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    Harmony Alternatives

    Hi all,

    Since logitech discontinued the harmony hub, is there any alternative that is close or similar that hopefully also works on hs4?

    #2
    The Broadlink RM4 Pro and Mini are supported by mcsMQTT plugin. You can learn IR and (RF @ 433 Mhz and 350 MHz with RM Pro) or import IR codes in Pronto format. Control is local and does not involve the cloud. I have not looked in a while, but price should be around $25 for Mini or $50 for Pro. In essence it is a WiFi to IR/RF interface with learning capability.

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      #3
      +1 on the Broadlink RM4 Pro and the mcsMQTT plugin. I have one in my living room and it's controlling everything like LED candles, my split A/C system, TVs, etc.

      Comment


        #4
        Does it do scenes where it can turn everything on with one push or is it granular for inputs etc?

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          #5
          I have been wondering about a Harmony alternative as well, this Broadlink looks perfect and I already have the plugin!


          Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
          HS4 4.2.6.0 &HSTouch Designer 3.0.80
          Plugin's:
          BLBackup, BLOccupied, BLShutdown, EasyTrigger, Ecobee, Nest, AK Bond
          EnvisaLink DSC, PHLocation, Pushover, SONOS, Blue Iris, UltraRachio3,
          weatherXML, Jon00 Alexa Helper, Network Monitor, MyQ, Z-Wave

          Comment


            #6
            I’ve been waiting for this remote for over a year. IR Wi-Fi Bluetooth remote local control no cloud. Looks very nice

            https://www.unfoldedcircle.com

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              #7
              The Broadlink solution is not a handheld remote but instead an IR and RF blaster. One could build "scenes" similar to what Harmony does by making HS events.

              Now... the question is how would one trigger those events? It's up to you, you could use Z-wave multi button remotes (search Amazon), small tablets on your coffee table, etc.

              I actually have an old Harmony One remote (does not use a Harmony hub) that I'm looking to integrate into HS4 by building an IR receiver that could then send messages to HS4, which in turn could trigger events.

              Comment


                #8
                May be way off base here but I recently built an IR receiver that will work with any standard remote you may have laying around the house that you don't use for anything else or in my case I use an old Harmony. The receiver is built with an esp8266, IR receiver and some other various parts and a 3d printed enclosure. All in about 5-6 bucks total cost. Connects to WiFi and sends MQTT messages, based on IR input, to HS3 that are processed by the mcsMQTT plugin (awesome btw) and then does whatever I need it to from there - trigger events, control devices, virtually unlimited possibilities.

                You can use any old remote laying around the house that you don't use, but I use an old Harmony remote. I just pick and load a random device in the Harmony and use those codes for control of HS3. For example, one of the devices I use in the Harmony is actually for some off the wall brand of lights that can be controlled with IR. I use those various IR codes to control my living room lights in HS3. Hope that makes sense.

                There are tons of vids and tutorials out there for building an IR receiver with various controllers. I just happened to have a bunch of esp8266's laying around. They are cheap, easy to program and are great for small projects.

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                  #9
                  I have gone with "The Home Remote" as a replacement for Harmony. The Home Remote can almost be an HS Touch replacement (HS Touch is better for that though) as it has a Homeseer plugin available. A third party IR Blaster is all you also need, but you can use the Harmony hub blaster as a substitute (if it is still working).

                  I run Home Remote on my old phone (repurposed after my last upgrade). And I added Homeseer stuff so that I can control my TV and lights from the same device.

                  I do miss the physical buttons though. And HR does require a learning curve.

                  Comment


                    #10
                    For those that have been using the Broadlink RM4 Pro solution, I'm wondering how you set it up to turn off/on TVs from Alexa while in that room? Currently I only have a single Harmony and when I say "Alexa, turn on/off the TV" she turns on/off the TV in the one room I have it in. However, If I were to setup multiple Broadlink RM4s, is it possible to ask the Alexa in that room to turn off/on just the TV in that room? Would I need to name each TV a different name so it knew which one to turn off?
                    HS4 4.2.6.0 &HSTouch Designer 3.0.80
                    Plugin's:
                    BLBackup, BLOccupied, BLShutdown, EasyTrigger, Ecobee, Nest, AK Bond
                    EnvisaLink DSC, PHLocation, Pushover, SONOS, Blue Iris, UltraRachio3,
                    weatherXML, Jon00 Alexa Helper, Network Monitor, MyQ, Z-Wave

                    Comment


                      #11
                      For my wife, anything but a physical remote is a non-starter. I purchased a Sofabaton X1 from kickstarter but never even took it out of the shrink-wrap. I'm actually considering becoming a Control4 developer to gain access to their system. They have some nice looking, but expensive, remotes. IMHO, touchscreen remotes are terrible for simple, no-look navigation.

                      Does anyone have information on what Harmony saw in the marketplace that led them to discontinue their remotes?
                      "if I have seen further [than others], it is by standing on the shoulders of giants." --Sir Isaac Newton (1675)

                      Comment


                        #12
                        Originally posted by kenm View Post

                        Does anyone have information on what Harmony saw in the marketplace that led them to discontinue their remotes?
                        Their announcement to discontinue was posted here: https://support.logi.com/hc/en-us/co.../1500000658341

                        Other info: https://www.wired.com/story/logitech...-lost-its-way/
                        Jon

                        Comment


                          #13
                          Originally posted by kenm View Post
                          For my wife, anything but a physical remote is a non-starter. I purchased a Sofabaton X1 from kickstarter but never even took it out of the shrink-wrap.
                          That remote looked promising since the hub for it communicates over WiFi, thus opening the possibility of integration with a local home automation platform. But like every other Kickstarter... they fell short on their promises. Just checked their support forum and there's folks asking about local API which never materialized. Oh well.

                          Comment


                            #14
                            Originally posted by jon00 View Post
                            Thanks. Basically, a small part of their overall business and the market was shrinking due to HDMI-CEC and HDMI-ARC. BTW, I hate both of those standards and had to turn them off. The AppleTV would turn off my TV when it went to sleep even when it was connected to an input I wasn't watching.
                            "if I have seen further [than others], it is by standing on the shoulders of giants." --Sir Isaac Newton (1675)

                            Comment


                              #15
                              Originally posted by TC1 View Post

                              That remote looked promising since the hub for it communicates over WiFi, thus opening the possibility of integration with a local home automation platform. But like every other Kickstarter... they fell short on their promises. Just checked their support forum and there's folks asking about local API which never materialized. Oh well.
                              Yup. Over-promised and under-delivered.
                              "if I have seen further [than others], it is by standing on the shoulders of giants." --Sir Isaac Newton (1675)

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