Harmony Remotes

[carrguy1]

I've searched the forums and only found passing reference to a similar problem in the archive section.

I have a Magnavox MFX-450 AV receiver that my Harmony 510 is unable to control correctly.  When I initially set everything up approximately a year and a half ago it worked enough that it didn't bother me.  It wouldn't let me manually switch inputs during the activity but it would turn it on and select the correct input for the activity (i.e. Watch a Blu-ray turned on the TV, blu-ray, and the receiver and set it to the DVD input; Watch TV Surround turned on the TV and the receiver and set it to the TV input).

However, somewhere along the line with subsequent updates to the remote the only thing it can do now is turn on the receiver when the activity starts, control the volume during the activity, and turn it off when it ends.  It doesn't go to the correct input (unless I need the TV input since that's the input it always starts up on regardless of what it was on when it turned off last), it won't let me change inputs, and I can't turn it off manually (not that I really want to do that though).

The way the Magnavox MFX-450 works with the original remote is to turn it on to a specific input you press and hold that input for several seconds or if you want to switch from one input to another you just hold down the new input button.  There is no power on button.  So there's a button for TV, DVD, VCR, Tuner, etc.  Then there is a power off button that you also press and hold for several seconds to turn it off regardless of what input you're on.

I've tried to set delays and use the troubleshooting in the software, the option that says something like my remote never controls my device correctly, but nothing ever works.  The thing that's most confusing to me is that, while I've never been able to switch inputs it at least used to turn on to the correct input which was enough to satisfy me.  Now it doesn't even do that.  Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[carrguy1]

Anyone?

[barkeater]

carguy1,

It doesn't matter how your receiver's remote worked.  Have you gone into the Harmony program and checked all of your settings to ensure that they are correctly set up?  Mabey at this stage since you are having so many issues, you may just want to delete all of your activities and devices and start all over again from scratch.  Start with adding your receiver and before doing anything else, test the receiver commands in device mode to make sure that they work, especially the ones that change the inputs.

[carrguy1]

I thought about just starting fresh (haven't had much time lately though) since it's not really that complicated of a set up; 4 devices, 3 activities.  But even when it used to sort of work, that is it would turn the receiver on and go to the correct input for the activity, it never allowed me to change the inputs using the device commands.  It didn't bother me much because I rarely had the need to switch inputs as long as the activity turned it on to the correct input but now that it doesn't even do that it would be nice to be able to switch it manually using the device commands.

Reading some other posts in the forums about other devices that require holding the button down on the original remote suggests that it does matter for these particular devices and the suggestion is that you have to contact logitech support to have them add a "duration" for whatever the command is.  If I understand it correctly that doesn't give you the ability to hold hown the button on the harmony remote but it does extend the ir signal to the specified time duration with a regular button press to mimic holding the button down on the original remote.

That may be what I eventually have to do but what I don't understand is why the option to set a duration isn't in the software for the user to set when there are all sorts of delays and other things that you can set.  Why would Logitech not want us to be able to set delays ourselves but there are so many other tweaks that we can do in the software.  If I'm savvy enough to set up 3 remotes, 5 TVs, 3 blu-ray players, two receivers, an HDMI switch, 3 cable boxes, and an IR extender to get it all to work (except for this stupid Magnavox receiver) I should be allowed to play with that one "forbidden" setting as well instead of having to get tech support to add it to my profile for me.  That means any time I have to modify the activity or add more I have to keep putting requests in for durations to be added.  Sorry about going off there but it frustrates me.

[barkeater]

you could, as an alternative to contacting support, add a string of identical commands at the start of the activity.  Don't know if this would work but worth a shot while waiting for Logitech Support to respond to you.

[jweez23]

I just purchased the Harmony One and I'm having the same issue with the Magnavox MFX-450 receiver. I have never setup a Harmony remote, but am quite savvy with Technology in general and find this very frustrating. Did you ever try to reach out to support for assistance with the "delay" command? If so, was that the fix that was needed? I was going to call support tonight, but they were already closed for the evening. Let me know! Thank you!!

Weez

[hybrid98]

Guys I stumbled across this thread....I just replaced my magnavox mfx 450 with another receiver and I have a Harmony One....never had a problem. (I had to hook up the optical out of the TV going into the reciever to get sound out of my HDMI products), but never had a problem controlling it. 

One thing that I just noticed maybe I am just being too detailed....in the spot where it asks you the model number...do not out a dash between mfx and 450... give it a shot.

[jsg]

Has this ever been resolved?

I, too, have a Magnavox MFX-450 AV receiver that my Harmony 650 is unable to control correctly. 
The Harmony 650 does not power on and select the correct input for an activity nor will it switch inputs to change activities once it is powered on.

[carrguy1]

I just thought I'd check out this old thread I started since I just upgraded my 510 to 600 and I figure I'll run into the same problem I did with the old one.  No, it has never been resolved.  No, I never got around to contacting support, though I may actually try that this time around.  The reason it hasn't been a pressing matter for me lately is that I have a toddler who 1) doesn't really like when the surround sound is on (I think it freaks him out that he can't tell where the sound is coming from) and 2) Will wake up if I have it on too loud so I basically don't use it.

That aside I'd still like to be able to control the **bleep** surround receiver just on principle at this point.  Before I do get around to contacting logitech I did try setting up a sequence that basically just fires off the input signal (InputTV, InputDvd, etc.) 4 times in a row.  I'm curious to see if that actually does anything or not.

If the ultimate result (after several years) is that Logitech has to set a duration on their end I still don't understand why they don't allow you to control that yourself in the software (I am still using the software and not the My Harmony web site).

[carrguy1]

I might give the suggestion to remove the dash a try.  The only way I could see that making a difference though is if Logitech as two sets of commands for the same receiver but the set that goes with the one without the dash is the (more) correct set.