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+--- Thread: Control Chromebox w/ Harmony Smart Control (/showthread.php?tid=228022)
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Control Chromebox w/ Harmony Smart Control - mpednault - 2015-05-27
Can I configure and set-up my Harmony Smart Control for controlling my Chromebox that has KODI (OpenELEC) on it without the need for additional hardware such as the media center receiver unit? Since the Chromebox has Bluetooth built-in I'm hoping to use that as the peripheral for my Smart Control to control KODI. When I configure the device in the MyHarmony Smart Control program on my Windows 7 PC and set the KODI-box to :OtherPC" it won't control it. I haven't tried anything else and am hoping someone could give me a step-by-step guide on how to go about setting it up. Thanks!
RE: Control Chromebox w/ Harmony Smart Control - Tinwarble - 2015-05-27
Yes, you can. Just set it up as a "WindowsPC" device in the Harmony setup for the Chromebox.
I don't have time right now to go into a detailed "how-to" at this time, but you should also install the Keymap Editor to easily change button commands.
RE: Control Chromebox w/ Harmony Smart Control - mpednault - 2015-05-27
Doesn't work. How do I pair it as a Bluetooth device? Won't I need to go into OpenELEC to pair it? How do I boot into OpenELEC?
RE: Control Chromebox w/ Harmony Smart Control - Tinwarble - 2015-05-27
Yes, you need to pair it.
Not sure what you mean about how to boot into OpenElec? If you have OpenElec installed and it boots into Kodi, then that is OE.
To pair it you need to do that in the OE Configuration. In Kodi select Programs, then select Openelec Configuration, scroll down to Bluetooth. You should see in the right plane "Harmony Keyboard", select it, then select "Trust and Connect".
RE: Control Chromebox w/ Harmony Smart Control - mpednault - 2015-05-27
Sorry, my terminology is terrible since I'm so new at this. I couldn't find where to pair a BT device in KODI. Thanks! i'll give that a go.
RE: Control Chromebox w/ Harmony Smart Control - mpednault - 2015-05-27
Still no luck. I managed to pair the Harmony with the Chromebox as you mentioned but absolutely none of the buttons on the Harmonay Remote do anything. I know I can map custom buttons, but I thought at least a few of the buttons would work from the start...
RE: Control Chromebox w/ Harmony Smart Control - Matt Devo - 2015-05-27
program the Harmony as Microsoft Media Center Extender, then tweak as needed
RE: Control Chromebox w/ Harmony Smart Control - Tinwarble - 2015-05-27
Are you sure you added it as a Windows PC (Add device / Computer / Windows) and not "Other".
At the least you should have had up/down, left/right and OK working.
RE: Control Chromebox w/ Harmony Smart Control - jrochet - 2015-06-20
ha ha, oh boy. I am with mpednault on this - Harmony Smart Control's setup process is exceptionally difficult and seems to just not work.I've done the setup from the Android app, and then again via USB from my PC and so far all I managed to do what hit an unknown command once from the remote that caused a video to start going in slow motion and then fail.
If I can get through this I will post back HTH I got it done.
RE: Control Chromebox w/ Harmony Smart Control - Matt Devo - 2015-06-20
I'll be setting up one of these for a friend this weekend, will post and add config notes to the wiki afterwards
RE: Control Chromebox w/ Harmony Smart Control - knives of ice - 2015-06-20
i've done this so many times now the EASIEST and fastest way i've found is to
add it as a windows PC. - i have found it is easiest to actually use the harmony phone app to do this the computer application is far too complicated and confusing.
then on kodi
connect with bluetooth - choose connect and trust.
then use the keymap editor addon to make any button on your hamony smart control or ultimate do whatever you want. this is so much easier than trying to program via harmony's setup since many of the commands for kodi aren't there. the keymap editor add on is in the kodi add on repository and if you need a temporary remote till you get it paired just use a smart phone kodi app. use the harmony smart phone app to put the remote in pairing mode just hit edit, then select the activity you created for windows pc then hit connectivity which is the last option to enable bluetooth pairing.
after you are paired choose run keymap editor and choose global settings. now you can make any button on your remote do what you want it to. then just remember to save when exiting the editor.
i have my remote customized perfectly now. i can hit the yellow button and run artwork downloader. i can hit 1 on the number pad and run a video scan, 2 will clean the library. my dvr button takes me directly to system settings in kodi.
there is no better remote than the harmony remotes with the hub for the chromebox IMO.
