Just curious...how does the Harmony 768 handle advanced functions like changing to different surround modes? How about changing to different inputs (I have 5 inputs in use on the back of my HDTV)?

I use Dolby Pro Logic II, THX, THX-ES, DTS, DTS-ES, Circle Surround 5.1 and stereo direct, all pretty regularly. How does the Harmony allow you to label/switch between all of these?

The 768 does a great job with multiple TV inputs and surrond modes. You can creat varibles so that the remote "remembers" what input you are on, or were on when you turned the system off. My TV has 4 inputs and my receiver has several surrond modes, and the 768 does a great job of tracking them. If I ever do get out of sync, the "help" function will bring it back in sync quickly.

It kind of depends on your receiver and how you use your equipment. I'll answer the question 2 ways (I think the second half is what you are looking for, but I'm covering my bases :-)

The harmony is fully capable of switching audio modes at the same time it changes activities. Most new receivers maintain the audio mode per device so this isn't an issue normally. But if you use a DVD player as a CD player as well as a DVD player the need is there. If your reciever has discrete inputs for these modes you are golden. If not you are still ok, but it a little more tricky since it has to cycles through the inputs to get to the desired one.

If however what you are asking is how do you get those functions onto the remote so you can change the mode whenever you want independent of the activity then there are a couple of ways to accomplish this.

1. Remap a key on the Harmony to the audio mode toggle button. That way you can just cycle through them yourself whenever you want. (Guide is unused in CD, DVD, and Tuner activities so might be a good choice) It is used for Tivo though so if you want to change your TV audio mode all the time as well you are probably better off with option 2.
2. If you don't want to remap a button then you can always go into the control mode and change the mode that way. The control mode is basically a list of all the IR commands that the Harmony know for your device. Just switch to control mode by pressing the side button then use the jog dial to find the appropriate discrete mode (or toggle command) and select it.

Hope that helps,
Zinfari

This message was edited by Rollo on 12/18/02 00:09.25.

Just to add to what Rollo said. I use my DVD player for both CDs and DVDs. When I select the "Watch TV activity" The one button press powers on my TV and receiver if they are off, changes to my DVD composite input on my HDTV if it isn't already there, powers on my reciever if necessary, changes to the optical DVD input on my stereo receiver if it isn't already there and puts the surround mode in Movie - Theater 1 if it isn't already set there. If I were then to select listen to CD: one button press would power off my HDTV and change the surround mode to Music - Small Jazz Hall. If my next action were to watch HDTV it would power off my DVD player, power on my satalite receiver, switch to the satalite optical input on my stereo receiver, change the surround mode to Dolby, Power on the HDTV and switch to the composite input for the Satalite receiver on my HDTV set. If I then select watch a VCR tape the one press makes the satalite reciever goes off, the vcr comes on, the HDTV switches to the VCR component input, the reciever switches the the RCA input from the VCR and the surround mode stays at Dolby. Is this remote control Heaven or what?