Logitech HARMONY 885 User manual

Harmony 885
User Manual version1.1

Harmony 885 User Manual
Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................................1
GETTING TO KNOW YOUR HARMONY REMOTE...............................................................................................2
BEGIN THE SETUP PROCESS ........................................................................................................................3
USING YOUR HARMONY REMOTE...........................................................................................................4
USING THE GLOW BUTTON...........................................................................................................................4
RECHARGING THE BATTERY .........................................................................................................................4
USING THE TILT SENSOR..............................................................................................................................4
SELECTING AN ACTIVITY...............................................................................................................................4
USING THE TELETEXT BUTTONS ...................................................................................................................5
VIEWING THE STATUS AND NAVIGATION BARS ...............................................................................................5
DISPLAYING HELP ON YOUR HARMONY REMOTE ...........................................................................................5
Types of Help Available.........................................................................................................................6
Using the Remote Assistant ..................................................................................................................6
CONTROLLING INDIVIDUAL DEVICES..............................................................................................................6
Device Mode..........................................................................................................................................6
USING SYSTEM OPTIONS .............................................................................................................................7
CUSTOMIZING YOUR HARMONY REMOTE .............................................................................................8
CUSTOMIZING THE DISPLAY ON THE HARMONY REMOTE ................................................................................8
Adding your Favorite Channel Icons......................................................................................................9
CHANGING THE BEHAVIOR OF BUTTONS WITHIN AN ACTIVITY.........................................................................9
Adding Custom-Labeled Buttons...........................................................................................................9
CHANGING THE SETTINGS FOR YOUR HARMONY REMOTE ..............................................................................9
TEACHING INFRARED (IR) COMMANDS........................................................................................................10
Using the Infrared Sensor....................................................................................................................10
Naming an Infrared Command ............................................................................................................10
GETTING ADDITIONAL HELP ..................................................................................................................12
FINDING ANSWERS TO YOUR QUESTIONS....................................................................................................12
Troubleshooting Your Harmony Remote.............................................................................................12
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Introduction
Congratulations on the purchase of your Harmony remote! This User Manual will introduce you to the
basic online setup process, customizations and main features of your Harmony remote.
If in doubt about how to set up your Harmony remote, follow the information and instructions using the
Logitech Harmony Remote Software (also referred to as Harmony Remote Software).
The Harmony remote is an Internet-powered universal remote control. Your Harmony remote can control
most devices that understand infrared (IR) signals.
The configuration of your Harmony remote is simple:
• You will be prompted to answer questions about your entertainment devices to create your own
personal Harmony remote configuration.
• Your answers will provide us with a description of the entertainment devices you want to control,
how they are set up, and your preferences for controlling them.
• If one of your devices is not in the Harmony remote’s database, the Harmony Remote Software
will learn about your device and add it to your configuration.
• Once you have told us about your devices, you will then be guided through setting up Activities.
Creating Activities is simple: you will be prompted to indicate the devices you use within an
Activity and how you want to control specific features, such as the volume, within that Activity.
 An Activity is a set of commands the Harmony remote sends to your entertainment system to
turn on the necessary devices.
 Once you have selected an Activity, you are in Activity mode, and the functionality of each
button on your Harmony remote is automatically configured for that Activity.
 Additionally, the display buttons will give you access to other commands for that Activity,
which cannot be set to the standard buttons.
Example
For the Watch Television Activity, the Harmony remote sends commands to your entertainment
system to turn on the necessary devices so you can watch television. The remote will
automatically be configured for the Activity based on the answers you selected during the online
setup process for the Activity.
At the end of the setup process, you will have your own configuration loaded in your Harmony remote.
Use your Harmony Remote Software to:
• Customize any of your Harmony remote’s features.
• Add more entertainment devices.
• Add more Activities.
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Getting to Know Your Harmony Remote
Many of the Harmony remote's buttons are standard remote buttons. However, there are buttons and
other hardware that may not be so familiar to you. The extra buttons and hardware give you access to the
special features of the Harmony remote.
USB Connector: Connect one end of the USB cable to this connector and
the other end to your computer so that you can download your configuration
using the Harmony Remote Software.
OFF: Turns all devices off with one button press.
Activities: Press Activities to view a list of Activities you have added. Press
the display button next to the Activity you want and the Harmony remote will
set up your entertainment system.
Help: Asks you simple questions so that your Harmony remote can fix
problems you are having within an Activity.
Display: Shows a list of your Activities and devices, help, infrared (IR)
commands and any available listings.
Display Buttons: Use the buttons at the side of the display to select the
corresponding command.
Left/Right Arrows: Allows you to view more options on the display.
Device: Lists all your devices on the display, and allows you to select and
directly control any device.
Glow: Turns on/off the backlight glow for the remote.
