I can’t justify spending the money on the Logitech devices when they’re cloud connected, have no API and I have HA. Just wondering, what’s everyone doing nowadays?
I want something where I can use a remote to trigger automations plus control the TV and my AVR which is away in a cabinet. I was thinking of two ESP8266 (probably ESPHome) devices, one to receive IR (near the TV) and one to send (in the cabinet). To make the controls nice and family friendly I’m looking for something with physical buttons such as the ‘One4All’ remote range. What’s everyone’s thoughts/are there any better ideas out there? Can anyone recommend a cheap, good feeling, hardware button remote with all the right (relevant) buttons?
I could have automations that just repeat the received signal in the cupboard for compatible devices or translate some button presses to other things i.e. have the volume up/down buttons on the TV remote translate via HA and emit up/down commands in the cabinet that my AVR can understand. Other buttons could be used to trigger scenes.
Don’t know which Logitech Harmony device you mean, I’m using the Hub with a screen-less remote, and that uses a local API.
The only time you’ll need their cloud is for setting up your IR devices, but that’s a one-time setup.
The harmony hubs come with remote IR senders (they may receive too?) that can be positioned inside a cabinet away from the hub, for example. I have like 30 esp devices scattered around the house, and while I have thought about replacing my harmony hubs with one running esphome, I ultimately never do because they just work so well. I also use the companion remote because most of my automations trigger off of whether or not I’m watching TV: the companion remote ensures home assistant is aware of the state of the media devices in the room via the harmony integration.
Also, check eBay as you can easily find a used huh and remote for like $30-$40. At that price it is hard to beat.
If you take the Hub+Remote bundle (not the standalone remote), the remote sends commands via RF to the Hub and the hub sends out IR signals, so you won’t need line of sight between the remote and the Hub nor the remote and TV (only Hub-TV).
This is the back of a hub, you can even plug in 2 little senders, although I can’t remember if they included one or how long the cable is.
I’m fairly certain they receive too. And each hub can be used with two of them. So that’s three different IR I/o’s. The hub can also control devices over IP that support it. My Sony TV is controlled this way, so no line of sight is needed.
I replaced mine Harmony with HDMI CEC for normal daily use and HDMI CEC + Kodi + Home Assistant-Kodi integration for scenarios like start movie which includes steps: turn on TV/Change to correct input/ turn on avr/ correct put lights in correct setting. On the todo list is to close the blinds.
I`m using voice control (Alexa and Google) to start above and have no need for more. If Wife ask I would just use one of the Trådfri remotes I have lying around to be used with my existing zigbee2mqtt setup.
Hope this approach would work for you aswell.
I don’t even use my remote. My parents do though when they visit. Either way, the hub is all you need. You can put the hub anywhere. Just put it in the cabinet and point the IR towards the TV. Just don’t put anything in front of it. The alternatives are broadlink. If you go with broadlink, you have to build all the IR on/off logic whereas it’s built into the harmony activities.
EDIT: I should clarify what I mean with on/off logic. Harmony trys to figure out the state of your TV without actually knowing what the state is. You’d have to build that into HA if you go with broadlink. Harmony has assumed states.
I wouldn’t be able to point the hub at the TV, that’s the problem nor would I want to stick a blaster on the front of it. Shame though as it seems a pretty obvious omission; if the Companion remote had an IR transmitter I’d be sold.
Do you just control everything via smartphone? That wouldn’t sit well with the other half - part of the battle is making the whole setup easy to use when I’m not around.
It doesn’t matter which way you interact with the hub, via phone, remote or whatever, the hub remembers the state. So you can use both or neither, doesn’t matter.
The “mini sender” which connects to the hub is really small and just using it outside the cabinet will probably be good enough since they are strong enough that the TV will just pick up the reflected signal.
I just put an extra sender hanging behind the TV. It worked for me. I imagine the IR must be bouncing in the room and then gets picked up by the TV. I ordered the extra sender from Logitech spare parts. If you need one and I can send you one free of charge but if you live far away from me the shipping could be hefty
My wife said the same thing. Then I made a remote page on the HA app that’s way easier to use than the remote… Now, that’s all she uses. She hates using the remote.
And sorry for bringing this up again but to avoid confusion - my original suggestion was alternative to Harmony so no need for any pointing or receiver close the TV.
Isn’t that just the same as ESPHome’s ‘Optimistic’ state setting? (I use this with my blinds). I’m struggling to see what I’d be getting for £100+ vs a £20 ‘One for All’ remote plus D1 or similar with IR receiver and another with IR emitter. Those things do macros, have scenes & mixing etc and could be used to trigger automations.
Unless you have a TV that will accept either ultrasonic (a little outdated now!), Wifi or other RF to control it, the vast majority work on an IR receiver on the front of the TV, and therefore you have to have something that can send the IR signal where the TV can pick it up. You are limited by the remote control tech on the TV. I believe some TVs do have a remote IR input (with IR receiver and a cable) but then you’d need to replace the TV too! So you are stuck with something that has to send an IR signal to the TV, any remote control option (phone, Harmony or other remote) has ultimately to do this to control it.
Apparently my TV can be controlled via IP and HA has an integration for it (Sony). I’m not really bothered about controlling the TV via HA, it’s more listening for IR button presses and triggering automations, i.e. dim/brighten the lights, turn on/off other devices.
