PapaJohn: Good question; I have no idea what kind of guarantee EasyZapper is offering, although I'd guess from the kind of diligent and helpful responses I've gotten from them, that they would be responsible in that area too.

As far as handing out Final Release versions, I kind of doubt that, since everyone is already paying 1/2 price in exchange for Beta testing. I don't know what the speaker might be for (hadn't heard about that before), but I'll bet you they have something nifty up their sleeves.

And Anthony is right on: everything can be done via the Web and their Wizards. The hardware and firmware versioning is displayed during the update process, which can be done "live", or the file can be downloaded and activated later using the Updater function installed with the software.

I know Daniel doesn't have one yet, but if I were him I'd run right out and get one. This is too cool to miss.... ... Mike

Oh, by the way... the Channel 3 problem is long gone. When I updated my Harmony after work, everything worked like a charm. Thank you, EasyZapper. ... Mike

Yes, I've got one on the way.

I have two "Activities" set up on the Harmony for watching TV: one is called Watch TV Surround, which activates my receiver for Volume, etc.

As such, I'm testing a new enhancement uner that Device Activy that was just added to the software: "Favorite Channels List".

With this feature, you can select which channels are on your Favorites list to scroll through while watching the tube; you also maintain your standard list of channels, and within that list you can "turn off" certain channels that you never watch. ... Mike

Mike: can you create different favorites like A's fav. B's fav..... for every person in your family?

Anthony: Yes, as long as you provide a different name for the Activity (eg. Watch TV Anthony, or Anthony's TV). The only problem I foresee is that the menu will become quite long; since it only displays about six items in the window before you must scroll, this could get to be a pain. ... Mike

Can you have a hierarchy (like "watch TV favorites" and then you pick "Anthony"

No, no hierarchies, at least not in this version of the software.

Can you have a lowerarchy (like "pick Anthony" and then you watch "TV favorites"?

This message was edited by Ken on 10/01/01 22:44.19.

That's a good one, Ken. ;-)

Well, I've been working with this sucker for about a week now, and about all it will do is turn the TV on and off. While I wasn't expecting it to have any of my devices in its listing (which it didn't), I thought it would be easier to learn the commands. Most of the time it's not registering the IR or when it does, it still isn't working. Hopefully, with a little more help and adjustments by Harmony, we'll get there. I have a Marantz receiver and a couple of Tivo units that are the problems, as well as the fact that there's only Canadian channel listings at this time.

The people at Harmony have been very responsive and helpful, but at the moment I'm going to have to step back and let them resolve some issues before I spend all my spare time on this. Hopefully, I'll be able to give them enough feedback this weekend to get this thing working. Keep you all posted.

mroll: I had a lot of problem with my RCA remote, and all the Learning Remotes that had the RCA codes taught to them. I did the teaching of the main infrared codes for all my remotes from about two inches away. Sometimes moving the original remote a degree or two this way or that worked better, and I actually have gotten to the point where I can get perfect readings three blasts in a row.

But that wouldn't happen with the RCAs... until I took EasyZapper's comments that they could do an RCA-type remote from 12 to 14 inches away. I sneered. Ddidn't they know I'M the expert? Anyway, just to tell them I tried it, I put the RCA about 8 inches from the Harmony: badabing! Instant recognition. I still find it hard to believe.

None of my Devices are in the database either, so I had to do the Infrared recognition thing for all of them. The company assures me that it won't be too long before the database is completely populated with a large number of brands and models. After Beta, they will also be turning customer Devices into the database.

There were also two parameters in the Harmony Monitor software that is used for this process: The first one was that they had a very strict IR-recognition factor built in, which they loosened up. Initially, it took four bursts of exact IR to register; now it takes three bursts in a little more relaxed methodology.

The second issue is that sometimes the Monitor "goes to sleep"; they are working on that now. So, it will seem that the Monitor is not picking up a signal, when in fact it isn't because it has "shut down". You can get around this by restarting your browser and logging in again; you will see that it is working by trying a different remote. I had a problem with the RCA because I couldn't tell it if was sleeping or not. Also, the Harmony goes to sleep, too, because the whole IR activity is a big drain on batteries. Usually, just hitting one of the buttons will solve that.

A modified the XML code for the Watch Television Activity to include the channels from my local cable company; pretty simple once you take a look at the example code that's already there just by selecting any of the companies in the provided list. Although, by Monday, this shouldn't be a problem as they will be instituting their North American-wide channel listings. EasyZapper even quickly fixed a setting that wouldn't allow the remote to see any channels above 255; now I can access channel 850 (used by my cable company as an info-channel for their new ITV service).

Hope this helps..... ... Mike

Thanks Mike. I'd just spent about two hours with one remote and had gotten nowhere, so I was blowing off a little steam. I was told by the Harmony guys about the distance varying, but it hasn't helped. I get 2 of the 3 recognitions, then it goes backwards and I lose one. When you have to learn every button on a remote, this gets tedious. Didn't know about the Monitor "going to sleep". That could explain part of it. I have seen the remote shut down, but that's obvious when it happens.

They've added some Tivo codes, but since I have two of them, I actually use different codes for the second one. It's had the same learning problem.

This remote's got a lot of potential if I can get by this problem. Because it's the main two devices that control everything else that are the problem, I can't tell much about how well the remote will work with my system. Like I said, we'll see what happens this weekend when I have more time to fool around with it.

This message was edited by mroll on 10/05/01 10:44.59.

mroll: One other thing that worked for me when I was having the RCA difficulties; ok, two more things:

1. I used my Onkyo remote, which I had already taught my RCA TV. This one taught the power commands to the Harmony.

2. I found that using simple, quick, taps on the Original remote is all that the Harmony needs. Doing this, I could quickly and regularly fire off three commands in a row that the Harmony would see. Doing hard button pushes often seemed to set the Harmony progress bar back a little bit. ...Mike

Thanks Mike. I was thinking of trying my MX-500, instead of the original remotes. At least the program will now accept and store the raw digitized data, even if it can't decode it.