Logitech Harmony Remote Home Theater PC Control
Controlling Your Home Theater PC with a Logitech Harmony Remote
You’ve invested in a new Logitech Harmony remote, intending to centralize control of your home theater system. However, integrating a home theater PC (HTPC) presents a unique challenge. Fortunately, your Harmony remote can manage your PC, though the process isn't always straightforward.
The method for controlling your media PC depends on the specific Harmony remote model you possess. Several options are available:
- Infrared (IR): Supported by all Harmony remotes, this is the most adaptable option, requiring minimal configuration. A USB infrared receiver is necessary, and is generally inexpensive. If you're using a remote without a Harmony Hub, direct line-of-sight to your media center is required. While reliable, IR control can sometimes exhibit slight latency.
- Bluetooth: If your remote is compatible with the Harmony Hub, Bluetooth offers an alternative control method. A Bluetooth receiver (or a PC with built-in Bluetooth) is needed. However, Bluetooth may not support waking your computer from sleep mode on certain systems. It generally provides a more responsive experience than infrared.
A combined approach, utilizing both IR and Bluetooth, can often mitigate the drawbacks of each individual method. This guide will detail the setup for each approach, and demonstrate how to leverage both for optimal performance.
Prerequisites
This guide assumes you have a basic understanding of your Harmony remote and the MyHarmony software. You should have already configured the remote with your other home theater devices. If not, familiarize yourself with the initial setup process first.
Related: How to Control Your Entire Home Theater with a Logitech Harmony Remote
Important Note: Adhering closely to these instructions is highly recommended. Logitech’s software, while offering powerful functionality, can be complex and prone to issues. Following the steps precisely, and in the correct sequence, will minimize the potential for complications.
The software can become particularly confusing when dealing with remotes that utilize the Harmony Hub. Careful attention to detail is crucial for a successful setup.
Successfully integrating your HTPC with your Harmony remote will streamline your entertainment experience, providing unified control over all your devices.
Utilizing Infrared Technology to Operate Your PC with a Harmony Remote
Employing infrared to control your personal computer via a Harmony remote mirrors the setup process for any other device. However, a few key considerations are necessary for successful implementation.
Initially, a USB infrared receiver is required for your media PC. The FLIRC is a recommended option, although any compatible USB receiver should function adequately. Connect the receiver to your media center, ensuring it remains within the line of sight of your typical viewing position.
With the hardware established, launch the MyHarmony software on your computer and select your desired remote from the available list.
Navigate to the "Devices" tab and initiate the device addition process by clicking "Add Device". If utilizing the FLIRC, specify "Flirc" as the manufacturer and the name of your media center application (such as "Kodi" or "Plex") as the model number. This will automatically import the relevant functions for your chosen media center.
Should you be using a generic USB receiver, alternative entries may be necessary. In one instance, "Microsoft" was entered as the manufacturer, and "MCE Keyboard" as the model number.
Subsequently, you can customize the button mappings on your remote, mirroring the process for any other device within MyHarmony.
When employing the FLIRC, the functions of your media center can be assigned to the buttons on your remote, with the majority functioning seamlessly. However, for any missing functions, assign a temporary function to a button within MyHarmony. Then, utilize the FLIRC software to "learn" that specific button. It's crucial to avoid leaving buttons unassigned in MyHarmony, as this will prevent signal transmission to the FLIRC during programming.
As an illustration, the "Flirc Kodi" profile in MyHarmony may lack a function to resume the PC from sleep mode. Therefore, the "AspectRatio" function was assigned to the remote's Power button within MyHarmony. The FLIRC software was then opened in "Full Keyboard" mode, and after pressing the "Wake" button within the FLIRC program and the "Power" button on the remote, the FLIRC successfully learned to wake the computer when the "AspectRatio" function was invoked.
A limitation to consider—regardless of whether the FLIRC or another infrared receiver is used—is the one-to-one mapping of keys to remote buttons. For more intricate button combinations, software such as AutoHotkey can be utilized to map combinations to a single key. For instance, Alt+F4 was mapped to F7 using AutoHotkey, and then F7 was mapped to a button in MyHarmony. Experimentation is key to determining the optimal configuration for your needs.
Controlling Your PC via Bluetooth with a Harmony Remote
If you possess a Harmony remote that is synchronized with a Harmony Hub, controlling your personal computer through Bluetooth is achievable. A Bluetooth adapter may be necessary if your PC lacks one; a suitable option is available here. Ensure the appropriate drivers are installed, either automatically by Windows or manually if required. Once completed, pairing your PC with the remote and integrating it into your device collection becomes possible.
