# HR-24 and the Harmony One Power User



## balboadave (Mar 3, 2010)

I just got a pair of HR-24s, and the only thing I hate about them is the remote. What a terrible and awkward layout. Fortunately, I have a Harmony One, so I'm starting a thread to share programming ideas. I'm pretty sure these apply to most of the HR-2x boxes and some of the other Harmony remotes too, but this setup is based on Logitech's default HR-24 settings.

Here's my settings for my Watch DirecTV activity. First, I created sequences for:

Closed Captions (toggle): Yellow, DirectionDown, DirectionDown, Select.

Manage Recordings: Menu, DirectionDown, DirectionDown, DirectionDown, Select. (I wanted to make this a To Do List, but you still need to press another Select, so this will have to do.)

Smart Search: Menu, DirectionDown, DirectionDown, Select.

For the touch screen, I added the 4 colors to the first screen (I now think not having dedicated buttons for them is the only drawback to the H One). I also added buttons for the sequences Smart Search and Closed Captions, and the D* remote buttons Format, and Active.

I also have buttons assigned for various and common TV and A/V Receiver functions just to avoid switching to Device mode, but that's for another thread.

All the labeled Harmony One buttons are the HR-24 default, except:

For the Page Up Arrow, I assigned to (Now Playing) List.

For the Page Down Arrow, I assigned the Manage Recordings sequence. (These two buttons are great places to assign your favorite functions, since they're in thumb's reach, and with D*, page up and down are already assigned to the channel buttons when in the menus.)

For the Play button, I re-assigned it to the SlowPlay command, so it works like the original remote, where you hold down the Play button to enable Slow.

For the Reverse button, I re-assigned it to the SkipBackToTick command, so you press quickly for reverse speeds 1-4, or hold down the button to skip back to the previous tick mark, 15 minute mark, or end of the program.

For the FastForward button, I re-assigned it to the SkipFwdToTick command, so you press quickly for FF speeds 1-4, or hold down the button to skip forward to the next tick mark, 15 minute mark, or end of the program.

The Plus button is now assigned to the Dash (minus) command. (Not very intuitive, but what can you do?)

I've only had this for a couple of weeks, so I'm sure there's lots of other ideas and shortcuts out there. What have you got?


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## mdavej (Jan 31, 2007)

So logitech finally added the press and hold commands to the database. Did you pick HR24 in the software or some other model? I submitted those nearly a year ago for all HR2x's. I also put jump to start and jump to end on the replay and skip buttons respectively.

I went a step further on CC and replaced mute with a sequence that does both CC and mute.

I also have these sequences:
- unlock parental controls
- on demand

Too bad harmony 900 and 1100 users can't do this.


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## balboadave (Mar 3, 2010)

mdavej said:


> So logitech finally added the press and hold commands to the database. Did you pick HR24 in the software or some other model?


I covered that in my first sentence.


> I submitted those nearly a year ago for all HR2x's.


I did not know you could do that.


> I also put jump to start and jump to end on the replay and skip buttons respectively.


 Do you not use the the replay and skip functions?


> I went a step further on CC and replaced mute with a sequence that does both CC and mute.


I like that idea, but since CC is a toggle, and I don't always have it on, that won't work for me. If you know how to make CC an absolute on/off command, please share.


> I also have these sequences:
> - unlock parental controls
> - on demand
> 
> Too bad harmony 900 and 1100 users can't do this.


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## mdavej (Jan 31, 2007)

balboadave said:


> I covered that in my first sentence.


Just making sure. I use the HR20 from the database for all my boxes because it had the best command set at the time. DB for HR22 & 23 really sucked at first. I assumed the HR24 DB would suck too. That's why I was surprised to see the long press commands. Logitech seems to just blindly use user learns for new devices, so the quality can be hit or miss when it comes to completeness, repeat behavior, etc.


> I did not know you could do that.


If you know the pronto hex you can. They'll add them to your account immediately, but it takes a long time for them to make it into the master database (a year in this case). 


> Do you not use the the replay and skip functions?


