Remote Control Software

[ajer]

I am presently using Windows based software from Harmony ... version 7.7.0 to set up my Harmony Remote including programming all the commands into my devices and activities.  I previously downloaded and installed this software on my PC.

I understand that there is also a web site called myharmony.com that allows me to do this programming. 

I assume if you use this web site, you do not need to have any software installed on your PC.  Correct?

What are the differences between the installed software mentioned above and the web site?  Do they function identically?

I am considering buying a Harmony 700 and in another post, I was told that if I use the myharmony.com web site, I can then program 8 devices on the 700 remote.  BUT, if I use the Software 7.7.0 installed on my PC, I can only program 6 devices for this 700 remote.  That seems very strange to me.  Is there a reason for that?

Thanks for your help.

[rhachey · Accepted solution]

MyHarmony.com is only available for the 200, 300, 600, 650, 700, and the Harmony One +.  All other remotes must use the 7.7 software.  MyHarmony.com setup is limited in what you are able to configure your remote, you cannot add sequences for those remotes that are able to use sequences, you cannot adjust timing, or rename devices or activities.  You cannot adjust Repeats, which you would need to adjust if your remotes was sending too many commands, as an instance you press the Direction down button and instead of only moving down one place, it jumps down 2 or 3 places, this type of setting would have to be done by contacting Harmony support, if you are using MyHarmoy.com.  There are several other settings that you cannot change if you use MyHarmony.com.  I fully recomment that you use the 7.7 software if you can.

[triad]

Rhachey nailed it. As to why, nobody knows but Logitech. Perhaps it's a bug, or perhaps they're simply throwing us a bone for crippling myharmony.com so badly. Myharmony.com is a great idea and does some things very well, like having a graphic of the remote for arranging buttons, much better than the 7.7 software. Unfortunately they removed more features than they added. If they had simply made Myharmony do everything the old software did plus the graphical enhancements they made, it would be fantastic. Sadly, they did only half the job, and all future harmony models will be crippled from now on because of it. By the way, they were aware of all these deficiencies during the beta of myharmony.com and purposely chose never to address them.

[ajer]

Triad - The way you worded your reply it sounds like future Harmony remotes will be forced to use the myharmony.com web site to set up their activities and devices on the remote.  I thought you could use the 7.7.0 software for all Harmony remotes.  Is that true?

What did you mean by " all future harmony models will be crippled from now on because of it"?

Somebody else said that the myharmony.com web site is only available for certain remotes.

Can you please clarify which if any remotes MUST use the myharmony web site and confirm if you can use the 7.7.0 software for all remotes to get the increased functionality provided by the installed software.

[rhachey]

The 7.7 software will work with all Harmony remotes except the 200, 300, and the Link

[triad]

Does anybody here honestly think they will continue adding future models to the 7.7 software when the 600, 650, 700, One+, 200, 300 and Link were all designed for myharmony.com?

[Chazar]

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triad wrote:

... Myharmony.com is a great idea and does some things very well, like having a graphic of the remote for arranging buttons, much better than the 7.7 software. ...

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I remember that earlier versions of the software had already a graphic of the remote as well, which then got removed once proper sequences were added. Nothing new really.

About the future of myharmony.com:

Who knows but Logitech? Judging from my last call to Logitech support, when I first experimented with myharmony.com, the advisor quickly told me to switch the 7.7 software. She did mention with a sigh that myharmomy.com regretably was lacking some features, but was being worked on. I could tell that the she had told that a few times before.

However, wherever you look, Apple's philosophy of "make it simple - at the expense of choice" seems to be adopted. Looks like Logitech is trying that too. And it might well be the best thing for the masses, leaving the few people like us, that have "special wishes" and actually taking the time to achieve them by experimenting and spending time on support forums out, in the cold. A company cannot cater for a just few, especially since everyone thinks they are an expert-user and then flood the support hotlines about things they don't understand. So to make it short: brace for the worst.  

[triad]

This is purely anecdotal, but it appears that support wait times have gone from a day or two to several weeks since the release of the "simpler" myharmony.com. So removing the ability for users to do most everything themselves seems to have been a huge mistake. Now anything but the most basic tasks requires a phone call or email to support.

Anyway, logitech told me a long time ago they have no plans to add any new functionality to myharmony.com.

Regarding the graphics, are you saying the drag and drop interface for arranging buttons on myharmony.com has been removed? I hate those stupid arrows you have to use to move buttons on the 7.7 software.

[Chazar]

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triad wrote:

Regarding the graphics, are you saying the drag and drop interface for arranging buttons on myharmony.com has been removed? I hate those stupid arrows you have to use to move buttons on the 7.7 software.

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EDITED:

No. I was talking about the predecessors of the 7.7 software a few years back. It never had drag & drop, but it did have an image of the harmony model. I don't recall exactly, but I think the software back then always had those dropboxes, but next to those was an image of the remote. Maybe there were lines connecting the dropboxes to the buttons or so. I don't remember.

[triad]

That doesn't make any sense. We are still talking about myharmony.com right? What remote do you use with myharmony.com?