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Topic:
Anyone using/spec'ing Harmony remotes?
This thread has 96 replies. Displaying posts 16 through 30.
Post 16 made on Monday June 6, 2016 at 22:01
chris-L5S
Senior Member
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the programming interface is horrible. get rid of the wizard. the last one i touched took forever to change the TV. the wizard sucks.
Post 17 made on Monday June 6, 2016 at 22:18
mrtristan
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1,634
I've done plenty of simple TV on the wall systems and I almost never have had trouble selling a ProControl remote at minimum. Harmony only if the customer has it and it takes as long to program as a ProControl.
Post 18 made on Monday June 6, 2016 at 22:25
Mac Burks (39)
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On June 6, 2016 at 15:28, juliejacobson said...
Haven't heard much about them for a while. I'm wondering if anyone uses the products for their installs, either as their go-to remote or back-up.

What about the home automation hub? Anyone using?

Thanks in advance for any feedback.

jj

I installed 14 of them a year or so ago. Large "budget" house. 30 sonos connect amps for music and 14 video zones each controlled by the latest harmony and hub.. No matrix switching or source sharing so every room has TV, satellite, appletv,bluray, AVR.

Installation was a breeze. I was actually able to just program one remote and copy it for the other 13 rooms. IOS app was automagically programmed.

Obviously i stayed inside the box so there wasnt any pain involved. I think its a very good single room consumer product. Cant comment on any other uses or aplications.
Avid Stamp Collector - I really love 39 Cent Stamps
Post 19 made on Monday June 6, 2016 at 22:39
Duct Tape
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On June 6, 2016 at 21:55, highfigh said...
Yabbut, URC says they have the most complete database! How can this be true?

complete mess
[Link: facebook.com]
Post 20 made on Monday June 6, 2016 at 23:02
Neurorad
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Quite simply, if you can afford something better, there are better options.

If you can't afford something better, it's not bad.
TB A+ Partner
Believe nothing, no matter where you read it, or who said it, no matter if I have said it, unless it agrees with your own reason and your own common sense. -Buddha
Post 21 made on Monday June 6, 2016 at 23:33
fcwilt
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I would like to know of those with negative views how many worked with the last or previous generation of the Harmony remotes that worked with the hub.
Regards, Frederick C. Wilt
Post 22 made on Monday June 6, 2016 at 23:40
punter16
Active Member
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594
? to ask could be:

"Why are they marked down ridiculously everywhere on-line?"

The last one we sold was about 9 years ago. With that said, if they are trying to make a stronger foray into our space, tell them to first police MAP on-line and get rid of websites selling them a fraction over cost. Once they do this, guys like me might make some product suggestions.
See our Youtube page for info about smart homes, great audio and more.

[Link: youtube.com]
Post 23 made on Monday June 6, 2016 at 23:49
Lowhz
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I'm a distributor. I sell a ton of Harmony Elites. Dealers ask for them and I just write them up.

They never get returned.
Post 24 made on Tuesday June 7, 2016 at 01:34
Brad Humphrey
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On June 6, 2016 at 23:49, Lowhz said...
I'm a distributor. I sell a ton of Harmony Elites. Dealers ask for them and I just write them up.

They never get returned.

Do you know how many houses (new customers) I walk into and the system is a complete mess. Control system non-existent or if there is one, it is programmed like crap.
Saying you have a LOT of dealers purchasing them doesn't mean jack. Most of those dealers are the jack a$$es we all have to go clean up after. Even worse are the thousands of homes that get screwed up once and the home owners say "never again will we hire someone for this $hit".


As others have said, the Harmony fits a budget niche. And can work within the confines of a small 1 room system.
But it is a DIY product. It will always be a DIY product as long as their is no 'REAL' dealer cost to the product.
I am NOT going to sell a remote that I only make $20-$30 on (and can be found for the same cost online). How can I support a customer, if that is all I make? I can't! Control systems require support! Harmony is a DIY product.
Post 25 made on Tuesday June 7, 2016 at 04:10
fcwilt
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On June 7, 2016 at 01:34, Brad Humphrey said...
Harmony is a DIY product.

