Harmony Remote Elite Plus

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ronw

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#250718 22-May-2019 17:43

I am interested in getting a new Remote that can handle my TV and Denon 5.1 Sound System

I noticed the Hamony Elite Plus in one shop and wonder if anyone else has used this and if it is worth investing in.

Any comments or alternative suggestions please

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Networkn
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#2243249 22-May-2019 18:05

I have one and it's easily the best remote I've owned. The fact I can use it with my smartphone is an absolute killer feature.

I have owned a LOT of smart remotes, including most of the Logitech flagship ones.

Bear in mind the battery life is terrible. Make sure you find somewhere for the cradle to go and put it in every night :)

Senecio

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#2243255 22-May-2019 18:34

I have two! One in each of our two media rooms. I too have used many forms of universal remotes including other Harmony remotes and this by far kills everything else on the market. I rarely used the phone app but it does come in handy when you've forgotten to charge the main remote. As above, not a great battery life.

Handles everything I've thrown at it from TVs, receivers, set top boxes, media center PCs, some games consoles etc....

It is the one piece of tech, that if it broke tomorrow, my wife would insist it is replaced immediately!

ronw

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#2243259 22-May-2019 18:40

Just a question. I also have a computer connected into my system. How do you get computer working with the remote do you have to turn it on and get logged in before the remote can see it or do you have a magical way of starting PC. I have my computers encrypted so would have to manuall enter the password

Nokia 7 Plus
Nexus 6P 32Gb
Nexus 6 Phone
Nexus 5 Phone
Nexus 7 2013 Tablet
Samsung TAB A 8"
Samsung TAB A 10"

& many Windows laptops, Desktops etc

zezayer

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#2243266 22-May-2019 18:52

I would also recommend the Harmony Companion if you don't need the touchscreen, same hub and system as the Elite, with a great non-touchscreen remote. Battery lasts for years, no charger needed. The buttons can all be customised and the phone app works the same as with the Elite.

The hub connects to your PC as a bluetooth keyboard (or IR MCE remote), set the PC to sleep rather than shutdown and it should be easily woken by the hub and will save you typing the password each time.

lchiu7

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#2243356 22-May-2019 21:19

I use mine with a Google Home so pretty much only use the remote for volume controls. And sometimes if the remote is on the cradle and I have my phone in my hand I will use the app instead to adjust the volume :-)

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ronw

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#2243357 22-May-2019 21:32

I have Google Home as well. Which Harmony are you using? Just want to make sure I get the correct Remote

Nokia 7 Plus
Nexus 6P 32Gb
Nexus 6 Phone
Nexus 5 Phone
Nexus 7 2013 Tablet
Samsung TAB A 8"
Samsung TAB A 10"

& many Windows laptops, Desktops etc

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Senecio

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#2243366 22-May-2019 22:05

ronw:
Just a question. I also have a computer connected into my system. How do you get computer working with the remote do you have to turn it on and get logged in before the remote can see it or do you have a magical way of starting PC. I have my computers encrypted so would have to manuall enter the password

Can’t help sorry. My computer is a Mac Mini that only serves as a media centre so no encryption. It also acts as a Plex server so it runs 24/7 so no need to be able to turn it on.

evilengineer

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#2243413 23-May-2019 08:42

Another thumbs up for the Harmony Elite. 😀

For me, one of the best things is that the handheld remote communicates with the hub via RF and then hubs sends the IR commands via the mini IR blasters.

It means you don't have to point the remote in exactly the right direction to hit all the IR windows on all your devices, which is something my kids used to struggle to get right with our old Harmony 850.

I've not tried it myself, but I'm pretty sure you could set up an activity on the hub that could send Wake On Lan commands to a connected PC/Mac over your network.

trig42

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#2243415 23-May-2019 08:59

ronw:

I have Google Home as well. Which Harmony are you using? Just want to make sure I get the correct Remote

You need any of the remotes with a Hub (currently the Elite and the Companion).

I got a companion second hand (but looked like it had barely been used) off Trademe for less than half the retail - that's a good place to look as it seems some people get them and then get frustrated setting them up (why else would you get rid of one? They are awesome).

Senecio

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#2243446 23-May-2019 09:37

Harmony remotes are funny like that. Some people just don't get the concept of Activities. I used earlier universal remotes for years and they were OK once you got them set-up but switching to my first Harmony was like a light bulb moment. It was just so intuitive and simple to pick up it blew me away. However I know people who still just don't get it, and to them its like learning a second language in middle age.

lchiu7

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#2243575 23-May-2019 10:34

Hundred percent agree. For example I can say hey Google turn on fire TV and it turns on the TV, switches to HDMI input 1 turns on the receiver and switches it to the input where the Amazon fire stick is connected.

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networkn

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#2243651 23-May-2019 12:12

One thing to note about the companion. We use our smartphones with the Logitech system a bit. But if you are watching TV, and then want to do something on your phone, then you have to jump out of the app and into the logitech to do it, then back to your app. It's ok if it's interuptible, but for games etc, it's a real pain. For that reason, we still use the remote quite a bit.

timbosan

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#2243652 23-May-2019 12:17

lchiu7: Hundred percent agree. For example I can say hey Google turn on fire TV and it turns on the TV, switches to HDMI input 1 turns on the receiver and switches it to the input where the Amazon fire stick is connected.

So just to confirm, this is ALL from the HARMONY being integrated into Google Home; not from the similar function that is offered with a ChromeCast (it can turn on certain TV's but doesn't work when you use an amp).

I am after this exact type of solution, as I have a TV (obviously), amp (for 5.1 and HDMI switching) and a Kodi box, so the Chromecast never did what I wanted.

trig42

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#2243655 23-May-2019 12:19

networkn:

One thing to note about the companion. We use our smartphones with the Logitech system a bit. But if you are watching TV, and then want to do something on your phone, then you have to jump out of the app and into the logitech to do it, then back to your app. It's ok if it's interuptible, but for games etc, it's a real pain. For that reason, we still use the remote quite a bit.

Yep, we only use the App if for some reason the remote needs help (sometimes, if the sun is shining into an IR receiver, it doesn't receive a turn on or turn off command so I use the 'Help'/Fix in the app and it sorts it).

I hardly use the remote too though for TV, I do use it for volume as that is easier than 'Alexa, turn up the volume on the TV', but only just ;). Everything else I use Alexa, changing inputs, changing TV channels. I have to use the (harmony) remote for the AppleTV though (OnDemand, Plex, Netflix etc.)

networkn

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#2243657 23-May-2019 12:21

We use Alexa for simply turning on and off things. I have a projector, it takes a few minutes to warm up, even if it's on pretty quick. As I make myself a coffee before sitting down I'll tell Alexa it's Movie Time, or Shield Time, or Sport time.

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