Need feedback on the Logitech Harmony 680 remote

[Rupp]

Rupp-

Login to the harmony site connect your remote.
Click Add device, Home Automation, Light Controller, X10 Pro, IR543, check all is correct, and you will now have X10 IR controller as a DEVICE to use in activities.

Now adding the IR543 to activities, Pick an activity, use the wizard, pick all the hardware clicking next, UNTIL you see this question: 'Are these the correct settings for this Activity?' - select 'Yes, but I want to add more control of options and devices for this Activity.' -- In the devices not in use section, X10 PRO Light Controller will be listed, add it and then click save.

Here is gets fun, back thru the defaults again, until you get the option to 'Add action for' - select the x10 Light Controler, Add, Send this infrared Command - pick the command you want to use (light1) you will need to go back thru this again to add another x10 Light Controller to then specify "on" or "off" . I used on for the start and off for the exit of an activity.

hope this helps......... it was a long tech support call with Harmony to get all this mastered.

Thanks for breaking this down for a slow southerner Now to grab one of these IR543's. This remote does more than I ever knew it could. Thanks again.

Greg

[mycrobyte]

You all rock. Geez, so many smart people.


I love the Harmony, probably the best gadget I have bought in a long time... And now using this little trick it is even better with the X10 ability.

Now where did I stick my IR543........

[Bkphillips]

Rupp-

Login to the harmony site connect your remote.
Click Add device, Home Automation, Light Controller, X10 Pro, IR543, check all is correct, and you will now have X10 IR controller as a DEVICE to use in activities.

Now adding the IR543 to activities, Pick an activity, use the wizard, pick all the hardware clicking next, UNTIL you see this question: 'Are these the correct settings for this Activity?' - select 'Yes, but I want to add more control of options and devices for this Activity.' -- In the devices not in use section, X10 PRO Light Controller will be listed, add it and then click save.

Here is gets fun, back thru the defaults again, until you get the option to 'Add action for' - select the x10 Light Controler, Add, Send this infrared Command - pick the command you want to use (light1) you will need to go back thru this again to add another x10 Light Controller to then specify "on" or "off" . I used on for the start and off for the exit of an activity.

hope this helps......... it was a long tech support call with Harmony to get all this mastered.

I was answering via my Treo as I drove my Jeep Wrangler home. I couldn't load both sites at once to tell you the exact terminology.


Anyway here is what I have in my setup


<?xml:namespace prefix = v ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" /><v:shapetype id=_x0000_t75 stroked="f" filled="f" path="m@4@5l@4@11@9@11@9@5xe" oreferrelative="t" o:spt="75" coordsize="21600,21600"> Light Controller - X10 Wireless Light Controller (IR-543) </v:shapetype>
<v:shape id=_x0000_i1025 style="WIDTH: 477pt; HEIGHT: 357.75pt" type="#_x0000_t75"><v:imagedata cropright=\".1875\" croptop=\"14075f\" o:title=\"\" src="file:///COCUME~1KevinLOCALS~1Tempmsohtml1\01clip_image001.png"></v:imagedata></v:shape>
<v:shape style="WIDTH: 477pt; HEIGHT: 357.75pt" type="#_x0000_t75"><v:imagedata cropright=\".1875\" croptop=\"14075f\" o:title=\"\" src="file:///COCUME~1KevinLOCALS~1Tempmsohtml1\01clip_image001.png"></v:imagedata></v:shape>
<v:shape style="WIDTH: 477pt; HEIGHT: 357.75pt" type="#_x0000_t75"><v:imagedata cropright=\".1875\" croptop=\"14075f\" o:title=\"\" src="file:///COCUME~1KevinLOCALS~1Tempmsohtml1\01clip_image001.png">I will email you a screen shot since I cant figure out how to paste the stupid site into this message.</v:imagedata></v:shape>

[Rupp]

Now I understand -- simply add X10 support as the option. The IR543 is made by X10 and simply adding the X10 support tells the remote the format to send the command in. Once the IR543 gets the signal it will determine what the code is and transmit it to the powerline.

