Why doesn't Harmony create a combo IR/Bluetooth remote?

[the_r]

I know Harmony is working on an adapter for the PS3 to allow existing IR remotes to communicate with the PS3, but have they considered creating a combo IR/Bluetooth universal remote instead?

I'm not sure how that would work, but can't they simply have both IR and Bluetooth transmitters in the remote?

Have any of the universal remote manufacturers seriously considered this? Is it even possible?

What are your thoughts?

[brettallica]

Originally Posted by the_r

I know Harmony is working on an adapter for the PS3 to allow existing IR remotes to communicate with the PS3, but have they considered creating a combo IR/Bluetooth universal remote instead?

I'm not sure how that would work, but can't they simply have both IR and Bluetooth transmitters in the remote?

Have any of the universal remote manufacturers seriously considered this? Is it even possible?

What are your thoughts?

It is possible, because my DirecTV remote has that feature. I wish my Harmony One did; it's the one thing that I would knock about the One.

I'm sure in time, as home theater setups get more and more elaborate, Logitech (and other brands) will have this as more of a standard than a luxury.

[fatediesel]

It doesn't make sense to spend the money developing a Bluetooth remote when only one product uses Bluetooth. If they started coming out with more products with Bluetooth Harmony would probably consider a Bluetooth remote, but at this time it isn't cost-effective.

[brettallica]

Originally Posted by fatediesel

It doesn't make sense to spend the money developing a Bluetooth remote when only one product uses Bluetooth. If they started coming out with more products with Bluetooth Harmony would probably consider a Bluetooth remote, but at this time it isn't cost-effective.

There are situations where having multiple methods of communication are helpful, like in the example when you have several components of the same manufacturer in your setup. Such is the case in my setup, as I have two DirecTV boxes. One runs on IR and the other RF. If they both ran on the same IR, then they'd both turn on and respond to my remote's commands at the same time, which would be lame. I use my second box for PIP, so obviously I wouldn't want that.


Oh and to correct myself in my other post, I made a mistake. I meant to say that the DirecTV remote I have uses IR and RF together in one remote, not Bluetooth. My bad.

[fatediesel]

Originally Posted by brettallica

There are situations where having multiple methods of communication are helpful, like in the example when you have several components of the same manufacturer in your setup. Such is the case in my setup, as I have two DirecTV boxes. One runs on IR and the other RF. If they both ran on the same IR, then they'd both turn on and respond to my remote's commands at the same time, which would be lame. I use my second box for PIP, so obviously I wouldn't want that.


Oh and to correct myself in my other post, I made a mistake. I meant to say that the DirecTV remote I have uses IR and RF together in one remote, not Bluetooth. My bad.

I agree with what you're saying, but I'm just saying that Harmony isn't going to create a new remote with a technology they've never used before just so people can control one device.
I also don't understand why Harmony hasn't come out with a version of the One with RF. They've got RF versions for the 880 (890) and the 1000 (1100) but not the One. I'd like to get an RF remote for my bedroom but I don't like the design of the 890 or 1100 enough to replace the One.

[brettallica]

Originally Posted by fatediesel

I agree with what you're saying, but I'm just saying that Harmony isn't going to create a new remote with a technology they've never used before just so people can control one device.

You're right, and I agree. There really aren't enough devices out there that run on Bluetooth for this to be any sort of priority, at least that's how it seems.

Originally Posted by fatediesel

I also don't understand why Harmony hasn't come out with a version of the One with RF. They've got RF versions for the 880 (890) and the 1000 (1100) but not the One. I'd like to get an RF remote for my bedroom but I don't like the design of the 890 or 1100 enough to replace the One.

This is also puzzling to me. I hope they do come out with that, so I can replace my home theater One with the new One with RF...then just bring the old One upstairs for the bedroom where I don't need RF/IR in the same remote. I love my One so much.

[the_r]

Originally Posted by fatediesel

It doesn't make sense to spend the money developing a Bluetooth remote when only one product uses Bluetooth. If they started coming out with more products with Bluetooth Harmony would probably consider a Bluetooth remote, but at this time it isn't cost-effective.

Have we forgotten that the Wii is also bluetooth?

Add Wii and PS3 sales together, and I think that warrants consideration no?

