Xbox Control Driver

Version 1.01

BEFORE YOU SEND THE FILE TO THE PROCESSOR

1. Open this URL in any web browser:

https://smarthomeprogramming.com.au/xbox/setup.html

2. Type in the processor MAC address(visible on the bottom of the XP-8, or in IDesign under the System Settings).

3. Click "Sign in with Microsoft"and use the SAME Microsoft account that is signed in on the Xbox console you want to control.

4. Confirm "Linked" appears- that means the cloud helper has the account tokens it needs.

Skip this step and the cloud commands (power off, navigation, app launch, now-playing) will fail. Only Power On (local UDP) would still work, and only if the Xbox is on the same subnet.

Overview

Controls Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and Xbox Series S consoles. Power-on uses local UDP (no internet) AND cloud wake in parallel. All other commands (power off, navigation, app launch, now-playing) use the Microsoft cloud API via Smart Home Programming's helper service.

Required Xbox Settings

Without these, the cloud commands will not work. Set them once on the Xbox console.

1. Power mode = Sleep (formerly Instant-on)

Settings - General - Power options - Power mode - select "Sleep" (or "Instant-on" on older Xbox One firmware).

This is REQUIRED for ANY remote wake to work - WoL, multicast UDP, unicast UDP, AND Microsoft cloud wake all need the Xbox network adapter alive in standby. The "Shut down (energy saving)" mode fully powers down the NIC; nothing reaches the Xbox until you press the controller button physically.

How to verify: with the Xbox "off" but in Sleep mode, ping its IP from your laptop. It should reply. If it doesn't reply, the Xbox is still in Energy Saving mode and you need to switch.

1a. Strongly recommended: use a wired Ethernet connection

On Wi-Fi, the wireless adapter sometimes sleeps even when "Sleep" power mode is set - especially on Xbox One firmware. Wired stays alive reliably. If your Xbox is Wi-Fi-only and the adapter sleeps, you may need a USB Ethernet adapter or change network at the Xbox itself.

2. Remote features must be enabled

Settings - Devices and connections - Remote features - tick "Enable remote features".

This is what makes the Xbox visible to Microsoft's cloud and to the driver's UDP discovery. Without it, the driver cannot pair and cloud commands return zero consoles.

3. Same Microsoft account on the Xbox and the Setup URL

The Microsoft account you sign in with on the Setup URL (next section) MUST be the same account that is signed in on the Xbox. Microsoft's API only allows remote control by the account that owns the console.

To find which account is on your Xbox: power on - press the Xbox button - top-right shows the gamertag. Or Settings - Account - Sign-in, security and passkey - Email.

4. Recommended: run "Test remote features" on the Xbox

On the Remote features settings page there is a "Test remote features" button. Click it - it forces the Xbox to register with Microsoft's cloud and reports any errors. Useful sanity check before testing the driver.

Driver Setup

1. Install the driver in Integration Designer.

Add it to your room as a Video Game source.

2. Pair with the Xbox.

With Remote features enabled, manually power on the Xbox once. The driver auto-captures the Live Device ID and stores it. After pairing, the System ID and Console Name variables populate.

3. Link your Microsoft account (one-time, per processor).

Open the Setup URL (in the driver's Setup category) in any browser. Sign in with the SAME Microsoft account that is on the Xbox. Approve access. The setup page will show "Linked".

4. Add the licence key from smarthomeprogramming.com.au/store.

2-hour trial without a key.

Power-On (no internet needed)

The Power On function fires up to FOUR wake paths in parallel - whichever reaches the Xbox first wakes it.

1. Wake-on-LAN magic packet (most reliable)

Sent to the Xbox network MAC address. Works any time the Xbox is in Sleep / Instant-on power mode and the network interface is in standby listening. Bypasses Microsoft entirely.

Setup: Xbox Settings - Network - Network settings - Advanced settings - copy the wired or wireless MAC. Paste into the driver's Xbox Network MAC field. Format is flexible: AA:BB:CC:DD:EE:FF, AA-BB-CC-DD-EE-FF, or AABBCCDDEEFF all work.

