Question Harmony Remote and CEC / HDMI control

[digitaldave]

I'm currently using a Harmony 650 remote to control my set that includes a Sky+ HD Box routed through an amp and out to the TV. I have CEC / HDMI control enabled as I use the Netflix app on the TV, and send the sound back to the amp so I don't have to use an optical cable. However, I've encountered an issue - sometimes when it's switched on to watch tv, the amp comes on muted. After researching, I think this is caused by a clash between the CEC / HDMI control commands and the commands sent by the remote. If I use the regular remotes, it works fine.

1) Is there a way to get the Harmony to send discrete commands? For example, if I want to watch tv using the original remotes, I just turn on the sky box, and the tv and amp switch on and set inputs correctly. So I'd like to duplicate that when I press the 'watch tv' button. As it stands, it's needs to send commands to turn on all three devices and set the inputs.

2) if I can set it to just send the sky power on command, how would I get the amp to control the volume? And get everything to switch off together when I press the 'all off' button?

3) If the above can't be done, are there any alternatives to the Harmony that would be able to do what I'm after? I had a quick look at some All4One remotes, but they seem to be set up around activities like the Harmony.

Thanks,

Dave.

 

[logiciel]

The amp should not come on muted - check that.
You can specify that there are different power on and off commands, and can customise the buttons any way you want so there should be a suitable option for your other needs.

 

[digitaldave]

logicel,

Thanks for your reply.

I've been doing some playing around, and it seems that it's related to the to sometimes thinking that it should be using its own speakers rather than the amp. I'll see if I can figure out how to change the power on/off commands... I may be back with more questions, if that's ok .

 

[logiciel]

That's fine!

 

[digitaldave]

The problem was definitely related to a clash between the remote switching things on and selecting inputs, and the HDMI control trying to do the same thing. I've turned off the HDMI control, and put the optical cable back in to the system that I was hoping I'd be able to ditch by using ARC and HDMI control (which had to be enabled to get ARC working).

 

[logiciel]

You can't use both systems at the same time but you'd do better by not using the Harmony for the one use of switching on and off - make the amplifier's automatic control to be none, and then you won't need that extra connection.