Harmony Remotes - Programming

[dddwilliams]

Before i begin i am certain the issue i am raising is not in anyway strictly to do with my model of TV & Logitech remote. I believe it to be a problem suffered by many New Sony Bravia Models and all advanced forms of Logitech remotes. That being the case surely we can come together on this one & sort it out :-).

I have a SONY Bravia KDL-40V4000 and the Logitech Harmony One

I recently purchased a new Sony LCD as part of a SONY PS3 Redemption Promotion in Australia. I have finally got it setup in my bedroom and was trying to setup my Logitech Harmony One yo control everything i have which it used to do. Until i got this TV. And my problem lies and upon doing a lot of googling it seems a lot of Sony TV owners suffer this same problem. Unless you push Input next on the Logitech and go through each input or up or down with the arrows & select like you do on the original remote it will not go to any of the right inputs directly except Video 1, Video 2 & Video 3. In my case i want to be able to directly access HD/DVD 1 & 2, HDMI 1, 2 & 3, DMPORT & PC. Especially when creating activities. I am sure a lot of you catch my drift on what i am saying here. I have been in touch with Logitech on this and nothing has worked thus far, and Sony well how STUCK UP and full of crap they are. Logitech told me to contact them about obtaining the hex codes and information about this and if i got them i could give them to Logitch whom would pass this onto the Remote Database team workers and they would upload it and i can't help but feel Sony are feeding me a whole load of excuses and buck passing back at Logitech and the remote being the one at fault here. How could this TV directly and successfully go to Video 1, 2 & 3 in the inputs but not the rest. Sony is partly blame for this and how they behave and come across they are probably wholly at fault lol. They don't make such great remotes so they should just get over it and help us out lol. So has anyone else had this problem but better still have you been able to fix it?

Regards
David

P.S

My input menu looks like this:

External Inputs

TV
Video 1
Video 2
Video 3
HD/DVD 1
HD/DVD 2
HDMI 1
HDMI 2
HDMI 3
DMPORT
PC

It does not skip unused inputs, and it stays on whatever input it is shut down on and goes back to the same again when turned back on. If anyone else wants to know more just ask or to talk private just email dddwilliams@live.com , because i get the feeling sorting this out would be fixng the same problem for a whole lot of people.

Message Edited by dddwilliams on 09-04-2008 10:22 AM

[WannabeActuary]

logitech is right...if the commands aren't on the original remote...you'll have to obtain the hex commands from Sony.

the database is mostly user learned...and since the original remote doesn't have those buttons, someone essentially setup this model tv based on a similiar previous model....and somewhere along the way, someone got hex commands.

as a general rule of thumb, remember that commands in the logitech database that aren't on your original remote should be considered a bonus...if they work, great...if not, you're not missing what wasn't there...the harmony is meant to 'replace your existing remotes'....when you get into the realm of buttons not on your original remote, you're now asking it to do MORE than the original remote...and if it does that's a bonus

[hhatkin]

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dddwilliams wrote:Unless you push Input next on the Logitech and go through each input or up or down with the arrows & select like you do on the original remote....

That is the normal method for most TVs.
For some TVs the Logi database includes discrete codes for the inputs, but as WannabeA says that is purely a bonus - not a standard Harmony feature.
If you're lucky and those commands are available for your TV - as they are for my Toshiba! - that makes things easier.
If not, unless you can discover hex codes - which Sony quite understandably will not provide -, then you must use the cycling method.

[dddwilliams]

Thanks for the quick response, this whole deal is really annoying me, i had a real cheap call it crappy Hisense TV before this new Sony Bravia & this input drama worked without a hitch and that was a $200 AUS Television. Yet here we are in 2008 and its to big an ask for a far more modern therefore one would think far more sophisticated piece of equipment/technology that cost 10 times my old one yet it has faults like this. My question to you is then with the discrete inputs why when you simply set up what model TV you own you wind up with such buttons on the screen of the Harmony one referring to Inputs 1-9. When i push Inputs 4-9 the light on the TV responds by flashing that its registering but nothing happens. Yet only 1, 2 & 3 work. Why are the others there if they don't work, and where do they come from if they are not working for this model of Television? Do you know of anyway/anyone that has this sorted problem nutted out and working in less slow truly inconvenient fashion. Because the way things are working right now i could get my Logitech Harmony One refunded and use my TV with my AV Receiver (Yamaha RX-N600) remote which controls the TV in the same slow way the original remote does. I tried getting the Hex codes, but Sony fed me a load of what was like it was to a script trained response crap. Why is it every dealing i have had with them is a negative more often than not blame the user and or pass the buck experience. Its really pathetic. Logitech are trying to help me on this and always have no gripes there much but really how hard can this be to sort out? & what is the best way to fix it so i can really start using this remote which is why i bought it.

