# Logitech Harmony One and Joey incompatible.



## djlong (Jul 8, 2002)

Well, that tears it.

I'm managing to get used to all the new stuff with my installation so it was time to reprogram the Logitech Harmony One that has occasionally given me fits (if you add a Media Center PC, it thinks EVERYTHING has to have it involved).

I cleared out the PC and my old 621 DVR to start a new "Watch TV" button from scratch. It asked for a device that could change channels, I gave it the Joey, it liked it in the review and then, when I say "Next" it says "None of your devices can change channels".

I'm sick of the fact that the software to program the remote is this stupid. I'm tired of the fact that, when all I want to do is switch to the PC, it HAS to bring up Media Center and go to defaults - (and do lots of other useless commands - like constantly telling my tv to go to HDMI 1)

My question is either:

1) what am I doing wrong in that the latest Logitech software that I downloaded and installed just this morning doesn't know a Joey can change channels?

2) Is there a remote that can handle a home theater that uses the amplifier for video and audio switching, the TV acting as a monitor always pointed to the amp, and the amp switching between a Joey, an XBox 360 and a PC (that is used frequently, but not always as a Media Center PC). One key feature is that there has to be a one-button solution for switching between devices (which the programmable touch screen keys on the Harmony One accomplished, even if they overdid it).

I'm very frustrated at this point.


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## bigdog9586 (Jan 17, 2008)

Harmony remotes are junk. I learned the hard way. Logitech does NOT fix software problems and all they care about is selling new models. I had one and biggest waste of money there was. I have saved a number of friends from making the same mistake I made.


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## Davenlr (Sep 16, 2006)

Been using mine 3 for several years now. Only had a problem with the 880 charger, and Logitech replaced it with the latest model for 50% off (this was after 3 yrs and WAY after the warranty expired). I have no complaints at all. Never had a problem requiring a software upgrade.

OP - If you cant find the option to do what you want with their software, give them a call, and they will either do it for you on their end, or instruct you how to do it on your end. Their tech support is great.


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## Ozwaldo (Dec 20, 2007)

My Harmony 300 works on the Joey.


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## FarmerBob (Nov 28, 2002)

Harmony's Software is the worst I have ever encountered. And have told them every chance I get. I'm thoroughly amazed that after all this time they really haven't done anything about it. Guess they just don't care. And won't as long as we continue to buy. Even their own tech people in Asia hate it. Mostly after our 4 hour they change it, I load it in 25 minute waiting batches, setup fest one night. But once dialed in my HOne has been pretty good. For the heck of it I loaded the Hopper and Joey and to my surprise it loaded more buttons for the Joey than it did for the Hopper. But it did say that if I had the remote for the Joey (and will need for the Hopper) to augment commands as I had to with my 722. So the unit will learn and can be set up to work just fine. From what it implies. And there's the rub.


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## patmurphey (Dec 21, 2006)

bigdog9586 said:


> Harmony remotes are junk. I learned the hard way. Logitech does NOT fix software problems and all they care about is selling new models. I had one and biggest waste of money there was. I have saved a number of friends from making the same mistake I made.


That's ridiculous! I've used 880/890s and now have two Harmony ones that work perfectly.


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## bigdog9586 (Jan 17, 2008)

patmurphey said:


> That's ridiculous! I've used 880/890s and now have two Harmony ones that work perfectly.


As far as I'm concerned when they don't update their software when you show them a problem it's junk. I don't remember what it was but my 880 is in a box of outdated junk in the basement. It seemed like it had something to do with the time but they said they would fix it in a update but after two years and a few updates they didn't fix it. If they don't fix software problems it's junk. I remember, when the clock time got off you could only fix it on the remote before noon as there was no way to tell it pm. Since I work all day it was hard to remember to reset the time on a weekend morning. Junk


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## ronton3 (Mar 15, 2006)

I have used a Harmony for several years, and was happy to find that it recognized my apple tv. It does take giving thought to the myriad options.


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## patmurphey (Dec 21, 2006)

Like I said, Bigdog, the Harmony One is a superb remote that works beautifully with all of my equipment and has excellent ergonomics. Junk? NO!


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## djlong (Jul 8, 2002)

Ok, tomorrow it looks like I'll have time to deal with the issues concerning my situation of the Harmony One vs My Home Theater..

I hope their tech support is as good as an earlier poster said.


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## mdavej (Jan 31, 2007)

Most recent Dish boxes use the same codes, including Joey. You have a couple of options: create a new activity "Manually" or simply pick another model like Hopper, 922, 722 etc.

As for alternatives, any remote with learning and macros will work fine. They start around $15. The best alternative to the One these days, IMO, is the Xsight Touch. It has Xbox MCE codes and you have complete control over the steps in your activity macros. The software is a bit clunky like harmony, but the remote is brilliant.


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## Lee Bailey (May 18, 2008)

I programmed my Daughter's Harmony 650, using device titled: Digital Set Top Box (Dish NetworkSuperDish-110). It has no problems so far running the Joey.


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## djlong (Jul 8, 2002)

I ended up telling the Logitech software that I was using a Hopper.

The issue with it always asking about my Media Center PC for EVERY function was resolevd by killing it and creating a new "Computer" device and having it learn the Media Center PC codes - so that it doesn't use it's defaults.


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## jbrucka (Feb 21, 2007)

Whew, looks like the harmony remotes work.
Thanks for the info, this would have been a deal breaker for me.


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## TheFoxMan (Aug 25, 2008)

patmurphey said:


> Like I said, Bigdog, the Harmony One is a superb remote that works beautifully with all of my equipment and has excellent ergonomics. Junk? NO!


+1. Harmony One has been serving me well for several years, and I got a second one four years ago when expanding the living room system to avoid a divorce... the wife loves it, so how could I not love it too!


