Logitech Harmony Ultimate Remote Control

mossym

Shane732 wrote: »

Yea, I've managed to get it sorted now.

Can it go as far as to get into Netflix on a Samsung TV? I have it getting to the Smart Hub but can't get it any further...

Does your tv remote have a Samsung button? Should be easy if so. If not you may be able to do it with a macro of direction keys after pressing the hub button. This only works if the tiles stay in the same position. My lg moves them depending on last used so it wouldn't work

Shane732

mossym wrote: »

Does your tv remote have a Samsung button? Should be easy if so. If not you may be able to do it with a macro of direction keys after pressing the hub button. This only works if the tiles stay in the same position. My lg moves them depending on last used so it wouldn't work

I have a hub button yes. How do I do it with the hub button? I've gotten as far as getting into the smart hub.

mossym

Shane732 wrote: »

I have a hub button yes. How do I do it with the hub button? I've gotten as far as getting into the smart hub.

Sorry I meant did it have a Netflix button, not a Samsung button.

With your normal remote, one you launch the hub, you'll have to move to the Netflix tile and select it. If this is in the same position every time , you have to press the same combo of direction keys every time to get to it then press select

you can set up an activity on harmony called watch Netflix and customise it to add the direction presses after the hub is launched and then select. Getting the delays right will be important

Shane732

On the Harmony remote what is the back up button? For example if I am watching something on NEtflix and want to go back to the episode selection page on do I get harmony to do it? It was the return button on my Samsung remote.

The integration with Alexa is good - means I can control the TV through Alexa which is what I was looking for.

I find the remote ok so far. I'm not blown away by it though.

I'm finding the integration of the horizon box and Harmony a bit difficult. It works as a remote but the activities haven't been mastered yet.

Nelbert

Shane732 wrote: »

On the Harmony remote what is the back up button? For example if I am watching something on NEtflix and want to go back to the episode selection page on do I get harmony to do it? It was the return button on my Samsung remote.

The integration with Alexa is good - means I can control the TV through Alexa which is what I was looking for.

I find the remote ok so far. I'm not blown away by it though.

I'm finding the integration of the horizon box and Harmony a bit difficult. It works as a remote but the activities haven't been mastered yet.

Backup would usually auto map to the button to the right of mute with the "undo" type symbol.
If it's not map that button to send return to the Samsung.

bk

As a general concept, any button on a harmony remote can be mapped to do anything the device supports. Usually the back button would be something like back, exit, etc.

BTW which remote did you get? Companion, Ultimate or Elite?

Shane732

bk wrote: »

As a general concept, any button on a harmony remote can be mapped to do anything the device supports. Usually the back button would be something like back, exit, etc.

BTW which remote did you get? Companion, Ultimate or Elite?

I got the Elite.

FrankGrimes

Great thread and forum (will be moving house in next year and will definitely be back to learn about things to plan for as I want to install plenty of smart devices).

I got the Harmony Home Control from Amazon.com (here) last year and never got round to setting it up correctly (I had audio setup in a complex way - now simplified to use ARC for audio from TV to soundbard over one HDMI cable and it works well). I have now added my Amazon Fire TV, Pionner soundbar, Philips TV without issue.

Horizon box label says it's a Samsung SMT-G7-400/XEN. When I added it in the Harmony app, I got a message saying that remote uses RF for several features so I will only be able to use basic functions. Is this going to be an issue and if so, is there either an add-on I can get to add RF capabilities (I've seen RF extenders online but wasn't sure if they serve this purpose or just extend range of remotes that already are RF-capable)? Or would I be better off for long term buying a different Harmony remote that does RF (happy to do this if so)?

Separately, volume buttons on the Horizon box remote don't work, I have to change TV input using TV remote (no need to change audio input as it's all on ARC soundbar input) and then have to use Horizon remote to change channels and TV remote to manage volume. Will Harmony be able to take care of all of this on one remote?

The high horse brigade

Anyone know how I program a toggle for HUE lights? I seem to be only able to create an activity with a start and end which is not what I want. I'm trying to create a good night activity which just turns everything off but am having difficulty in that when it's selected it shows as a running activity until it's selected again. It's not passing the missus test this way

bk

FrankGrimes wrote: »

Horizon box label says it's a Samsung SMT-G7-400/XEN. When I added it in the Harmony app, I got a message saying that remote uses RF for several features so I will only be able to use basic functions. Is this going to be an issue and if so, is there either an add-on I can get to add RF capabilities (I've seen RF extenders online but wasn't sure if they serve this purpose or just extend range of remotes that already are RF-capable)? Or would I be better off for long term buying a different Harmony remote that does RF (happy to do this if so)?

No, I'm afraid there is no work around for this, but it also shouldn't be a problem for the most part. Pretty much all the important features are there.

FrankGrimes wrote: »

Separately, volume buttons on the Horizon box remote don't work, I have to change TV input using TV remote (no need to change audio input as it's all on ARC soundbar input) and then have to use Horizon remote to change channels and TV remote to manage volume. Will Harmony be able to take care of all of this on one remote?

Yes, this is Harmony's strength, you can set it's volume buttons to control the TV, while the channel buttons control the harmony box.

