Harmony Remote on a PC

[QueBert]

Finishing up a HTPC for a friend, he has a Harmony 890 remote. Newegg didn't seem to have any RF blaster type device and I didn't want to have him order a whole remote just to get the transmitter. Best Buy has a Nyko PS3 remote that comes with a USB receiver. I Googled the hell out of it with no luck (I suck? no info? lol I dunno) Will this work if I plug it in a PC? The remote is cheap - as in cheaper than even the few stand alone receivers I can find. And I'm even having trouble finding stand alone receivers period. I know a lot of HTPC cases come with them built in, I don't believe this one does - NMediaPC 6000b. If it does, the specs don't mention it.

 

[nickbits]

I will try it tonight for you if you don't get a response by then.

 

[QueBert]

thanks nickbits, I'm shocked I can't find any info on this anywhere, seems like it would be a dirt cheap and easy to find solution to get a remote working on a PC. Even if it didn't work I would have thunk somebody would have still brought it up.

 

[XMan]

You usually have to add a "Windows Media Center PC" as a device in the Harmony setup. You can get one of the MS IR receiver pods and use it. Don't know of any universal RF HTPC remote receivers.

 

[QueBert]

Originally posted by: XMan
You usually have to add a "Windows Media Center PC" as a device in the Harmony setup. You can get one of the MS IR receiver pods and use it. Don't know of any universal RF HTPC remote receivers.

I don't see the MS IR receivers for sale anywhere, just ones that come with the Remotes. I meant to say IR blaster not RF. That's why I was asking about the Nyko one.

this would work wouldn't it?

 

[QueBert]

Pardon my ignorance here but I have a question about this, I'm looking at that IR Blaster I linked in my previous post. I can't find any info on it outside of what's on the page there. Maybe I'm putting too much thought into something simple but let me ask this. It has to be programmed with the Harmony software for each device, I know there's an MCE setting in the software, but are PC IR receivers universal as far as how they communicate with a remote? I don't know if this question makes sense. Basically, I had to put in models for his TV, Blu-Ray player, Receiver etc. I cannot find info if the one I linked to will work. I want to get his Harmony to control XBMC, I know how to set up and configure EventGhost, but I'm still unsure about this receiver. At $10 it's a GREAT deal, but I can't find out of it's MCE compatible, which I think it might need to be for it to be useable with the Harmony (880)

Also, one last question I'm trying to figure out if there would be any reason for me to tell him to order a receiver that can also send IR commands. I'm not coming up with any useful applications for it in my head, but maybe I'm not thinking about it in the right way. My neighbor was telling me I should go for it so I can have it send an IR to the TV to change the input for the HTPC, but I should be able to macro the Harmony to switch the HTPC on and turn the input on the Denon to the right one. Any real reason I should have him drop $50 on one that sends over $20 on one that just receives codes?

 

[dwell]

Just get a cheap MCE remote with receiver and throw the remote in the garbage. I got this:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16880121001

And it works fine with EventGhost/XBMC/Boxee/etc with my Harmony One.

 

[QueBert]

Originally posted by: Chris
Just get a cheap MCE remote with receiver and throw the remote in the garbage. I got this:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16880121001

And it works fine with EventGhost/XBMC/Boxee/etc with my Harmony One.

lol that's the exact one we ordered today oddly enough, 2 people told me it doesn't work well with Vista 64 and one said it lagged with his 880, but I got tired of looking for something else so I hope they were wrong.

 

[dwell]

Originally posted by: QueBert
lol that's the exact one we ordered today oddly enough, 2 people told me it doesn't work well with Vista 64 and one said it lagged with his 880, but I got tired of looking for something else so I hope they were wrong.

I had it running with Windows 7 64-bit with my Harmony One and didn't notice any lag or problems. Can't speak for Vista but I can't imagine why it would be any different.