macOS
Homebrewverified · 100%
brew install libceclocal Homebrew formula metadata
MacPortsverified · 94%
sudo port install libcecMacPorts ports tree · multimedia/libcec/Portfile · source: api.github.com
brew / rank 4963
Install libcec with Homebrew, apk, dnf, MacPorts, Nix, pacman, apt, zypper
Control devices with TV remote control and HDMI cabling. Version 8.1.4 via Homebrew; verified from local package data. Also installable with debian: sudo apt install cec-utils.
install
Additional install commands
Linux
Alpine Linux apkverified · 92%
sudo apk add libcecAlpine Linux edge package indexes · libcec · source: dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org
Fedora dnfverified · 92%
sudo dnf install libcecFedora Rawhide package metadata · libcec · source: dl.fedoraproject.org
Nixverified · 92%
nix profile install nixpkgs#libcecnixpkgs package indexes · pkgs/by-name/li/libcec/package.nix · source: api.github.com
Arch Linux pacmanverified · 92%
sudo pacman -S libcecArch Linux sync databases · libcec · source: geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com
Debian aptverified · 92%
sudo apt install cec-utilsDebian stable package indexes · cec-utils · source: deb.debian.org
openSUSE zypperverified · 92%
sudo zypper install cec-clientopenSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata · cec-client · source: download.opensuse.org
overview
Package summary
Control devices with TV remote control and HDMI cabling
Project links
Commands and aliases
- cec-client
- cec-client-8.1.3
- cecc-client
- cecc-client-8.1.3
history
Project history and usage
libcec is Pulse-Eight's open source HDMI-CEC communication library. It lets computers and media-center applications send and receive Consumer Electronics Control messages over HDMI, usually through Pulse-Eight USB or NUC CEC adapters or through hardware such as the Raspberry Pi.
Project history
Pulse-Eight presents libCEC as an abstraction layer for the HDMI CEC bus: developers can interact with TVs, receivers, and other HDMI devices without implementing vendor-specific handshaking and message quirks themselves. The GitHub README says the library supports Pulse-Eight USB-CEC hardware and other CEC-capable hardware including Raspberry Pi, Exynos SoCs, NXP TDA995x, and Odroid C2.
The support documentation describes libcec as the open source library powering all Pulse-Eight CEC adapters, including cec-client, CEC-Tray, Standby Monitor, EventGhost integration, and third-party media-center applications.
Adoption history
libcec's most visible adoption is in media centers. Pulse-Eight says the library is used by popular media-center platforms, and the Kodi wiki documents Kodi's use of libCEC to receive TV-remote commands and send CEC messages over HDMI. That made libcec a common dependency on HTPC, Raspberry Pi, LibreELEC, OSMC, and Kodi-style systems.
Distributions package libcec because it is both a hardware enablement library and a useful command-line tool provider. The cec-client utility gives shell scripts and diagnostics direct access to HDMI-CEC traffic, while GUI media centers use the same library for remote-control integration.
How it is used
Users commonly run cec-client to scan the HDMI-CEC bus, send power/input commands, or debug remote-control traffic. Applications link libcec when they need CEC support without handling USB adapter protocols, Raspberry Pi CEC interfaces, or vendor differences directly.
Why package nerds care
libcec is a neat package because it turns a messy living-room hardware protocol into a Unix dependency and CLI. It is also one of the rare Homebrew/Linux packages whose value depends on a physical HDMI topology: the same binary can be boring on a laptop and essential on an HTPC behind a TV.
Timeline
- 2010s: Pulse-Eight developed libCEC around USB and internal HDMI-CEC adapters for HTPC use.
- 2018: Kodi wiki page for CEC was updated for Kodi v18 and documented libCEC as Kodi's CEC layer.
- 2025-06: Pulse-Eight support documentation listed libcec 7.1.1 as released in June 2025.
- 2025-06-23: GitHub release listing shows libcec-7.1.1.
Related projects
- Related projects include Kodi, Plex-style media centers, LibreELEC/OSMC systems, Raspberry Pi firmware and CEC support, Pulse-Eight USB-CEC and NUC adapters, EventGhost, and HDMI-CEC vendor implementations such as Anynet+, Bravia Sync, SimpLink, and VIERA Link.
Sources
security posture
Risk level: blue
broad file, network, media, or database tool signal.
Risk classifier
blue risk · medium confidence · tool
Why
- broad file, network, media, or database tool signal
Signals
- text:client
Install behavior
- No Homebrew post-install hook is recorded in formula metadata.
- Homebrew bottle metadata is available for 6 platform targets.
- Build metadata lists 1 build dependencies.
Recommended review
Before unattended agent use, check whether the tool reads plaintext credentials, writes remote state, publishes artifacts, or shells out to plugins.
executables
Installed executables
| Command | Kind | Exposure | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
cec-client | cli | global executable | |
cec-client-8.1.3 | cli | global executable | |
cecc-client | cli | global executable | |
cecc-client-8.1.3 | cli | global executable |
freshness
Version and freshness
These signals separate page generation age, package-manager activity, and upstream release comparison. Version lag is warned only when an evidence URL and comparable versions are present.
