Harmony Ultimate Home remote Questions

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic. Read 828 times.

SoCalWJS

Harmony Ultimate Home remote Questions
« on: 27 Dec 2017, 10:27 pm »
I just purchased a Harmony Ultimate Home remote (saw it at Costco at what looked like a very good price). I took it home and ran through the basic setup procedures. I immediately ran into issues and wondered if anybody was familiar with this thing or knew of a good resource for asking questions (I'll try AVS next - just don't like it there as much).

First thing is that this APPEARS to be an RF only remote. No IR. I have my DirecTV receiver set up in a location that is difficult for an IR to hit (that's why I have it set up for IR). If I run one of Harmony's "IR blaster"'s from the hub to where it hits the DirecTV box, the cord is too short  :cuss:. If I move the hub to where one blaster can reach the DirecTV, I have to place the other "blaster" someplace where that cord would be too short.:cuss: (not to mention I now have more cords running all over the place)

Also, Harmony appears to assume that everybody wants all of the setup done automatically - if it works, great. But if it doesn't work, the automatic troubleshooting system is limited.

I expected to be ably to manually tell the system everything I had, how it was connected, and how I want it turned on. Instead, somewhere in the setup process for my Roku box, it didn't allow for powering on the TV, and now I can't add it in the editing process - not an available device to add.  :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead:

I figure I need to learn a bit more about the thing, but my gut reaction right now is to return everything to Costco.

ArthurDent

  • Full Member
  • Posts: 15326
  • Don't Panic / Mostly Harmless
Re: Harmony Ultimate Home remote Questions
« Reply #1 on: 27 Dec 2017, 11:17 pm »
With my now aged Harmony One the setup process is on-line, so I have to go in and add or change "Activities" there. If the Ultimate Home is similar maybe go in and create a new Activity with the TV added in & turned on ahead of the Roku box. Then delete the old non-functioning Activity. I got 1 hr of free telephone support when I got mine some years back which was a great help as a couple of my pieces weren't listed in their equipment roster, but the tech I spoke with was able to noodle it out so things worked. It still has glitches shifting from some activities to others, but I just added a new one a couple of weeks ago to operate the used Oppo 95 I picked up. Not sure if this is any help, but if the setup process is similar you should be able to go in and tweak current activities. I'm sure the Ultimate Home is more involved than the old 'One', but as on-line interfaces go I found it easier than many.

Good luck with getting it working as you'd like, and as you note, worst case you can return it. 


Wind Chaser

Re: Harmony Ultimate Home remote Questions
« Reply #2 on: 28 Dec 2017, 12:00 am »
I had to call Logitech's tech support line, couldn't have done it without their assistance. Once we got it working it didn't operate all the functions on my DAC, so it went back to the store from whence it came. Even though it was on sale for half price, it still seemed rather expensive ($100 CAD) for a plastic remote.

SoCalWJS

Re: Harmony Ultimate Home remote Questions
« Reply #3 on: 28 Dec 2017, 12:11 am »
With my now aged Harmony One the setup process is on-line, so I have to go in and add or change "Activities" there. If the Ultimate Home is similar maybe go in and create a new Activity with the TV added in & turned on ahead of the Roku box. Then delete the old non-functioning Activity. I got 1 hr of free telephone support when I got mine some years back which was a great help as a couple of my pieces weren't listed in their equipment roster, but the tech I spoke with was able to noodle it out so things worked. It still has glitches shifting from some activities to others, but I just added a new one a couple of weeks ago to operate the used Oppo 95 I picked up. Not sure if this is any help, but if the setup process is similar you should be able to go in and tweak current activities. I'm sure the Ultimate Home is more involved than the old 'One', but as on-line interfaces go I found it easier than many.

Good luck with getting it working as you'd like, and as you note, worst case you can return it.
Thanks. I'll give a try to adding a whole new "Activity" and call it something else for now, and see if that solves it.

Still not sure I want it if it doesn't support RF though....

Bob2

  • Full Member
  • Posts: 1835
  • De gustibus non est disputandum
Re: Harmony Ultimate Home remote Questions
« Reply #4 on: 28 Dec 2017, 12:35 am »
The Harmony remote communicates via RF to the hub. There are no IR emitters in the remote itself. At least mine has none. Easy to check though with your cell phone camera.

I use this:https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B009ZGK6QS/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1 to send IR signal via mono cable (with 3.5mm male, both ends) to my gear that are in cabinets.

I have the Harmony hub mounted near the ceiling and it can control everything.  Controls my Insteon light switches and projector.
I do not use "Activities" so I can not help there. Most of the setup issues I encountered were due to operator error.

Bob

Doublej

  • Full Member
  • Posts: 2687
Re: Harmony Ultimate Home remote Questions
« Reply #5 on: 28 Dec 2017, 12:48 am »
The remote is RF. The hub is multi-technology. From the Costco website:

Included Harmony Hub sends commands from the remote or Harmony App to your devices using IR, Wi-Fi® or Bluetooth® wireless signals

SoCalWJS

Re: Harmony Ultimate Home remote Questions
« Reply #6 on: 28 Dec 2017, 12:55 am »
The remote is RF. The hub is multi-technology. From the Costco website:

Included Harmony Hub sends commands from the remote or Harmony App to your devices using IR, Wi-Fi® or Bluetooth® wireless signals
Saw that after I made the purchase. Nothing on the packaging says it one way or the other.