SageTV and Logitech Harmony 880

[xxnilxx]

I've searched through this forum and a few others and haven't quite found my answer.

setup:
pentium 4 3GHz
1G RAM
happauge500mce
winXP pro
sagetv

Can i use the Harmony 880 (or any harmony's for that matter) to control my HTPC, even if i have to run software in between like WinLIRC, Girder, etc.

I currently have a streamzap remote that works well with sagetv. I keep reading that you need an actual Microsoft IR reciever for this setup to work but i should just be able to clone the streamzap to the 880 and i'm done right?

[Polypro]

The 880 can send any IR command on the planet. If you use a UIRT, you can have Sage learn any command the 880 sends (i.e. you can input washing machine codes into the 880, and it'll work with a UIRT). If you use an MCE receiver, set up the 880 with MCE commands, and/or (like I do) use the MCE keyboard to teach it any extra commands you need. With any other receiver that Sage supports, load those commands from Harmony's site, i.e Streamzap, IMON, etc...

So yes, load the Streamzap codes and you should be G2G (Good To Go).

P

[geogecko]

The good thing about having a UIRT (USB-UIRT), is that it can receive basically any IR code, whereas the Microsoft or Streamzap is looking for specific IR commands that it was programmed to respond to.

This can be a bad thing, if you want to control more than just Sage (or if you want to have a lot of controls over Sage, other than just the basic features).

For instance, I have the USB-UIRT, and I've put codes in for the Streamzap, Microsoft Remote, and one other remote (can't remember). Each one of these is used for a different purpose. For instance, the Microsoft Remote commands, control Sage, and the Streamzap controls Windows XP (using Girder), when I'm not in Sage anymore...and I'm reserving the other one for other uses, or when I run out of commands to use in another function.

It's kind of a screwy way of setting up the 880, but it allows me to do basically anything I want.

[Kirby]

I've been searching for a while now (un-successfully) to find a good device remote to program my 880 as for HTPC/Sage control. At this point I am only looking at the Sage interface, but one stumbling block I cant get past is finding a device that makes use of both the 'skip to next/prev' (|< and >|)type of fast forward, and the true ff/rew buttons (<< and >>). When I did find something it was a VCR or DVD remote, and then you have the lack of things like Guide, Info, etc that are also quite important.

So what has everyone else done with a remote like the 880? Am I correct when you use that "wonderful" web app to program your remote, that you can not then override certain buttons via a manual learn? If you can, HOW?

[lovingHDTV]

I have my 880 up and working so I can at least tell you what I did. I use a USBUIRT with Sage supporting it all.

I tried the "default" SageTV remote settings from the website and did not like the "toggle" effect of the remote. The Hauppauge remote sends one command when pressed, then a second command the next time it is pressed. So you have to learn both commands to get SageTV to work. I did not like this.

I looked around the house and found an old DVD remote. It was a Sony remote and did not have the "toggle" effect. Actually it was an old Sony multi device remote that I do not use anymore. I set it to work with a DVD player that I do not have.

I used this remote with the web app to learn all the keys it had. This gave me all the control, guide, menu, aspect etc type commands. I also wanted more commands for the Sage specific custom1 - custom5, full screen, and such. To get these I set the Sony remote up as a different device and learned its codes. For example I learned "custom1" as "enter" from the Sony remote. It really doesn't matter what the "teaching" remote has the command labeled as, it only matters what you have it labeled as in your 880.

Doing this you can get as many codes into your 880 as you want, and give them a name that means something to you. Just make sure that you only use codes for devices you don't own

After you are loaded up with commands, you can then use the web app to assign them to custom labels, etc on the remote and finally download everything to the remote.

Now, go into Sage and learn the commands from the remote via the USBUIRT setup panel in Sage. Basically you find the Sage command and hit the corresponding remote button.

Then go do it all again because you found yet another command you have to have

Hope this makes a little sense.

[Kirby]

Wait a second, are you saying the Logitech web app has a section to learn custom commands? I've obviously missed that part! Right now I just have mine setup for a Tivo remote, but if I can mix and match any IR commands from devices I dont have and program them all into 1 "device" for Sage with use with my USB-UIRT then thats perfect!

[geogecko]

I'm using the Streamzap Media Center PC (USBIR2) as one of the devices in my setup, in my 880. I've actually got 3 remotes I'm using in my setup, to control different things (the Hauppauge Media Center PC (WinTV-PVR-150) and the Microsoft Media Center PC (A9O-00007)).

If you just got the remote, you may still be in the general (or basic) web interface. There is a way to get into the advanced setup, and have it remember that setting, so that you don't always have to find it again, but I forget how to do that.

[geogecko]

Originally Posted by Kirby

Wait a second, are you saying the Logitech web app has a section to learn custom commands? I've obviously missed that part! Right now I just have mine setup for a Tivo remote, but if I can mix and match any IR commands from devices I dont have and program them all into 1 "device" for Sage with use with my USB-UIRT then thats perfect!

Yep, you can also do that! You have a couple options. I didn't have any spare remotes lying around, so I just used devices already built-in to the web app.

Just because a remote code says it is FF, doesn't mean you have to use it for FF. You could use it for Guide, Info, whatever, as long as you don't use it in more than one place.

[Kirby]

Ok, I will dig into this again, I bet I was in the basic configuration screen because I dont recall seeing anything remotely similar to learning commands. Seems like it was just a "pick the device you own by brand/model and we will fill in the details for you" type of thing.

[geogecko]

Originally Posted by Kirby

Ok, I will dig into this again, I bet I was in the basic configuration screen because I dont recall seeing anything remotely similar to learning commands. Seems like it was just a "pick the device you own by brand/model and we will fill in the details for you" type of thing.

Yep, that's the basic mode. I had to fiddle around until I finally found the setting. I think it has something to do with the settings at the top of the home screen (if you even have that).

It's annoying that Logitech makes it that hard to get into, but I bet they do that for a reason, you can screw some things up in the advanced mode, because you can get into the device timings (time between codes being sent, delay after turn on, and stuff like that).

[Kirby]

Originally Posted by geogecko

Yep, that's the basic mode. I had to fiddle around until I finally found the setting. I think it has something to do with the settings at the top of the home screen (if you even have that).

It's annoying that Logitech makes it that hard to get into, but I bet they do that for a reason, you can screw some things up in the advanced mode, because you can get into the device timings (time between codes being sent, delay after turn on, and stuff like that).

And coming from a Pronto Pro NG 7000, those are the kind of features I have been wanting! Just never had the time to program the 7000 like I wanted so the 880 seemed more reasonable for a remote. Looks like I have some work to do!