Assuming harmony has the right commands, short press is still replay/skip, long press is jump. Same as the D* remote. Since I use my own pronto hex, I know mine are correct.

No discretes for CC, so I have a few permutations: CC, Mute, Mute+CC


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## macq (Feb 19, 2006)

Here's some additional data ...

I also just bought an HR24 and a Harmony 700. I chose the "HR-24" device on the Harmony and all the buttons worked except for the ones on page 3 and 4 on the Device page which are JmpToEnd, JmpToStart, SkipBackToTick, SkipForwToTick, and Slow Motion. These did not work as simple press functions or as press-and-hold.

So, I spent an hour with tech support armed with mdavej's Pronto hex codes from a logitech thread but was only able to get a partial slow motion working for my HR24.

The way we got the slow motion working was the rep looked up mdavej's account and his device settings and copied these 5 non-working commands to my account. The slow motion works consistently, but, only as a press-and-hold key which I hate and is part of the reason for buying the Harmony in the first place. The other 4 commands still do not work.

Interestingly, I read him the Pronto Hex code from mdavej's other thread and he said it matched the hex code for the original Slow Motion function that did NOT work on my Harmony. So, it seems mdavej's account actually has a different sequence than described in his thread. Note, I could very rarely get slow-motion to work with that original setting but only when pressing it multiple times in a difficult to repeat sequence - rendering it unusable in practice.

Here's the url for mdavej's other thread at Logitech - with hex codes:
http://forums.logitech.com/t5/Harmo...long-key-press-commands-to-Harmony/m-p/376885

The Logitech rep was fairly reasonable and offered to enter all the pronto hex codes I send him but I"m mostly interested in slow-mo so that doesn't appear fruitful. I might try a little to learn the codes onto my Harmony although that is unlikely to work well so I may try that Radio Shack remote as an intermediary learning device that I read about elsewhere on this forum.

Thanks mdavej.


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## macq (Feb 19, 2006)

Sorry, just realized I've perhaps hijacked this thread. I had jumped into the middle and thought it was issues with Harmony for HR24 whereas the OP was giving suggestions for cool stuff.

That said, the OP's first post said he had a SlowPlay command. On my Harmony 700, I had no such command for the HR-24. I did have a SlowMotion command, but, as I previously mentioned, it didn't work right originally nor did the other press-and-hold functions I discussed.

I'd also like to correct an error in my previous post. I said the press-and-hold functions for Skipping and Jumping didn't work after being copied from mdavej's account. That isn't true. The tech rep told me he overwrote my non-functioning ones with mdavej's but I later discovered he added new commands. I now have all of these functions working on my Harmony as press-and-hold functions the same as with the original DirecTV remote. Now I only need to figure out how to map the Slow-Mo to a single key press function and I might have something workable. Off to buy that Radio Shack or RCA remote to teach my Harmony.


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## mdavej (Jan 31, 2007)

macq,

Let me see if I have this right. I think you're saying the original press-and-hold (I'll call them long press) functions in the harmony database still don't work (logitech never actually added working ones like I thought). I'm wondering why/how they worked for the OP. You're also saying the new ones from my account actually did work. Did the any of hex codes you asked them to import actually work? I'm not sure, because I got them from another user who claimed they did. I don't actually use the hex codes myself. The ones I use actually came from learns. I'd like to know for sure so I don't post any erroneous info.

I replaced all the short press transport functions (play, skip, etc.) with the long press functions (slomo, skip-to-tick, etc.) and they work fine both short and long. No matter where you put slomo, it still takes a long press to activate it. Perhaps a raw learn of long press play from the original D* remote would mimic a long press even if you press it briefly. That may give you the dedicated slomo you're after.

Also, the RCA remote in question is only $8.50 at walgreens at the moment, so getting one for teaching purposes is a no brainer.


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## macq (Feb 19, 2006)

Boy, have I been confused. I only just realized that when you customize buttons on the Device (say, the Play key), it doesn't apply for an Activity (like Watch HR24). It makes sense now that I see that, but, ... So, some of my previous erroneous descriptions were caused by pressing the buttons in the wrong mode (Activity vs Device) and not having them customized the same. Sorry.