Media: In the Watch TV Activity press this button to view your Favorite
Channels on the display.
Prev: Goes to previous television channel.
Teletext Buttons: This is a service provided by the television provider. Use
the Teletext buttons to access this service; however, your TV set must be
equipped with a Teletext decoder. While Teletext is the default setting for
these buttons in the Watch TV Activity, you can customize these buttons to
send different commands.
Menu: Gives you access to the menu system on a device, if you have a
device with this feature.
Exit: Exits from the Guide feature.
Guide: Gives you access to view program listings, if you have a device with
this feature.
Info: Gives you additional information on program listings, if you have a
device with the Guide feature.
Infrared Learning Port: The Harmony remote uses this port to learn
commands from your original remote.
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Begin the Setup Process
Once you have installed the Logitech Harmony Remote Software, connect your remote and you will be
guided through a series of question-and-answer steps to complete each of the five main steps of the
online setup process:
1. Login Information: Create your login information.
2. Check Connection: Ensures your computer and your Harmony remote are communicating
properly.
3. Set Up Devices: Helps you provide us with information about the devices in your personal home
theater system.
4. Set Up Activities: Helps you provide us with information about the way your devices work
together to perform Activities (e.g. Watch Television Activity).
5. Update Remote: Updates your remote with your personal settings.
Note: When using the Harmony Remote Software, click More Help to view specific help for the
step you are on.
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Using Your Harmony Remote
This section provides you with information that will help you use your remote.
Using the Glow Button
Press the Glow button to light up or turn off the display backlight. To determine the length of time the
backlight stays on.
Note: Shaking or tilting the Harmony remote will not light up the display backlight. Users must
press the Glow button to light up the display backlight. The remote will go into Deep Sleep mode
when the remote detects no motion for two hours. The remote will begin motion sensing in Deep
Sleep mode, and any motion or movement in front of the remote will trigger the glow.
Use the Harmony Remote Software to enable/disable these features.
Recharging the Battery
Place your remote in the base station to charge. While the remote’s battery is charging:
• The display and its backlight, and the keypad backlight remain on.
Note: Press the GLOW button to turn the backlight off.
• The battery level icon in the status bar flashes when the battery is still charging or will display a
full battery level when charging is complete.
When the battery is low, the display will flash a message to remind you to charge the battery.
Using the Tilt Sensor
When you pick up the remote slightly tilted, the display will automatically turn on and the keypad light up.
Note: Whenever you pick up the remote from the base station, or replace it in the station, you will
hear a beep.
Use the Harmony Remote Software to enable/disable this feature.
Selecting an Activity
View the Activities you have added by pressing the Activities button. The display will then list the Activities
you have added. Press the corresponding display button next to the Activity you want to start.
As a default, when you select an Activity, you will see a message on the remote’s display reminding you
to keep the remote pointed at your entertainment system while the Activity starts. This helps ensure that
all infrared (IR) signals are properly sent.
Use the Harmony Remote Software to turn on/off the “Starting Activity” message.
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Using the Teletext Buttons
When you press any of the Teletext button the homepage for Teletext will appear on the television (it may
take a few seconds for the page to appear). The Teletext page will completely replace the
televisionpicture, but sound will still be available. Each Teletext page has a unique 3-digit page number;
all pages can be accessed by entering the 3-digit page number using the numbered channel buttons on
your Harmony remote.
While Teletext is the default settings for these buttons in the Watch TV Activity, you can customize these
buttons to send different commands in other Activities. See Changing the Behavior of Buttons Within an
Activity.
Viewing the Status and Navigation Bars
The status bar provides users with important information such as:
• A: Date and time
• B: Indicator if the USB is attached
• C: Indicator when infrared (IR) commands are being sent to your
devices
• D: Battery indicator (battery’s power)
• E: Activity you are in (if applicable)
The navigation bar displays information such as:
• F: The number of screens available in a menu, and the screen
currently displayed
Displaying Help on Your Harmony Remote
From time to time when you select an Activity, the Activity may not work. This can happen when the
Harmony remote sends many infrared commands to set up all your devices for an Activity, but one or
more devices are not receiving some commands. The Harmony remote is then “out of sync” with your
devices (e.g. it thinks one of your devices is on, but it is turned off). Some of the reasons the Harmony
remote can become “out of sync” with your system are:
Someone walks between the Harmony remote and your entertainment system while an Activity is starting.
You point your Harmony remote away from your system while an Activity is starting.
There is an object blocking the line-of-sight between your Harmony remote and the system.
You are very far away from your entertainment system.
You will need to use the Help button on your Harmony remote to resynchronize the remote with your
devices. Before re-synchronizing, ensure the cause of the problem has been addressed.
