Learning from a Harmony Hub

DDE12 · Post by **DDE12** » Sat Nov 13, 2021 12:10 pm

I am not having any success capturing the IR signal from the Harmony Hub with my learning remotes. I tried to learn from the hub and from the mini blaster. Is there a trick? Is it even possible?

Post by **The Robman** » Sat Nov 13, 2021 5:42 pm

I don't know what a Harmony Hub is, but best I can suggest is to watch the IR signals using a digital camera as that will give you a good idea of where they're coming from and how soon they start after you initiate them.

Keep in mind that you want to put the JP1 remote into learning mode before you have the Hub start sending a signal.

zaphod7501 · Post by **zaphod7501** » Sun Nov 14, 2021 8:51 am

What device are you controlling that you want to capture? The Hub uses different protocols for control. IR, WiFi, and Bluetooth, depending on the device. For example, my Fire TV Cube uses Bluetooth so there is no IR signal. My LG TV can use Bluetooth for most functions except Power On for some reason. (that's IR only) The remote uses RF to communicate to the Hub which processes and re-sends the commands. I "think" the phone app is ip based WiFi to the Hub. The Hub is the main reason that I switched away from my JP-1 remotes although I have transferred some learned commands and custom built commands TO the Hub.

DDE12 · Post by **DDE12** » Sun Nov 14, 2021 10:06 am

One of it's functions is that it is an IR blaster with an IR mini blaster extension. It looks like there are 5+ ir emitters in the hub and 3 in the mini extension. I thought maybe it was "confusing" the JP1 learning because of all the emitters, so I used my old Jensen remote control extender to learn from. The Jensen appears to only have one IR emitter, but the remote still could not learn from that. I'm curious if anyone here has had any success.

DDE12 · Post by **DDE12** » Sun Nov 14, 2021 6:09 pm

zaphod7501 wrote:What device are you controlling that you want to capture?

I'm trying to capture signals for an older Panasonic HT system because I know "everything" about it and then move on from there for devices that I don't have remotes for, but are in the Harmony database for IR control. I bought the Harmony Hub to add Alexa to all of my non-smart devices and continue to use my JP1 remotes.

chuliu · Post by **chuliu** » Mon Nov 15, 2021 9:18 am

Can I have the exact model name of the Panasonic HT system?
I want to download it to my harmony remote and learn with jp1 remotes, to see what could be wrong.

Post by **The Robman** » Mon Nov 15, 2021 9:23 am

Do you still have the OEM Panasonic remote? Also, we have several Panasonic HT systems here:

http://www.hifi-remote.com/forums/dload ... C&start=51

DDE12 · Post by **DDE12** » Mon Nov 15, 2021 3:41 pm

Here is my rmdu for Panasonic SA-HT05 (SC-HT05).

I do have the original remote, but I am not having any problems with this device. Rather, I am using it as a test subject since there aren't any unknowns.

Post by **The Robman** » Mon Nov 15, 2021 6:09 pm

Ah, so you're basically just trying to see if you can learn from the Hub for cases where it controls a device for which you don't have the OEM remote?

Did you try the thing I suggested with the digital camera?

DDE12 · Post by **DDE12** » Tue Nov 16, 2021 9:44 am

The Robman wrote:Did you try the thing I suggested with the digital camera?

DDE12 wrote:One of it's functions is that it is an IR blaster with an IR mini blaster extension. It looks like there are 5+ ir emitters in the hub and 3 in the mini extension. I thought maybe it was "confusing" the JP1 learning because of all the emitters, so I used my old Jensen remote control extender to learn from. The Jensen appears to only have one IR emitter, but the remote still could not learn from that. I'm curious if anyone here has had any success.

mdavej · Post by **mdavej** » Tue Nov 16, 2021 11:22 am

So you haven't tried the digital camera as Rob suggested? For the hub or emitters to blast IR, they have to be assigned to do so. The camera would confirm whether they are sending any IR at all.

I don't know what JP1 remotes you've tried, but ones running an extender can't learn if the extender is loaded. And Xsight remotes' IR receiver is at the bottom, not the top like most other remotes.

Until you can give us more feedback, I have to chalk this up to operator error. There are no other technical reasons learning from the hub would fail except for very complex protocols like XMP.

In case you never get the learning to work, why not use one of the upgrades we already have. It's going to be more comprehensive and accurate than any of your learns anyway.

Post by **mathdon** » Tue Nov 16, 2021 11:58 am

mdavej wrote:I don't know what JP1 remotes you've tried, but ones running an extender can't learn if the extender is loaded.

With one exception - the extender for the URC6440 and the US equivalent, the OARUSB04G, genuinely adds features without removing any, so learning still works.

mdavej · Post by **mdavej** » Tue Nov 16, 2021 12:06 pm

mathdon wrote:
mdavej wrote:I don't know what JP1 remotes you've tried, but ones running an extender can't learn if the extender is loaded.
With one exception - the extender for the URC6440 and the US equivalent, the OARUSB04G, genuinely adds features without removing any, so learning still works.

Ahh, good catch. I forgot about that one. Nice feature.

Post by **The Robman** » Tue Nov 16, 2021 12:48 pm

DDE12 wrote:
The Robman wrote:Did you try the thing I suggested with the digital camera?

DDE12 wrote:One of it's functions is that it is an IR blaster with an IR mini blaster extension. It looks like there are 5+ ir emitters in the hub and 3 in the mini extension. I thought maybe it was "confusing" the JP1 learning because of all the emitters, so I used my old Jensen remote control extender to learn from. The Jensen appears to only have one IR emitter, but the remote still could not learn from that. I'm curious if anyone here has had any success.

So that's a "no" to my question, right?

DDE12 · Post by **DDE12** » Tue Nov 16, 2021 5:17 pm

Sorry, wrong. The camera allowed me to see the emitters.