harmony 880 and panny 900u

1610 Views 29 Replies 12 Participants Last post by tony123, Feb 25, 2006

parboy

Discussion Starter · Dec 16, 2005

Anyone have any luck integrating these two devices? Im having a heck of a time getting the harmony to correctly switch between the 2 component inputs on my ae900 proj. The problem arises due to the fact that the proj. has discreet input selection as well as toggling between. As in there is only 1 button for component, and you push it repeatedly to toggle betwen comp1 and comp2. This is throwing off my activities. Lots of trips up/down to the theater later, and im no closer to solving my problem. I've got a thread going at remotecentral, but thought I would ask here if anyone has figured out something we may have missed? Thanks!

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smg002

· #2 · Dec 16, 2005

I'm not 100% clear on the problem. I'm assuming that you have separate activities set up for each component input. I'm also assuming that the major problem occurs when you first turn on the projector. If you shut down the system on one activity and then turn on the system for a different activity is the wrong input coming on? If this is the case then you need to go into the "troubleshoot activity" section and assign a longer period of time for the projector to warm up before attempting to change inputs.

Please specify in detail the problem that you are experiencing. Hope this helps.

Phil

MikeSRC

· #3 · Dec 16, 2005

The problem is that there are no discretes for direct input control on the AE900, except through the serial connection. If you always start up everything through the same activity (say Watch TV on Comp 1), you can have the other activity assume that it needs to toggle over to Comp2. Then, before you turn everything off, toggle back to Comp 1 so you're ready for next time. Actually, your best bet is to connect one fo your components to the HDMI input (if you can), or get a component video switcher so that you're just using one of the component inputs.

parboy

Discussion Starter · #4 · Dec 17, 2005

Mike nailed it. Since there is no way to go directly to comp1 or comp2, the harmony gets messed up when switching from say watch dvd on comp1 to watch tv on comp2. To further the dilema, sometimes it takes two presses of the component button to get it to switch. If there is a signal present to the proj, the first press brings up the current input, then another is required to change it to the next. If no signal is present, it only takes one. It's no big deal for me, but if my wife wants to use it when im not around, there will be endless drama

I've tried using my dvb318 via dvi to hdmi, but it freezes the player. I've got the old version that upconverts thru component, which gives a beautiful picture thru the panny by the way. I will try to use my comcast motorola 6412 hd/dvr box via the HDMI input. As long as that gets a good signal to the projector, that should solve my problems with being able to use a seperate input for everything.

tony123

· #5 · Dec 18, 2005

I was excited that the 900 came with a learning remote. I tried programming it for my other equipment but found that switching from one thing to the next is a bit cumbersome. Do these Harmony remotes improve on this? Am I doing something wrong with the 900 remote?

Parboy, why are you not using the learning functions of the 900 remote?

parboy

Discussion Starter · #6 · Dec 18, 2005

Tony, I wanted the simplicity of hitting one button to change activities. I use my projector to watch dvd's, watch tv, and play games. One press of a button on the harmony puts every piece of my gear to the correct input. This is a big deal for my wife, who is not inclined to push alot of buttons to get everything set up

I think that after moving my comast motorola 6412 hd/dvr box over to hdmi, all my problems are solved. This lets me use only 1 component input on the projector, so there is no more trouble trying to go between the two of them.

liferules

· #7 · Dec 19, 2005

I agree with you guys. I have problems everytime I try to watch a DVD as it is on a different Panny mode. I didn't hook my DVD thru the receiver as I was afraid it would downgrade the quality of the picture, so it goes straight to the TV into the 2nd component hookup.

I wish the harmony would handle this switching of activities thru the Panny's better...

MikeSRC

· #8 · Dec 19, 2005

Quote:

Originally Posted by liferules
I wish the harmony would handle this switching of activities thru the Panny's better...

Unfortunately, it's Panny's fault for not providing direct input access except through a serial connection. Nothing the Harmony can do about that. I would use your receiver's component switching as you shouldn't have any picture degradation unless it's poorly implemented.

