Logitech Harmony Remotes RIP

bk

theteal wrote: »

Simple answer, Atmos. TV won't pass it, the Xbox will. I can live without it for standard TV but I can make use of it for a lot of media going via the Xbox (i forgot to mention Plex in my list in previous post). I've even considered connecting the Virgin box to the HDMI-in of the xbox to see how that works in a post-kinect world, maybe when I get a bit of quiet time to geek around.

Ah right, that is a pain.

ARC seems to have lots of foibles like this depending on TV, eARC seems to fix most. But you are right, nice looking TV, be silly to replace it just for that, hopefully Harmony keeps working until it comes time to change.

theteal

dam099 wrote: »

I have a similar issue, TV wont pass Atmos to my AVR (well it will do DD+ Atmos but only if I turn on CEC which causes havoc in other ways).

This is the thing, you also can't rely on eARC completely as the TV manufacturers implementations have been less than smooth and also you have the likes of LG that don't support DTS in their new models. Long live Harmony!

Sleeper12

theteal wrote:

With no immediate plans to change any of this kit, what options would work if Harmony was no more?

I wouldn't worry about it too much. Harmony will probably outlive most of your set-up

bk

theteal wrote: »

This is the thing, you also can't rely on eARC completely as the TV manufacturers implementations have been less than smooth and also you have the likes of LG that don't support DTS in their new models. Long live Harmony!

Wow! That is crazy, I just went and read about that!

I have the LG C9 OLED and it has no problems at all passing DTS through. But it turns out they have stopped supporting DTS on the replacement CX models!

That is absolutely mad as the C9 and CX use exactly the same panel and processor and are almost the same TV, but it looks like the CX is actually a downgrade versus my older C9!

Looks like I just picked the right TV, I bought the C9 reduced for clearance just as the CX was coming out and €800 more expensive!!

dam099

theteal wrote: »

This is the thing, you also can't rely on eARC completely as the TV manufacturers implementations have been less than smooth and also you have the likes of LG that don't support DTS in their new models. Long live Harmony!

Probably trying to save a $ or two on the DTS licence fee. Other than DVD/BluRay which are slowly dying is DTS used elsewhere? Have never seen it on streaming at least.

Metric Tensor

I have an ancient tv and and a ludicrous amount of items connected to it - without the Harmony Remote I'd spend at least 12 hours a day with my head buried in the couch looking for whichever remote is currently missing!

The remote also plays nicely with Home Assistant so I use it for turning on and off lights. It could also turn on and off the heating although I don't have it set up for that.

Disappointing for the likes of me.

theteal

bk wrote: »

Looks like I just picked the right TV, I bought the C9 reduced for clearance just as the CX was coming out and €800 more expensive!!

Oh there's more, something to do with HDMI 2.1 bandwidth being limited to 40gbps on CX where it was the full 48 on the C9. It makes no difference as the panel can only handle 40 but there was a right fuss about it at the time. My figures may be off a bit but you get the jist.

dam099 wrote: »

Probably trying to save a $ or two on the DTS licence fee. Other than DVD/BluRay which are slowly dying is DTS used elsewhere? Have never seen it on streaming at least.

You're correct, the streaming world loves Atmos. A growing number of sound bars are ignoring DTS and focussing on Atmos only e.g. Sonos and new Klipsch.


Anyway, apologies for kinda going OT but I suppose it is all kind of relevant.

bidiots

bk wrote: »

Looks like Logitech are going to stop making and selling Logitech Harmony remotes! They say they will continue to support existing remotes:

https://www.theverge.com/2021/4/10/22377015/logitech-discontinues-harmony-universal-remotes

I'll admit that while I still have mine, I've mostly stopped using it in the past year. In the past year I've been able to upgrade my entire AV setup and as a result greatly simplified my setup, so didn't really need it any more.

LG OLED TV with Webos, which works extremely well for all the streaming services, so no need for separate streaming sticks. Also has Freesat and Saorview tuners built-in, so that eliminated the need for a separate satellite set top box.

Basically just have the Switch and PS5 plugged into the TV, but you mostly use a game controller to use those anyway and they are CEC controlled.

For audio I switched to a high end Dolby Atmos soundbar, which use eARC so it automatically works with the TV with no fiddling needed.

Basically everything works easily with just the LG remote now.

I do miss using the Harmony Elite remote. The build quality, how it fits your hands and positioning of the buttons is so much better then the LG, and I totally miss the light up buttons which is great when watching the TV with lights off and the buttons to directly control smart deives and lights from the remote.

But it only works with IR with the LG TV, while the LG remote uses bluetooth, which is a lot more reliable. A real pity that they didn't allow Harmony to use bluetooth too to connect to the LG TV.

I suppose it is good that things have become easier to control without the need of a third party remote. That CEC and bluetooth remotes are becoming mainstream and replacing janky IR. But sad to see Harmony come to an end.

What sound bar did you go for?

Hurrache

theteal wrote: »

This is the thing, you also can't rely on eARC completely as the TV manufacturers implementations have been less than smooth and also you have the likes of LG that don't support DTS in their new models. Long live Harmony!

Yeah, despite it supposedly being a standard, eArc is still being implemented differently across manufacturers resulting in some issues that can't be pinned on one or the other, and can even be resolved in switching eArc off in cases.

bk wrote: »

That is absolutely mad as the C9 and CX use exactly the same panel and processor and are almost the same TV, but it looks like the CX is actually a downgrade versus my older C9!

It's just a licencing issue as opposed to hardware. But the C9 and CX don't have the same processors though.

bk

bidiots wrote: »

What sound bar did you go for?

