Tools

Tools: Ultimate Guide: Switch Your Samsung M8 Monitor HDMI Inputs from the Terminal (No Remote Needed)

2026-04-17 0 views admin
Tools: Ultimate Guide: Switch Your Samsung M8 Monitor HDMI Inputs from the Terminal (No Remote Needed)

How This Works

What You Need

Step 1: Install Node.js via asdf

Step 2: Install the SmartThings CLI

Step 3: Authenticate with SmartThings

Step 4: Find Your M8 Device ID

Step 5: The Toggle Script

Step 6: Wire Up the Aliases

Workflow in Practice

Troubleshooting If you run two machines — a work laptop and a personal desktop — connected to a Samsung M8, you already know the pain: reach for the remote, navigate the OSD menu, switch source, repeat twenty times a day. Here's how to collapse that into a single terminal command using the SmartThings CLI. The best part: this approach works identically on both macOS and Linux since it's Node.js-based. The Samsung M8 is a SmartThings-connected display. Samsung exposes a first-party CLI — @smartthings/cli — that can send commands to any registered SmartThings device, including input source switching on the M8. No hacking, no reverse engineering, no X11 tools. asdf works the same on macOS and Linux, which is why it's the cleanest approach here. Linux (Ubuntu/Debian): Then install Node.js: This will open a browser and ask you to log in with your Samsung account. After authentication, it lists all your SmartThings devices. After authentication, smartthings devices outputs a table. Find your Samsung M8 and copy its device ID — it looks like a UUID: Export it in your ~/.zshrc.local (keep it out of your dotfiles repo since it's device-specific): Create ~/dotfiles/scripts/monitor_input.sh: A couple of things worth noting in _smartthings_cmd: it tries the asdf-managed binary path first, then falls back to whatever smartthings is on $PATH. This means the script works whether you're using asdf or a global npm install. Create ~/dotfiles/zsh/aliases/monitor.sh: Source it from your .zshrc: The command -v smartthings guard means the aliases are silently skipped on any machine that doesn't have the CLI installed — no errors, no noise. Run it directly without sourcing: My setup: work MacBook on HDMI 1, personal Linux desktop on HDMI 2. A single t in the terminal and the monitor switches — no remote, no OSD, no context switch. Since it goes through SmartThings rather than DDC/CI, it works over the network too, so you don't even need to be in the same session as the machine you're switching away from. smartthings CLI not found — Make sure the npm global bin is on your $PATH. Check with npm bin -g and add it to your shell profile if missing. SMARTTHINGS_MONITOR_ID is not set — Add the export to ~/.zshrc.local (not your dotfiles repo) and re-source your shell. Could not read current input source — Run smartthings devices:status $SMARTTHINGS_MONITOR_ID manually to inspect the raw JSON. The capability key may differ slightly on older M8 firmware; look for mediaInputSource in the output. Commands time out — The M8 needs to be on and connected to your Wi-Fi network. Wake it from standby first, or disable deep sleep in the monitor's power settings. That's it. SmartThings CLI, one script, four aliases, zero remote-reaching. Full script and aliases live in my dotfiles: github.com/abhsss96/dotfiles — see scripts/monitor_input.sh and zsh/aliases/monitor.sh. Templates let you quickly answer FAQs or store snippets for re-use. Hide child comments as well For further actions, you may consider blocking this person and/or reporting abuse