RE: Control Chromebox w/ Harmony Smart Control - knives of ice - 2015-06-20
well, if you are having trouble getting the remote to pair via bluetooth it looks like a harmony hub auto update broke things recently.
i have been going insane trying to repair my remote, it is usally so simple but reading the harmony forums others are having similar issues.
RE: Control Chromebox w/ Harmony Smart Control - jrochet - 2015-06-20
Thanks for both replies since mine. I decided to step away for the night and will go back at it. I have keymap editor installed and do have the hub paired to the Chromebox. Oddly, 1st time I paired it, I did Trust and Connect and it worked, showing the hub as "Harmony Hub". Then after some time passed and messing around, I looked again in Bluetooth settings (in Kodi OpenELEC) and I found it was disconnected. So I did a Trust and Connect again and this time it connected successfully but showed it as "Harmony Keyboard", which seems to be what others see.
I did find that my remote and hub were disconnected, and using the smartphone app, re-sync'd them (forget the term), and it took 4 tries to succeed. Later I went back in and looked and the remote and hub were disconnected again, but this time it only took one try to get them connected.
Based on your 2nd post Knives of Ice, maybe my problem is that my remote is so new that it came with updated software that has the issues. I'm tempted to just return it, but since you and so many others love it so much, I'm sure that I'm missing out on it being setup well. I do hate "Activities" and would rather just have a button to cycle through the different devices that I want to control. Not power them off and on and hope that all 3 devices get the command.
TV + sound bar + STD and TV + sound bar + Windows PC (Chromebox) both ended up falling victim to different things shutting off and powering on, and once that happens, you're screwed and have to use another remote or go press buttons to make them all on or all off.
RE: Control Chromebox w/ Harmony Smart Control - knives of ice - 2015-06-20
(2015-06-20, 16:51)jrochet Wrote: Thanks for both replies since mine. I decided to step away for the night and will go back at it. I have keymap editor installed and do have the hub paired to the Chromebox. Oddly, 1st time I paired it, I did Trust and Connect and it worked, showing the hub as "Harmony Hub". Then after some time passed and messing around, I looked again in Bluetooth settings (in Kodi OpenELEC) and I found it was disconnected. So I did a Trust and Connect again and this time it connected successfully but showed it as "Harmony Keyboard", which seems to be what others see.
I did find that my remote and hub were disconnected, and using the smartphone app, re-sync'd them (forget the term), and it took 4 tries to succeed. Later I went back in and looked and the remote and hub were disconnected again, but this time it only took one try to get them connected.
Based on your 2nd post Knives of Ice, maybe my problem is that my remote is so new that it came with updated software that has the issues. I'm tempted to just return it, but since you and so many others love it so much, I'm sure that I'm missing out on it being setup well. I do hate "Activities" and would rather just have a button to cycle through the different devices that I want to control. Not power them off and on and hope that all 3 devices get the command.
TV + sound bar + STD and TV + sound bar + Windows PC (Chromebox) both ended up falling victim to different things shutting off and powering on, and once that happens, you're screwed and have to use another remote or go press buttons to make them all on or all off.
well, it may take some time for your to setup your activities correctly but it is worth it. the harmony remotes make controlling a bunch of different devices and changing inputs so easy. if you don't want your devices to shutoff it is easy to stop them from doing so you can change the setting in the harmony software for them to stay on when changing activities.
RE: Control Chromebox w/ Harmony Smart Control - jrochet - 2015-06-21
I will take advantage of the 30 day return policy and try to get it going. For now I managed to get my MXv4 IR working perfectly. The back and info buttons on that remote seem to be set in stone only for the stb. The Kodi wiki's keyboards controls page being open while programming the remote with Flirc makes that process really easy.
Anyway will report back with the Harmony results.