Configuring Harmony for Sage

[AWS]

My gosh! I haven't used software as unfriendly as the Harmony configuration tool (v 7.7.0) in a very long time. I have a very simple setup: Toshiba 65HX83, SageTV HTPC, USB-UIRT and a Harmony 890. The software stops processing anything after about seven or eight different screen changes. Anyway, I'm not here for that...

The USB-UIRT was no problem setting up in Sage. Very easy. So then I start up the Harmony web configuration tool and all progress comes screeching to a halt. First I tried to emulate an STP-HD200, then an STX-HD100, then just SageTV 6.4 and then finally SageTV 6.19. If I use the HD100 or HD200 profiles Sage kinda works with it but I have to double push the buttons - once and nothing happens then I push it again and the command is correctly processed. Or I can push the button down and hold till it processes the command. Is this a timing issue that I need to adjust? Plus, the TV is always on the same input, DVI. I never have to change the input on the TV yet Harmony software won't allow me to do that. So I removed the TV from the Harmony profile but then it makes any of the Sage devices try to go to Input1 or Tuner. Crazy. Leave my inputs alone. I wish there was an easier way. This software is too dumbed down for the masses. Very frustrating. I must be doing something wrong.

There are other things that are annoying but I'll just start with that. So what are other people using their Harmony 8 series remotes to emulate? Is there a remote, like a FireFly, in the Harmony software that I haven't found that works well?

Thanks

[Brent]

I have a Harmony 880 and I just selected "SageTV" in the device profile. It just worked after that. I did tweak things such as the home screen, but other than that it was pretty easy for me.

[AWS]

Ok, so now I've blown away all the configuration information on the remote and in the Harmony web software. Starting from scratch.

I added a new device:
Device: Computer --> Media Center PC
Manufacturer: Sage (There is also a manufacturer called 'SageTV' but I think that is for the extenders and what not)
Model: I typed in 'Media Center' as the example showed

Side note: Power On Delay is at 0ms, Inter-key Delay is at 100ms and Inter Device Delay is at 100ms

Added to basic activities with the wizard, Watch My Videos and (at this point the software stops working so I wait and wait and wait, Finally times out and Harmony software screen goes blank/white. I close the window and relaunch the software) then remove the Watch TV activity because it didn't finish being configured and then reopen the add activity wizard and add the Watch TV via the wizard. At this point it's all very basic. I click the Update Remote button and it does its thing.

I aim the freshly configured remote at the TV, push the directional pad DOWN button and nothing happens because the remote isn't transmitting/sending anything (I can tell because the USB-UIRT isn't blinking red and the LCD on the remote isn't showing the transmit icon. Ok, so then I push the Watch My Videos button on the LCD part, the remote sends something (dunno exactly what), the USB-UIRT recognizes it's being sent data but nothing on the TV screen changes. Once the remote is in Watch My Videos mode I push the directional pad DOWN, see the remote is transmitting, see the USB-UIRT is receiving the signal but no change on the Sage home screen. Push the same button again and this time the highlight bar jumps down two menu items (I'm using SageMC and the green highlight bar jumps from 'MyTV', over 'My Videos' and stops on 'My Music').

So that's what's going on. Ideas? Do I always have to have the remote be in a 'mode' so other hard-coded buttons work? Say I wan to push the PLAY button. The remote won't transmit that IR code unless I'm in 'Watch TV' or 'Watch My Videos' mode by pressing the appropriate button on the LCD soft buttons. That's kinda annoying and hoaky.

Should have got a FireFly.

Thanks for your help.

[scat]

AWS

I also have a Harmony 880.
Take a look at the How to I made.
I connected EventGhost, SageTV, Foobar2000, and my Harmony 880 remote to my HTPC

Scat

[Skirge01]

This is an easy fix. When the remote doesn't seem to be sending anything, it actually is. At first, most people (myself included) don't realize that the remote is sending two unique commands. You need to ensure that both have been learned by SageTV. I don't recall why it's like this, but I do remember reading about it and having to account for it. Once both commands are learned, it'll work exactly as you'd expect.

Also, I added my HTPC as a Media Center device, so my Harmony is emulating an MCE remote.

I'm a little confused about your issue with the input. If the TV needs to be on DVI and the Harmony software is putting it on DVI, what's the problem?

