Harmony Remotes

[gearhound]

I'm setting up a new Harmony One. I have two questions, both of which are perplexing me:

1) I read the FAQ and comments I could find on this topic. I have a makeshift 2.1 sound system thru my Sony receiver, but I'm using poor-mans surround by using BOTH my Sony TV stereo speakers AND my 2.1 system simultaneously while watching movies and some TV shows. To date I've either used the individual remotes and sort of 'balanced' the separate sound sources individually, or used my ancient Sony Remote Commander to do the same thing, switching back and forth between devices to adjust volume just right.

There doesn't seem to be a setup with the H1 to allow this procedure. If there is, how do I do it?

2) I'm using a Sony combo DVD-R/VCR, which has a built-in digital tuner. It's in the database, but every time I try to set up my H1 it wants to use the DVD tuner instead of my digital cable box. I do NOT use the tuner in the DVD/VCR at all, and don't want to. I want my TV to live on Ch3 and I want to select my TV channels off my digital cable box, and I want my DVD/VCR to simply act like a NORMAL DVD/VCR.

Removing the DVD was not allowed by the Harmony setup program.....I could add the other box, but not delete the DVD. I don't even want to have the DVD/VCR combo turned ON when I'm just watching TV.

Any assist greatly appreciated. I love the idea of having a Univ Remote do what this one does, but I got hung up early in the process....

[rhachey]

For number 2 add another Activity, but this time select Manual rather than the Automatic method this will give you full control of setting u your activity and to which device changes channels

[WannabeActuary · Accepted solution]

1. what you may need to do is setup the activity to use the more commonly adjusted sound device (either the receiver or the tv) as the 'main' sound device...but then add the volume up/down commands for the tv to the LCD of the activity...

in the setup, activities tab, customize buttons...then you'll see two tabs, standard buttons = physical buttons on the remote, additional buttons = LCD of the activity.

2. delete the activity and create a new one...this time, select add activity, then select 'manual' at the first choice...then the correct activity type...that'll give you better choices along the way and set the activity up correctly

[bevhoward]

This could be an interesting challenge for using sequences (macros)

The thought that comes to mind is to create two macros, one containing a single volume up for each device, the other containing a single volume down for the same devices (two commands in each macro,) then assign these to the volume buttons.

Then use the up-arrow and dn-arrow and assign one device's volume up to one and the same device's volume dn to the other...

Theoretically, that should allow balanced volume control using the volume buttons along with the ability to set the baseline with the up/dn arrows.

Does the TV mute both the TV and output?  If not a mute macro _plus_ a soft button to get them back in sync when they toggle wrong.

Beverly Howard 

[gearhound]

I appreciate all the quick responses. I'm going to play with the possibilities noted above within the next day or so (when I get two minutes!).

To clarify, I've considered maybe setting something up so one volume control adjusts both TV and Receiver simultaneously (I think this is what Beverly is suggesting), but though it's a bit more hassle, I've found that I like to play with the two levels independently of each other to find the 'sweet spot' for any given source (DVD, TV, etc). What I'm happiest with seems to vary with the specific source I'm listening to, so the idea of having the H1 volume button control the TV and the screen control the Receiver is attractive.

I'm also discovering that what I really need to do is go back and really read the manual that came with my receiver (Sony STR-DE997) and my TV (Sony KV-32HS420), because early noodling with the H1 suggests there may be a more optimum way to wire up my equipment than I'm using now. It's a little maddening because while you can get the same results with three different connection schemes, the effects on controls is subtly different with each configuration. I'm TERRIBLE for reading manuals, but in this case trial and error hasn't yielded the best setup. 

My theory is that the acid test of how well any product is designed is if you an make it work and do most of its tricks without ever consulting the manual. This is why I loved the online setup for the H1 (wish I could set up my receiver online!). 

Anyway....

[hhatkin]

Having two sound systems in one Activity is easy to arrange, as WA suggests.

When you first set it up specify that the device for controlling volume is the TV, then include the sound system as an Additional Device in the Activity, and Customise its up and down volume commands to the spare up/down toggle button on the One.

[gearhound]

OK....taking advice from all of the above, I went into the Remote Software and just deleted all the Activities that were there. Started over...made first one TV Only.....second one TV + Amp. Still need to learn how to map the volume buttons, but I'll get to that.

Encountered one problem (actually ten or twenty, but worked out most already).....The last Action in the two TV Activities is to tune the TV to channel 3 (not really necessary, as it's ALWAYS on channel 3, but couldn't figure out how to NOT do that).

Anyway, apparently each TV remote action is actually executed by pressing the Select button (middle of the arrow keys). Fine, but on my TV remote in normal usage, pressing the Select button displays the TV's Favorites menu.....and it just stays there, visible, till you choose a channel or Exit by pressing Select. Spent an hour screwing with it, and only workaround was to go into Custom Actions and add a "press Select" (on TV) action. 

So now, when I turn on the TV (using either Activity above), it turns on and gets itself all set......then the Favorites menu displays.....and instantly disappears (result of custom action I added). That's nice......but how the heck do I get it to not show the Favorites menu in the first place? Seems to me that I'd have to go one layer deeper in the Actions, where selecting channel three involves both pressing the number AND pressing Select, and NOT press Select. But I don't think this software allows that fine of control for Actions.

Or does it?

I'm learning......I love the remote, but obviously there's a steeper learning curve to do anything beyond the canned Activities. But I'm having fun so far....

Message Edited by gearhound on 01-13-2009 06:42 PM

Message Edited by gearhound on 01-13-2009 06:43 PM

[WannabeActuary]

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gearhound wrote:

OK....taking advice from all of the above, I went into the Remote Software and just deleted all the Activities that were there. Started over...made first one TV Only.....second one TV + Amp. Still need to learn how to map the volume buttons, but I'll get to that.

Encountered one problem (actually ten or twenty, but worked out most already).....The last Action in the two TV Activities is to tune the TV to channel 3 (not really necessary, as it's ALWAYS on channel 3, but couldn't figure out how to NOT do that).

Anyway, apparently each TV remote action is actually executed by pressing the Select button (middle of the arrow keys). Fine, but on my TV remote in normal usage, pressing the Select button displays the TV's Favorites menu.....and it just stays there, visible. Spent an hour screwing with it, and only workaround was to go into Custom Actions and add a "press Select" (on TV) action. 

So now, when I turn on the TV (using either Activity above), it turns on and gets itself all set......then the Favorites menu displays.....and instantly disappears (result of custom action I added). That's nice......but how the heck do I get it to not show the Favorites menu in the first place? Seems to me that I'd have to go one layer deeper in the Actions, where selecting channel three involves both pressing the number AND pressing Select, and NOT press Select. But I don't think this software allows that fine of control for Actions.

Or does it?

I'm learning......I love the remote, but obviously there's a steeper learning curve to do anything beyond the canned Activities. But I'm having fun so far....

Message Edited by gearhound on 01-13-2009 06:42 PM

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1. keep in mind that when setting up activities you'll want to select 'manual' at the first choice, then the correct activity type.

2. certain input names will indicate to the harmony setup that a channel number must be selected.  name sure your tv's tuner isn't named something like Tuner, Cable, Antenna, etc...in my opinion, rename the input to something like Input1 so that it won't prompt you with a channel number during the 'manual' activity setup