Logitech Harmony and Virgin TivO [Text View]

laurence@key2.co

02-21-2011, 09:32 AM

Tivo arrived last week. I sat down to program the Harmony (one). Not surprisingly, it's not on the database yet. I spent a while trying to set it up before losing patience. I'm about to have another go, but before I do, wonder if anyone else has set it up yet - and if so, do you have any tips?
I need to set up three Harmony ones (I use them in different rooms with IR senders). Does that mean that I'll have to learn all the IR codes three times? Last time I set it up, I remember that I had to learn commands that weren't in the database for each account (remote) separately.
Not sure how long it takes for Logitech to put user entered codes on their database, does anyone else?

cwaring

02-21-2011, 09:37 AM

Well firstly, the US Tivo is in the Harmoney DB and, as the UK one uses the same IR codes (I assume!) then it should be useable to control it.

Secondly, if not, try this first to find a suitable code-set:
http://logitech-en-amr.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/11097

jonphil

02-21-2011, 10:16 AM

I finished up setting it as a Tivo premiere and it asked me to confirm a few keys. It gets most keys correct but then you will need to manually program missing keys.
Anyone know how Logitech get to know about new devices to add them to the database correctly?

laurence@key2.co

02-21-2011, 10:16 AM

Thought I'd read somewhere it was different.
Closest Logitech could find was some satellite box (can't remember what make). Have just edited the codes from that one, will go and have a play and see if it works.
If that is too different, will try a US tivo code and see how I get on with that.
Thanks Carl!

jonphil

02-21-2011, 10:16 AM

passingbat

02-21-2011, 10:39 AM

This post on the av forums says it's on the harmony database as V+ box 2

http://www.avforums.com/forums/14089767-post675.html

laurence@key2.co

02-21-2011, 10:54 AM

Thanks jonphil too - posts crossed so I didn't see yours.
Have painstakingly put all the additional buttons in and it seems to work pretty well.
Irritatingly, having set it up as a device, the Harmony software wouldn't recognise that it was capable of changing channels, so I couldn't set up an activity based on it. Instead, I added it as a device to my original watch TiVo activity and then replaced all the tivo commands with virgin tivo commands.
Hopefully, it'll still work when I remove the old tivo from the device list!

laurence@key2.co

02-21-2011, 11:03 AM

Was all working perfectly - until I deleted the old tivo from my device list!
Now it's disabled the watch tivo activity. Typical.
I have a love hate relationship with the Harmony remotes. At the moment I hate it.

LampyDave

02-21-2011, 02:34 PM

I've been through the process with 2 of my 3 Harmonys so far - and while it is a bit dull it really didn't take all that long. Perhaps half an hour for each one once I'd figured how to get past all the 'We think it's a <such and such> device?' and could just learn the commands.
I did start going down the V+ box 2 route - but then couldn't face trying every command to see what was working before going back in to learn those that didn't. Once you're through to the manual learning screen it's pretty quick.

Plus another 15 minutes or so going through the activities, and re-setting the customised buttons for each activity.

I did have a hunt but couldn't find any local cache on my computer of the settings on each of the 3 Logitech accounts. How nice it would be to lift the settings from 1 remote and drop them into other accounts. Ho hum.

The alternative - using more than one remote again until Logitech catch up - was too horrific to contemplate!

Tony Hoyle

02-21-2011, 02:47 PM

I just selected V+ and re-learned the missing keys. I still haven't got it right yet but it always takes a few iterations to get a harmony how you like it.

To work around the 'can't change channels' bug if you go through the device configuration wizard again hitting next each time it clears it.

childe

02-21-2011, 03:18 PM

I set mine up as a Tivo Scenium and simply reprogrammed the buttons manually, then replaced my old V+ with the new Tivo Scenium - did not take too long, maybe 40 mins. I did it this so that I would have the icons for Thumbs and colour buttons.

The only problem now is the slowness of the signals. I have set inter device delay to 0ms and the signal length to zero, but it is still much slower than the Peanut.

I have also now programmed the Peanut to control my AV receiver, so I may just start using it that way, as I do love the Peanut, and always have. If only it could also control the TV on off it would be near perfect.

Tony Hoyle

02-21-2011, 04:15 PM

Pressing Power for >2 seconds powers the TV on/off

Pine Cladding

02-22-2011, 01:37 AM

The alternative - using more than one remote again until Logitech catch up - was too horrific to contemplate!