Example
Remove all obstructions so that the entertainment devices can receive the infrared commands
from the Harmony remote.
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Note: If your devices are no longer responding consistently to your Harmony remote, but were
doing sold before, you may need to recharge the battery.
To resynchronize:
1. Press the Help button.
2. Answer the questions on the remote’s display by selecting Yes or No. If you answer no to any
question, the Harmony remote will resend the necessary command and ask you the same
question.
When you are done, the Harmony remote will be synchronized with your devices again.
Types of Help Available
You can customize the Help button on your Harmony remote to provide one of the following types of help:
• Smart help
Asks questions about the devices that are on during a specific Activity.
• Full help
Asks questions about all the devices in your system.
Select Full help if you find devices aren’t being controlled the way you want them to and the help on the
remote is not asking you questions about these devices.
Use the Harmony Remote Software to select the type of help you want.
Using the Remote Assistant
Extra help is available from your remote by turning on the Remote Assistant.
While the Help button helps you solve device problems within an Activity, the Remote Assistant teaches
you how to use your Harmony remote. The following is an example of the type of help the Remote
Assistant offers:
Example
If any devices are not set up correctly, press “Help” now.
Use the Harmony Remote Software to turn on/off this feature.
Controlling Individual Devices
This section provides you with an overview of three modes you can use to access specific features of
each device.
Device Mode
Press Devices to enter device mode. Device mode gives you access to all the possible commands for
each device included in your Harmony remote configuration. To access device mode you do not need to
be in an Activity. However, you should never need to use Device mode during normal use of your
Harmony remote. This mode should only be used to send a specific command to a specific device.
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You can eliminate the use of device mode by customizing your Activities.
Example
You can put commands on the display or customize specific buttons for the commands.
See Customizing Your Harmony Remote.
At any time, press Devices to switch into Device mode. Once in this mode, the Harmony remote will
display a list of all the devices you have in your configuration. Select a device from the list and the
Harmony remote will only control the device features for the device.
Example
If you choose Television as the device, the number, volume and channel buttons will all control
your television.
Press Devices again to return to exit Device mode.
Using System Options
Press System Options on your Harmony remote to:
• Set the time and date.
• Turn the slide show on/off.
• Temporarily turn the Remote Assistant on/off. See Using the Remote Assistant.
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Customizing Your Harmony Remote
All customization of your Harmony remote is done from the Harmony Remote Software:
Use the Harmony Remote Software to:
Troubleshoot
• Click Troubleshoot when your Harmony remote isn’t controlling your system correctly.
View Activities
• Click the Activities tab to add or delete Activities.
• Click Settings to change the specific settings (e.g. the name of an Activity) for an Activity.
Example
To have more than one Activity of a given type (e.g. If you have both a cable converter and a
satellite receiver, you can
add a second Watch Television Activity) click Add an Activity. When you’re done, rename the
Activities to help you distinguish between them (e.g. For the Watch Television Activity you could
rename one from “Watch Television” to “Watch Cable” and the other to “Watch Satellite”.)
View Devices
• Click Devices tab to add or delete entertainment devices.
• Click Settings to change the specific settings for a device you have already set up.
View Remote Settings
• Click Remote Settings to change the remote’s settings.
Update Remote
• Click Update Remote after you have made changes your configuration and settings. This will
ensure you have the latest configuration and settings on your Harmony remote.
Customizing the Display on the Harmony Remote
This section provides information that will help you to customize the commands and options listed on the
Harmony remote’s display. The display resolution on the Harmony Remote is 160 x 128 pixels.
The Harmony remote comes with a set of defaults, which you can change to make the display look the
way you want it to:
• Select or add your own backgrounds for the display.
• Add your icons for your favorite channels (you can upload your own icons up to a maximum of
160 KB (file size), and 24-bit .png, .bmp, .jpg, or .gif .)
• Select one of the default themes.
A theme consists of a font style, background, layout, and icons (for Activities and Devices)—
choose a theme that best suits you.
Layout is the number of selections (3 or 6) displayed on the display.
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• Add your own slide show to the display.
You can use the default backgrounds or your own background images to create your own slide
show.
The slide show displays while the remote is in the base station. See Using System Options for
more information on turning the slide show on and off.
Use the Harmony Remote Software to make Harmony remote’s display look the way you want it to. You
can change the background or the slide show images.
Adding your Favorite Channel Icons
You can customize the display for your Favorite Channels menu by adding your own icons and setting an
icon to appear next to one of your Favorite Channels.
Use the Harmony Remote Software to add your favorite channels and icons to the Harmony display.
Changing the Behavior of Buttons Within an Activity
When you select an Activity, the Harmony remote will:
• Turn on all the correct entertainment devices
• Set the device inputs correctly
• Set up the remote’s buttons to control the Activity
Based on our knowledge of how each of your devices is controlled, the Harmony remote will make its
best effort to match all the buttons you need to control an Activity.