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$ -weight: 500;">brew -weight: 500;">install asdf -weight: 500;">brew -weight: 500;">install asdf -weight: 500;">brew -weight: 500;">install asdf -weight: 600;">sudo -weight: 500;">apt -weight: 500;">install -weight: 500;">curl -weight: 500;">git -weight: 500;">git clone https://github.com/asdf-vm/asdf.-weight: 500;">git ~/.asdf --branch v0.14.0 echo '. "$HOME/.asdf/asdf.sh"' >> ~/.zshrc source ~/.zshrc -weight: 600;">sudo -weight: 500;">apt -weight: 500;">install -weight: 500;">curl -weight: 500;">git -weight: 500;">git clone https://github.com/asdf-vm/asdf.-weight: 500;">git ~/.asdf --branch v0.14.0 echo '. "$HOME/.asdf/asdf.sh"' >> ~/.zshrc source ~/.zshrc -weight: 600;">sudo -weight: 500;">apt -weight: 500;">install -weight: 500;">curl -weight: 500;">git -weight: 500;">git clone https://github.com/asdf-vm/asdf.-weight: 500;">git ~/.asdf --branch v0.14.0 echo '. "$HOME/.asdf/asdf.sh"' >> ~/.zshrc source ~/.zshrc asdf plugin add nodejs asdf -weight: 500;">install nodejs 24.13.0 asdf global nodejs 24.13.0 asdf plugin add nodejs asdf -weight: 500;">install nodejs 24.13.0 asdf global nodejs 24.13.0 asdf plugin add nodejs asdf -weight: 500;">install nodejs 24.13.0 asdf global nodejs 24.13.0 node --version # v24.13.0 node --version # v24.13.0 node --version # v24.13.0 -weight: 500;">npm -weight: 500;">install -g @smartthings/cli -weight: 500;">npm -weight: 500;">install -g @smartthings/cli -weight: 500;">npm -weight: 500;">install -g @smartthings/cli smartthings --version smartthings --version smartthings --version smartthings devices smartthings devices smartthings devices ┌────┬─────────────────┬──────────────────────────────────────┐ │ # │ Label │ Device ID │ ├────┼─────────────────┼──────────────────────────────────────┤ │ 1 │ Samsung M8 │ xxxxxxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxxxxxxxxxx │ └────┴─────────────────┴──────────────────────────────────────┘ ┌────┬─────────────────┬──────────────────────────────────────┐ │ # │ Label │ Device ID │ ├────┼─────────────────┼──────────────────────────────────────┤ │ 1 │ Samsung M8 │ xxxxxxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxxxxxxxxxx │ └────┴─────────────────┴──────────────────────────────────────┘ ┌────┬─────────────────┬──────────────────────────────────────┐ │ # │ Label │ Device ID │ ├────┼─────────────────┼──────────────────────────────────────┤ │ 1 │ Samsung M8 │ xxxxxxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxxxxxxxxxx │ └────┴─────────────────┴──────────────────────────────────────┘ export SMARTTHINGS_MONITOR_ID='xxxxxxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxxxxxxxxxx' export SMARTTHINGS_MONITOR_ID='xxxxxxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxxxxxxxxxx' export SMARTTHINGS_MONITOR_ID='xxxxxxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxxxxxxxxxx' #!/usr/bin/env bash # Control Samsung M8 monitor input via SmartThings CLI # Requires: smartthings CLI + SMARTTHINGS_MONITOR_ID env var set in ~/.zshrc.local _smartthings_cmd() { local st_bin="$HOME/.asdf/installs/nodejs/24.13.0/bin/smartthings" if [[ -x "$st_bin" ]]; then "$st_bin" "$@" else command smartthings "$@" fi } _monitor_check() { if ! _smartthings_cmd --version &>/dev/null; then echo "smartthings CLI not found." >&2 echo "Run: -weight: 500;">npm -weight: 500;">install -g @smartthings/cli" >&2 return 1 fi if [[ -z "$SMARTTHINGS_MONITOR_ID" ]]; then echo "SMARTTHINGS_MONITOR_ID is not set." >&2 echo "Run: smartthings devices → find