Go buy a Harmony Smart Control

I've got that kit, small remote and smart hub. You're probably right and I should buy a 2nd kit and sell the hub on. Then there are controllers both upstairs and downstairs. Upstairs use the harmony remote in conjunction with the real TV remote

I did consider carrying the remote upstairs but then one forgets and once in bed that's it. No one's getting out again ;)

To be clear what I was trying to achieve was to control everything using just harmony remotes. This would include a TV upstairs and sky+/tv etc downstairs. If I had 2 remotes and 2 hubs I hoped I could just use a single remote in both locations. Happy for both remotes to have acted the same, so I'd have an upstairs watch sky activity and a separate downstairs watch sky activity. Both turn on/operate the Sky box but each activity controls its own TV. The problem is the hub downstairs can't project its IR through walls and ceilings ;)

I've only been using an app to control the sky box while in bed, the real remote is so much better IMO (unless I could make my tablet do the control where each screen is laid out like the consoles in Startrek)
 
Yeah, buy a second kit.

You're causing yourself a world of hurt for no reason.

Also, note sure what you mean by this "Upstairs use the harmony remote in conjunction with the real TV remote" but you should never have to use more than one remote in any one location with the Harmony Smart Controller. It should be able to control almost everything you throw at it.
 
RoyMi6 said:
Yeah, buy a second kit.Also, note sure what you mean by this "Upstairs use the harmony remote in conjunction with the real TV remote" but you should never have to use more than one remote in any one location with the Harmony Smart Controller.
Click to expand...
If the hub is downstairs controlling the Sky box I obviously can't use the IR from this to control the TV upstairs. If I put a hub upstairs, so I can control the upstairs TV, it can't control the Sky box downstairs. Thus either I use 2 remotes upstairs (no upstairs hub) or I need the remote to talk to both hubs at the same time, controlling upstairs TV and downstairs Sky.
 
Ah, how are you getting your Sky Box video signal to the TV upstairs then?

If you're running an HDMI cable then simply follow this with an extension cable for one of the IR emitters from your hub upstairs to point at the Sky Box downstairs.

EDIT: The IR emitters can be plugged into any mono/stereo audio cable to be extended. I've personally used 3.5mm to 2.5mm converters attached to a 5m long stereo cable to extend mine in one room.
 
I have a 15M HDMI cable, really struggled to pull it through so not sure I can get another cable along the same path. I did try a TV Eye, and IOBit in the Sky box, but I couldn't get that to work :( The TV Eye light came on to say it had power but it wouldn't control the Sky box, even when plugged directly in to the Sky box, i.e. not using my dodgy aerial extension cabling ;)
 
picnic said:
I have a 15M HDMI cable, really struggled to pull it through so not sure I can get another cable along the same path. I did try a TV Eye, and IOBit in the Sky box, but I couldn't get that to work :( The TV Eye light came on to say it had power but it wouldn't control the Sky box, even when plugged directly in to the Sky box, i.e. not using my dodgy aerial extension cabling ;)
Click to expand...

If I ever moved, having it working perfectly now, I'd do everything in my power to make it work 100% in my new home :)

Whether it's worth that effort to you, only you can say.

One thing to note, if you DID get the hardware set up perfectly, the one concession you'd have to make is that the Sky Box would have to be left ON at all times.

By having two separate Hubs control the same Sky Box neither one will be able to know if the device is on or not, and because the Sky Box uses a "power toggle" button rather than a "power on" button, when an activity on one Hub tries to turn "on" the device it would instead turn it off.
 
My beloved Harmony One+ is show its age with some of the buttons feeling less tactile and more spongy.

Problem is, last time I tried the Harmony Ultimate, I sold it after a week. Hated how the touch screen took more presses to get to certain buttons than my One+, plus the whole design felt back to front, even the ergonomics.
 
Logitech have just honoured a warranty replacement on my Harmony One due to a swollen battery, nicely timed with my post above ;)

This is my second Harmony One and my second swollen battery, regardless I love the One. The last warranty replacement was a Harmony Ultimate, but I hated it and sold it to find one of the last remaining One models.

They haven't told me what they have sent this time, it's due Tuesday, whatever it may be.