Regards

David Williams

[WannabeActuary]

as I mentioned, when a user goes to add a device to their setup, and it's not in the database (i.e. a device new to the market), they're given certain options....you can learn all the commands from the original remote, you can set it up based on another device (and are prompted with certain choices), etc....

your tv is the "V" series...it may have prompted with choices from the "S" or "W" or other series (I'm not familiar with all the series)...and while those commands may work for those series, they don't work for the "V" series...

now, why 1-3 work and 4-9 don't work...basically Sony changed the commands for 4-9 from one series to the next but didn't change 1-3...

[dddwilliams]

Yeah Sony has changed the commands although in that case it has something to do with the different configurations of what inputs all the different models of TV comes with as well probably. But why is that such a big deal, Sony claimed they didn't have the codes, and i have asked well who does but have got no response as of yet (no surprise lol). So is there a way to get the harmony to learn his, it has me stuffed how. What gets me is even though input controls 4-9 don't work the TV responds by the remote light flashing on the front. Why would this be the case. The command gets through, but it just doesn't compute. The only thing i can think of without having to go through that cycling deal which is really starting to bug me is find Sony Models where these input controls work that has the same Input configuration my TV has (Shouldn't be that hard) and program the Logitech like that, any suggestions there. All the basics work with these Sony's no matter what model, even my old Sony DVD player operates it basically, and like i said my AV Receiver remote will as well. They can all do the basics, they just can't do the 7 more i want lol.

Regards David Williams

Surely by now some genius or lucky sod out there has found a way around this???

[WannabeActuary]

as to why the tv receives the signal but doesn't work...

take your original remote for the receiver...press the volume up command and watch the tv...it sees the command too...but it knows it's not for it...

what you can do is try other model tvs and see if they work...

you have the KDL-40V......

40 likely indicates the size...if you look on your owners manual, you may see that the manual corresponds to several models that vary only by the size....try adding those tvs to your setup and test the input commands to see if they work...

if not, you can start trying other model LINES/SERIES...but without hex commands it's guesswork that may get you nowhere

[dddwilliams]

Quote "as to why the tv receives the signal but doesn't work...

take your original remote for the receiver...press the volume up command and watch the tv...it sees the command too...but it knows it's not for it..."

What do you mean by that? Which remote? If i turn up volume on the TV with the original remote, my DVD Player remote, My AMP remote and the harmony it works and the light flashes as its responding to that function. If i push Video 1, 2 or 3 on the Harmony it flashes and goes to which one i select. If i choose inputs 4-9 it flashes to recognize it has detected the signal and command from the remote but nothing happens. But i will tell you this, it doesn't happen immediately, there is like a 1-2 second delay. Weird right If i went volume up on any remote that controls this it acts immediately and flashes likewise. As for the models i knew 40 in the model number was the size i will program all the V series models on my remote when i get time (label them as well) and go through them and then move onto W, X, XBR if i have to as it is worth a try because if it worked for me i am sure it would work for others. I am willing to bet there is a simple solution to this and the mere fact thinbgs are like they are to start with is Sony's fault, and how they respond to it really isn't acceptable. Like the difference between me asking for help from Logitech versus Sony is so clear to see. They all seem so clear cut and precisely arrogant and they do not like being told they are wrong or being notified something is wrong when they are so adamant it is right. Least Logitch is far more open to speculation & interpretation lol. Sony want a swift kick up the.... I'm sure you get my drift Anyway having said what i just have now what do you think & for now what do you think is the best/quickest workaround besides the cumbersome way i have to navigate around now?

Regards David

[WannabeActuary]

for now I would use the input scrolling method and test out the other models/series

and for what I meant was that your tv sees (and will flash) for all IR commands even if they're for another device.  the flash means the tv saw the signal and tries to process it.  if you press the volume button for your av receiver, when it's in av receiver mode, the tv will still flash showing it saw the signal.

in fact, this is what the 'interdevice' delay corresponds to.  when one device sees the commands meant for another device it has to process it, decide it's not meant for it and then ready itself again.

so in short...the fact that your tv flashes at input 4-9 but doesn't do anything is no big deal...it just means the commands don't work (regardless of the flash)

[dddwilliams]

Quote "and for what I meant was that your tv sees (and will flash) for all IR commands even if they're for another device. the flash means the tv saw the signal and tries to process it. if you press the volume button for your av receiver, when it's in av receiver mode, the tv will still flash showing it saw the signal.

in fact, this is what the 'interdevice' delay corresponds to. when one device sees the commands meant for another device it has to process it, decide it's not meant for it and then ready itself again.

so in short...the fact that your tv flashes at input 4-9 but doesn't do anything is no big deal...it just means the commands don't work (regardless of the flash)"

The TV doesn't flash when i point anything else at it and press buttons! i Tested that. It only flashes when i press certain harmony buttons when its set on my model TV and like i said there is a noticeable delay. Now i get what you are saying but what i am seeing when i push these buttons doesn't quite fit with that. Could it be recognizing the command its being given and flashing thinking it has done it or flashing because obviously first of all i am guessing whatever button i press on the logitech when it is set to control the TV uses the same wavelength of signal the TV responds to whatever the command regardless as to whether it could do it or not. Anyways I'm off to bed and will report back when i have more.

Regards

Dave