Harmony Hub - activities OK but?

Devices & Integrations
1

Hi,

I am controlling Harmony hub activities through ST.
But is there a way to control individual button presses for each Harmony connected device ?
For example, I would like to turn the volume of TV up.
Is it possible ?
with some other device handler maybe ?

2

If harmony considers a device “home entertainment” then there’s no way outside of activities to control it.

“Smart home” devices can have more individual control.

3

So you say…

but here is an app which can do that through a .Net app:

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4

so it seems possible through Harmony API
but ST integration of Harmony is missing this feature.
I believe a good developer can write a device handler.

5

If you have Echo/Tap/Dot w/Alexa you can use voice for Activities and volume/mute/play/pause, etc. Load the two Harmony skills for the Alexa.

6

At one time I used a volume up activity, then had CoRE run the TV activity automatically after it saw the volume activities trigger.

Something like that.

7

the problem with activities is that Harmony only activates one activity at a time.
So for example if I set a TV volume up activity it turns off other activities.
And you can not call “turn on TV volume up” twice (or more)

8

I believe, you can set the power options so it will not turn the TV off when switching activities.

Yes you can not call the same activity. I programmed mine so it would volume up twice during each time I activated it.

So for example:
I would tell Alexa (or push button in smartthings) Turn on "make louder"
Harmony would switch to that activity, volume would go up by 2.
Core would see the “make Louder” activity ON.
Immediately switch back to TV activity with no intervention.
If it wasn’t loud enough I would do it again.

This was a while ago, so not sure if it still works? Just know this is what I did. Now Alexa has the ability to change volume so I probably could remove this.

I do not watch / use the TV much. I recently got the hub and really haven’t finished setting it up. (Work and all). My wife uses the TV 90% of the time. She still just grabs the remote. She has issues getting Alexa to do things for her. So she just avoids that route. (Usually operator error, not Alexa itself)

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9

I find with smartthings and all the devices in the IOT world. You have to sometimes get creative and form work arounds to achieve your goal.

The different manufacturers don’t really work together and why should they? So there usually a way you just might have to take the long path vice the obvious one. Then teach yourself new habits to utilize your toys via the new path.

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10

Thanks. I will try as you suggested.
But I understand that Harmony API supports individual commands (apart from activities)
So it would be easy to make a better integration between ST and Harmony.

11

how do you do that ?
there is an option to “never turn off tv” and “turn off when not in use”
is there any option to stop turning off between activities ?

12

I believe it’s the never turn off. I think a power off still turns off the TV.

I won’t be able to look at my harmony stuff for a while. I’m on a loooong string of days where I’m working.

13

If you look in these threads you’ll find more information, it’s where I found some of the ideas I set up.

14

Must not be too easy or it would already be done.

Just saying!

15

I scanned the Harmony public API last night when I saw this thread. Just from a quick scan, that functionality was not listed as being exposed. The only functionality I saw in the API was what ST currently is capable of doing.

So, you’re probably right in that it’s not that easy.

16

thanks for all the answers.

actually the best choice for me isthe new Alexa skill which is able to turn up/down volume and channels.

But I also have difficulty in that. For some reason the Harmony app does not recognize TV providers inmy country and it redirects me to setup favorites manually. I set them up manually but then Alexa does not see these favorites.
IT rejects to link my account.

Guess I have bad luck today :frowning2:

17

@mrmrmrmr
Theese are power options for a device

18

You don’t have to setup favorites, unless you want to. As far as volume goes, if you also have a Harmony remote you can use that to control volume. Or the Harmony app in your phone

19

ok but if I select this , I won’t be able to turn off TV from Amazon Alexa, or SmartThings, am I wrong ?
because in that case it will not turn off TV even if I turn off TV activity ?

20

It will. I am doing it myself. I actually have 2 hubs, both controlled by Alexa, one directly and one through ST

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