions are in the README, and you can grab a pre-built KoboRoot.tgz from the releases page: https://github.com/tsowell/kobo-btpt/releases

If anyone gets a chance to try it out, let me know how it goes. PRs are also welcome.

--
Tom

I'm very intrigued in this project. I purchased a $20 Bluetooth presentation device off Amazon that worked initially to turn pages except the Kobo kept dropping the BT connection if I took too long to read a page. Then I'd have to dig back into the settings to reactivate the pairing. Too much work! Also, the pairing period became shorter and shorter, so I eventually returned the device.

I suspect the cheap device was at fault. How long do devices stay paired using your utility?

[tylpk]

Originally Posted by Cootey

I'm very intrigued in this project. I purchased a $20 Bluetooth presentation device off Amazon that worked initially to turn pages except the Kobo kept dropping the BT connection if I took too long to read a page. Then I'd have to dig back into the settings to reactivate the pairing. Too much work! Also, the pairing period became shorter and shorter, so I eventually returned the device.

I suspect the cheap device was at fault. How long do devices stay paired using your utility?

I have Elipsa. I have the same problem of BT. I found the BT and Wi-Fi are combined on the same soc so I used the "Force Wi-Fi On' settings to keep BT signal. After triggering this setting, the BT of Elipsa can keep working. By the way, I used NickelMenu to toggle this setting quickly.

[tsowell]

Originally Posted by Dra_w

I test successfully on my Sage but it doesn't work on Libra 2 (same installation step).

If you can, check the logs on the Libra 2, and look for lines containing "BluetoothPageTurner". It's pretty verbose, so there might be some clues about what the problem is.

[tsowell]

Originally Posted by Cootey

I'm very intrigued in this project. I purchased a $20 Bluetooth presentation device off Amazon that worked initially to turn pages except the Kobo kept dropping the BT connection if I took too long to read a page. Then I'd have to dig back into the settings to reactivate the pairing. Too much work! Also, the pairing period became shorter and shorter, so I eventually returned the device.

I suspect the cheap device was at fault. How long do devices stay paired using your utility?

Kobo is pretty aggressive about disabling Bluetooth when it isn't being used - the timeout is 150 seconds if I remember correctly. I was able to find a heartbeat mechanism that the built-in audio book player uses to keep Bluetooth enabled, and my utility uses that to keep Bluetooth on for 10 minutes after the last input event.

tylpk's solution (toggling the "Force Wi-Fi On" setting) should also work if your Bluetooth device already works with Kobo.

I'm actually not sure how my code will work with devices that can already turn pages... I think you would get duplicate page turn events. If you only want to make use of the Bluetooth keep-alive feature, you could try specifying a bogus method in the device configuration file - instead of "nextPage" and "prevPage", use "noOp", for example.

[windirt]

I used Libra2 and 8bitdo zero 2 gamepad successfully.

The profile just copy the sample from GitHub readme

A few problems that may be encountered

1. After creating a profile, you need to restart the device once more.

2. Zero2 gamepad has multiple operating modes, please make sure it is in xinput mode.

[Dra_w]

Originally Posted by tsowell

If you can, check the logs on the Libra 2, and look for lines containing "BluetoothPageTurner". It's pretty verbose, so there might be some clues about what the problem is.

On Libra2, I don't see those line when in Sage:

Apr  1 23:18:52 nickel: (BluetoothPageTurner) checking /proc/bus/input/devices for new devices
Apr  1 23:18:52 nickel: (BluetoothPageTurner) skipping Bus=0019 Vendor=0001 Product=0001 Version=0100
Apr  1 23:18:52 nickel: (BluetoothPageTurner) skipping Bus=0018 Vendor=001b Product=0000 Version=0000
Apr  1 23:18:52 nickel: (BluetoothPageTurner) skipping Bus=0018 Vendor=0000 Product=0000 Version=0000
Apr  1 23:18:52 nickel: (BluetoothPageTurner) found Bus=0005 Vendor=05ac Product=022c Version=011b
Apr  1 23:18:52 nickel: (BluetoothPageTurner) acquired device event3: bc2f3ddfcff2
Apr  1 23:18:52 nickel: (BluetoothPageTurner) devices scanned

[Dra_w]

I see an error in the log:

Apr  2 22:45:35 bluetoothd[1441]: src/service.c:service_accept() input-hog profile accept failed for BC:2F:3D:DF:CF:F2

and look into /dev/input when connect to bluetooth remote, there're no change (no new device added, still include 'event0' 'event1' 'event2' 'event3' 'mouse0' 'mice'). In Sage: 'event0' 'event1' 'event2' then a 'event3' file is added when connect to the remote.
I guess the issue is related to bluez kernel?

[tylpk]

Originally Posted by Dra_w

I see an error in the log:

Apr  2 22:45:35 bluetoothd[1441]: src/service.c:service_accept() input-hog profile accept failed for BC:2F:3D:DF:CF:F2

and look into /dev/input when connect to bluetooth remote, there're no change (no new device added, still include 'event0' 'event1' 'event2' 'event3' 'mouse0' 'mice'). In Sage: 'event0' 'event1' 'event2' then a 'event3' file is added when connect to the remote.
I guess the issue is related to bluez kernel?

I have the same issue with my Logitech R500. I guess the issue is related to linux kernel (CONFIG_UHID)?

I buy another bluetooth device (mouse) and use this good kobo-btpt to set up my bluetooth mouse. Although my cheap mouse sends event twice when I press the key. I can use my mouse to turn page finally.

https://youtu.be/trhdWDTAbKA

[tylpk]

I checked the kernel config. It seems that Kobo Libra 2 disables many items that Elipsa has.

[CyberPaul]

Originally Posted by Dra_w

I test successfully on my Sage but it doesn't work on Libra 2 (same installation step).

So you are not getting duplicate page turn events and it is not disconnecting thanks to the keep-alive feature. Can you confirm please?
Also can you please share the configuration you did? What device did you use?

[Dra_w]

Originally Posted by tylpk

I checked the kernel config. It seems that Kobo Libra 2 disables many items that Elipsa has.

So we should rebuild the kernel?

[Dra_w]

Originally Posted by CyberPaul

So you are not getting duplicate page turn events and it is not disconnecting thanks to the keep-alive feature. Can you confirm please?
Also can you please share the configuration you did? What device did you use?

If you get duplicate page turn, you should try leave the config file empty.
I test on Logitech R500 and a Tiktok bluetooth button.

[CyberPaul]

Originally Posted by Dra_w

If you get duplicate page turn, you should try leave the config file empty.
I test on Logitech R500 and a Tiktok bluetooth button.

I haven’t yet tried. I’m still waiting for my Kobo Sage ordered yesterday
Just asking because tsowell was expecting that behavior.