Yes, it's quite a normal thing to do.

Activities> TV> Settings> Review the settings for this activity> Yes but I want to add more control....> Save> Next> Next> Add Actions for .... TV when the activity starts,
then add all the IR commands you need, and possibly a delay, one at a time.

Ok, the problem with this is that the external speaker is a toggle in the tv menu. If I add it to every activity that uses the tv it will just switch from on to off as I switch activities.

Is there a way to string together the IR commands (10 button presses on the oem remote) to a custom button that I can then assign to the custom button screen, so I only have to press the button (manually) to run those commands when I first turn on any activity?

Or, can you only do this at the start and end of an activity?

Sequences can have only five commands each but you could use two of them.
Have I been missing something though? Do you NEVER want to use the TV's speakers? If so then set them manually to be "off" and then - surely - the receiver's commands won't affect the TV. You then won't need any muting commands in the Harmony. My TV is set that way, though for a different reason.

Yes, I never want my tv speakers on. The problem is there is a problem with this model westinghouse (confirmed, firmware issue) where if you set the speakers off in the tv menu, they turn back on when you power the tv off and back on.

I can't even use a simple mute because then there is a mute display graphic on the tv. It's quite an annoying little problem.

ChrisCana, so it seems your TV is responding to both Sony AV1 and AV2 IR Volume commands. So buying an AV1 remote would be futile. How about permanently disconnecting the TV Speakers by cutting the wires?

The reason I suggested using the digital connection was to avoid the TV volume control from controlling the output level to the receiver. The TV volume usually controls only the analog output level but not the digital output level.

Yes the mute display is usually a problem, which is why we have to use the menu method.
If you add the string of commands, to turn off the internal speakers through the menu, as additional commands at the start of the Activity that you use most, you can always start with that Activity;
so it's only a one-off set-up job and then the problem's solved.

I can try adding the command sequence to the beginning of my Watch TV activity, and just start with that activity every time. It is not a very elegant solution, and wouldn't allow me to start with a different activity, but I think I am running out of options. It sounds like I cant map the command sequence to a key press, and just press it once no matter the activity I start with, so this may be my only option.

I have considered cutting the internal speaker wires, but it is wall mounted, heavy, and doesnt look like the speakers are easily accessed, so I ruled it out.

I agree it's not elegant, and there's also the point that you wouldn't want it happening again if you went out of that Activity and back into it.
The solution to that would be to have an additional "StartWatchingTV" Activity that would be exactly the same as the "WatchTV" but with the extra commands.

You could break down the long sequence into smaller ones that you can learn in RAW mode each as a different command name. It will be much easier to learn a sequence if you have another learning remote. Then you could use the activity button sequence feature, or add these shorter sequences in the TV device Adjust Power Settings. It can take up to 6 commands including the PowerToggle command. This leaves room for 5 more commands. This will work only if the TV can accept commands just after powering on. You may have to sacrifice the entry just after the PowerToggle command to create a delay and that could be a problem. You may need to find a bogus command to act as a delay.

As it needs ten commands you can do it with two sequences and two key presses, which wouldn't be a whole lot more hassle than only one!
Definitely better than cutting the speaker cables, but my choice would be the Activity specially for starting a viewing session.
Just a thought:
You said that if you turn off the speakers in the menu they turn back on when you next turn on the TV, but if you turn the volume all the way down does it come back up again the next time you turn it on?

Yes, if I turn off the speakers in the menu they turn on the next time the tv is turned on. This is a known firmware issue with this model westinghouse. There is a firmware fix, but it requires unmounting my tv and shipping to WH - something I am not willing to do.

If I turn the vol on the tv all the way down to 0, it will stay at 0 when the tv is turned off and back on - but that doesn't help me because my receiver vol control also controls the tv volume, so when I vol up on the receiver, the tv vols up again. They aren't in sync, so eventually the tv's internal speakers get to full volume.

Yes I forgot that was the problem in the first place - how did you get around it before the Harmony?!

I'd settle for a "StartWatchingTV" Activity that turns off the internal speakers.

I never got around it - but now that I have a newer harmony one, I was hoping there was something I can do.

I will settle for the start watching tv actiivty.

.