If it's another Ultimate, am I best keeping it sealed and selling it to get a Smart? Is the Smart more responsive than the One? It always felt a little laggy even with adjusting delays etc.
 
rs1800 said:
I used to have a one and find the smart better for no lag but also it's size and no need to charge.
Click to expand...

Thank you, I'm swayed towards the Smart remote so I don't need to put it in a cradle, as well as the iOS functionality.

My mystery replacement is due tomorrow - I bet it's an Ultimate :(
 
Guys, can anyone explain this a little further please, from an Amazon review on the Smart. My TV is mounted on the wall, with chased and plastered wiring. I don't understand this guys issue, wouldn't the hub thing just fire off a command to the TV regardless? Mine aren't closed cabinets mind.

The major issue with this is that it does not have an IR sender on the remote...the remote sends an RF signal to the IR blaster which then controls the components.

So if like me, you TV is on the wall, and your components are in a closed cabinet, you won't be able to turn the TV on with this remote unless you string one of the smaller IR blasters outside the cabinet...kinda ugly.

Too bad I didn't know this or I would not have purchased this.
Click to expand...
 
Oh, that might be a spanner in the works then. what sort of angle would the hub need to be at? Are we talking 180 degrees or something? The TV would effectively be behind the hub, so no line of sight!

I might need to keep the Ultimate :(
 
npqP3u0l.jpg


Do you get one of those little IR blasters included as well as the hub? If so, that seems to be the same setup and solution I'll need :)
 
Last edited:
You get one IR emitter in the box.

The hub has two 2.5mm mono jacks in the back that allow it to power two of these emitters.

HOWEVER! Do a search on the bay for:
IR Extender 1 Receiver 4 Emitter Emitters Repeater Kit Hidden Infrared Remote UK

It costs about £10.

Ignore all parts you get APART from the 4 small, sticky emitters that use a 3.5mm mono cable. These work perfectly with the SMART hub and I use them on all of mine.

The one trick you'll need to do is obviously buy a converter (again from the bay):
Male 2.5mm Plug to Female 3.5mm Mono Socket Cable Lead Adadpter Adaptor

About £3.

Also, again like I've done already, you can also extend using any mono or stereo cable. It's cheaper to buy a 3.5mm extension cable rather than a 2.5mm one (again from the bay):
3.5mm Stereo Jack Plug to Socket - just get the length you require.

I highly recommend the "sticky IR emitters" to everyone. They work a treat.
 
Oh snap!

I can't test this right now but it looks like the Harmony Hub can now be upgraded to the "home" version which will allow you to use it with "home control" products!

https://forums.logitech.com/t5/MyHarmony-com/Harmony-Release-Notes-UPDATED-June-15th/td-p/1039103

June 15th, 2015
- Harmony App for iOS (v4.3)
- Simplified new user set-up flow
- Harmony Ultimate, Smart Control, Smart keyboard & Ultimate hub users get the power of home control with an optional upgrade of hub software. Visit Menu > Harmony Setup > Upgrade Hub Software to upgrade your hub software
- Support for Nexus & Netflix activity
- Connectivity Improvements
- Bug fixes
 
OK, received a Smart today.

Two issues;

(1)
I have a Revo RL70 PC running Kodi (XBMC) Isengard, along with a HP RC6 media centre receiver plugged in. My activity works just fine with the device set as Microsoft Media Center Extender, however it lacks an awful lot of standard keyboard commands which I need for Kodi's operation. Everything I have read, says to add both Microsoft Media Center Extender AND MCE Keyboard devices to the activity. However any key presses assigned from the MCE Keyboard device simply do not work.

(2)
For reasons I won't explain, I NEED to run non-DHCP on my Virgin Superhub 2.0 and instead use static IP addresses on all of my devices. Upon setting up my new Smart control I soon realised that the iOS Harmony app wouldn't allow me to set a static IP, forcing me to select a wireless connection but not allowing me to go advanced and set a static IP.

I've managed to use DHCP temporarily for the sake of setting up my Smart, but have had to return to static IP's, thus making a big selling point of the Smart redundant, namely the ability to control your devices from your iPad/iPhone as well as from the remote itself.

I'm otherwise delighted with the remote itself, but likewise very angry and such a frankly, idiotic omission from what is advertised as a Smart remote.

Has anyone a workaround to connect, without having to use DHCP?

Can anyone offer any advice please?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom