help NEET 4*2 matrix and Harmony remote

[Lord Essex]

Hi All,

I have just added a Neet 4*2 HDMI splitter/switch. model no: (True Matrix 4*2). I had no problem finding and installing this to my Harmony 885 and adding it to my activities, However if I use the left/right/down buttons to control my Humax Freesat HD box either in device mode or in an activite the Neet is also responding switching inputs or turning itself off?

When the Harmony is set to command the Neet (in devices) the Neet has not been setup to respond to any of these commands, in fact it has not been setup to respond to any standard buttons only additional (screen) buttons.

Any help given would be greatly appreciated.

 

[logiciel]

The first thing to point out is that on Harmonys all controlling is done within Activities.
The Devices area of the remote is only for occasional testing purposes.
You were right to add the switch to your activities as an Additional Device.
You shoud go on to Customise its commands to buttons, and could also include them as Additional When Starts.

 

[Lord Essex]

The first thing to point out is that on Harmonys all controlling is done within Activities.
The Devices area of the remote is only for occasional testing purposes.
You were right to add the switch to your activities as an Additional Device.
You shoud go on to Customise its commands to buttons, and could also include them as Additional When Starts.

Hi logiciel,

Thanks for your input,

I don't quiet understand your comment (The Devices area of the remote is only for occasional testing purposes) I use the device part of my 885 for many different things and have always found that for ease of use it is better to list the main function of the devices used for a particular activite under that activite but for less used features it is better to list these with the device itself.

I'm sorry as I must not have make myself clear in my original post but the following will not help (You shoud go on to Customise its commands to buttons, and could also include them as Additional When Starts) It is not the direct commands for the Neet that I am having a problem with. The problem I'm having is that the neet is responding to the left/right/down commands for my Humax Freesat HD receiver.

e.g While watching TV, If I press the down command to change channel the Humax will change channel but the neet will also switch inputs or if I bring up my media list and I press the left command to move through the list again the Humax will move through the list but the neet will switch itself off.

This only happens when I am using my Harmony to control the Humax, If I use the left/right/down commands with my Blu Ray or TV there is no problem.

 

[logiciel]

Hi - I should have said that Harmonys are meant to do all the controlling within activities.
They are what make Harmonys better - and more expensive - than ordinary old-fashioned one-device-at-a-time universal remotes.
However, it you don't want to use them fully the choice is yours, and it's no criticism that you don't.
The idea is that for each activity all the commands for all the devices that are included in it are available without having to leave it, go to the device testing area - not "mode" -, and go back to the activity.
When you set up an activity the hard buttons get the commands for the appropriate device. The remaining commands for each device go on the screen, and after that you can change the setup by Customising any command to any hard button or screen position.
That's easier, both to set up and to use.

On the actual question, I think it was "When the Harmony is set to command the Neet (in devices) the Neet has not been setup to respond to any of these commands" that confused me - did you mean the second part to refer to activities?
It seemed that the direction buttons had somehow been assigned to the switch's input and power commands.
Now though it sounds as if the commands for the switch and the receiver are the same, so the same thing must happen with their original remotes - is that correct?

 

[Lord Essex]

Hi logiciel,

I've just tried the orignal Humax remote and the Neet also responds to that, So I think there will be a Neet 4/2 switch up for sale in the classifieds as I don't think there is anything I can do to work around that.

With ref to the way I use my Harmony again I think I did not make myself clear. Of course I use the activites part of my remote but what I was saying was that I also use the device part aswell.

e.g

To watch a Blu Ray I press the (watch a blu ray) command in the activities and the Harmony responds by turn the TV, Blu Ray player, AV Processor, 3x power amp's on, It also sets the lighting and ensures that TV, Processor ect are set to the correct inputs/outputs and all of the command buttons on the Harmony are set in a logical manner for watching a film, The play buttom starts the film the stop button stops the film ect ect.
But while I'm watching the film if I decide that I want to tweak the picture I will press the device button then TV and now the Harmony is set so that I can open the TV's menu's and tweak away. Again if I choose to tweak the sound I will press the device button then the Processor button and tweak away.
I think it would be impractical to add all of the controls that I would need to tweak the sound and picture to the (watch a Blu Ray) activitie.

 

[logiciel]

Hi - yes, it's unusual, but it's now clear that the problem is due to the commands for the switch being the same as other commands for the receiver, and there's no way around that.

I did follow the way that you use the Harmony but thanks for the full details to confirm that.
The point comes down to the practicality of having all commands within the activities.
It's the way that Harmonys are meant to be used, and afaik it's the way that most people use them.
Some of my activities are complex but all the commands for all the devices in them are available.
Having to go out of the activity, into a device, and back again, would be less practicable.
As I said though "the choice is yours, and it's no criticism that you don't" use activities for everything.

 

[Lord Essex]

Hi logiciel,

I've solved the problem with the Neet.

I sold it.

Life's back to normal, I've gone back to a simple hdmi splitter.

 

[logiciel]

May I ask what it is that you're splitting, and why?

 

[Lord Essex]

I've just added an Optoma projector to my setup and its much easier (and cheaper) to run a single 10m hdmi lead to the Optoma and use a splitter to connect my Blu ray player & X-Box. I wanted to try the Neet as it would be nice to have the option to send the source to either the Projector or TV plus I could also add my Freesat for when the football is on.

But I'm going to stick with the splitter for now and when the football is on all I have to do is take the hdmi lead out of the tv and plug it into the splitter which is no big deal.

If another 4/2 matrix comes up in the classifields from a different brand I might give it a go but I'm not going out of my way to find it.

 

[logiciel]

Thanks for responding to my curiosity, but I still don't see what you're splitting - it sounds more like combining.

 

[gamingdave]

I found this thread as I was having exactly the same issue. I added a Neet 4/2 matrix to my setup to enable routing of several components (Freesat, XBox 360, WiiU, PS3) to both my TV and Projector without having to swap cables. My amp has switching but only 1 HDMI out and I also don't need the amp on when using the TV.

My problem was the same, that the direction buttons on the Humax Foxsat box were also controlling the Neet HDMI switch, changing its input channel and switching it off.

The solution lies in changing the frequencies of the Foxsat remote. I found it here: Multi Code function HD/HDR remote « My Humax Forum

Multi Code function HD/HDR remote

If you are using more than one receiver in the same location you can change the remote control frequency so that the remote control commands do not conflict.

(This is only relevant to the Foxsat HD, HDR, HDCI 5000, HDR 1000/1010S, HB1000S, HD/HDR Fox T2 freeview HD products, incl the HDR 2000T)

1. Switch on your TV set and the Humax product that you wish to change the remote code.
2. Make sure that the other Humax product that you do not wish to control is in Standby or powered OFF at the mains.
3. Point the remote control towards the remote control sensor of the target receiver.
4. Press and hold the 0 and OK buttons simultaneously for 5 seconds until the PVR button on the remote stays red.
5. A message will appear on the TV screen:

"You can change the remote control mode.
Press a Numeric Key (<1> ~ <6>) to select the mode
Current mode: Mode 1."

6. Press a NUMERIC button (from 1 to 6) to select a different mode.
7. A message confirming the change of Mode will appear on screen.

I changed my Foxsat remote to mode 2 and the conflicts no longer accor. I haven't tested it with a Harmony yet, as my old one broke and I am awaiting a new one. It may be that the original remote is needed to switch modes, and I will then need to teach the Harmony directly, as I assume it stores something on the remote as well as the box. It may be the Harmony DB doesn't have alternate codes but if it comes to it I can train the Harmony as a custom device.

 

[stuartsjg]

Hello,

just bought one of these switches for use with my harmony setup and i too found the buttons to control YouView also control the Neet AV Switch. This isn't to do with the harmony as the original you view remote does the same too.

Can the control codes be changed on the YouView system or is it just the Freesat unit from Humax?

I imagine if the remote control codes were changed, i would need to manually reprogram every function into harmony with the new codes as it will assume default.

* EDIT*

Found this Youview Public Knowledge - How do I stop my other Humax devices responding to my YouView remote control? so it looks like i can change the code-set on YouView (as i imagine is possible perhaps with all Humax kit?). Will report back how things then work with the harmony.

 

[stuartsjg]

Hi,

OK - turns out you cannot change the YouView remote control codes. Humax equipment can be changed and you can change the YV remote but the box wont change at all.

However, for Neet AV box & Harmony (with hub) users, i found you can select the IR control signals to be sent from any combination of the Hub, Blaster port 1 and/or Blaster 2.

So, i have the YouView Box only from the Hub. The Neet AV box from blaster 2. The DVD, TV & AV-Amp come off the hub & blaster 1.

I've had to put thick black tape over the blaster 2 and IR receiver on the front of the Neet box as it was still picking up from the Hub. Will order or make up some "Precision" cables to do away with the tape and avoid the need for the hub to hang in front of the equipment.

So, everybody's Neet boxes can come out the man drawer and get used again with YouView, either their remote or harmony remote.

 

[crupted]

Hi stuartsjg
Can you let me know how you can select the IR Control signals to one of the blaster ports?
I have exactly the same problem between my Humax Freeview box and Kanaan AV matrix switch where IR signals to the Humax also get picked up by the Kanaan, but cannot find any information on how to direct the control signal to a specific blaster.
Thanks!

 

[logiciel]

It depends on which Harmony you have!

 

[crupted]

I have a Harmony Hub running version 4.7.84 software, and I am using the iOS app version 4.6
I have mapped the IR commands for both the Humax and Kanann boxes and they both work, but when I send certain commands to the Humax box it interferes with the switch. This appears to be a known problem according to this thread, and sending commands to a specific blaster would likely solve the problem. However I cannot find any way from the app of mapping the IR signal to a specific port.
Thanks

 

[logiciel]

There's got to be a way!

 

[crupted]

OK - there is a way, but its not cheap.

I got the hub and keyboard bundle on eBay - its was a factory refurb from the US. Despite the seller saying it was fully compatible in the UK, it is not. The MyHarmony PC software sees it but does not provide any functionality for it (I assume it detects a version or model number and throws its toys out).

So I got a hub from Amazon in the UK (£67 with a basic Harmony remote), set it up and hey-ho all functionality is available - including the ability to direct IR commands to the blaster ports. By covering up the Matrix switch and using a blaster, I now have full control and isolate it from the interfering Humax commands.

The app on iOS does not provide the ability to direct commands to a blaster port (as far as I can see) but the PC app does. Frankly, while functional, the iOS App is pretty poor in its design, it generates lots of redundant buttons and you have to swipe between pages to get to the commands you actually need. It would be great if there was a page designer that allowed you to cluster the most common commands on the same page.

Creating Activities (Such as 'Watch TV', 'Watch a Movie' or 'Listen to Music') is at the core of the system - the problem is that Activities always assume that the start and end state of all devices is powered off. This is ok for a single room set-up but powering off the matrix switch will obviously turn off any signals that may be going to other rooms. Frustratingly, this cannot be changed in the Activities editor. The only solution is to disable the 'power off' IR command but then you cannot power on and off devices when you actually want to.

My aim with this equipment is to put all the boxes that used to sit under TVs into the loft and out of the way now that TVs are mounted on the walls and to be able to control them and distribute signals using an old iPad and my phone. This Harmony rig solves the problem (along with sending the HDMI output from the loft using HDMI Cat5 extenders) and is quite elegant, I just wish the UI on the Harmony iOS App was properly designed and editable.