your M8 device ID" >&2 echo "Then add to ~/.zshrc.local: export SMARTTHINGS_MONITOR_ID='<id>'" >&2 return 1 fi } monitor_hdmi1() { _monitor_check || return 1 echo "Switching to HDMI 1..." _smartthings_cmd devices:commands "$SMARTTHINGS_MONITOR_ID" \ 'main:mediaInputSource:setInputSource("HDMI1")' } monitor_hdmi2() { _monitor_check || return 1 echo "Switching to HDMI 2..." _smartthings_cmd devices:commands "$SMARTTHINGS_MONITOR_ID" \ 'main:mediaInputSource:setInputSource("HDMI2")' } monitor_toggle() { _monitor_check || return 1 local current current=$(_smartthings_cmd devices:-weight: 500;">status "$SMARTTHINGS_MONITOR_ID" 2>/dev/null \ | jq -r '.components.main."samsungvd.mediaInputSource".inputSource.value // empty') if [[ -z "$current" ]]; then echo "Could not read current input source." >&2 return 1 fi echo "Current input: $current" if [[ "$current" == "HDMI1" ]]; then monitor_hdmi2 else monitor_hdmi1 fi } # Allow running directly: ./monitor_input.sh [hdmi1|hdmi2|toggle] case "${1:-}" in hdmi1) monitor_hdmi1 ;; hdmi2) monitor_hdmi2 ;; toggle) monitor_toggle ;; *) echo "Usage: $0 [hdmi1|hdmi2|toggle]" echo " or source this file and call monitor_hdmi1 / monitor_hdmi2 / monitor_toggle" ;; esac #!/usr/bin/env bash # Control Samsung M8 monitor input via SmartThings CLI # Requires: smartthings CLI + SMARTTHINGS_MONITOR_ID env var set in ~/.zshrc.local _smartthings_cmd() { local st_bin="$HOME/.asdf/installs/nodejs/24.13.0/bin/smartthings" if [[ -x "$st_bin" ]]; then "$st_bin" "$@" else command smartthings "$@" fi } _monitor_check() { if ! _smartthings_cmd --version &>/dev/null; then echo "smartthings CLI not found." >&2 echo "Run: -weight: 500;">npm -weight: 500;">install -g @smartthings/cli" >&2 return 1 fi if [[ -z "$SMARTTHINGS_MONITOR_ID" ]]; then echo "SMARTTHINGS_MONITOR_ID is not set." >&2 echo "Run: smartthings devices → find your M8 device ID" >&2 echo "Then add to ~/.zshrc.local: export SMARTTHINGS_MONITOR_ID='<id>'" >&2 return 1 fi } monitor_hdmi1() { _monitor_check || return 1 echo "Switching to HDMI 1..." _smartthings_cmd devices:commands "$SMARTTHINGS_MONITOR_ID" \ 'main:mediaInputSource:setInputSource("HDMI1")' } monitor_hdmi2() { _monitor_check || return 1 echo "Switching to HDMI 2..." _smartthings_cmd devices:commands "$SMARTTHINGS_MONITOR_ID" \ 'main:mediaInputSource:setInputSource("HDMI2")' } monitor_toggle() { _monitor_check || return 1 local current current=$(_smartthings_cmd devices:-weight: 500;">status "$SMARTTHINGS_MONITOR_ID" 2>/dev/null \ | jq -r '.components.main."samsungvd.mediaInputSource".inputSource.value // empty') if [[ -z "$current" ]]; then echo "Could not read current input source." >&2 return 1 fi echo "Current input: $current" if [[ "$current" == "HDMI1" ]]; then monitor_hdmi2 else monitor_hdmi1 fi } # Allow running directly: ./monitor_input.sh [hdmi1|hdmi2|toggle] case "${1:-}" in hdmi1) monitor_hdmi1 ;; hdmi2) monitor_hdmi2 ;; toggle) monitor_toggle ;; *) echo "Usage: $0 [hdmi1|hdmi2|toggle]" echo " or source this file and call monitor_hdmi1 / monitor_hdmi2 / monitor_toggle" ;; esac #!