Harmony 890 Advanced Universal Remote Reviewer’s Guide
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From the home page, select
Add an Activity
, and then
Add One Activity
. From the
displayed list, choose the primary activity listed that is closest to what you want – for this
new activity, we’ll choose
Watch TV
.
At the next window, select
Custom
, which asks you a series of questions about which
devices you want to use for this activity. When you're done answering the questions,
return to your home page and rename the activity by clicking
Customize
, and then
Rename
. You can also set up the buttons on the controller to give commands to the
various devices in this new activity. For example, you might want some optional controls
for the TV, such as picture-in-picture. You can define which buttons on the Harmony 890
refer to these and other functions, and you can also add additional custom soft buttons
on the remote’s screen. Once the new configuration is downloaded into the remote, you
can access the new activity like any other. Then it’s just one click of the custom
Background TV
activity button to achieve video and music play back at the same time
and keep every member of the family happy.
8. Frequently Asked Questions
What types of devices can be controlled by the Harmony 890 remote?
The Harmony 890 remote can control most types of devices that come with an infrared
(IR) remote control. It is also capable of extending the capabilities of conventional
infrared control by being able to send IR codes via another wireless technology called
RF.
What's the difference between infrared and RF wireless technology?
Infrared signals are actually light pulses that are too low in frequency for human eyes to
see. Like any other beams of light, infrared signals are directional, and can be blocked
by obstacles. RF wireless technology works on the principle of radio waves. They are
not directional and not affected by obstacles, so people don't have to point RF remotes
at the components they want to control, and the signals can travel through walls, floors
and cabinets.
Does the Harmony 890 send RF or IR signals to control my gear?
It sends both. The infrared signals can control equipment in the same room, within the
remote’s line of sight, but the 890 can also send the IR codes via a wireless RF stream
to components hidden behind closed doors or in other rooms in the house. An RF
Wireless Extender receives the RF signals, and then translates them back into IR codes
that the equipment can understand. The RF technology being used at this time is based
on the Z-Wave standard.
On which frequency does Z-Wave operate on?
Z-Wave uses the 900 MHz frequency band. This band was chosen because it has a
range that's approximately 2.5 times greater than the 2.4 GHz frequencies used by
common household cordless phones. By working within the 900 MHz range, Z-Wave
networks not only offer longer-range operation, but aren't subject to interference from
cordless phones and Wi-Fi home networks.
What is the Logitech RF Wireless Extender?
The Logitech RF Wireless Extender is an example of what is sometimes referred to as a
“bridge receiver” – it takes an RF signal and converts it to IR commands. On its own,
each RF Wireless Extender will command up to eight devices through its own IR emitter
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