Harmony Remotes - Programming

[Aldaron]

I have the following configuration:

   Cablebox: Motorola DCT-6412 III 

        v HDMI

   AV Receiver: Samsung HT-AS720ST

        v HDMI

   TV: Samsung PN50-A650 

I have an activity ("Watch TV") that uses all three of these, powered (according to the remote settings) in the order above (the cablelebox is always on).

My problem is that (most if not all of the time) when I start this activity with the TV and Receiver off, the cablebox, which is set to serve 1081i, drops back to 720p. I can fix this if I manually start the TV and AV Receiver, allowing a long interval after the TV starts (and selects the appropriate input) before starting the AV Receiver.

My main questions are thus:

(1) Is there a way to insert a delay between powering up a device, and powering up another (here, between powering the TV and the receiver)?

(2) If so, can I issue commands to the first device before turning on the second (here setting the input)?

(3) Finally, can I set this up so that the delay only happens when the devices are first powered up?

I have some additional general questions about what's going on here:

(a) This appears to happen because when the AV Receiver comes on, the TV is not yet fully on so that the handshake (?) with the cablebox is from the AV Receiver alone, which apparently tells the cablebox that there's no 1080 device around. Is that roughly what's happening?

(b) If that's what's going on, would I have the same problem if there was no input powered on at first (e.g. if the TV were connected directly to the cablebox)? I.e., is the issue that the receiver is being dumb and instead of saying "wait, there's nothing there yet" is saying "I'm here and all I know about is 720p"?

(c) If the answer to b is yes, one way around this would be to just connect the TV and cablebox directly, skipping the receiver. (Or even to connect the cablebox to the receiver using component rather than HDMI). Is there a reason not to to do this (e.g. for sound quality)?

(d) All this could be solved also if the cablebox just ignored anything it heard and stuck with the settings it was given. Is there a way to force the cablebox to retain the settings its given and not "listen" to anything it might hear as connected devices are starting up. 

Thanks for any help! 

[WannabeActuary]

yes...you can.  what you would basically need to do is make sure the tv is set to power on first, and then increase the interdevice delay for the tv to the amount of time you want for the long pause...however, doing so will likely create other undesired effects during use.  your best bet is to contact tech support and see if they can insert a pause for you in the activity so you don't have to deal with potentially undesired effects.

[Aldaron]

Is that what tech support means when they say they have "made adjustments" to my account?

[WannabeActuary]

when they say that, I have no idea what changes where made...

[Aldaron]

Note that another way of phrasing my main issue is that I seem to need a way to make sure that things happen in the following order:

TV on

  Delay (long enough power up and to receive commands)

  Set input on TV

  Brief delay to ensure TV input is set

Receiver on

  Select receiver input

This should happen only if the TV isn't already on (e.g. for another activity). For example, I don't have the problem if I've been in another activity that uses the TV already. In that case, I don't need the first delay and the order just needs to be:

  Set input on TV

  Brief delay to ensure TV input is set

Receiver on

  Select receiver input

Are these things that I can configure or that only technical support can? Can I see and review the "adjustments" tech support makes to my account on my end?

[WannabeActuary]

this is something that only tech support can do...more than likely, it'll be a behind the scene change that you won't be able to verify in the setup

[hhatkin]

---

Aldaron wrote: 

TV on

  Delay (long enough power up and to receive commands)

  Set input on TV

  Brief delay to ensure TV input is set

Receiver on

  Select receiver input

---

The TV's Power-On Delay, typically 5-10 seconds, takes you to step 3, then the Inter-Device Delay deals with step 4. Logi support need to provde the delay before the Receiver powers on, and its Power-On Delay looks after step 6.

Message Edited by hhatkin on 12-22-2008 09:30 AM

[Aldaron]

Repeating with numbers for reference:

1 - TV on

   2 - Delay (long enough power up and to receive commands)

   3 - Set input on TV

   4 - Brief delay to ensure TV input is set

5- Receiver on

   6 - Select receiver input 

I already have a long power on delay for 2 which ensures that 3 happens correctly (for all activities). I'm confused though by the inter-device delay at 4. This appears not to delay the powering on of the receiver at 5, but just to insert a delay before 6 (is that what you're saying above?), so that there's an additional delay (that I can't program) needed before 5. In other words, the sequence is currently

1 - TV on

5- Receiver on

   2 - Delay (long enough power up and to receive commands)

   3 - Set input on TV

   4 - Brief delay to ensure TV input is set

   6 - Select receiver input 

If so, that's the source of my problem. The receiver comes on (5) before the TV has settled into the right configuration (4). 

Do I have that right?

[WannabeActuary]

this thread explains all the delays...

[Aldaron]

Yes, I just want to make sure I understand hhatkin's summary of events, and that I have the sequence of events right (see above).