Kevin,
I'm sorry for being so dense but where do you "add X0 as an option"? This is the home page for the harmony that I see.

Now I understand -- simply add X10 support as the option. The IR543 is made by X10 and simply adding the X10 support tells the remote the format to send the command in. Once the IR543 gets the signal it will determine what the code is and transmit it to the powerline.

[Rupp]

Rupp and other Harmony users-

You can add extra commands as an activity is started and stopped: First add the IR543 as a device on the left hand side of the menu. Customize on the right, Start with TIVO, you can then add a F1 ON to the macro, and as you can program in a F1 OFF, this is a very easy way to use the IR543 to inform HS that you are wathing TV. Use F2 for your Movie activity. If you are still watching Tivo and want to change to a movie, it will F1 OFF, F2 ON and fire off the MOVIE activity. Again a very easy way to keep HS informed as to what needs to happens, like triggering a HS event, dimming all the lights for your movie experience.

Also, you can create an 'activity' that is ONLY X10 commands - I call this activity "X10 Control" on my remote. I have the OK button as F, the A & B buttons as ON and OFF. I put kitchen(light1) Dining Room(light2) etc. And now I can manually turn these lights on and off while still watching a movie.

What exact device do you add to your "left hand" side of the menu that is available when you are at the Harmony config web site? I see all kinds of manufactures but I really do not know who makes the IR543?

[Rupp]

OK I'm obviously not being clear. How does the IR543 know what to do when I hit a button on my remote?

You dont add the IR543 as a device. It is simply an X10 capable IR Reciever. the remote sends it a command and the IR543 converts what it see's and issues that to the powerline via the plug in the wall. If you use a repeater it gets repeated and executed at that point. In my 4200 sq ft house it works like a champ.

[Rupp]

First add the IR543 as a device on the left hand side of the menu.

Ok I must be missing something really big here. How do you add the IR543 as a device?

[dantelope]

stipus - it can send Insteon, but I don't believe it will speak the RF that those X10 modules with the antennae speak.

kevin -- thanks!!!!!

Dan

You can get the modified ir543 (ir543ah) from this source.

http://www.smarthomeusa.com/Shop/Mul.../Item/IR543AH/

I am sure others have it as well but as i recall it was always 5 or 6 times the standard price.

I really hate the IR543... a while back there was a device kit you could buy to allow you to hack the IR543 so that it responded to ALL house codes instead of just one.

Wish I could find that....


Dan

[stipus]

Can you send "standard" X10 RF with the 890, or is it ZWave only ?

stipus

[dantelope]

Dan,

Can you give a run down of the difference between the 680 and the 880?

Have you had any problems with the 880?

It might just sway me

Both give you all the features that make a Harmony a great remote, so you won't be disappointed with either. The basic differences are:

- 880 uses a rechargeable battery with a base station (nice blue glow on the base station). 680 uses 4 AAA batteries. I hate changing batteries.

- 880 has two extra buttons -- my guess is this is in the LCD area, but I'm not 100% sure.

- 880 does not have dedicated activity buttons. This is "a feature" IMHO, because it means the 880 is that more flexible. ALL activities on the 880 are customizable.

- 880 has 8 on-screen activity buttons. 680 has only 3.

One potential "downside" to the 880 is it lacks the on-screen TV guide listing. I don't personally think this is a big deal since I have an on-screen guide on my TV (several of them, actually). If you were accustomed to using the Harmony remote's LCD-driven TV guide, this might be more important to you. I would never have used it.

Possibly less important of "a feature" is the 880 is a beautiful remote -- winner of several design awards. It is clean, elegant, flexible, and does exactly what it claims to do.

BTW, my friend just purchased the 890. He was surprised to discover that the 890 requires you to update via USB both the remote AND the RF/IR converter box. He also had some troubles with the firmware when he first got it, although all is fine now. Just a heads up in case you were considering the RF version.

Dan

[dantelope]

I really hate the IR543... a while back there was a device kit you could buy to allow you to hack the IR543 so that it responded to ALL house codes instead of just one.

Wish I could find that....


Dan