Not for someone like my "low tech" family member.

They have no interest in home automation but they do like having a single remote once they experience it.

They never would have looked to solve the multi-remote problem themselves because they simply don't think that way.

Yes there are lots of DIY folks out there but many, many more who are like my "low tech" family member.

They need someone to do it for them.
Regards, Frederick C. Wilt
Post 26 made on Tuesday June 7, 2016 at 04:48
Mario
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5,681
I programmed one, once.
Client provided it based on his friend's recommendation but (my client) had no intentions of learning how to program it.

I told him that I would handle it as a T&M gig.
Took about an hour to setup account and do the simple programming for the living room with TV/AVR/BD.

Would I sell them -- no.
Do I have a problem configuring them if client provides it? No, as long as they understand that I'm not responsible for product quality, programming limitations, etc.
Post 27 made on Tuesday June 7, 2016 at 09:54
highfigh
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On June 6, 2016 at 22:39, Duct Tape said...
complete mess

I had a problem with an MX-780 setup and asked the tech support guy at URC if I should e-mail the file, so he could check it for errors and his response was "I don't know what good that would do". OTOH, I have had Harmony support compare codes learned in real time with their database and they were able to see if it was different. They have also converted Hex codes and added them to the database for me when it was an odd device that wasn't in their database.
My mechanic told me, "I couldn't repair your brakes, so I made your horn louder."
Post 28 made on Tuesday June 7, 2016 at 09:58
highfigh
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On June 6, 2016 at 23:40, punter16 said...
? to ask could be:

"Why are they marked down ridiculously everywhere on-line?"

The last one we sold was about 9 years ago. With that said, if they are trying to make a stronger foray into our space, tell them to first police MAP on-line and get rid of websites selling them a fraction over cost. Once they do this, guys like me might make some product suggestions.

You think something that was happening 9 years ago hasn't changed?

I was told that they're coming out with a CI-friendly version of the Elite, which won't be sold at Best Buy, etc. It will have different packaging, to make it easy to spot and additional emitters. I don't remember the other differences, but they planned to sell only through distributors.

Best Buy has an occasional sale, but they aren't dropping their pants on them the way they did.
My mechanic told me, "I couldn't repair your brakes, so I made your horn louder."
Post 29 made on Tuesday June 7, 2016 at 10:01
Lowhz
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On June 7, 2016 at 01:34, Brad Humphrey said...
Do you know how many houses (new customers) I walk into and the system is a complete mess. Control system non-existent or if there is one, it is programmed like crap.
Saying you have a LOT of dealers purchasing them doesn't mean jack. Most of those dealers are the jack a$$es we all have to go clean up after. Even worse are the thousands of homes that get screwed up once and the home owners say "never again will we hire someone for this $hit".

As others have said, the Harmony fits a budget niche. And can work within the confines of a small 1 room system.
But it is a DIY product. It will always be a DIY product as long as their is no 'REAL' dealer cost to the product.
I am NOT going to sell a remote that I only make $20-$30 on (and can be found for the same cost online). How can I support a customer, if that is all I make? I can't! Control systems require support! Harmony is a DIY product.

I'm not here to save the world from bad audio, bad installs or Harmony remotes. The Blogger asked if CIs use them a lot and I can confirm a bunch of licensed Washington state low-voltage integrators buy and sell these every single day. And they are very busy with work.
Post 30 made on Tuesday June 7, 2016 at 10:14
Brad Humphrey
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On June 7, 2016 at 10:01, Lowhz said...
I'm not here to save the world from bad audio, bad installs or Harmony remotes. The Blogger asked if CIs use them a lot and I can confirm a bunch of licensed Washington state low-voltage integrators buy and sell these every single day. And they are very busy with work.

Fair enough.
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