Here goes with a corrected description - using just the Play key and its related functions as examples:

The original Play transport key on the Harmony for the HR-24 Device was set to a command named Play. It has a peculiar behavior. If pressed briefly and in quick succession it just causes video play and toggles the progress bar on the screen - this was expected. What was not expected was that if the Play key was pressed and held it just does a single play command - even if held for a long time. Further, a quick subsequent pressing of the play key after it was held and released causes slow-motion. This was even further surprising (and virtually useless to me).

The HR-24 Harmony database includes additional commands in the Device list. One of these is "SlowMotion". Overall, this behaves similar to the DirecTV original remote's play key. The only difference I noticed was when pressing play quickly twice to clear the progress bar it seems to take a bit longer to clear the bar.

After Logitech support cloned some of mdavej's commands onto my device, I had a "PlaySlomo" command. This works the same as the SlowMotion command originally present.

I did not re-check the Jump and Skip hold functions but I'd guess they follow the same pattern as the Play button and not as I described earlier.

For mdavej's benefit, I bought the RCA RCRP05B and after programming the Play transport key according to your other thread about that I confirm that it faithfully behaves like the original DirecTV Play key - both the quick press and press-hold functions.

Now, perhaps to get back on point (maybe). Does any Power User have any good suggestions on how to turn a quickly pressed Harmony remote key into a DirecTV HR24 "slow motion" command? Press-hold for slowmo just doesn't cut it for me.


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## mdavej (Jan 31, 2007)

macq said:


> Does any Power User have any good suggestions on how to turn a quickly pressed Harmony remote key into a DirecTV HR24 "slow motion" command? Press-hold for slowmo just doesn't cut it for me.


Like I said, try a RAW (custom) learn of a long press of slomo from the RCA (long enough for slomo to kick in). I haven't tried it myself, but even a short press of the newly learned key should send the whole signal and start slomo. Give it a shot and let us know. If that works, it might even be worth learning the other long press commands as raw for a whole set of those commands.


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## macq (Feb 19, 2006)

I'll spend a little time on learning and report back.

Is there some reason the teaching of the Harmony would work better with the RCA than the original DirecTV remote?

I saw your pronto hex codes on that other thread. Isn't the command for "slow motion" imbedded in there? I don't understand the sequences, but, wouldn't it be possible to just extract the command from that and have Logitech support add it to my device? Is there a forum with experts that might be able to extract the command?


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## mdavej (Jan 31, 2007)

It probably doesn't make much difference, but I know the RCA will just send slomo, whereas I think the D* remote sends play then slomo, making a longer more complex signal to try to learn and send. You could try both ways and see.

We already have the pure slomo command, so there's nothing more to extract. It has a distinct code that you're already using. The problem is the DVR doesn't act on it until it repeats several times. That's why even though you're using just slomo today (and not play), you still get play until you hold it for a few seconds. The DVR still treats the pure slomo command like play on a short press. The only way around that is to send a long press no matter what (lots of repeats). Raw is the only way I know to do that on harmony. On the RCA you could write a custom protocol to do it, but that's a lot of trouble and you really have to know what you're doing. It's much easier to just record the held signal (raw learn).

I personally hardly ever use slomo and don't mind holding the button for 2 seconds. So I have no desire to pursue an alternate solution myself. I'm just trying to give you enough info to do it yourself.


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## macq (Feb 19, 2006)

Thanks mdavej, that helps a lot.

Given your description of how the RCA functions there is no reason for me to try to teach it to the Harmony. I was hoping to get a slow-mo that would react immediately upon pressing a button. But, if the RCA already sends a slow-mo command right away, but the HR24 won't react until it sees it repeated by holding, then I can never get what I desire due to the HR24 - not the remote. In other words, if the RCA command is the best, and I don't like it, then no sense teaching it to the Harmony.

I use slow-mo fairly often during sports watching. And, given I have DirecTV mainly for sports, it's an annoying thing to "lose" after "upgrading" from my 10 year old SD DirecTivos to the latest generation D* HD HR24.


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