[Skirge01]

So that's what's going on. Ideas? Do I always have to have the remote be in a 'mode' so other hard-coded buttons work? Say I wan to push the PLAY button. The remote won't transmit that IR code unless I'm in 'Watch TV' or 'Watch My Videos' mode by pressing the appropriate button on the LCD soft buttons. That's kinda annoying and hoaky.

The short answer is that you do need to be in one of the Activities. Once you're in there, the buttons can be programmed to control whatever you want... or nothing at all. It basically works like this:

Once you select an Activity, such as "Watch TV", the buttons activate based on what you want them to be. So, when you "Watch TV", each button you want to use while doing that activity needs to be assigned a device and corresponding command. The command obviously must already be known by Sage and matched to an IR code (or two).

[AWS]

Hi. I've gone through a few variations of what the Harmony should emulate. Right now I have it as an MCE remote - model 1039. It seems to be half way working.

I know it's sending two commands per my one because I can see the USB-UIRT receiving two (by how the LED blinks). Like Skirge01 said, basically. But now how do I tell Sage to ignore one of the commands?

Where I am at now is that I have to double push a button for it to work. I've adjusted timings and sensitivity via 'How To' posts on the Harmony site but still nothing has worked.

I don't want the remote to keep changing TV inputs because it is not needed. It's like driving downtown but turning the car off and removing the keys each time you come to a stop. Why do that if you're just going to be driving again? :-) When doing so it takes up extra time, makes the TV display go black for a few seconds as the TV is figuring out what to do and then the TV displays the Input menu till it times out. It's just a process not needed. I've added the TV as a device but don't have it assigned to any activities. I just have a soft button assigned for power toggle and input.

I don't have any external DVD/BD players, receiver, amps, X10 gear, projector, cable boxes, etc. So the only issue I am having now is the need to determine why the remote is sending two commands and how to make the remote not need to be double pressed.

I'll take a look at what Scat linked to. Maybe using more programs like EventGhost and the others will help.

Thanks for your help.
AWS

[AWS]

Is there a .properties file I can edit to remove all the linked commands that are no longer assigned to the remote to clean up some?

AWS

[Skirge01]

Originally Posted by AWS

I know it's sending two commands per my one because I can see the USB-UIRT receiving two (by how the LED blinks). Like Skirge01 said, basically. But now how do I tell Sage to ignore one of the commands?

I'm not sure if I explained myself well enough. Your remote is sending two commands and alternating between them for the same button press on the remote. So, you don't need Sage to ignore one of them. What you need is for Sage to know that BOTH of them are for a single button. See my attachment to see how every Sage command linked to a button should look. The long numbers are the two IR codes my remote sends for that single button.

Now, if SageTV winds up acting twice on a single command, that's a different issue, but that didn't sound like what you were experiencing.

When doing so it takes up extra time, makes the TV display go black for a few seconds as the TV is figuring out what to do and then the TV displays the Input menu till it times out. It's just a process not needed. I've added the TV as a device but don't have it assigned to any activities. I just have a soft button assigned for power toggle and input.

If you only ever use a single input on the TV, then try deleting the other inputs in the Harmony software. Maybe that will stop it from trying to change them.

[Naylia]

If you are having issues with the profiles for the HD100/200, then when don't you just choose some random piece of hardware, configure the buttons in the Harmony software so that every physical/soft button has a different IR code attached to it, and then teach SageTV those new codes. This should eliminate the two codes to one button issue. I've been using a Harmony with Sage for five years and never used the SageTV buttons from the database. I set mine up long before a Sage remote existed. So if that set of IR codes is for some reason giving you issues, just go snag a different set of codes. It doesn't matter what they are called in the database, just that you have 30 or so different codes you can use.

[Naylia]

Oh, and if you never change the input on your tv that's fine. Still set it up with the tv on the activity and that input assigned. The harmony will remember that that was the last used input and won't change it.

[AWS]

Originally Posted by Naylia

If you are having issues with the profiles for the HD100/200, then when don't you just choose some random piece of hardware, configure the buttons in the Harmony software so that every physical/soft button has a different IR code attached to it, and then teach SageTV those new codes. This should eliminate the two codes to one button issue. I've been using a Harmony with Sage for five years and never used the SageTV buttons from the database. I set mine up long before a Sage remote existed. So if that set of IR codes is for some reason giving you issues, just go snag a different set of codes. It doesn't matter what they are called in the database, just that you have 30 or so different codes you can use.

