Go buy a Harmony Smart Control

andy_mk3 said:
Bravia Sync should control your amp through your TV. I have a Sony TV, Sky and a Sony Amp and only ever use the Sky remote. I only need the TV remote once in a blue moon to switch inputs or whatever.
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Just in case you (Or anyone else) didn't realise, you can press the "help" button on the Sky remote to change input. Well, at least you can on my Sony TV.
 
yeah was just about to bite on that deal but thinking about it - it probably won't get used.

I've got one room with amp, tv, ps4 + virgin box, another room with tv, amazon firetv, cable + sky boxes.

Can I use the smartphone module in one room (to control amp, tv, ps4 etc) and the remote in another room?

Not sure it will work for me as I don't have a 'cabinet' of sorts- stuff littered all over parts of both rooms....
 
The app can control as many hubs as you want but the remote can only control one hub at a time unless you repair it each time you moved between rooms.

For you, like me, you'd just be simpler to get a remote/hub combo for each room.

The hub itself is an ir emitter and the single ir emitter that comes with it has about a 1m cable. However the hub has two IR outs and I use on one of my hubs a 5m extension cable connected to a ir emitter that splits into 4 stick on things.

Just buy a hub / remote combo for each room.
 
Does the remote actually send IR commands directly to the recieving hosts or does it go via the hub?

I don't need to use the remote in both rooms - just in one, and the hub in the other (with my smartphone)
 
My Harmony One touch screen has just broke so I need another controller quickly.

The smart sounds great but I dont think it will work with my seup?

All my AV kit is in a cupboard in another room (which I currently connect to via an IR distribution box also in the cupboard). The smart hub will control all my devices in kitchen cupboard but how will it turn my TV on and off in the lounge? I cannot add another IR cable from distribution box back to TV as the many cables already routed through wall are all jammed and I cant pull any more.

The only possibility is I reverse my whole ir distribution setup and put the receiver in the cupboard and distrubution box behind the tv with a sticky pad emmiter to tv receiver. The problem I then have is its a large cupboard with a full depth shelf so 2 levels and I dont think the hub emitter would reach all the devices on both levels.

Would I need to buy an ultimate?
If so I guess I could also just buy an IR only harmony and use with existing setup - what is the best IR only one for 4 or 5 activities without screen and cradle?
 
Have you spoken with Logitech first? With the remotes they've always been extremely good to me. Unless of course you'd prefer the new one, but I'd still chat with them first as they may give you a discount.
 
its about 3 years old? worked well but if I could switch to rf easily I would. also the one was great but I didn't use the screen for anything other than activities and the cradle was annoying.

I will buy another tomorrow. just need to know which one will work best for me?
 
Would appreciate suggestions as I want to buy one tomorrow.

Quite a few people on here and rainforrest talk about the hub going into an AV cupboard so how do all these people control their TV if not in line of sight of the hub?
 
I got one from the Amazon black Friday deals for £60. Fantastic remote, but I'm finding it hard to get used too compared to the good old Sky remote. Everything works with CEC for the most part, but it's useful to not have to use the amp remote when it doesn't turn over etc. It's growing on me and I'd recommend it to most :)
 
TBH the whole harmony range impresses me. I have a couple of the bog standard 700's - one for the lounge and another for the mancave.

Absolutely amazed by their reliability, longevity and general functionality.

Certainly one of my best purchases - haven't turned their noses up at any component I've asked them to control.
 
rs1800 said:
Would appreciate suggestions as I want to buy one tomorrow.

Quite a few people on here and rainforrest talk about the hub going into an AV cupboard so how do all these people control their TV if not in line of sight of the hub?
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The harmony hub itself has two IR OUT.

It comes with ONE emitter on the end of roughly 2m long cable (that can obviously control as many devices as it needs to in line of sight). The IR OUT sockets are 2.5mm but I've successfully used a 2.5mm -> 3.5mm converter to a 5m long 3.5mm stero cable connected to 3.5mm mutli IR emitter stickon things bought from eBay.