Well I've assigned my Harmony to number 2 son as he is the one who uses it most swapping between inputs to the tv/av and I get to keep the peanut ;) quite happy to wait a while for Logitech to wake up. Do they have a handset code request system?

laurence@key2.co

02-22-2011, 03:19 AM

Now have 2/3 set up as I want them.
Most of the codes were on there when I did the last one, so maybe the logitech site has done some learning. Presumably it incorporates ir codes from users in some way, I wonder how though.
There seems to be a bug in the software; if I set up a new activity, it works fine, but editing an old activity doesn't. Just annoying to have to start from scratch when you've got a few devices in an activity as I have.
Selecting VirginMedia or Cisco as manufacturer doesn't let you see the thumbs or colour icons, so I selected TiVo, then entered Cisco CT8685 as the model. It did find all but about 5 of the IR codes last time (pause was wrong and a couple were missing).

Pine Cladding

02-22-2011, 04:23 AM

so I selected TiVo, then entered Cisco CT8685 as the model. It did find all but about 5 of the IR codes last time (pause was wrong and a couple were missing).

Ah, I tried VM then CT8685 - It found nowt :(

digiflip

02-22-2011, 10:57 AM

Ive added virgin tivo has Cisco CT8685 and just did learning all the buttons for the harmony. Maybe it will populate the database for cisco ct8685.

laurence@key2.co

02-22-2011, 11:13 AM

Just spent best part of an hour on the phone to Logitech.
After getting one of the remotes set up perfectly, I couldn't persuade it to recognise the TiVo as a PVR on one of the others, so it wouldn't let me set up an activity (no device that will change channel). Logitech couldn't work out why and they can't copy the device across (they seem to be able to do only as much as we can).
Upshot is that I had to add device selecting the option that I don't have original remote. Then it searches by name, I selected a tivo (160, I think), then learned all the remotes. That lets you set up Watch TV (tivo option), so you get the thumbs and button colours appearing.
First chap I spoke to said that they would get IR codes for database from manufacturer direct, the second chap said that it's based on customer entries and that it's added once sufficient customers have entered it (sounds more likely to me).

NeilCoburn

02-22-2011, 11:19 AM

Logitech couldn't work out why and they can't copy the device across (they seem to be able to do only as much as we can)

Was the second guy you spoke to a level 2 support person (they are in Canada)? The level one people only can do as much as we can, but the level 2 guys can do pretty much anything, and in the past I've had them 'clone' accounts so that I can then set up 2 different variations starting from the same place

digiflip

02-22-2011, 11:25 AM

i've added my thumbs up and down to page up and down buttons on my harmony remote

laurence@key2.co

02-22-2011, 01:31 PM

Was the second guy you spoke to a level 2 support person (they are in Canada)? The level one people only can do as much as we can, but the level 2 guys can do pretty much anything, and in the past I've had them 'clone' accounts so that I can then set up 2 different variations starting from the same place

Yes, second guy was level 2. He did offer to clone my accounts, but that would have meant adding all my other devices in the other two rooms again - and that would have been more of a pain. He said they don't have a way of copying a single device.

laurence@key2.co

02-22-2011, 01:32 PM

i've added my thumbs up and down to page up and down buttons on my harmony remote

I've done the same - can't believe I didn't think of that with the old tivo!

Tony Hoyle

02-22-2011, 01:35 PM

Ooh.. good idea!

cwaring

02-22-2011, 02:06 PM

i've added my thumbs up and down to page up and down buttons on my harmony remote
So how to you page up/down through, say, the TV Guide now? :confused: I'd put my thumbs on the extra programmable buttons :)

Tony Hoyle

02-22-2011, 02:08 PM

Channel up/down already perform that function. I don't think the tivo actually has a 'page up' as such.

digiflip

02-23-2011, 01:57 PM

So how to you page up/down through, say, the TV Guide now? :confused: I'd put my thumbs on the extra programmable buttons :)

lol on virgin you have to use red green blue buttons for paging anyways

cwaring

02-23-2011, 02:08 PM

^ A god point, but that's the V+; this is Tivo :)

°Keir°

02-25-2011, 04:55 PM

So what's the best option to pick from the menu in the Harmony software?

I'm trying to get ready for my install next Saturday.

scgf

02-26-2011, 12:19 PM

So what's the best option to pick from the menu in the Harmony software?

I'm trying to get ready for my install next Saturday.
My Harmony was already set up with the Virgin Media V+ box. This also operates the TiVo, so all I did was got it to learn a few extra commands like Thumbs Up and Down and allocated these to the page up and down buttons on the Harmony.