NOVA5

· #9 · Dec 22, 2005

What happens when you change Input types? Component to SVideo to Composite, to HDMI? does it always land you on the first one? if so the answer is to bounce from Component to another, then back to component. tag component again to get to the second one.

parboy

Discussion Starter · #10 · Dec 22, 2005

Whenever I switch from say HDMI to component, it goes to whichever component input it was on previously. Unfortunately, it still wants to flop between the two at random. This is really more of a problem with the projector having a crappy user interface. Why they didn't include direct selection of all inputs is a mystery to me. I have given up on the one button press to get everything turned on and on the correct inputs. Even using only 1 component input, the harmony still wants to move to the other one. I have just added the input commands for the projector to my lcd screen soft buttons in each activity. If it puts me on the wrong one, I don't have to fumble about under the device menu to change it. Spent about an hour on the phone with harmony tech last night. The stupid web interface would not accept any changes I made to my settings. I would change one thing on my watch tv activity, save it, go change something on the watch dvd activity, save it.....then my watch tv change would be back to what it was before I changed it! Clear as mud?

Anyway, I still like the remote, but it definetly doesn't get more than a 3/5 star rating from me.

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MikeSRC

· #11 · Dec 22, 2005

It's not the remote's fault, it's Panny fault for the way they implemented their input switching. Even the best universal remote can't solve a design flaw inherent in a component.

parboy

Discussion Starter · #12 · Dec 22, 2005

I agree Mike. My only complaint right now is with the harmony web interface. Im hoping it was just a bad night on their end of cyberspace

I do have it set up now, with harmony tech having to make/save my changes since the site wouldn't let me do it for some unknown reason. I have it set up now so that when I hit my "watch tv" activity, if it's not on the right input I have one of the lcd side buttons mapped to the projector input. One press of that gets me where I need to be. So at worst, it takes 2 moves to get me set up properly. One for the start activity, and maybe one more to get the projector on the right input. Now I just have to teach the wife how to do it

The remote itself is a 10 on the "coolness" scale

tony123

· #13 · Jan 15, 2006

Wanted to let you guys know that I bought the Harmony659 yesterday after a few months of frustration with the Panny remote.

In a days time, I can already tell it is a huge improvement. Not configured just perfect yet, but so far so good.

NOVA5

· #14 · Jan 16, 2006

the harmony can swap Panasonics inputs at least on my panny tv. Press the Input button then the number assossiated with that input from the onscreen menu that shows up.

jacksonian

· #15 · Jan 16, 2006

I second Mike's suggestion of using the receiver to switch component for you if you can. I have a Panny 500 pj and that solves the problem for me.

I even have 2 displays, plasma and pj, in the same room and have to use an AVToolbox component matrix to have 2 component outs for both displays. I can't tell any pq degradation going through both the receiver and component matrix switcher.

calibos

· #16 · Feb 14, 2006

Just ran into this problem myself. Although on the Euro version of the AE900 we have an RGB scart socket instead of a second component input. Its not so much that the panny remembers which of the six out of video,S-Video,(RGB Scart)Comp1, Comp2,PC,HDMI it was on when it was switched off. Its the fact that it also remembers which of each pair it was on when moving from one input type to another. That means I can't even set a ''When activity ends'' command when leaving an activity to default it back to a particular input so that the input commands from the next opening activity are starting from the correct input. Or is my logic wrong?

Guess I'll just have to have custom label input buttons until I move everything over to one cable type.

czzer

· #17 · Feb 14, 2006

I have an AE700 and my original Panasonic remote works the same way. ie inputs are in "pairs". Despite this, there was an "input toggle" command available in device mode which simply toggles through all inputs in sequence like most other equipment. I set up my Harmony to use this command and it all works perfectly.

If this command isn't available on the AE900 setup, maybe you could email/call tech support to get the AE700 command copied to the AE900. It is highly likely they would both accept the same command.

calibos

· #18 · Feb 14, 2006

Helping me on both forums czzer!! We both get around don't we

I've got that InputNext command alright but hadn't given it a try because when I programmed it onto a custom label button to try it out it didn't seem to work perfectly. ie. the first press would merely bring up the input label on screen without changing input and it would take a second press to actually get it to move on to the next input. The next press might move input and the press after might just bring up the label again with out changing input. I take it then that this unreliable cycling of inputs was purely down to my own fingers lack of perfect timing pressing the input next command manually

Could you outline how you have configured this inputnext command on your Harmony. ie select input cycling, any ms delays needed, any extra leaving activity commands to get it back to a default etc

I've got a gamecube via composite using the video input. A PS2 via S-Video using the S-Video input. A Dvd recorder via RGB using the scart(component 1/2) input. An Xbox360 via component using the component input.