Keep in mind the two limitations of the simple remote though. Only 8 devices can be added and only 6 activities can be created. The Harmony Touch can add more but not sure on specifics.

If you're trying to use one remote in both rooms you might hit this limitation sooner rather than later and although it can be worked around by learning individual IR commands it's likely it will be a bit of a pain.
 
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RoyMi6 said:
The harmony hub itself has two IR OUT.

It comes with ONE emitter on the end of roughly 2m long cable (that can obviously control as many devices as it needs to in line of sight). The IR OUT sockets are 2.5mm but I've successfully used a 2.5mm -> 3.5mm converter to a 5m long 3.5mm stero cable connected to 3.5mm mutli IR emitter stickon things bought from eBay.

Keep in mind the two limitations of the simple remote though. Only 8 devices can be added and only 6 activities can be created. The Harmony Touch can add more but not sure on specifics.

If you're trying to use one remote in both rooms you might hit this limitation sooner rather than later and although it can be worked around by learning individual IR commands it's likely it will be a bit of a pain.
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Thanks for info - it may be ok then?

I am only wanting to control everything from my lounge and all my kit is in a kitchen cupboard quite some way away and no way of getting another cable in.

However I already have an extention cable in the wall which currently connects the IR receiver in my lounge to to the distribution amp in the cupboard. It has 3.5mm stereo jack socket at TV end so I guess I can reuse this and plug in an exiting emmiter to control the TV?

If so this all sounds like it could work and I could plug the emitter it comes with in the other output to send signals to the other cupboard shelf that might not see the hub?

Thanks
 
rs1800 said:
Thanks for info - it may be ok then?

I am only wanting to control everything from my lounge and all my kit is in a kitchen cupboard quite some way away and no way of getting another cable in.

However I already have an extention cable in the wall which currently connects the IR receiver in my lounge to to the distribution amp in the cupboard. It has 3.5mm stereo jack socket at TV end so I guess I can reuse this and plug in an exiting emmiter to control the TV?

If so this all sounds like it could work and I could plug the emitter it comes with in the other output to send signals to the other cupboard shelf that might not see the hub?

Thanks
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I think it's worth the gamble. From what you've said I think you should be good to go (short of buying a couple converters to get your connections all wired up the right way) but it's a great bit of kit that I'd recommend you find a way to make it work rather than not buying it because it doesn't fit 100% in the first instance.
 
Well the alternative would be to buy the ultimate which could control the tv directly but the idea of no charger really appeals and also if it doesnt work I think I could still make use of it in the bedroom. (for av use that is!)
 
I'm still rocking an old harmony 650 that cost £40 and can't complain. Fair enough i can't put things behind cabinet doors but it works fine in the one i have for HTPC, Bluray, TV and AMP. I would use it for TIVO but it's own remote is much more convenient.
 
I moved over to an Ultimate after using a 555 for about 3 years (until I accidently broke the screen when more asleep than awake), and love it.

Especially the way I can also use my tablet to start things off if the remote is out of charge (which is rare).
 
rs1800 said:
Thanks for info - it may be ok then?

I am only wanting to control everything from my lounge and all my kit is in a kitchen cupboard quite some way away and no way of getting another cable in.

However I already have an extention cable in the wall which currently connects the IR receiver in my lounge to to the distribution amp in the cupboard. It has 3.5mm stereo jack socket at TV end so I guess I can reuse this and plug in an exiting emmiter to control the TV?

If so this all sounds like it could work and I could plug the emitter it comes with in the other output to send signals to the other cupboard shelf that might not see the hub?

Thanks
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actually i am being a bit thick - I can just plug one of the outputs into my existing ir amp (keene) which already has all the emmiters connected and already has the extension cable to the tv plugged in too. I will just need to swap the receiver for another emmiter which I have plenty.

ordered :)
 
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