°Keir°

02-26-2011, 04:22 PM

Cool I'll give that a go :up:

cwaring

02-26-2011, 05:52 PM

I deleted my V+ device when I got the Tivo :( Although, to be honest, since I found out that my peanut can control my TV as well I haven't actually used my Harmony :)

°Keir°

03-06-2011, 03:55 PM

DataUK

03-08-2011, 05:31 AM

I have a Harmony One remote and initially used the VirginMedia V+ as a basis for controlling the new Cisco TiVo. I asked Harmony about new devices and they replied that they are added by the community and they just administrate what we all add to their database.

I was away for a week and now notice that the Cisco CT8685 is in the database, but as a Satellite device not a TiVo PVR. I have emailed them again to ask when they will move it to the PVR category where our original TiVo Series 1 and the V+ boxes happen to be.

laurence@key2.co

03-08-2011, 07:32 AM

Anyone got the thumbs up & down on the screen for the harmony one yet?

I can get them on the touch screen by using :
Set Top Box > TIVO > TiVo TCD-648
And then ThmbUp, ThmbDown on the Addition buttons page.
But then I'm having a nightmare getting the Menu button to do what the "Home" button does on the Peanut or even the guide button to work. :rolleyes:

As long as you start out with a TiVo device, you will get the thumbs graphics. When setting up just type in TiVo and select that you don't have original remote. Obviously, that means you'll have to re-learn all the remote codes, but you get the thumbs and colours.
Or, just use your S1 device/activities and relearn all the commands. That would have been easiest - and if I could go back a few weeks, it's what I'd do.
Sounds as if you've got all that sorted and just need to learn the home and guide from the TiVo remote.

°Keir°

03-09-2011, 05:19 AM

Still having a few issue.
I've not had TiVo or a V+ box so was unable to just add onto them. Think I might just set one up and add to it.
What are the details for a series one? type/make/model

cwaring

03-09-2011, 05:40 AM

It's a Thomson Scenium PVR10

cwaring

03-09-2011, 05:34 PM

Tried TCD-648 and yes, most of the buttons don't do anything. Will be getting onto Logitech about this shortly :)

°Keir°

03-10-2011, 11:52 AM

Thanks man, I'll give that a try now.

These forums need a Thanks button.

cwaring

03-10-2011, 01:19 PM

Has this been mentioned before?

You'll find the Cisco CT8685 under the 'Video Recorder -> PVR' devices.

Seems to have a lot more buttons working "out of the box".

Off to have a fiddle :)

cwaring

03-11-2011, 05:05 AM

Thought you might be interested in the reply I got from Logitech Support.

While we do contact manufactures of devices, and request the codes for these devices, I feel that we are not given a high priority when it comes to their replies. For this reason, most of our database is created from users such as yourself, whom upload the commands to their account where they are flagged and reviewed by our engineers. Once enough customers have supplied us with the commands, we can then add the devices easily to our systems so the Harmony remote can control them.

All I can do is advise to add the Tivo like normal, as a PVR, and then have the Harmony remote learn the commands. Should we already have enough in our database, it will download the remainder of the commands and you can test them out. As you are willing to be an assistance, I would advise writing back and informing us of any commands that do not work. We will make sure this information gets to our engineers, and while we do that you can use this guide below to teach the missing commands.

Learning commands to the Harmony remote in RAW
http://logitech-en-amr.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/3859

I have not yet replied to this yet, but I will be doing if only to ask what difference RAW mode makes over the standard mode!

tankstage

03-11-2011, 08:42 AM

Thought you might be interested in the reply I got from Logitech Support.

I have not yet replied to this yet, but I will be doing if only to ask what difference RAW mode makes over the standard mode!

Learning in "Raw" mode will take the IR code as is, while "analysed" tries to clean it up and even it out.

Diamond Mike

03-24-2011, 03:17 AM

This thread seems to have gone quiet. I confess I have been waiting for someone to post that the Tivo codes for the Harmony are up & running rather than teaching it one by one. Does anyone have more news?

cwaring

03-24-2011, 04:31 AM

They should be, yes. I used the "Cisco CT-8685" code-set and added all of the missing commands. I then got this as part of a reply from Logitech.

We would like to thank you for having taken the time to learn the missing commands from your original device remote, as these learned commands will now be available to other users as part of our database. As new devices come out our engineers make every effort to get the full command sets from the manufacturers, but user-learned IR codes are very helpful as well.

Diamond Mike

03-24-2011, 08:49 AM

They should be, yes. I used the "Cisco CT-8685" code-set and added all of the missing commands. I then got this as part of a reply from Logitech.

Thanks, I'll give iit a go

Hitby

04-14-2011, 04:23 AM

Hi all, first post I think! Getting my TiVo installed next week and the same as a few of you, I'd like to get my Harmony set up in advance. When I tried to add Cisco CT-8685 and then set up a new activity the software kept telling me I had no devices that could change channels. :/

Assuming I get it to work, does adding it as the Cisco allow you to have the Thumbs Up/Down graphics or not? I had read that you had to add it as a TiVo to get them?

