Estimated reading time: 9 minutes
If you want to control your infrared devices smartly, the Logitech Harmony Hub is one of the best options. In this article, I'll show you how to set up your Logitech Harmony Hub in Home Assistant and integrate your classic infrared devices into your smart home. With this integration, you can conveniently control everything from televisions to air conditioning systems via voice command or app - without the remote control.
For detailed instructions and an explanation of all configuration options, I recommend the YouTube video linked below. In this video, every single setting is explained in detail so that you receive comprehensive instructions for the exact setup. You can find any code from the video in this article so that you can use it directly without having to type it in.
Why connect the Logitech Harmony Hub with Home Assistant?
The Logitech Harmony Hub allows you to integrate infrared-based devices, which normally only work with remote controls, into your smart home network. Home Assistant offers a seamless way to control these devices and integrate them into your automations. The special feature: The integration of the Harmony Hub is directly in Home Assistant so you don't need any additional plugins or third-party software. You can easily connect multiple Harmony devices, such as the Harmony Hub, Harmony Elite and other models. This integration makes it easy for you to incorporate devices such as televisions, speakers or air conditioning systems that are controlled via infrared into your smart home system.
Step 1: Make preparations
Before you get started, make sure that you meet the following requirements:
- Logitech Harmony Hub - This must already be set up and connected to your WLAN.
- Home Assistant - The platform must be installed on a Raspberry Pi, a server or a virtual machine.
- Home Assistant integrations - Make sure that you have access to the Home Assistant web interface.
If you have not yet set up the Logitech Harmony Hub, download the Logitech Harmony App and follow the instructions to connect it to your network.
Step 2: Integrate the Harmony Hub integration into Home Assistant
Now it's time to integrate the Harmony Hub into Home Assistant. Proceed as follows:
- Open Home AssistantLog in to your Home Assistant web interface.
- Adding the integrationClick on "Settings" > "Integrations" and search for "Logitech Harmony". If you cannot find the integration directly, go to "Add integration" and search for "Harmony".
- FurnishingsHome Assistant will now ask for the IP address of your Logitech Harmony Hub. You can find this in the Logitech Harmony app under the hub settings. Enter the IP address and confirm the entry.
- Authentication: If necessary, you will be asked to log in with your Logitech account to authenticate the connection between Home Assistant and the hub.
- Find devicesAfter successful connection, Home Assistant automatically searches your Harmony Hub and lists all the devices you have paired with the Hub - from TVs to air conditioners.
- Add devicesNow select the devices you want to integrate into Home Assistant. You can control all devices that are connected to your Harmony Hub.
Step 3: Control your devices
Once you have completed the integration, you can control your devices in Home Assistant. Home Assistant displays the devices in the user interface and you can control them directly. For example:
- Control TVYou can switch your TV on and off or adjust the volume via Home Assistant.
- Control air conditioningIf your air conditioning is controlled via infrared, you can also conveniently switch it on and off or regulate the temperature via the Home Assistant interface.
Step 4: Create automations
One of the biggest advantages of Home Assistant is the possibility of Automations to create. You can now define rules that automatically control your infrared devices. Here are a few examples:
- Turn on the TV in the eveningYou can create an automation that turns on the TV when you get home or when it gets dark.
- Switch on the air conditioning if the temperature is too highCreate a rule that activates your air conditioning when the temperature in your room exceeds a certain threshold.
- Turn off the TV when you go to bedSet an automation that switches off the TV when you click on the "Good night" scene in Home Assistant.
The importance of devices vs. activities in Home Assistant
In the Logitech Harmony app, there are two main types of controls:
- DevicesThese represent the individual devices that you want to control (e.g. a TV, a speaker system or an air conditioning system). A device usually has specific control commands such as "On", "Off", "Increase volume" or "Change channel". In Home Assistant we prefer it, Devices because they are more flexible. Instead of starting an entire "activity" (e.g. "watch TV"), we control a single device, which allows us more precise and flexible automation.