Yup that's what I'm doing. But I need to do what Skirge01 is saying about having Sage know about both IR commands. Thanks for your ideas, too.

AWS

[AWS]

Got it all working. Thanks for all your help! The major thing I was doing wrong was that when I was learning the IR codes in Sage I was only pushing the remote button once. With the help posted above I realized I needed to train Sage twice per button push (for most commands). Now I just wish that there was one remote with about 60 buttons on it so that I wouldn't have to add extra devices so I could have more buttons.

Thanks again for all your ideas and help.

AWS

[wayner]

I have setup four Harmony remotes for my four Sage extenders and never had to do anything other than select Sage as the device type. (Although I have customized the soft or additional buttons and remapped a couple of other buttons)

[Skirge01]

Originally Posted by AWS

Got it all working. Thanks for all your help! The major thing I was doing wrong was that when I was learning the IR codes in Sage I was only pushing the remote button once. With the help posted above I realized I needed to train Sage twice per button push (for most commands). Now I just wish that there was one remote with about 60 buttons on it so that I wouldn't have to add extra devices so I could have more buttons.

Thanks again for all your ideas and help.

AWS

Glad to hear it! Keep in mind that you don't need to have the Harmony emulating an MCE remote. As long as the IR receiver you're using understands a remote's code, you can choose any remote that's available in the Harmony database (which is probably just about all of them). Take a look online for some remotes with lots of buttons and try emulating one of them.

[AWS]

Originally Posted by Skirge01

Glad to hear it! Keep in mind that you don't need to have the Harmony emulating an MCE remote. As long as the IR receiver you're using understands a remote's code, you can choose any remote that's available in the Harmony database (which is probably just about all of them). Take a look online for some remotes with lots of buttons and try emulating one of them.

Yeah that is exactly what I did. I went to NewEgg and viewed the pictures of the DVD players and other stuff looking for remotes with lots of buttons. Got the model numbers and plugged it into the Harmony. According to the Harmony software, I have a pretty nice setup now - very expensive.

I'm going to try tinkering with EventGhost and maybe Girder (demo) to see what else I can do. I would like to be able to relaunch Sage from Windows if the app isn't running. I believe EventGhost can do that.

Thanks again for all your help. I think my original thought of "Should have got a FireFly" still stands. Oh well. Maybe it'll grow on me once I totally finish fine tweaking it.

AWS

[Skirge01]

I'm running EG myself and can tell you that it has some great features. What you're looking to do is quite easy, too. I'll attach what my EG file looks like, so you can get an idea of what you'll need to take under consideration.

[korben_dallas]

There are a number of layers to navigate in order to get the button on the Harmony to get SageTV to execute a command.

physical button on Harmony --> logical name of Harmony command --> physical IR signal sent --> logical IR code that SageTV receives --> logical command that SageTV executes

I used the HD PVR device in the Harmony database as the starting point, since it uses the very common Hauppauge remote. I made sure that every button on the Hauppague remote was mapped and working correctly in SageTV. Then I mapped the physical Harmony buttons to the logical Harmony commands, which are usually the name of the button on the Hauppague remote. I had to get creative on a few things, like mapping E button to "Green", and then Green to fullscreen toggle. And a few things just would not work unless I used the learning function.

[AWS]

Thanks for all the support the forum offered!

I tried the remote for a few days and sold it on Craigslist. For as simple a setup as what I have (TV & computer) it just wasn't worth it. I didn't like how on the 890 I had to push an activity button first so that the hard-coded buttons (play, menu, guide etc) would be active and transmit a function. That drove me crazy. If I want to play something from wherever I am within the Sage menus I don't want to have to play catchup on the remote first. Annoying. Plus I did not like ... It was just a bad match.

I do really like the USB-UIRT!

Thanks all.

AWS

[korben_dallas]

Sorry it didn't work out for you.

I don't know about the other Harmony remotes, but the Harmony One using just the "Devices" functionality (and staying away from "Activities") is working great for me.