The pairing process necessitates the Harmony application for either iOS or Android platforms—it is not compatible with the desktop MyHarmony software. Download and configure the app if you haven’t already done so.
To begin adding your computer, access the right-side menu within the app and select "Edit Devices".
Subsequently, tap the "+ Device" button located at the bottom of the screen to initiate the device addition process.
From the presented list, choose "Computer" as the device type.
Indicate your computer’s operating system—Windows in this instance—and then click the "Next" arrow in the upper right corner.
Ensure your computer is powered on, if it isn't already, and proceed by pressing the "Next" arrow.
When prompted about creating an activity, select "Yes". An activity is essential for pairing your remote with your computer, and control will not be possible without it.
Choose your Windows Computer from the displayed list of available devices.
Specify the devices to be incorporated into this activity and click the "Next" arrow to continue.
Power on all selected devices and then click either the "Next" button or the "My Devices Are On" button.
Define the function of each device and the inputs utilized, mirroring the process for any other activity. Click "Next" upon completion.
The Harmony Hub will now enter pairing mode. On your PC, access the Bluetooth settings through the Control Panel > Bluetooth, or by right-clicking the Bluetooth icon in the system tray and selecting "Add Device".
Select the "Harmony Keyboard" option when it appears and click "Next".
Successful pairing will be indicated by a confirmation message on both your PC and your tablet. You can then customize button mappings within the Harmony app on your phone or tablet, or through the MyHarmony application on your desktop.
However, certain limitations exist. Despite the remote connecting as a "Harmony Keyboard", the Harmony system can only transmit a limited set of commands to your computer. You’ll have access to some media controls, and standard keys like Escape, as well as the F1-F12 function keys. These can be assigned to buttons as detailed in the Harmony setup guide.
For users requiring complete keyboard command control, utilizing infrared instead of Bluetooth is recommended. If only a few commands are missing, a workaround is available.
For instance, controlling a Kodi-based media PC benefits from this setup. Most of Logitech’s media functions are compatible with Kodi—play, pause, fast forward, and back. The Harmony may lack specific keys like M for menu or I for Info. In such cases, remapping the F1-F12 keys—which are often unused—to M, I, and other necessary keys is a viable solution.
To accomplish this, SharpKeys for Windows is recommended. Download and launch the program (installation is not required). Click the "Add" button, select the key to be mapped from the left sidebar, and the desired target key from the right sidebar. For example, map "F1" to "M", then assign "F1" to the "Menu" button on your remote within MyHarmony.
After configuring, click "Write to Registry" and restart your computer for the changes to take effect.
Alternatively, more advanced users can employ software like AutoHotkey to remap buttons. This allows mapping button combinations to a single key. For example, Alt+F4 can be mapped to F7 with AutoHotkey, and then F7 assigned to a button in MyHarmony, enabling app closure on your PC.
Leveraging Infrared and Bluetooth for Optimal Control
Both infrared and Bluetooth offer viable methods for device control, yet each presents certain drawbacks. Infrared communication can sometimes exhibit latency, particularly as observed on my own setup. Conversely, while Bluetooth provides a highly responsive experience, it lacks the capability to awaken a PC from its sleep state.
The presence of these limitations can vary between systems, making it difficult to predict their occurrence without direct testing. However, a solution exists to circumvent these issues.
A combined approach offers the best of both technologies! In my configuration, I utilize Infrared to initiate PC startup, and then seamlessly transition to Bluetooth for ongoing control. This integration, facilitated by Harmony’s activity-based system, delivers a remarkably fluid user experience.
Implementing this requires adding both devices through the respective setup processes outlined previously. Your IR receiver should be added as a distinct device, alongside your Bluetooth-enabled PC as a separate entity.
Subsequently, create a new activity – for example, “Watch TV” – and incorporate both devices into its operational sequence.
During the activity configuration, designate your Bluetooth PC as the device responsible for media streaming.
Finally, customize the remote button mappings for the “Watch TV” activity, directing them to the Bluetooth PC rather than the Infrared receiver.
Provided the IR receiver maintains a clear line of sight to the Harmony Hub or one of its IR blasters – in my case, it’s securely affixed to an IR blaster located behind my media console – this setup should function flawlessly. Initiating the “Watch TV” activity will power on the PC via the infrared signal, while all subsequent button commands will be routed through the Bluetooth connection.
This effectively bypasses any potential lag or other issues associated with infrared control. Although a brief delay may occur before Bluetooth functionality becomes available after PC startup, responsiveness improves significantly once the connection is established.
It is somewhat disappointing that Bluetooth exhibits this limitation, and Logitech’s implementation could be improved. However, these workarounds provide a practical solution, and ultimately, achieving a functional and satisfying user experience is the primary objective.