Full Broadlink Universal Remote Support

The Edge-AI Home Monitoring System now includes complete support for Broadlink Universal Remotes, allowing the platform not only to learn IR commands but also to transmit them directly to infrared-controlled devices.

What’s New

Added a dedicated Broadlink backend integration for sending stored IR commands.
Implemented a new /api/broadlink endpoint for controlling Broadlink devices from the dashboard and automation engine.
Added a Broadlink device class responsible for:
- Connecting and authenticating with Broadlink RM-series devices.
- Reading learned IR codes from broadlink_codes.json.
- Sending IR packets using device.send_data().

Full support for controlling:

```
TVs
```
```
Air Conditioners
```
```
TV Decoders / Set-Top Boxes
```

Broadlink devices are now treated like any other supported smart device and can be used throughout the entire system.

Why It Matters

This is a major milestone because the system is no longer limited to devices with official APIs.

Thousands of legacy appliances—including older televisions, air conditioners, and cable/satellite decoders—can now be integrated into the smart home ecosystem using only their existing infrared remote controls.

Users can control these devices from:

The Web Dashboard
Automation Rules
Future Voice Assistant integrations
Any API client connected to the system

This significantly expands compatibility while maintaining the project’s privacy-first, local-control philosophy.

Challenges

IR packets must be converted back into raw byte format before transmission.
Maintaining synchronization between learned codes and registered Broadlink devices remains important as the number of supported devices grows.
Multiple Broadlink hubs on the same network still require a device selection mechanism, which will be addressed in a future update.

Next Steps

Add automatic Broadlink hub discovery and selection.
Integrate Broadlink commands into the Rule Engine as event triggers.
Add support for macro commands (multiple IR signals with delays).
Improve the dashboard with command management and testing tools.