Harmony 525 - VCR control logic - power on off

[Vogon64]

I have a harmony 525 with the usual activities configured...

Watch TV
Watch DVD
Watch VCR (old sharp video with discrete ON and OFF commands)
Watch SKY

etc.

My problem is this, by default the harmony turns off any devices not involved in an activity, unless you set them to always ON.

If VCR is set to power off when not in use when I select Watch VCR it is dutifully turned on.

So now I get interested in a program and decide to record it for watching later so I hit the "record" button, and guess what the video starts recording.

All good so far

So now I decide to switch to Watch SKY and the 525 does all the necessary switching and all is fine EXCEPT it decides that I am not using the VCR and so turns it off - and bang goes my recording for later!


WHAT I TRIED...

I thought I could fix this by setting "always stay turned on" for the VCR device, and true that does stop it being switched off when I change to another activity BUT if the VCR happens to be OFF when I select Watch VCR it doesn't turn on

OK this is a relatively small price to pay, I have to hit "power on" after I have selected the activity but this feels like I am not making proper use of the 525 facilities

SO...

Should I be creating a new activity RECORD on VCR or something similar, and if so how would this help solve my problem.


Is there anyone smart out there who has a solution for this...



I have another small niggle in that if I want to use the VCR to record SKY then I use the Watch VCR to get me to control the Video, but then if I need to select the appropriate SKY channel I need to switch to device mode for the SKY box so its buttons work... any suggestions how I can make this slicker?


Thanks in advance for what is usually excellent advice!

Mark

 

[Member 79251]

I have some problems with my 525. 1 is that the power on/off button in the top left will only switch off either sky or my amp.!!!

I have another small niggle in that if I want to use the VCR to record SKY then I use the Watch VCR to get me to control the Video, but then if I need to select the appropriate SKY channel I need to switch to device mode for the SKY box so its buttons work... any suggestions how I can make this slicker?

I can help you with this.....

I have created a default action this has no actions as nothing goes on nothing goes off. This function works as the default layout for the remote I have the sky mapped with the volume buttons from my remote also I have my amp asigned to this action. (This means I can use sub options that control power ect.)

You could set something like this and set no power actions. So nothing goes on or off. Then map the video remote and some other functions like channel up down use sky remote. Sub menu. Video channel up Video down.

You maybe could create several of these for what you needed. I think I set it up as an activity. This adds no power options.

Hope this helps!!!

 

[czzer]

Is there anyone smart out there who has a solution for this...

For the first issue I would do 2 things. Firstly, set all your activities to "Leave on unsused devices". On the web based setup you do this by selecting the Activity -> Customize -> Change options. There is a radio button for "Turn off unused devices". Select "Leave on". This way devices won't be turned off when you switch activities, but will be switched off when you press the Off button.

Next I would add a new activity, called "VCR w/TV off" and add only the VCR device to it. Don't set this activity to leave on unused devices.

You will now be able to switch between activities without stopping any recordings. If you want to turn everything off but leave the VCR recording, select the "VCR w/TV off" activity instead of the main Off button.

For the second niggle, just add the Sky channel change buttons to the LCD for the "Watch VCR" activity. It would probably be easiest to learn the appropriate Sky channel change buttons to the VCR device, then add these learned commands to the Watch VCR activity.
Alternatively, you could add a new "Record Sky" activity and assign the normal channel buttons to the Sky device and the transport controls to the VCR device.

 

[Vogon64]

I need to read this through a few times to get it in my head, but it looks promising. I'll let you know how I get on.

 

[hornydragon]

if your VCR ahs discrete on and off codes its easy if its toggle its not

 

[Vogon64]

Firstly, set all your activities to "Leave on unsused devices". On the web based setup you do this by selecting the Activity -> Customize -> Change options. There is a radio button for "Turn off unused devices". Select "Leave on". This way devices won't be turned off when you switch activities, but will be switched off when you press the Off button.

Obvious when you know how isn't it! This worked fine and solved my power problem

The suggestion to have an activity "everything off but VCR" is also a good one that I wouldn't have thought of.

Cheers.

 

[Vogon64]

I have created a default action this has no actions as nothing goes on nothing goes off. This function works as the default layout for the remote I have the sky mapped with the volume buttons from my remote also I have my amp asigned to this action. (This means I can use sub options that control power ect.)

This is also an interesting suggestion that I would not have thought of...

I am currently rationalising the device modes of each of the units to get rid of the spurious and unused commands that are created by default - this will make things simpler. I am then going to give it a few weeks to see what buttons I end up using a lot and then look to combine them into one of these "virtual" activities.

I presume that to get access to all of the devices on this activity I will need to add all that I need to use.

 

[Member 79251]

I presume that to get access to all of the devices on this activity I will need to add all that I need to use.

Yes, I have found that having no actions is quite clever. What you then do I add ALL your devices.This gives you then all remote controls!!!!! Then when it comes to the remote you can add the most used. As a sub option in the blank activity. It works perfect for me.

Sky on, Sky off. Tv On, Tv Off. Amp On, Amp Off. Switch Source On tv....and so on all from one activity.

I am currently rationalising the device modes of each of the units to get rid of the spurious and unused commands that are created by default

I was amazed when it told me my amp had usb and a cd drive!!!!

 

[Vogon64]

I was amazed when it told me my amp had usb and a cd drive!!!!

By getting rid of the rubbish my AV device has gone from 23 screens to 9, and I was quite excited when I thought my ancient TV could do PIP

 

[Member 79251]

can someone tell me if on a 525 remote the number 5 is quite low and is a in button rather than an out button like the rest. My 5 button feels like its on its own and like its been pushed in too far.

Please help!