Stoner

How well does it replace a fire TV remote ?

bk

Stoner wrote: »

How well does it replace a fire TV remote ?

Very well IME. The Fire TV remote is a Bluetooth remote and the Harmony Hub has bluetooth and uses it to almost exactly copy the functionality.

Obviously you lose the Voice support for the Fire TV remote that include it (not all do).

More details here:

https://support.myharmony.com/en-us/harmony-experience-with-amazon-fire-tv

FrankGrimes

So I got the Harmony working very well with my setup, turns out I missed a trick by not setting up ARC ages ago as changing optical inputs on the soundbar was the sticking point that prevented Harmony from working well previously. Now I've setup ARC, it's just a single input from TV to the soundbar and the Harmony is doing a brilliant job - wife acceptance factor has shot up as we've gone from 4 remotes to 1.

Only button I actually use on the Horizon box that the Harmony doesn't replicate is the Guide button, so you just have to tell people to click Menu and then click Guide. No biggie, but if anyone has that sussed (I tried allocating a custom button to Guide and that didn't work either), let me know. Changing channels, soundbar volume, and the record button and pause/play etc. all work perfectly.

Delighted the Harmony can replace the Amazon Fire remote (I use Kodi so the Amazon voice functions I don't think work in that anyway so I'm not losing much there), nice bonus that and it works perfectly.

This has now prompted me to get an Alexa Dot to play around with voice controlling - I guess you map Alexa to Harmony activities and possibly other commands?

Bluefoam

When the Harmony spec says it supports 8 devices... does that mean it takes over 8 remote controls... or it will only function with a total of 8 devices?

Eg. If you have 8 Philips Hue Lightbulbs... Will that count as 8 devices on the Harmony?

setanta1984

FrankGrimes wrote: »

Only button I actually use on the Horizon box that the Harmony doesn't replicate is the Guide button, so you just have to tell people to click Menu and then click Guide. No biggie, but if anyone has that sussed (I tried allocating a custom button to Guide and that didn't work either), let me know.

If manually mapping the pre-existing "Guide" option that is created by default in the app does not work, you can "teach" Harmony the button press on the original remote using the desktop software. See this guide - https://support.myharmony.com/en-us/teach-harmony-a-missing-command

I've done it a few times with my Elite, works perfectly.

mossym

Bluefoam wrote: »

When the Harmony spec says it supports 8 devices... does that mean it takes over 8 remote controls... or it will only function with a total of 8 devices?

Eg. If you have 8 Philips Hue Lightbulbs... Will that count as 8 devices on the Harmony?

which device? the elite says it controls 15 devices and an unlimited amount of connected/smart devices. the 15 covers things like tv's, sound systems, media streamers, blu ray players etc. the connected devices are things like the hue light so no you can have more than 8

Bluefoam

mossym wrote: »

which device? the elite says it controls 15 devices and an unlimited amount of connected/smart devices. the 15 covers things like tv's, sound systems, media streamers, blu ray players etc. the connected devices are things like the hue light so no you can have more than 8

Thanks, thats exactly what I needed to know... The control I am considering is this one:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00C80JGGO/ref=ask_ql_qh_dp_hza

I need to figure out if it can work like a pointer, similar to my TV remote... & I'll benefit from the IR connection, coz my Cable box isn't very intelligent. But I also want to keep cost down.

mossym

it can't work like a pointer. you'll need the tv remote for that. i'm not aware of any replacement remote that will support the pointer, the pointing capability uses different communication methods depending on the manufacturer.

Bluefoam

mossym wrote: »

it can't work like a pointer. you'll need the tv remote for that. i'm not aware of any replacement remote that will support the pointer, the pointing capability uses different communication methods depending on the manufacturer.

TBH, if I get the whole thing set up, I may not have allot of use for the TV menus very often anyway... Thanks for the help.

bk

Bluefoam wrote: »

Thanks, thats exactly what I needed to know... The control I am considering is this one:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00C80JGGO/ref=ask_ql_qh_dp_hza

That is the old one, better to get the new updated one:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Logitech-Harmony-Companion-Remote-Control-Black/dp/B014GXQ3S4/ref=dp_ob_title_ce

Great deal on the remote, hub and an Echo Dot here:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Logitech-Harmony-Companion-Remote-Control-Black/dp/B01N6GHEHU/ref=dp_ob_title_ce?th=1

Bluefoam wrote: »

TBH, if I get the whole thing set up, I may not have allot of use for the TV menus very often anyway... Thanks for the help.

Yes, that is what most people find when they move to Harmony, waving wands around ends up being pointless. To be honest, I wish companies would make TV's that were just monitors, with zero smarts in them. The Smart TV thing is usually very poor.

Bluefoam

bk wrote: »

That is the old one, better to get the new updated one:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Logitech-Harmony-Companion-Remote-Control-Black/dp/B014GXQ3S4/ref=dp_ob_title_ce

Great deal on the remote, hub and an Echo Dot here:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Logitech-Harmony-Companion-Remote-Control-Black/dp/B01N6GHEHU/ref=dp_ob_title_ce?th=1

Wow, thats a great deal, thanks. I was planning to go the google route, but I'm gonna place an order for this... Google won't be released outside the states for a while yet anyway...

bk wrote: »

I wish companies would make TV's that were just monitors, with zero smarts in them.

