Zascar wrote: » No I have two activities - one for the DVR and one for the TV. The reason i want to do this is if the TV volume is high but the DVR is low, I get an annoying buzzing noise. I usually leave the tv up high and use the DVR to control the volume. Right now its controlling the DVR which is fine - but I'll see if I can get it to do both.
londonred wrote: » Interested in one of these and some hue lights , do not still need a separate HUE hub if you have one of these ?
mossym wrote: » you do. the harmony hub doesn't replace the hue hub .
setanta1984 wrote: » Not sure if it's just my placement of the echo dot, but I've found it close to impossible to use voice commands (particularly Harmony ones as the commands are so long) to do anything while the TV is on - the noise from the TV just interferes with everything.
bk wrote: » Irish Gunner, I'd recommend forgetting about Alexa for the moment. The first thing you should do is get the Harmony Remote working consistently. I'd set up the Harmony remote first, put away all your old remotes and just use the Harmony remote only for two weeks. Once you are happy with the Harmony remote after two weeks, then try setting up Alexa with Harmony. This is pretty much general advice for everyone. A lot of people here seem to be trying to setup both their Harmony remote and Alexa with Harmony at the same time and I think that is a recipe for disaster! They are two, very complicated system and people seem to be getting themselves tied up in knots and not understanding when the issue is Harmony or Alexa. Start with just Harmony, get that working well first, volume working on the remote, favourite channels setup, etc. Once you have the Harmony remote working well, then for the most part Alexa just works with the Harmony with little difficulty (as long as she can understand you). BTW I don't know why everyone is using the Horizon remote to control volume! It doesn't make sense. Just set the Horizon box to 50% volume and instead set your TV to control volume on the Harmony remote. As for RTE channels as favourites, Alexa seems to have difficulty with understanding the word RTE, probably because we pronounce differently then English speakers would. I'd rename this channel in favourites to something like Ireland 1, Ireland 2, etc. Or maybe Bog 1, Bog 2 Also you can try the same trick for other channels that don't work.
Irish Gunner wrote: » Ok trying to synch my Samsung TV and Virgin Media (Horizon Box) with the ultimate Harmony Hub and Alexa. On the Skills in Alexa there are 2 skills , Harmony and Harmony –Optimised for Smart Home. I set up a skill in the Optimised to turn on the tv and open with RTE 1 and I can use the Harmony remote to change the channel. I also have some favourites set up and on the Harmony remote I can click on the screen to change channels. During the set up I set the Horizon remote to change channels and also sound. However I cannot get the sound to increase using the Harmony remote, yet I can change the channels??? I then used the Harmony Skill to have the ability to change channels via Alexa so I can go Alexa, tell Harmony to turn on BBC1 etc. It can change the channels for a few stations but when I try others like RTE1 no joy there and cannot change volume either. So now have the weekend free to try sort this out so any tips etc to try to sort this out appreciate it before I waste my Saturday trying to figure it out
Irish Gunner wrote: » Think I will start with getting the remote working first as OH still using old remotes.
Irish Gunner wrote: » Yeah need to get the remote sorted first. I use the Horizon to watch TV but to be honest I don’t watch that much TV maybe odd program and the News and other stuff I record or do a catch up on Rte or iPlayer and android box. I wanted to switch to saorview but contract with Virgin up to Oct and €200 to break it. As for RTE yeah could change the name of channels but will sort out Harmony remote first as each time I ask for RTE Alexa turns on the Radio
mossym wrote: » Honestly, i cannot think of a single reason why controlling the audio on the virgin box is a good idea, i know you need to now to balance the audio, but if you send the audio properly you won't have this problem
bk wrote: » If the Virgin box is the one and only way you watch the TV, then I suppose this feature would allow you to use the Virgin remote for everything and no need to use the TV remote at all. One remote rather then two. But this definitely doesn't apply to the Harmony remote, as you say it makes no sense to use the Virgin boxes volume control then.
mossym wrote: » you'd still need to turn on the tv. CEC was an option but notoriously buggy
Irish Gunner wrote: » Got the Harmony remote working for Horizon, Tv and external sound system. Also got it linked to the Android box but difficult when opening play store need to figure that out and update of apps but can scroll easily enough. Also set up activities to turn on TV and linked that up to Alexa along with changing channels. However activity set up so tv comes on, HDMI 2 port and Android box and sound system come on but I can't source sound to external optical sound still on TV sound. Tried amending and re running activity but no joy yet. Anyone got any ideas or tips to get this activity?
Irish Gunner wrote: » [font=Times New Roman","serif]Have you got the right device which controls your sound as part of the activity set up ?[/font][font=Times New Roman","serif] Yes I have a yamaha rx-v359 Av receiver and Amp and have synch up the remote for these so I can turn up the sound using these. Synch the remote for this on initial set up. Its just when I open the activity its source is TV sound and I have to select External sound on source[/font][font=Times New Roman","serif]how does it work with the normal remotes? what do you need to do to get it working with those?[/font][font=Times New Roman","serif] Yeah works ok for the Horizon Box and Samsung TV so in the initial set up synch the remotes up had to wire it up to laptop first to update it and then used combination of app and desktop login. Ok for the changing of channels, volume and info on program. Have to check re recording and pause of live TV but don’t think it’s too difficult just have not looked at it thoroughly yet. Can also synch the Neo A2 lite remote for the Minix android box but sometimes have to revert to old remote but not much[/font]
Irish Gunner wrote: » [font=Times New Roman","serif]how does it work with the normal remotes? what do you need to do to get it working with those?[/font][font=Times New Roman","serif] Yeah works ok for the Horizon Box and Samsung TV so in the initial set up synch the remotes up had to wire it up to laptop first to update it and then used combination of app and desktop login. Ok for the changing of channels, volume and info on program. Have to check re recording and pause of live TV but don’t think it’s too difficult just have not looked at it thoroughly yet. Can also synch the Neo A2 lite remote for the Minix android box but sometimes have to revert to old remote but not much[/font]
clintondaly wrote: » What I discovered last night and which may be of help is that you can assign specific functions of some remotes into the activity you are currently on For instance I have a denon x2300 AV receiver and when watching a film as part of my "Movie" set up I found myself having to leave the activity on the remote in order to go into devices and activate my sky box or change input modes in order to go back to Sky again,what I have now done is include the ability to switch input modes within the movie activity,I have now done this with all activities(Music/Media Player etc.) which means from within any activity I can switch input modes,I did this through the PC APP.
mossym wrote: » how come you have to leave the activity? if a device is used in the activity it should be added to it, if you have different ways of watching mvoies i'd set up an activity for each. i have a bluray player and a htpc i use for watching movies so i set up different activities for each. the harmony doesn't, or at least didn't unless they have changed it recently, remember any commands you use while in device mode outside activities, so it can screw up the sequence.
