Hey Guys,

I just purchased a Harmony 520 and i have it setup to control my Mythtv HTPC through LIRC. Its running fine, except the only problem is when i hold, for example, the down button it only goes down one option. I would like for it to keep scrolling (like if you where to press the down button on a keyboard the option would keep scrolling down until you let go of the key) if i hold the down or up button the option only scrolls up or down only 1 time. Its very annoying to have to swcroll through all my movies and keep pressing the button over and over and over to scroll. Anyone have any idea on how to fix this problem??

Thanks everyone

This is a change that needs to be done to your remote programming ("behind the scenes"). Call Harmony support and speak to their level 2 support, ask them to check that the direction commands are using the HOLD action and not the PRESS action. In some cases, the command they have in their database is incorrect so you may need to learn the command and have them adjust it for you.

Don't put it off, you only have 60 days of phone support!

Does the scrolling work when you use the LIRC? I believe that the 520 is capable of learning commands from other IR remotes. Have you tried to teach the command into the 520 directly from the LIRC? If it's an IR-based command I can't see why you wouldn't be able to.

Teaching the Harmony isn't going to necessarily resolve the problem; it may, however the remote can emulate two types of signals and if the given command is set to send out the wrong type of signal then learning isn't going to do anything except exacerbate the situation. There's a PRESS action where the IR command is sent in a short burst as if you had pressed and released the button, and a HOLD action where the IR command is sent out for as long as a given button is held down.

I agree about the different types of actions. However, aren't the PRESS and HOLD actions command-dependant, not remote dependant? Volume and Channel commands would be an example, both having PRESS and HOLD functionality. In other words, if the OEM remote (in this case the LIRC) can perform both action types for a given command, why wouldn't the action be transferred to the learning remote? And why would the learning remote do one and not the other?
I've never programmed a 520 before, so I may be completely off base here. But I've programmed several 1000's and never run into a situation where an OEM command did not work when "taught"....as long as the transfer was done properly. Maybe I'm just lucky, I guess.

probably something i should have mentioned. LIRC is a package that allows you to decode and send infra-red signals of many commonly used remote controls. Its built to run on linux (in my case - MythTV). I have my Harmony remote emulating the Windows MCE remote control, because as far as i can see, its the remote with the most compatible buttons. If anyone can recommend a different remote control to emulate for a custom MythTV build, it would be very appreciated..Also When i control my MythTV setup, its the only time that i get this problem. Any other device works perfectly.

Sardo, you're probably just lucky then. The HOLD and PRESS designation is programmed behind the scenes by Harmony. If you press and release a command that is designated a HOLD action, it will of course function as if it were designated a PRESS action (because you just pressed and released so it was only "held down" for a short moment). If the software designates a key as hold then it's a hold, if it's a press then it's a press. Doing it your way may or may not resolve the problem; if it does then great, but if not Harmony support should be able to assist.

archer, wish I could give you some other suggestion. You're right, the Windows MCE remote is pretty compatible but obviously not in all cases.

I use the Harmony 670 for X-10 control of lighting. When I first set it up, I was dissappointed that the default soft buttons acted as you describe. Pressing dim would only send out a brief signal and the dimming was barely perceptable. For this device only, I mapped the dim and bright commands to volume down and volume up. It now works as expected. I'm not sure if this is practical in your situation, but it might help!

You're right, mapping the buttons elsewhere on the remote sometimes "fixes" the problem. It's worth a shot.

I've found that, in device mode, it's not possible to hold some commands, like the PS button in PS3 bluetooth converters. In the activity, it works fine.

It depends what's programmed behind the scenes. If the specific commands in device mode are set to PRESS type then holding to them won't do anything special. If they are set to HOLD type, then you can hold them and do as you please.