/usr/bin/env bash # Control Samsung M8 monitor input via SmartThings CLI # Requires: smartthings CLI + SMARTTHINGS_MONITOR_ID env var set in ~/.zshrc.local _smartthings_cmd() { local st_bin="$HOME/.asdf/installs/nodejs/24.13.0/bin/smartthings" if [[ -x "$st_bin" ]]; then "$st_bin" "$@" else command smartthings "$@" fi } _monitor_check() { if ! _smartthings_cmd --version &>/dev/null; then echo "smartthings CLI not found." >&2 echo "Run: -weight: 500;">npm -weight: 500;">install -g @smartthings/cli" >&2 return 1 fi if [[ -z "$SMARTTHINGS_MONITOR_ID" ]]; then echo "SMARTTHINGS_MONITOR_ID is not set." >&2 echo "Run: smartthings devices → find your M8 device ID" >&2 echo "Then add to ~/.zshrc.local: export SMARTTHINGS_MONITOR_ID='<id>'" >&2 return 1 fi } monitor_hdmi1() { _monitor_check || return 1 echo "Switching to HDMI 1..." _smartthings_cmd devices:commands "$SMARTTHINGS_MONITOR_ID" \ 'main:mediaInputSource:setInputSource("HDMI1")' } monitor_hdmi2() { _monitor_check || return 1 echo "Switching to HDMI 2..." _smartthings_cmd devices:commands "$SMARTTHINGS_MONITOR_ID" \ 'main:mediaInputSource:setInputSource("HDMI2")' } monitor_toggle() { _monitor_check || return 1 local current current=$(_smartthings_cmd devices:-weight: 500;">status "$SMARTTHINGS_MONITOR_ID" 2>/dev/null \ | jq -r '.components.main."samsungvd.mediaInputSource".inputSource.value // empty') if [[ -z "$current" ]]; then echo "Could not read current input source." >&2 return 1 fi echo "Current input: $current" if [[ "$current" == "HDMI1" ]]; then monitor_hdmi2 else monitor_hdmi1 fi } # Allow running directly: ./monitor_input.sh [hdmi1|hdmi2|toggle] case "${1:-}" in hdmi1) monitor_hdmi1 ;; hdmi2) monitor_hdmi2 ;; toggle) monitor_toggle ;; *) echo "Usage: $0 [hdmi1|hdmi2|toggle]" echo " or source this file and call monitor_hdmi1 / monitor_hdmi2 / monitor_toggle" ;; esac # ── Samsung M8 Monitor Input (SmartThings) ────────────────────────────────── if command -v smartthings &>/dev/null; then source "$HOME/dotfiles/scripts/monitor_input.sh" 2>/dev/null alias hdmi1='monitor_hdmi1' alias hdmi2='monitor_hdmi2' alias hdmi-toggle='monitor_toggle' alias t='monitor_toggle' fi # ── Samsung M8 Monitor Input (SmartThings) ────────────────────────────────── if command -v smartthings &>/dev/null; then source "$HOME/dotfiles/scripts/monitor_input.sh" 2>/dev/null alias hdmi1='monitor_hdmi1' alias hdmi2='monitor_hdmi2' alias hdmi-toggle='monitor_toggle' alias t='monitor_toggle' fi # ── Samsung M8 Monitor Input (SmartThings) ────────────────────────────────── if command -v smartthings &>/dev/null; then source "$HOME/dotfiles/scripts/monitor_input.sh" 2>/dev/null alias hdmi1='monitor_hdmi1' alias hdmi2='monitor_hdmi2' alias hdmi-toggle='monitor_toggle' alias t='monitor_toggle' fi source "$HOME/dotfiles/zsh/aliases/monitor.sh" source "$HOME/dotfiles/zsh/aliases/monitor.sh" source "$HOME/dotfiles/zsh/aliases/monitor.sh" hdmi1 # switch to HDMI 1 (machine A) hdmi2 # switch to HDMI 2 (machine B) hdmi-toggle # toggle between whichever is active t # same as hdmi-toggle, just shorter hdmi1 # switch to HDMI 1 (machine A) hdmi2 # switch to HDMI 2 (machine B) hdmi-toggle # toggle between whichever is active t # same as hdmi-toggle, just shorter hdmi1 # switch to HDMI 1 (machine A) hdmi2 # switch to HDMI 2 (machine B) hdmi-toggle # toggle between whichever is active t # same as hdmi-toggle, just shorter ~/dotfiles/scripts/monitor_input.sh toggle ~/dotfiles/scripts/monitor_input.sh hdmi1 ~/dotfiles/scripts/monitor_input.sh toggle ~/dotfiles/scripts/monitor_input.sh hdmi1 ~/dotfiles/scripts/monitor_input.sh toggle ~/dotfiles/scripts/monitor_input.sh hdmi1 - Samsung M8 monitor connected to your SmartThings account - Node.js (we'll use asdf for version management) - SmartThings CLI installed globally via -weight: 500;">npm - Your M8's SmartThings device ID

🏷️ Tags

toolsutilitiessecurity toolsultimateguideswitchsamsungmonitorinputsterminal

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