page generated2026-08-04
manager version8.1.4
manager updated
local dataok
upstreamcurrent
latest detectedlibcec-8.1.4
https://github.com/Pulse-Eight/libcec
- infoNo package-manager update timestamp was available.low confidence
install metadata
Package metadata
| Package key | brew:libcec |
|---|---|
| Version | 8.1.4 |
| Package manager | Homebrew |
| Package manager page | https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/libcec |
| Homepage | https://libcec.pulse-eight.com/ |
| Repository | https://github.com/Pulse-Eight/libcec |
| Upstream docs | https://libcec.pulse-eight.com/ |
| License | GPL-2.0-or-later |
| Source archive | https://github.com/Pulse-Eight/libcec/archive/refs/tags/libcec-8.1.4.tar.gz |
| Build dependencies | cmake |
| Uses from macOS | ncurses |
| Bottle | available (on arm64_linux, arm64_sequoia, arm64_sonoma, arm64_tahoe, sonoma, x86_64_linux) |
| Homebrew post-install | not defined |
| Service | none declared |
registry facts
Source database details
| Source Database | Homebrew formula API |
|---|---|
| Tap | homebrew/core |
| Full Name | libcec |
| Version Scheme | 0 |
| Revision | 0 |
| Bottle Stable Root URL | https://ghcr.io/v2/homebrew/core |
| Deprecated | no |
| Disabled | no |
| Keg Only | no |
| URL Keys |
|
source database matches
Other package-manager records
Matches are pulled from external package-manager indexes and kept separate from local Automic Vault package links.
Debian apt95%
cec-utils 7.0.0-1+b1
USB CEC Adaptor communication Library (utility programs)
http://libcec.pulse-eight.com/
sudo apt install cec-utils- Section: utils
- Architecture: amd64
- Source Package: libcec
- 7 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Libcec
Debian apt95%
libcec-dev 7.0.0-1+b1
USB CEC Adaptor communication Library (development files)
http://libcec.pulse-eight.com/
sudo apt install libcec-dev- Section: libdevel
- Architecture: amd64
- Source Package: libcec
- 1 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Libcec
Debian apt95%
libcec7 7.0.0-1+b1
USB CEC Adaptor communication Library (shared library)
http://libcec.pulse-eight.com/
sudo apt install libcec7- Section: libs
- Architecture: amd64
- Source Package: libcec
- 5 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Libcec
Nix95%
libcec
nix profile install nixpkgs#libcec- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Libcec
Ubuntu apt95%
cec-utils 6.0.2-1ubuntu6
USB CEC Adaptor communication Library (utility programs)
http://libcec.pulse-eight.com/
sudo apt install cec-utils- Section: universe/utils
- Architecture: amd64
- Source Package: libcec
- 7 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Libcec
Ubuntu apt95%
libcec-dev 6.0.2-1ubuntu6
USB CEC Adaptor communication Library (development files)
http://libcec.pulse-eight.com/
sudo apt install libcec-dev- Section: universe/libdevel
- Architecture: amd64
- Source Package: libcec
- 1 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Libcec
Ubuntu apt95%
libcec6 6.0.2-1ubuntu6
USB CEC Adaptor communication Library (shared library)
http://libcec.pulse-eight.com/
sudo apt install libcec6- Section: universe/libs
- Architecture: amd64
- Source Package: libcec
- 7 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Libcec
Ubuntu apt95%
python3-cec 6.0.2-1ubuntu6
Python 3 bindings for USB CEC Adaptor
http://libcec.pulse-eight.com/
sudo apt install python3-cec- Section: universe/python
- Architecture: amd64
- Source Package: libcec
- 7 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Libcec
apk95%
libcec 7.1.1-r1
libcec for the Pulse-Eight USB-CEC adapter
https://github.com/Pulse-Eight/libcec
sudo apk add libcec- License: GPL-2.0-or-later
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: libcec
- 1 dependencies
- 1 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Libcec
apk95%
libcec-dev 7.1.1-r1
libcec for the Pulse-Eight USB-CEC adapter (development files)
https://github.com/Pulse-Eight/libcec
sudo apk add libcec-dev- License: GPL-2.0-or-later
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: libcec
- 1 dependencies
- 1 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Libcec
apk95%
libcec-tools 7.1.1-r1
libcec for the Pulse-Eight USB-CEC adapter (tools)
https://github.com/Pulse-Eight/libcec
sudo apk add libcec-tools- License: GPL-2.0-or-later
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: libcec
- 1 dependencies
- 1 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Libcec
apk95%
py3-libcec 7.1.1-r1
libcec for the Pulse-Eight USB-CEC adapter
https://github.com/Pulse-Eight/libcec
sudo apk add py3-libcec- License: GPL-2.0-or-later
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: libcec
- 1 dependencies
- 1 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Libcec
dnf95%
libcec 8.1.3-1.fc45
Library and utilities for HDMI-CEC device control
http://libcec.pulse-eight.com/
sudo dnf install libcec- License: GPL-2.0-or-later
- Category: Unspecified
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: libcec
- 10 dependencies
- 2 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Libcec
dnf95%
libcec-devel 8.1.3-1.fc45
Development files for libcec
http://libcec.pulse-eight.com/
sudo dnf install libcec-devel- License: GPL-2.0-or-later
- Category: Unspecified
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: libcec
- 5 dependencies
- 3 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Libcec
dnf95%
python3-libcec 8.1.3-1.fc45
Python3 bindings for libcec
http://libcec.pulse-eight.com/
sudo dnf install python3-libcec- License: GPL-2.0-or-later
- Category: Unspecified
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: libcec
- 9 dependencies
- 6 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Libcec
pacman95%
libcec 7.1.1-2
Pulse-Eight's libcec for the Pulse-Eight USB-CEC adapter
http://libcec.pulse-eight.com/
sudo pacman -S libcec- License: GPL-2.0-or-later
- Architecture: x86_64
- 3 dependencies
- 1 optional deps
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Libcec
source trail
Generated from repository data
This page is generated by av-web from the private package SQLite artifact built by scripts/generate-pkg-sqlite.py.
Combined YAML source
View the package source record on GitHub.
Used sources
- Geiger risk classifier
- cross-ecosystem install command graph
- curated package history
- external package-manager database matches
- package relationship graph
- package version freshness
- package-page enrichment
- pkg.so package database
- pkgdb category and tag curation