Once the PS3 and Nintendo Revolution come out they will be via component and I'll start using the component out on the Tosh DVD Recorder. ie then everything will be component so input selection wont be such a big deal. I know I could buy component cables for the PS2 and Gamecube and buy a component switchbox right now but tbh I don't want to spend money on component cables for consoles that aren't used very often anymore and will be replaced buy the new versions in a few months. I also don't want to spend money on a component switchbox right now when I may be able to pick up a component/HDMI combi switchbox by the time the new consoles come out. I don't strictly need a switchbox at all at the moment if I can get the Harmony to change my inputs reliably so hopefully I could hold off on the switchbox. There might be a combi Comp/HDMI out by the time I actually really need a switchbox when the new consoles arrive and I would kill myself for wasting money on a purely component switchbox right now.

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tgibbs

· #19 · Feb 14, 2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by parboy
Anyone have any luck integrating these two devices? Im having a heck of a time getting the harmony to correctly switch between the 2 component inputs on my ae900 proj. The problem arises due to the fact that the proj. has discreet input selection as well as toggling between. As in there is only 1 button for component, and you push it repeatedly to toggle betwen comp1 and comp2. This is throwing off my activities. Lots of trips up/down to the theater later, and im no closer to solving my problem. I've got a thread going at remotecentral, but thought I would ask here if anyone has figured out something we may have missed? Thanks!

One possible workaround for this kind of problem is to define a separate "device" just for switching between comp1 and comp2 and add it to your configuration. Make its "inputs" "comp1" and "comp2" and teach it the toggle command as its input switching command.

czzer

· #20 · Feb 15, 2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by calibos
Helping me on both forums czzer!! We both get around don't we

I've got that InputNext command alright but hadn't given it a try because when I programmed it onto a custom label button to try it out it didn't seem to work perfectly. ie. the first press would merely bring up the input label on screen without changing input and it would take a second press to actually get it to move on to the next input. The next press might move input and the press after might just bring up the label again with out changing input. I take it then that this unreliable cycling of inputs was purely down to my own fingers lack of perfect timing pressing the input next command manually

Could you outline how you have configured this inputnext command on your Harmony. ie select input cycling, any ms delays needed, any extra leaving activity commands to get it back to a default etc

I've got a gamecube via composite using the video input. A PS2 via S-Video using the S-Video input. A Dvd recorder via RGB using the scart(component 1/2) input. An Xbox360 via component using the component input.

Once the PS3 and Nintendo Revolution come out they will be via component and I'll start using the component out on the Tosh DVD Recorder. ie then everything will be component so input selection wont be such a big deal. I know I could buy component cables for the PS2 and Gamecube and buy a component switchbox right now but tbh I don't want to spend money on component cables for consoles that aren't used very often anymore and will be replaced buy the new versions in a few months. I also don't want to spend money on a component switchbox right now when I may be able to pick up a component/HDMI combi switchbox by the time the new consoles come out. I don't strictly need a switchbox at all at the moment if I can get the Harmony to change my inputs reliably so hopefully I could hold off on the switchbox. There might be a combi Comp/HDMI out by the time I actually really need a switchbox when the new consoles arrive and I would kill myself for wasting money on a purely component switchbox right now.

Select "more options" for the PJ device, then "Adjust Inputs"

Select "I flip through the inputs until I get to the right one (usually for TV, VCR, etc.)"

On the next screen make sure the list of inputs matches what your PJ actually has.(You can edit the list by typing in the text boxes).

Next, select "No" for skipping over unused inputs.

Then, for the name of the command, select "Use these IR commands" - "Inputnext"

Next, select "Stays on whatever it was on when it was turned off"

For "Is there a way to always go to a particular INPUT with your original remote?" select "No"

All done!

Maybe the 900 does react slightly differently to the 700, but this method works for me. You might have to tweak the input delay a bit, but that will depend on your PJ.

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