Philips TV inputs, any solution!?
Hi guys, like the title says, is there still no workaround to properly launch an Activity that includes changing inputs on a Philips TV? I've read several comments, older ones, and I realize it's a known issue but I'm hoping someone came up with some sort of solution in the meantime?? Thank you.
Posted Dec 8, 2023, 1:54 PM UTC
16
I would think you could manually put in a delay of whatever length necessary (my Sony TV's take as long as 7 seconds) and then send a "set input" command. With these remotes you have to be crafty - send it, put in a one second delay, and send it again..
Hope you find a solution!
Thanks but the problem with Philips (when you add a Phillips TV, Harmony app even tells you that you won't be able to launch activities) is that the inputs aren't set, they are always rotating, per se, so whatever HDMI you set on your activity today, tomorrow Phillips will have changed it's position and Harmony doesn't keep up. I'm wondering if there's some old Philips model, a specific code for each HDMI...
How about this?
On EXIT, change the input to some value you will consider the "default" value, and then whenever you start an activity you will know where the rotation of inputs begins.
So let's call cable box input the default. If you're in Apple TV, and it takes 3 inputs to get back to cable box then put those in the EXIT commands for the Apple TV activity.
Then when you start Watch TV you will want zero input commands cause you're already there at the default.
I'm an I.T. guy who started with programming - so this stuff dawns on me. There are so many ways to skin a cat.
In my last attempt I've done something like that, setting the Harmony to scroll the correct number of times till the desired input, was convinced it would work but somehow it didn't. Now, a few minutes before I read your last comment I got to a similar conclusion: because I'm lucky to only use one TV input (I have an AVR where everything is plugged), what should work is select the Philips option: "go to the last input used" and simply tell Harmony to do nothing regarding inputs! Sometimes the most obvious solution is the hardest to reach. I will try it later. Still doesn't solve the problem for other people that use several tv inputs, I blame Google and that god awful Google TV SO, it seems no matter what one chooses, it insists in going to the Home Screen. If you add an app like Pluto or Sling, it will become a TV input, this is all fine, unless you use a universal remote. Concerning this Philips/Harmony issue, it's a long standing one, maybe you'll find better descriptions of it than the one I provided:
https://www.reddit.com/r/logitechharmony/comments/gau3ey/problem_with_input_selection_on_philips_smart_tv/
https://www.avsforum.com/threads/logitech-elite-with-hub-input-issues-with-philips-4k-tv.2947552/
The implementation of Google (Android) TV on my Sony TV's works better than you describe.
On each power-on yes the tv wants to go to Home, but it'll accept a direct "set input to HDMIx" command before I even see the home screen.
Aaah, that's a problem.
I won't buy Phillips cause I had to sue them years ago to get them to replace a $7k plasma tv that was under warranty.
I do like their dental products ;)