Cheers!
Dan

cwaring

04-14-2011, 04:28 AM

Hi Hitby, and welcome!

Yes, the Cisco should have all of the functions, including thumbs.

Hitby

04-14-2011, 04:30 AM

Thanks, When adding it, the Logitech software adds it as 'Satellite' Is this right? Any thoughts on why it won't allow me to choose the Cisco as the channel changer.

Thinking out loud I wonder if it's because I already have a Watch TV activity setup with my current V+HD box.

cwaring

04-14-2011, 04:33 AM

Thanks, When adding it, the Logitech software adds it as 'Satellite' Is this right? Any thoughts on why it won't allow me to choose the Cisco as the channel changer.
I honestly can't remember :(

Thinking out loud I wonder if it's because I already have a Watch TV activity setup with my current V+HD box.
Possibly. I mean, why would you want/need two of the same activity. Unless you're rich enough to have two TV setups I suppose ;)

Hitby

04-14-2011, 04:53 AM

Well, it's really because I've not got my tivo installed yet but if the current V+ box goes upstairs then it would be handy to have another activity - Watch TV (Bedroom) then I could ditch all the remotes from upstairs as well

cwaring

04-14-2011, 06:48 AM

True, and I'm sure it could be done. I'd rename it before you try to add a second though :)

kmusgrave

04-14-2011, 06:55 AM

I honestly can't remember :(

Possibly. I mean, why would you want/need two of the same activity. Unless you're rich enough to have two TV setups I suppose ;)

Err, I have several setups for watching TV - VMTivo, S1 Tivo, Sky, Freeview, Freesat, etc. Thats just on my Living Room TV. I have several on my bedroom TV as well.

cwaring

04-14-2011, 09:54 AM

:o D'oh! Of course you do. But they're not all called the same thing :)

Hitby

04-14-2011, 09:56 AM

I didn't mean I wanted them both to be called Watch TV - I was setting them both up as a Watch TV activity.

cwaring

04-14-2011, 11:10 AM

Yeah. I get that now. My brain take a little time sometimes but I get there eventually :)

Hitby

04-18-2011, 03:41 AM

Right, still having trouble with this. My TiVo gets installed on Wednesday so hoping to get it sorted before then.

I've deleted the V+HD box in my Harmony software and I added the Cisco CT-8685 (which again got added as 'Satellite'.

When I go to re-setup my 'Watch Virgin' activity it again says

'Click next to add a device that can change channels'

I try and add the Cisco CT-8685 again, it adds it but the wizard keeps asking for a device that can change channels :(

Anyone have any ideas?

Thanks,
Dan

edit:

When adding the activity as Watch TV TiVo or Watch TV DVR or PVR other than TiVO this happens.

I have just tried to add an activity as Watch TV Digital Cable as described here - http://logitech-en-amr.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/12359/~/when-setting-up-a-watch-tv-activity-for-my-harmony-remote-i-receive-the-message

and that seemed to work. Obviously I can't test it until Wednesday but can anyone confirm that's how they added it?

Thanks,

cwaring

04-18-2011, 05:20 AM

This is so weird as I never had that problem :confused: I do have the latest Harmony 600 though.

Hitby

04-18-2011, 05:26 AM

Could you confirm which kind of Watch TV activity you added it as please?

cwaring

04-18-2011, 07:52 AM

Erm... just that.... Watch TV. :confused:

Hitby

04-18-2011, 09:19 AM

Yes but there's five different kinds

Watch TV (Digital cable, Basic cable, Antenna)
Watch TV (DVR or PVR other than TiVo)
Watch TV (TiVo)
Watch TV (Replay TV)
Watch TV (Media Center PC)

cwaring

04-18-2011, 10:55 AM

Oh, okay. Sorry. Never knew that :o I just used the automatic one; "based on your devices", or whatever.

RichardJH

04-18-2011, 11:06 AM

AFAIK I set mine up using the Watch TV (TiVo) option and that gave me the Cisco as the device used for changing channels

Hitby

04-18-2011, 12:22 PM

Hi Richard, thanks for your post.

Did you add the Cisco CT-8685 first and was it recognised as a TiVo or did it appear as satellite?

Moe UK

04-18-2011, 03:35 PM

I set mine up using Watch TV (Digital cable, Basic cable, Antenna) as the Tivo option would not add the Tivo as a device that could change channels.

cwaring

04-18-2011, 04:06 PM

I added mine as a DVR but, when it had added it, it showed as 'satellite' :confused: But it did work and had no channel-change issues that I can remember.