[brettallica]

Originally Posted by the_r

Have we forgotten that the Wii is also bluetooth?

Add Wii and PS3 sales together, and I think that warrants consideration no?

That'd be sick if I could turn the Wii on with the One as part of its activity I have set for when it's time to play Wii.

[fatediesel]

You wouldn't be able to do anything with the Wii other than turn it on/off with a Bluetooth remote. Plus, you'd then have to grab your Wii controller which has a power button on it, so it's not really helping out much.

[brettallica]

Originally Posted by fatediesel

You wouldn't be able to do anything with the Wii other than turn it on/off with a Bluetooth remote. Plus, you'd then have to grab your Wii controller which has a power button on it, so it's not really helping out much.

This is true, but it'd be cool to get the ball rolling for when you're first firing up the system. But yeah, not a ton of help. If they were able to integrate keyboard features into the remote, that might help.

[Uniquely]

Better Question? Why didn't Sony just throw an IR receiver into a PS3 to begin with? The Wii......... I can understand the oversight since it doesn't try to market itself as a media hub and movie player..... but the PS3? Yeah.... should have been included.

I'm just sayin.... $1 IR receiver that Sony SHOULD have included VS. all the money we spend on workarounds.

[brettallica]

Originally Posted by robinandtami

Better Question? Why didn't Sony just throw an IR receiver into a PS3 to begin with? The Wii......... I can understand the oversight since it doesn't try to market itself as a media hub and movie player..... but the PS3? Yeah.... should have been included.

I'm just sayin.... $1 IR receiver that Sony SHOULD have included VS. all the money we spend on workarounds.

That's a valid question, but it is what it is at this point and we need to have workarounds due to the "oversight" of companies who do stuff like this. I put "oversight" in quotes because I know it wasn't truly an oversight, sort of like the iPhone not coming with the ability to do MMS.

[fatediesel]

I believe the reason Sony didn't put an IR sensor into the PS3 is because nobody had a Bluetooth remote out so if people wanted something other than the PS3 controller to control movie playback they would have to buy Sony's PS3 remote.

[the_r]

Originally Posted by fatediesel

You wouldn't be able to do anything with the Wii other than turn it on/off with a Bluetooth remote. Plus, you'd then have to grab your Wii controller which has a power button on it, so it's not really helping out much.

True. I never really thought of what you might be able to control on the Wii with a regular universal remote, but hey, there's gotta be SOME functionality aside from turning the Wii on and off. Or at least inspire Nintendo to create some kind of functionality. Who knows.

Anyways, I'm just saying, Logitech should've been all up on a combo IR/Bluetooth universal remote.

Think about how much we spend on a Harmony, plus those unsightly IR-to-Bluetooth adapters people have been buying?

Why not come up with a new remote, and charge it the price of say, an average Harmony remote, plus the cost of those IR-to-Bluetooth dongles.

I'm almost positive there would be a market for something like that, at that price range.

[Marine Mike]

Originally Posted by robinandtami

Better Question? Why didn't Sony just throw an IR receiver into a PS3 to begin with? The Wii......... I can understand the oversight since it doesn't try to market itself as a media hub and movie player..... but the PS3? Yeah.... should have been included.

I'm just sayin.... $1 IR receiver that Sony SHOULD have included VS. all the money we spend on workarounds.

I think that the reason was to help push Bluetooth technology and no so much worrying about the consumer.

[Uniquely]

Originally Posted by Marine Mike

I think that the reason was to help push Bluetooth technology and no so much worrying about the consumer.

It was a mistake though. I can't tell you how many people I have seen in the AV forums and blogs that I frequent, who refused to even consider the PS3 as a blu-ray player simply because it lacked IR support.

[Marine Mike]

Originally Posted by robinandtami

It was a mistake though. I can't tell you how many people I have seen in the AV forums and blogs that I frequent, who refused to even consider the PS3 as a blu-ray player simply because it lacked IR support.

I agree! I bought and created the IR4PS3 adapter kit for my Harmony remote. Before though I was just using the PS3 remote for it.

I think that they were trying to aggressively to push technology and trying to be the leaders. Though the problem was that there weren't anyone to follow, lol.