Harmony Remotes - Software/Firmware

[dallas7]

I've been using my new 550 for and agonizing several days of configuration.  But with seven audio video components in my entertainment center, I didn't figure on an easy learning curve.

It seems to me I've run into this behavior and I can't find anything on line to help me understand it further:

In the software one sets things up as best as one can and performs Update Remote.
One then finds out some, actually a lot of, things don't work just right and Help fixes the problem(s).
One now has a "good" remote config and a "wrong" software config.
One now wants to, for example, simply rename an activity, does so in the software does an Update Remote.
Now the remote is "wrong" again and everything that needed Help fixing needs it again.

Is there any way to sync a "good" remote to the software?

Thank you.

FYI:  Windows XP Pro SP3 and Harmony Remote 7.5.0.10.

[listener]

Hi,

I think you see something wrong about the functionality of HELP. Read the following from Wannabe's sticky:

11. The activity didn't start correctly, the help button worked, but the activity didn't work right the next time. What's going on? 

When an activity doesn't start correctly, it can be for several reasons. If it's happening on a regular basis (and not due to something blocking the IR signals from getting to the devices), this is likely due to a timing issue. The most likely culprits are the inter-device delay and the power on delay. The inter-device delay corresponds to the time a device needs to process IR signals it sees and determine if it's intended for that device or not. Since the device can likely see the IR signals intended for all devices, it might be busy processing commands for other devices and miss commands actually intended for it. The power on delay corresponds to the time needed for the device to power on and ready itself for commands. The Harmony remote will send commands for other devices during the power on delay, but it will not send any other signals for that device until the power on delay time has elapsed. It should be noted that the help button does NOT reprogram the remote in any way. It's simply a way to get things back in synch.

...... and no, there is no way to copy settings from the remote to the software. But by they way, could it be that you need to use HELP always at the beginning of a viewing session, but changing activities during the session works flawless. Then the power on delay for one of your devices is to short. But you have to be more specific about what's not working, to point this out exactly.

Greetings

listener

Message Edited by listener on 11-29-2008 04:39 PM

[hhatkin]

If you'll tell us which "things don't work" we'll help you to get them working - OK?

[dallas7]

"I think you see something wrong about the functionality of HELP."

No.

"The activity didn't start correctly, the help button worked, but the activity didn't work right the next time."

 The activity didn't start correctly, the help button worked and the activity worked right the next time and continues to do so.

It should be noted that the help button does NOT reprogram the remote in any way.

I'll try and figure out what you mean by that. :-)

"...and no, there is no way to copy settings from the remote to the software."

That answers my question.  Thank you.

Nothing needs fixing - the 550 works just fine.  I'll try and clarify my original posting.  Even though in Remote 7.5 I have clearly set my TV to start in Component1 and my DVR in S-Video, at first they went to AV1 and DV respectively.  Using Help fixed that and both devices continued to land on the correct inputs.

I decided to use Remote 7.5 to up Glow timing to 30 seconds.  I had to run Help again for the TV and DVR inputs.  Later, I decided the NextInput timing for the TV (which I had set to 3000 from 500 to resolve an issue) would probably be OK at 2000 (it is).  I used Remote to make that change and had to run Help again for the TV and DVR inputs.

This is kind of like having a PDA on which you've edited some calendar events and then connect it to your PC to upload a picture, your PDA calendar gets over-written.  It would be nice for Remote to have changed only my Glow and timing settings.

At $66 to my front door and being able to combine seven devices across six activities is outstanding.  But not being able to sync a nicely working remote to the software is, at the very least, sad.  As is not being able to export, from the software, those settings to a local file for backup.

Message Edited by dallas7 on 11-29-2008 02:12 PM