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## Marlin Guy (Apr 8, 2009)

I found a solution. :lol:


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## FarmerBob (Nov 28, 2002)

TheFoxMan said:


> +1. Harmony One has been serving me well for several years, and I got a second one four years ago when expanding the living room system to avoid a divorce... the wife loves it, so how could I not love it too!


If only the rubber coating didn't rub off and the buttons were cast and not painted and the software was severely more user friendly and logical. Otherwise . . .


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## bmorgan (Dec 6, 2006)

I went from a 922 to a Hopper and didn't have to change a thing in my Harmony One.


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## Marlin Guy (Apr 8, 2009)

FarmerBob said:


> If only the rubber coating didn't rub off and the buttons were cast and not painted and the software was severely more user friendly and logical. Otherwise . . .


:lol:

I tried Harmony on two different occasions. Classic example of poor execution of a great idea.


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## bigdog9586 (Jan 17, 2008)

Marlin Guy said:


> :lol:
> 
> I tried Harmony on two different occasions. Classic example of poor execution of a great idea.


And don't expect a software update to fix it either. Once out the door they don't care.


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## gbeenie (May 3, 2012)

Marlin Guy said:


> I found a solution. :lol:


Well, now you're just being silly...


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## Wildblue (Mar 20, 2008)

I program and sell professional URC universal remotes. There's a saying-- "you can have your remotes high-powered, reliable, or cheap. But you can only get two of those three. You get to choose." 

I can make a URC remote control just about anything you want, in as few button pushes as you like. I just got two Hoppers, and I've got my own URC remotes working great.


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## hdaddikt (Jul 2, 2005)

Virtually no change between my 722k and the Hopper. Harmony One works perfectly with it. 
The most amazing thing is I have a Harmony _*300*_ working a Joey, Samsung LCD, Panasonic Blue Ray and a Vizio Sound Bar in the bedroom. No macros except for ON and OFF. 
What is really strange, is during the programming the Logitech software said the Dish remote would need to program the 300 manually. It did not respond to any commands from the Dish remote to 300. But it kept the Joey in the device list. When it finished updating software everything worked!
I do have to switch between the Joey and the Vizio to control the volume. A matter of pushing one of two buttons. Only issue. I may not have all the functions of any of these at my fingertips, but after 2 weeks of use, it apparently has all I need.


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## patmurphey (Dec 21, 2006)

What is ridiculous is posting threads with titles like this one where the poster doesn't know what he is talking about - and is wrong.


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## Cholly (Mar 22, 2004)

I haven't gotten around to reprogramming my bedroom Harmony 676 as yet in my changeover from Time Warner Cable to Dish w/Hopper. Programming the remote for my equipment has been more than just a chore. Pioneer VSX-521 AVR, Vizio E3D42GVX 3D TV, Dish Hopper, TiVo Premier DVR (antenna only), Insignia HD Radio Tuner, Panasonic DMP-BD210 3D Blu-ray player and Toshiba HD DVD player. The Logitech database is woefully inadequate for all these devices except the HD Radio tuner, and to some degree, the TiVo. I've written to Logitech tech support about some of the issues, and they've been downright arrogant about their database. Learning all these devices and setting them up for specific activities is a king sized pain. It would probably be easier to program my old URC MX-500 (which Remote Central still says is one of their favorite universal remotes).


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## hdaddikt (Jul 2, 2005)

Most of us are very happy with our Harmony remotes and have been programming a myriad of devices over the years with little issue.
I had an issue with swollen batteries and poor charging on my first 'ONE' and Logitech sent me a new one when I was over a year out of warranty. New one works as it should.
Can not explain the issues others are having. I have seen problems using the wrong device type, having more than one device in the same category when they are not the same, but those types of problems have been rare and usually the result of my own brain freeze.


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## djlong (Jul 8, 2002)

patmurphey said:


> What is ridiculous is posting threads with titles like this one where the poster doesn't know what he is talking about - and is wrong.


I'm the one that started this thread and I stand by every word I wrote.

The Logitech software, freshly downloaded from their site, did NOT know that a Joey changes channels. To this day I have it thinking that it's a Hopper changing the channels. The Hopper in this room is set so that it takes no IR signals. I manually programmed the PC Media Center codes into the Harmony so that the UNCHANGEABLE extra codes that Logitech puts in when dealing with a "Media Center PC" wouldn't apply.

It took me a while to construct this workaround and I'm happy to say that everything is working.

...but I know damn well what I'm talking about. And in my 35 years of software development, I've never let out a piece of software with such a glaring hole in it. I could understand if Logitech didn't have the Joey in their database. But to have it, accept it and then say I don't have anything that changes channels?

Yes, I'm happy with my Harmony One. However, that being said, I would not recommend it for someone who isn't technically inclined. At the very least, they need someone to program it for them - even with the supposed 'easy' software provided.


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## hdaddikt (Jul 2, 2005)

You raise good points, what exactly is being programmed with a Hopper or Joey is not crystal clear in my mind.
When I programmed my H-One for the Hopper, I had no real concern about the Joey, since I would not be the using the ONE with the Joey.
When I programmed the 300 for the Joey, the programming routine has me do a manual (remote to remote) procedure, which failed! And yet the Joey remained in the device list, and following the final software update the Joey worked just fine with the 300. 
Sometimes it can be just as difficult, if not more so, to explain why some things happen as to why they did not.


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## Stewart Vernon (Jan 7, 2005)

_Friendly moderator reminder... attack the topic, not the forum members. If you don't like the topic, don't participate._


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## ChAoTiCpInOy (Jan 27, 2011)

I had no problems configuring my Harmony One and 880 to use a Hopper and Joey respectively. They do everything the remote does (except PIP which I need to reconfigure).


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