Harmony Remotes - Programming

[MM20]

Hello - I'm just programming my Dad's new Harmony One.  His set up is somewhat complicated, but I'm getting there.  I have a bit of a problem with one part of the system.  Bear with me on the explanation : Dad watches TV through his Panasonic DMR-EZ48V Combo DVDR/VCR so I set up an activity "Watch TV".  So far so good.  He has 5 channels he can pick up, 4 are analogue channels and 1 is a digital channel.  So, when you pick channels using the Panasonic remote, you have to push a button called analogue first then the channel you want, ie: analogue then 1, analogue then 2, analogue then 3 and analogue then 4. Hope you're all still with me.  For the digital channel, you don't have to press analogue, just 22 and it picks the channel 22.  All good.  So, in order to pick the analogue channels using the Harmony One, first I had to learn a new command as the Harmony didn't seem to have the analogue button programmed in, so I learnt that command using the old remote.  Then within the activity, and customise buttons I had to set up 4 new sequences to allow for pressing analogue first then the numeric button.  All good.  Now when I'm in the watch TV activity and I press the numeric buttons 1-4, instead of just sending the message 1, 2, 3 or 4 it sends analogue then 1, analogue then 2, analogue then 3 and analogue then 4.  Perfecto.  The problem lies when I'm selecting my favourites for the touch screen.  I set them up so they're channel 1, 2, 22, 3 and 4.  Now 22 works perfect using the favourites however 1, 2, 3 and 4 are not sending analogue 1 etc - just the numeric numbers.  Very frustrating.  I can't seem to figure out how to customise these favourite channels to send the sequence analogue then 1 etc.  Anyone have any ideas?

Cheers

MM20

[TheWolfDe · Accepted solution]

Hi MM20.

Learn the existing analog-command as a new command and name it "." (only dot without the "" ).

Now go to favourite-channels and instead of "1" for channel "1" give it ".1" (dot 1).

Now from favourite-channels the harmony sends

- first the "." (which includes the analog-command)

- directly after that the channel-number

[MM20]

Wow, you're a genius!  Thank you SO much!! I can't tell you how frustrating this has been and now it's completely fixed!  I even spent half an hour on the phone to the helpline this afternoon to no avail!

I'm so grateful for your help, cheers! 

[gwh40]

I may be having a similar problem to you.  Analog and digital both work differently, even on my original remote.  I can enter a channel number directly and it will go to that channel for all analog, both on my original remote and my logitech.  For my digital channels, and there are only 5 (no cable box), on both of the remotes, I have to go to "guide" and then input the channel number, and hit enter, and it will go to the selected digital channel.  Of course I can go to "guide" on either remote and enter any channel number, both analog and digital, and it will go to that channel.  I have selected favorites, both analog and digital, when press an analog icon, say for cbs analog, it goes there.  If it is an icon for a digital channel, such as abchd, nothing happens.  I guess I would like to program in a sequence that when an icon is pressed, it sends a signal to go to the "guide" first, input the channel number (or description), and then cause "enter" to be pressed so that I can use my favorites.  I think you programmed in a sequence similarly and then changed a description in your favorites.  Any suggestions for me?

[hhatkin]

Doing it that way you might be able to get the "guide" and the numbers sent as Favorites.

You'd go to Learn IR for the Device, select MyNewCommand, re-name it to ".", and "learn" the "guide" command to it.

The Favorites setup would - or might - then allow you to enter the "." before the numbers.

That leaves you with the "enter" Command to deal with, so, as in the other thread, I'd suggest you take the whole thing to  support for any ideas they might have.

Message Edited by hhatkin on 06-26-2009 12:23 PM

[gwh40]

You have given me many good thoughts.  I know dealing with a novice is frustrating, and I have gone to logitech but it seems like a two tiered support center.  A screening and resource for easy problems and a "take the info" to send to a higher level who will get back to you.  A question as to what you just suggested.  Wouldn't pressing the icon serve as the "enter" function?  Don't know and I will try anyway.

[hhatkin]

That's OK - it's what we're here for, and we can usually answer from experience.

Support are used to stock situations but we can often reply more quickly.

As you have to press Enter when you send the commands direct from the number buttons that wouldn't be replicated by the favorite button.

My recommendation is to go the two Activities way.

H H

[gwh40]

So far so good.  I programmed in "." and then used than before the digital channel number in favorites.  So when I press the icon, it takes me to that channel selection on the guide.  Then I have to press enter.  A good first step.  Now to find out how to add a step somewhere that takes me directly from the icon to the channel without going through the guide screen.  Thank you so much. 

[hhatkin]

That's OK but unfortunately I don't see a way of getting the "enter" command sent automatically.

Either the Sequence or the two Activity solution would allow for that.

[WannabeActuary]

what about changing the default channel entry setting in the advanced setup for the device? you can tell it x number of commands plus enter