Send text

The Send text action types text into whatever on-screen field currently has focus on your VIZIO SmartCast device — for example, an app’s search box or a sign-in form. Characters are sent with the same keyboard encoding the official SmartCast app uses, so they arrive in order as regular keystrokes.

Only ASCII characters are supported. This is also the most reliable way to enter digits (for example, PINs or channel numbers), because the remote’s numeric key codes are not digit keys on SmartCast devices.

Using this action from the user interface

If you prefer building automations and scripts visually, Home Assistant walks you through this action step by step. You pick what to target, tweak a few options, and save. No YAML knowledge required.

To send text from an automation or a script:

1. Go to Settings > Automations & scenes.
2. Open an existing automation or script, or select Create automation > Create new automation.
3. If you’re setting up a new automation, add a trigger in the When section. Scripts don’t need a trigger. They run when something else calls them.
4. In the Then do section, select Add action.
5. From the search box, search for and select VIZIO SmartCast: Send text.
6. Select the media player entity of your device as the target, and enter the Text to type.
7. Select Save.

This action targets the media player entity of your VIZIO SmartCast device.

Options in the UI

Using this action in YAML

If you work directly in YAML, or you want to know exactly what Home Assistant does under the hood, this section has the technical reference. It lists the field names you use in YAML, their types, and which ones are required.

In YAML, refer to this action as vizio.send_text. A basic example looks like this:

action: vizio.send_text
target:
  entity_id: media_player.vizio_smartcast
data:
  text: "stranger things"

This types “stranger things” into the search field that is open on the TV.

Options in YAML