Harmony 880 review and bounty for Linux
December 13th, 2006 by Paul CutlerAaron Bockover (creator and lead developer of my favorite music management software for Linux, Banshee, has a brief review of Logitech’s Harmony 880 up.
His review is spot on – this is the same remote I bought a few months back for my home theater. The range is fantastic, the activities are flawless in managing multiple devices at the same time, and Logitech does a good job of updating the software with IR codes. Within weeks of my DirecTV HD-DVR being released they had the codes ready to rock for the 880.
The Harmony has come a long way – the original 680 I had two years ago didn’t work worth a damn – it couldn’t control my TV / Video button on my 10 year old Sony tube TV. The 880 works flawless in controlling the 7 or 8 video modes on my new Sony SXRD.
Aaron also has offered up a bounty to get the 880 working on Linux:
So, I’m ready to donate a cash prize of US$75, which is about 1/2 the price of the 880 remote to the first person that can deliver on a Linux program that implements configuration syncing. Another US$15 if the program supports updating firmware on the device, and finally, another US$60 if the program allows OEM IR command learning. It needs to work with the 880 web-based configuration software of course. If all three features are implemented, I’ll essentially be reimbursing you for your 880 remote. I don’t really care about UI. A console program that does the job is fine with me. The code must be GPL, LGPL, or even better, MIT X11.
Other than transcoding video from AVI to WMV to stream through my Xbox 360 when I miss a TV show and have to download it, the Harmony remote is the last thing I use Windows for on one of my extra computers.
A Linux program to manage the 880 would just rock!
Posted in Hardware, Technology | 12 Comments »
December 13th, 2006 at 9:29 pm
I have the 890 which is the same remote, but with RF capability. The remote itself is pretty good, but I find the Windows software a bit frustrating and the Mac software did not work at all. I got it working in the end though and it is a pretty nice remote.
December 14th, 2006 at 12:48 pm
[...] Update 2: Paul Cutler has generously offered to match my US$75 prize for step 1. That is, if step 1 is completed, the total prize is now US$150. Completion of steps 2 and 3 leave the total possible amount at US$225. Start hacking – it’s probably a day or two of work for a full 880 reimbursement! [...]
December 14th, 2006 at 8:53 pm
[...] After my post yesterday discussing Aaron Bockover’s 880 remote and call for bounty, I reached out to Aaron and offered to match his first $75 with $75 of my own to help spur development. [...]
July 5th, 2007 at 7:31 pm
Phil told me he already contacted you, but just for posterity’s sake:
http://www.phildev.net/phil/blog/index.php?title=writing_a_linux_driver_for_harmony_remot&more=1&c=1&tb=1&pb=1
July 6th, 2007 at 1:15 am
Thanks Jeff! Yeah, I tried posting here before and explaining I’ve been working on a Linux utility to program Harmony remotes. Sadly the post got tagged as spam and not posted. Anyway, I do need help getting Logitech to cooperate, see the URL:
http://www.phildev.net/phil/blog/index.php?title=writing_a_linux_driver_for_harmony_remot&more=1&c=1&tb=1&pb=1
- Phil
July 7th, 2007 at 8:04 am
Yeah, my blog’s spam filter can be a little over zealous at times.
I’m glad to see all the interest in Harmony support on Linux!
July 7th, 2007 at 10:54 am
[...] days ago regarding his work on trying to get the Harmony 880 remote working on Linux. He had seen a blog post from late last year where I had added on to Aaron Bockover’s bounty to get Harmony support [...]
July 10th, 2007 at 2:22 am
I have a Harmony 655 and would also like to see a Linux driver for it. I’m sure the Harmony site said that one was coming, but I can’t find a current reference.
I believe that the Windows software is in Java, so you would think that it would not be that hard to convert it.
For now I have to resort to using a Windows PC.
July 29th, 2007 at 9:53 am
Thank You !
October 6th, 2007 at 6:42 am
Thank You !
December 15th, 2007 at 2:51 am
Thank You
December 23rd, 2007 at 8:40 pm
thanks