Hitby

04-19-2011, 12:53 AM

I set mine up using Watch TV (Digital cable, Basic cable, Antenna) as the Tivo option would not add the Tivo as a device that could change channels.

Thanks moe, do you get the thumbs up/downgraphics or the RBYG coloured graphics on your screen?

Hitby

04-19-2011, 04:19 AM

Well, I've rang and spoken to customer services - they won't reclassify the Cisco CT8685 as a PVR or TiVo box. They won't add the thumbs up and down graphics to the commands on the screen. Basically, they were absolutely no help whatsoever.

So, if anyone has both the thumbs up and down graphics and the RGYB graphics on their screen could you please let me know what you added the device as - it looks like I'm going to have to learn all the commands manually.

Moe UK

04-19-2011, 04:56 PM

Thanks moe, do you get the thumbs up/downgraphics or the RBYG coloured graphics on your screen?

I get the RBYG on the LCD but no thumbs up and thumbs down.

tankstage

05-01-2011, 07:09 AM

cwaring

05-01-2011, 07:53 AM

Does anyone else find that the delay between each key-press makes the remote very sluggish to use, especially in the text entering grid. Many a time I have fallen of the end back into the previous screen as the remote buffers your presses !!
Yeah. If my Tivo remote could switch both on at the same time and switch to the correct input I might not bother using mine.

Jong1

05-06-2011, 09:01 AM

Just wanted to pass on my experience. Virgin TiVo was installed yesterday. I'm using a Harmony 900.

- Configured TiVo as Virgin Media CT8685
- Configured "Watch TV ( Digital cable, Basic cable, Antenna)" activity

- All buttons but "Zoom" were defined and work perfectly. Maybe there is the tiniest fraction of a second extra delay before the first key press is recognised (frankly not even sure about that), but subsequent keys then repeat perfectly and identically to the normal remote (tried both extensively). This is all without any need to play with repeat rates or delays, or indeed ANY default settings. All this even when using RF to the Harmony IR transmitter in my AV cabinet.

- "Zoom" was learnt effortlessly.

- Unlike the Harmony One, The Harmony 900 has 4 colour hard buttons; These work perfectly.

- Although, like others, I was unable to set up the "Watch TV (TiVo)" activity I was still able to set up the green thumbs up/red thumbs down icons on the LCD screen. Although I have done this (for infrequent users/technophobe family members more than anything!), I have also programmed the central Up/Down rocker switch for ThumbsUp/ThumbsDown. I expect I will mostly use that.

So I am very very happy. For those who are having some issues with the CT8685 configuration it might be work going into troubleshooting and see if it offers to update your device configuration. It may be that they have improved it in recent days/weeks. Alternatively, you could try installing a new device.

I guess it is also possible that the Harmony 900 is just better at this stuff. Certainly, with all the special buttons on the TiVo remote it is good not to have to assign the four colour buttons to the LCD display. :)

BigH

05-06-2011, 09:21 AM

Does anyone else find that the delay between each key-press makes the remote very sluggish to use, especially in the text entering grid. Many a time I have fallen of the end back into the previous screen as the remote buffers your presses !!

I have set my inter-key delay to 0ms and repeats at various settings with no improvement in speed.

This is with models 885, 895 and 1100.

Searching the "interweb" reveals this is a common problem....

Does anyone have any suggestions for replacement remotes that are as simple to use ?

Cheers

same here - had Tivo installed a couple of hours ago and my Harmony One is very sluggish

at work now, but will have a play this weekend

the main reason to move to the Tivo box was for a quicker UI - hopefully this can be sorted

Jong1

05-06-2011, 08:19 PM

Repeating myself I know, but this is definitely not true for the CT8685 with the Harmony 900.

JayAy

05-07-2011, 12:37 PM

I have a Harmony One, set up using the Cisco CT8685 + I added the zoom command (though in reality I've found no use for it). Thumbs are working on the One's soft keys and I am not noticing any difference in responsiveness between using the One or the Peanut to control the Tivo. Just how much slower is it? How about a comparison video form someone having the issue?

S P I T F I R E

05-07-2011, 01:31 PM

works perfect now :D

Doudar

05-16-2011, 04:53 AM

Just got a Harmony 650 and set it up online using Virgin Media CT8685 and found it works great :)

JohnD

cwaring

05-16-2011, 05:48 AM

Online? You mean using the web-based interface rather than the downloadable program?

I ask only because someone on, I think, the Cable Forum posted that they could not set theirs up using the web-based system as the correct model was not listed :confused:

Link to post (http://www.cableforum.co.uk/board/35237107-post59.html).