Samsung HW-Q950T, a very expensive sound bar, though I paid half price for it during a special deal last November:

https://euro.richersounds.ie/p-204913-samsung-hw-q950t-9-1-4ch-cinematic-soundbar-with-dolby-atmos-and-dts-x-with-rear-speakers.aspx?swapstore=1

Fantastic sound. Though I think there are new models coming out from LG and Samsung in the next month, that look to resolve one or two niggles I have with it. Might be worth keeping an eye out on those and also looking for clearance deals on this model if you decide to go for it, I see Richer Sounds uk currently have £400 off on it on their UK site, maybe ie could match that if you ask.

Hurrache wrote: »

Y
But the C9 and CX don't have the same processors though.

Sort of, yes, the CX is supposed to have a new gen of the same processor (gen 3 versus gen 2 of the Alpha a9) that is supposed to be 20% faster. But the only difference anyone noticed in reviews is very slightly better AI upscaling of HD to 4k and very slight at that. The latest shield TV's do an even better job at upscaling if that is important to you.

LG have a bit of a habit of barely changing anything between model years, just name changes with very little noticeable difference. And sometimes things are actually degraded.

Another big difference is that the C9 is actually brighter then the CX! The big selling point of the G1 Evo's just launching this month is that they are 20% brighter, but early reviews are finding that it is just bringing them back up to the same brightness level as the C9!

In other words they they degraded the brightness of the CX, so that that the next year they could bring out the G1 with the big selling point of being 20% brighter.

It seems like I picked really well with the C9, it seems to have been a great bargain. I seem to be lucky with my TV picks, I upgraded from a Pioneer Kuro before this, another legendary TV, best TV of the HD era to own for years.

Irish Gunner

iI have the harmony elite and its been a lifesaver

Can switch between shield and Elite at push of a button and have centre speaker and surround speakers attached to Denon and activities set up so dont have to mess around with 3 different remotes

Also have Alexa skill to pause play and change channels on tv and handy again

Have not linked up the Hue lights to it but so easy. Have the virgin 360 box and that remote sitting in a press somewhere along with 2 or 3 others

sioda

Gutted about this tbh have had a string of Harmony remotes and now the elite.

Between TV soundbar Xbox Chromecast with Google TV it's invaluable and unlike voice control works every time

Hurrache

Wired have a story about it.
https://www.wired.com/story/logitech-harmony-smart-remote-lost-its-way/

ablelocks

due to a few issues, i think i have to set up my elite again - is it better to delete everything on the remote and hub and factory reset and start from scratch?

Sleeper12

ablelocks wrote:

due to a few issues, i think i have to set up my elite again - is it better to delete everything on the remote and hub and factory reset and start from scratch?

I think if you factory reset you can connect it to the PC & load your settings from a cloud backup

TitianGerm

Anyone using a Logitech Harmony Elite with a Sky Q box? We got A installed the other day and I'm trying to get it set up on the Harmony App but it's not finding my Q box in the database.

Edit: Got it working by putting the serial number in as Q.

brio09

I'm new to the scene on IR blasters and was wondering whether logitech harmony going means broadlink RM will be more popular as a universal smart IR and RF blaster?

Cyrus

hi all anyone know where i can get a hub companion remote, cant seem to find just the remote anywhere. the basic one without the screen.

ablelocks

when i use a logitech elite to watch tv, it turns on the tv, receiver and sky box, but after 2-3 minutes the fire cube automatically switches on which causes the receiver to switch to watch firecube.

it's probably obvious to change this in the elite and/or cube settings, but i can't find it

any ideas?

ablelocks

ablelocks wrote: »

when i use a logitech elite to watch tv, it turns on the tv, receiver and sky box, but after 2-3 minutes the fire cube automatically switches on which causes the receiver to switch to watch firecube.

it's probably obvious to change this in the elite and/or cube settings, but i can't find it

any ideas?

You obviously have hdmi CEC left on, you need to disable it on all devices when using harmony. Different manufacturers call it different things on LG is called SimpLink, Samsung call it Anynet

Bluefoam

Badly fukt wrote: »

You obviously have hdmi CEC left on, you need to disable it on all devices when using harmony. Different manufacturers call it different things on LG is called SimpLink, Samsung call it Anynet

You just need to arrange your stuff properly... My shield box is wired through the hdmi as is my sound bar and sub... The one controller handles all through CEC...

Bluefoam

Bluefoam wrote: »

You just need to arrange your stuff properly... My shield box is wired through the hdmi as is my sound bar and sub... The one controller handles all through CEC...

Logitech say disable it completely as it can cause issues, double commands
https://support.myharmony.com/en-us/understanding-hdmi-and-cec

ablelocks

i turned it off at the receiver, seems to have sorted it out.

newbie2

Arriving real Late to this thread and the news that logitech will stop producing harmony remotes. I've been a fan for 12+ years. Currently have an elite with hub and not sure what I would do without it.

I even have alexa working with it (somewhat).

I think I'm Gonna have to do some serious research on what my existing kits remote controls can do. I really hate the sky q touch remote. I've loads of mix and match stuff that I really want ease of use easily.

Also very close to purchasing a LG Cx to replace my five year old (burnt in images) Samsung TV. I'm not sold On the C9 love in on this thread. 😁

bk

Well I don't think you will be able to buy a C9 any more, not new anyway. CX or C1 will be your choice now. Either of these OLED's are great and I'm sure you will love them.

With you going for a LG OLED, with e-arc support and great inbuilt apps, you might find that you don't really need the Harmony remotes any more.