Harmony: To IR Blaster extend or not

Wondering what everyone does with their Harmony IR. Are you using the built in IR blaster in the hub or using the extenders?

Both, Hub is controlling a projector and screen, blasters are controlling the media cabinet devices.

1 Like

I’m using the hub and one extender right now… but that area of my house is completely dumb besides the Harmony.

Depends on the positioning and installation of your devices. I have two hubs. The one in the living room is controlling a bunch of stuff that’s wall mounted behind the TV. The hub sits on top of the A/V equipment. I had to use the hub and both extenders and experiment with positioning to find places that worked for all of the devices back there. The hub in the master bedroom controls a few things that sit on top of a dresser, below the TV. I tried using just the hub but since there’s nothing for the signals to reflect off of it wouldn’t work for all of the components. In this case, using the extenders looked tacky and they were in the way because of how everything sits. I ended up moving the hub to the opposite wall across the room from the TV, and since it now has a clear view of all of the components, no IR extenders were necessary.

1 Like

1 Extender:

XB1S one get the extender right up to the ir receiver window.

The HUB covers TV, AVR1, AVR2 and PJ

It also controls Wii, PS3 and a Roku 2 but I believe those might use Bluetooth and/or Network…

1 Like

Using both Harmony HUB extenders as well as an IR Repeater System - Hidden IR Control System for Home Theater Infrared Extender System Kit, Black for non RF OEM remotes that I use from time to time to control my entertainment devices that are behind closed doors from the outside.

2 Likes

I think it’s just a matter of what works. We use the harmony hub to control most of the home theater equipment, but there’s one HDMI splitter which is on the opposite side of the TV from everything else and just doesn’t work reliably with the hub only. So we use one of the IR blaster’s and run it behind the TV so it’s right next to that particular device. Then everything works fine. :sunglasses:

1 Like

My issue is reliability. I only use the hub. I’ll go many days with with it working perfectly. But then I hit spells where it’ll take 3-4 times to get my tv to turn on. Same exact placement. Don’t know if that’s a software issue or placement or the hub itself.

Does anyone know where the blaster actually is on the hub? On top?

There are 6. :sunglasses:

1 Like

wow. so it sounds like a problem with the Harmony/Echo integration. Unless the hub itself is malfunctioning.

1 Like

One way to test if your hub is sending the IR signals every time you send a command is to view your hub through a digital camera (smartphone camera will work). You will see the IR LED’s faintly light up when an IR signal is being transmitted.

1 Like

I’m using the IR blaster that comes w/the hub due to an issue w/a blackout shade on a window across from the TV.

When the shade is down it is non-reflective enough that the hub IR signals don’t bounce back well to my TV (other devices continued to work fine). I added the IR blaster right below the TV’s IR receiver and then control over the TV worked fine again.

1 Like

What I have noticed is that when the harmony fails to perform the action, the green LED on the front of the hub doesn’t blink. Seems it’s blinks when it ms successful. Assuming this is a problem with integration.

How do you have this configured (plugged in) with your hub? Are you taking 1 port out of the hub then using a 2.5 to 3.5 adapter and running that into the repeater?

I have my hub in the living room and I run the mini blaster with a couple extensions through the wall to my garage. The mini blaster signal in the garage is horrible, so it has to be positioned JUST right to reach the tv. Requiring a cord to be laying across my garage floor.
Also, when controlling the tv or cable box in the living room, it will also start changing things in the garage sometimes and vice versa. If anyone has some tips for that, I’d love to hear them.

Hi all

I need some help here.

I have a sony projector, sony ps 4, samsung DVD player ( may not use it), Denon receiver, and Harmony Hub and Amazon Dots. So my equipment will be behind the wall. Projector will be on the ceiling. From my understanding is hub has to stay by the equipment behind the wall, then feed through with an IR blaster to the media room. Now the IR blaster won’t be close to the projector. So I don’t think when I start the activity, it won’t turn on the projector.

I tried it with my hub in the family room where all equipment is in the cabinet with IR blaster out. The blaster is not near the TV, so TV doesnt power on and power off. The only way I was able to control the TV is through my Harmony remote. I changed the setting to assign TV with remote only, I was able to tell Alexa to turn on TV. It will turn on TV, soundbar, and dim the light. For movie activity, it will turn off the light, turn on my 4k player, and change input to the right one.

What can I do to keep my function the same, voice control via Alexa while hide all my equipment behind the wall in my media oom. I know if I just use the Harmony Touch remote, it probably will work with one touch function, but that doesn’t work with Alexa. Without Alexa it is less Ironman ha.

Any help or suggestion would be greatly appreaciated.