- ActivitiesThese are actually "scenes" or "programs" in the Harmony App that control several devices at the same time. So when you start an "Activity" such as "Watch TV", several devices are controlled at the same time, e.g. the TV, the receiver and the speakers. But in Home Assistant we want to control the IndividualsThe aim is to directly control the individual devices so that we can better define the automations ourselves.
The harmony_REMOTENAME.conf File
The harmony_REMOTENAME.conf file in Home Assistant stores the configuration and settings for the various devices connected to your Logitech Harmony Hub. This file contains important information such as the Device names, Device types and Commandsthat Home Assistant can use to control these devices.
This file is automatically created by Home Assistant when you integrate the Harmony Hub. It contains the relevant details about the devices and their commands that Home Assistant can use to control devices. The file is located in the Home Assistant configuration folder.
Example of a harmony_REMOTENAME.conf File:
devices:
- id: "76805624"
name: "Samsung TV"
type: "tv"
commands:
- name: "Power Toggle"
command: "power_toggle"
- name: "Volume Up"
command: "volume_up"
- name: "Volume Down"
command: "volume_down"
- id: "76805625"
name: "Sonos Soundbar"
type: "audio"
commands:
- name: "Power Toggle"
command: "power_toggle"
- name: "Volume Up"
command: "volume_up"
- name: "Volume Down"
command: "volume_down"In this example, we have two devices:
- Samsung TV (with ID
75801231): The device you want to control, e.g. a TV. - Sonos soundbar (with ID
75801655): An audio device such as a loudspeaker system.
Each device has an ID, a name and a list of available commands that you can use in automations, such as "Power Toggle", "Volume Up" and "Volume Down".
Explanation of an example of how I control my ceiling lamp
Now let's look at your example for the Action to:
action: remote.send_command
metadata: {}
data:
hold_secs: 0
command:
- Power Toggle
- White
delay_secs: 0.6
device: "76805624"
target:
entity_id: remote.harmony_hub
action: remote.send_commandThis indicates that an action should be sent to the Harmony Hub to execute a specific command.metadata: {}In this case, no additional metadata is required, so this field remains empty.data:Here you define the actual command data to be sent.hold_secs: 0This means that the command is executed immediately without having to be held for a certain number of seconds.command:: The specific command to be sent is defined here. In this case, there are two commands:Power toggleThis command switches the device on or off, depending on whether it is currently switched on or not.WhiteThis is a custom command that is on the infrared remote of my original lamp and changes the color of the lamp to white.
delay_secs: 0.6This inserts a small delay of 0.6 seconds between commands to ensure that the first command is fully executed before the next one is sent.device: "76805624"This specifies the ID of the device to which the command is to be applied. In this case it is the Living room ceiling light with the ID76805624.
target::entity_id: remote.harmony_hub: This indicates that the action has been sent to the Harmony Hub which is sent in Home Assistant asremote.harmony_hubis known.
Through the use of Devices and the harmony_REMOTENAME.conf-file, you can specifically control individual devices and use precisely defined commands in your automations. This gives you more flexibility and control than using activities, which are difficult to implement in precise automations in Home Assistant.
Step 5: Set up voice control (optional)
If you prefer voice control, you can also Alexa or Google Assistant connect with Home Assistant. Once you have integrated the Logitech Harmony Hub devices, you can use voice commands to control your TV or air conditioning. Example: "Alexa, turn on the TV."
Step 6: Troubleshooting
If something is not working, there are a few things you should check:
- Check connectionCheck if your Harmony Hub is on the same network as Home Assistant.
- Check IP address: Make sure that the IP address is correct.
- Devices visible in the app: Make sure that the devices are correctly connected to your Harmony Hub and displayed in the Harmony App.
YouTube video implementation
Conclusion
The integration of the Logitech Harmony Hub in Home Assistant is an excellent way to make your infrared devices smart and integrate them into your automation system. With Home Assistant, you have full control over your devices and can operate them conveniently from anywhere. Whether you want to control your TV, air conditioning or other infrared-based devices, you'll see how much more convenient your everyday life becomes.
Logitech Harmony Hub-Devices supported in Home Assistant offer you a huge range of options. Use this integration to improve your smart home even further and enjoy greater convenience.
Give it a try and take your devices to the next level of smart home automation!
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