2. Unicast UDP to Xbox IP

SmartGlass wake packet sent directly to the Xbox's local IP. Bypasses multicast routing (most home routers filter multicast). Set the Xbox IP Address field in the driver's Wake Targets config category.

3. Multicast UDP

Original SmartGlass discovery wake. Often filtered by router/AP isolation. Fires automatically once the driver knows the Xbox's Live Device ID (auto-fetched from the cloud after first link).

4. Cloud wake via Microsoft

Microsoft sends the wake notification to the Xbox via WNS (Windows Notification Service). Works across VLANs and the public internet. Limitation: when the Xbox enters deep ConnectedStandby (after long idle, typically 4-8 hours), Microsoft's WNS can no longer reach it and this path fails until the console is physically woken once.

Recommendation: configure both Xbox IP and Xbox Network MAC in the driver. The Wake-on-LAN path is the most reliable and works regardless of Microsoft's standby quirks.

A separate Wake on LAN (Magic Packet only) function is also exposed for use as a standalone macro step - useful when integrators want a "wake just in case" button before sending other commands.

Cloud Commands

Power off, reboot, all navigation buttons, all media transport, and app launching go through the cloud helper. Round-trip latency is typically 300-500 ms.

The Xbox must be FULLY AWAKE (showing the dashboard or an app) for navigation and button commands to be accepted. If the Xbox is in standby, Microsoft returns "Target Xbox is powered off" even though the console is technically registered. Use Power On first to wake it, wait 5-10 seconds, then send navigation.

Status (current app, media state) refreshes every 10 seconds (configurable). Microsoft caches the console state, so faster polling does not give faster updates.

Functions

- Power: On (local UDP), Off, Toggle, Reboot

- Navigation: Up, Down, Left, Right, A, B, X, Y, Menu, View, Xbox Button (Guide), Go Home

- Media: Play, Pause, Toggle, Next, Previous, Mute, Unmute

- Apps: Launch by name (Netflix, Disney+, YouTube, Plex, Apple TV, Spotify, etc.) or by Microsoft Store product ID

- Setup: Erase Pairing, Refresh Status

Latency Notes

Navigation, media transport, app launch, and power-off all have around 600-700 ms latency (measured end-to-end on the bench). This is the Microsoft Xbox Network cloud API delivery speed, NOT a driver issue - it cannot be optimised any further. The driver itself adds only a few milliseconds; the bulk of the time is Microsoft's cloud forwarding the command to your console.

For comparison, your phone's Xbox app uses the same API and has the same delay. The native Xbox controller is direct-to-console (sub-50 ms) and will always be faster for sustained menu scrolling.

Recommendation: treat the RTI driver as the right tool for occasional menu jumps, app shortcuts, power, and macro automation. Use the Xbox controller in your hand for moment-to-moment navigation.

Power On (UDP wake) is a separate path with ~50 ms latency on the same subnet, but only works if the Xbox is in Sleep / Instant-on mode AND on the same network segment as the RTI processor.

The cloud command endpoint is not officially published by Microsoft as a third-party developer API, so its URL has changed without notice in the past. If commands stop working, check smarthomeprogramming.com.au for an updated server status.

Troubleshooting

"Setup page shows Linked but commands fail"

The Microsoft account you signed in with does not own this Xbox. Click Unlink, then sign in again with the account that is on the Xbox.

"Driver never auto-pairs"

Remote features is not enabled on the Xbox, OR the Xbox is on a different subnet or VLAN from the RTI processor. UDP multicast does not cross routers.

"Commands return Xbox is powered off"

Xbox is in standby. Send Power On first, wait 10 seconds, retry the command.

"Linked, paired, awake, still no response"

Run Test Remote Features on the Xbox itself. If it fails there, the driver cannot help. Usually a network issue or account mismatch on Microsoft's side.

Privacy

The cloud helper stores only the OAuth refresh token for your Microsoft account, keyed by the RTI processor MAC address. No game history, friends list, or personal info is logged. Tokens can be revoked at any time from your Microsoft account security page at account.live.com/consent/Manage.