However, there may be some commands you want to add to buttons or access via the display.
Commands can be added to buttons quickly and easily by customizing any Activity to change the
behavior of buttons.
Use the Harmony Remote Software to change the behavior of buttons.
The change behavior of buttons feature shows you the:
• Buttons that have a command associated with them
• Device being controlled
• Command being sent to the device
Adding Custom-Labeled Buttons
Use the Harmony Remote Software to:
• Add custom-labeled buttons to a device.
• Add a custom-labeled button for an Activity.
• Custom-labeled buttons are displayed on the Harmony remote’s display from left to right, top to
bottom.
Changing the Settings for your Harmony Remote
From within the Harmony software, click Remote Settings, to change the following:
Displaying Help
• Turn on/off Help on the remote/Remote Assistant (for additional information, see
on Your Harmony Remote.)
• Set the backlight timing.
• Set the time-display format.
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• Show/Hide the “Starting Activity” message (for additional information, see Selecting an Activity.)
Using the Tilt Sensor
• Turn on/off the tilt sensor (for additional information, see .)
Teaching Infrared (IR) Commands
The Harmony remote can learn infrared commands from other remote controls, and should only be used
in situations where the Harmony remote’s infrared database does not already contain an infrared
command you would like to use.
1. Determine the device you would like to send the infrared command to:
2. From within the Harmony software, click the Devices tab.
3. Click Settings for the device you want.
4. Click Learn infrared commands.
Using the Infrared Sensor
The Harmony remote has an infrared sensor at the end opposite to the USB connector. The Harmony
remote uses this sensor to learn commands from original device remotes.
• A: Your original remote
• B: Distance between remotes: 5-10 cm (2"-5") apart
• C: Your Harmony remote
The following steps outline what happens when you press a button on your original remote control:
1. The infrared sensor on the Harmony remote learns the infrared signal.
2. The Harmony remote uploads it via the USB cable (and your computer’s internet connection) to
the Harmony remote database.
3. The Harmony Remote Software will try to find a matching pattern for the infrared signal.
4. If no pattern is found, the signal will be stored as-is in its original format.
5. If a pattern is found, the Harmony Remote Software converts the signal into a format for
convenient storage.
Either way, the signal is then available for you to assign to a button on your Harmony remote.
Naming an Infrared Command
When you teach an infrared command to the Harmony remote, give the command a name. This way you
can refer to this command by name in various locations of the online setup process. It is best to use the
default names listed on the Learn infrared commands step so that automatic button function assignments
can be applied to your Harmony remote.
Example
If you teach the volume button infrared commands from your original remote control, name them
“VolumeUp” and “VolumeDown” (i.e. with no space, and capitalization as shown). The remote
software looks for commands with these names to automatically assign them to the volume up
and down buttons on the Harmony remote.
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Naming Conventions
When naming a command for which there is no default name on the Learn infrared commands feature,
use the following naming conventions to make button assignment and sharing infrared commands easier:
• Do not use spaces or special characters such as /, & or * in the name.
• Capitalize the start of words (e.g. NextDisc, ModeDigital).
• Start the command name with its main function (e.g. VolumeRearUp, VolumeRearDown,
VolumeFrontUp, olumeFrontDown). This helps group related commands in lists.
• For infrared commands that select inputs (e.g. on a stereo receiver), start with the prefix “Input”.
Do not name the input based on what you have connected to your device, rather name it based
on what it is called on the front of the device, or on the remote control (e.g. InputAux,
InputVideo1, InputTape, InputDVD, Input VCR).
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Getting Additional Help
The Harmony remote provides you with several features to assist you with:
• Finding answers to your questions quickly and easily.
• Troubleshooting the setup and customization process.
Finding Answers to Your Questions
The help you find answers to your questions quickly and easily, consult any of the following tools:
Tool Description
Search A support tool that enables you to do a keyword search.
FAQs (Frequently-Asked
Questions) A searchable list of customer questions, with answers provided by Harmony’s support center.
User Manual The User Manual explains the concept of your Harmony
remote and provides information about setting up and using
the remote.
More Help button When running the Harmony Remote Software, click this
button for help specific to the step you are on.
Help button Asks you simple questions so the Harmony remote can
automatically fix problems you are having with an Activity.
Troubleshooting Your Harmony Remote
In addition to the tools listed under Finding Answers to Your Questions, you can use the following tool to
troubleshoot your Harmony remote:
Tool Description
Troubleshoot To be used when the Harmony remote is not controlling your
system correctly.
If you cannot find the answer to your questions or troubleshoot your problems, contact your Harmony
Support Team.
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