This!!!

bk

Bluefoam wrote: »

Wow, thats a great deal, thanks. I was planning to go the google route, but I'm gonna place an order for this... Google won't be released outside the states for a while yet anyway...

Yes and also GHome doesn't officially support Harmony at the moment. You can only indirectly control Harmony via IFTTT and then only turn on/off activity, non of the nicer options Alexa supports (change volume, channel, play/pause, etc.).

Though I do expect this support to come to GHome very soon.

I've both Echo and GHome and no problem using both, maybe a bit extra effort to set both up. If you decide to go GHome in future you can always move the Echo Dot to another room, sell it or gift it.

Bluefoam

bk wrote: »

If you decide to go GHome in future you can always move the Echo Dot to another room, sell it or gift it.

My thoughts exactly

FrankGrimes

setanta1984 wrote: »

If manually mapping the pre-existing "Guide" option that is created by default in the app does not work, you can "teach" Harmony the button press on the original remote using the desktop software. See this guide - https://support.myharmony.com/en-us/teach-harmony-a-missing-command

I've done it a few times with my Elite, works perfectly.

Sweet, will definitely give that a go, my setup would be 100% what I need, and visitor proof (important for babysitting family members to have a smooth TV experience 🙂) if that works

mossym

i'm very surprised the inbuilt guide command didn't work. Only thing i can think of is there is a couple of versions of the box with different ir codes for the guide button

UsedToWait

Hi folks,

I'm wondering if the Harmony might be a solution for this issue:

I've lost the remote for my (now 20 year old) Stereo system.

On searching the net for a replacement, I found a config file for LIRC (Linux Infrared Remote Control)
Reading the FAQ, LIRC configuration is way above my level of Linux understanding, but inside the config file are keycodes like these:

AutoPowerOff 0x0000000000003586
CD-Eject 0x0000000000000D22
CD-Next 0x0000000000000D9A
CD-Play 0x0000000000000D32
CD-Prev 0x0000000000000D1A
CD-Stop 0x0000000000000DC2

Would anyone know if this can be somehow programmed into the Harmony?

I can source a replacement remote, but prices quoted are like 60 quid, so if the Harmony could do the job, and replace the 4 or 5 other remotes lying around the place, that would be a fantastic.

The high horse brigade

UsedToWait wrote: »

Hi folks,

I'm wondering if the Harmony might be a solution for this issue:

I've lost the remote for my (now 20 year old) Stereo system.

On searching the net for a replacement, I found a config file for LIRC (Linux Infrared Remote Control)
Reading the FAQ, LIRC configuration is way above my level of Linux understanding, but inside the config file are keycodes like these:

AutoPowerOff 0x0000000000003586
CD-Eject 0x0000000000000D22
CD-Next 0x0000000000000D9A
CD-Play 0x0000000000000D32
CD-Prev 0x0000000000000D1A
CD-Stop 0x0000000000000DC2

Would anyone know if this can be somehow programmed into the Harmony?

I can source a replacement remote, but prices quoted are like 60 quid, so if the Harmony could do the job, and replace the 4 or 5 other remotes lying around the place, that would be a fantastic.

Did you check the compatibility list, someone may have done the dirty work for you
https://support.myharmony.com/en-us/compatibility

UsedToWait

The high horse brigade wrote: »

Did you check the compatibility list, someone may have done the dirty work for you
https://support.myharmony.com/en-us/compatibility

Thank you high horse - it looks like it is supported - who'd have thunk it - a 20 year old stereo!
Does that mean all the buttons on the original control will be mapped to the Harmony?
Stupid question, but how do you know which is which?

The high horse brigade

UsedToWait wrote: »

Thank you high horse - it looks like it is supported - who'd have thunk it - a 20 year old stereo!
Does that mean all the buttons on the original control will be mapped to the Harmony?
Stupid question, but how do you know which is which?

The main ones will be mapped directly to a physical button, the rest will work in software on the touchscreen

UsedToWait

Anyone care to give a lazy man's guide to the bamboozling amount of Harmony remotes available please.

As above, my main reason for wanting one is to replace a lost stereo remote, but it'd be handy to hide away the different remotes sitting round the living room, namely: LG smart TV remote, Logitech keyboard for kodi, a wee remote that turns on and off 3 plug sockets (not a name brand smart plug, just a 20 quid set of 3 plugs I picked up, and a bluetooth speaker I have..

I don't see me going full tech - have no desire to go for Echo or Google Home, or Hue or any of the other (heating etc) home automation things ye mad feckers are at :pac: , and voice control is not a feature I see me using:

So I presume any of the Harmonys with a screen would do the job for me, but on a quick perusal there's, amongst several others:

Harmony Ultimate One - £115 currently

Harmony Ultimate - £135 currently

Harmony 2.4 - £110 currently

I presume just set up a camelcamelcamel alert for each of these, and buy whatever drops first, or am I making a schoolboy error here?