User

12.12.2014 03:32:09

Alright, I've need digging thru the forums and can't seem to find or grasp an answer, but I am trying to figure out how to turn on or open Plex. I have the paid version of RB and successfully paired my remote to use my Harmony within Plex, once it's open. But I cannot figure out how to apply an "open Plex" command to one of the buttons (such as when I press the DVR button.)

Is this possible? Or do I manually have to open the Plex app? 
What I really want to do is have my Harmony automatically connect to the Mac and open Plex, but at this point, I'd be happy to just be able to open Plex with a hard button. 

User

03.01.2015 14:31:01

To hardwire opening Plex to a button:

1) go to Prefs > Mapping > Global mapping 
2) select the action Behaviouts > Activate Plex Behaviour for the button you want to hardwire this to 

User

03.01.2015 14:56:02

The thing is, I don't see an option to turn on Plex

Sent from my iPhone

 

User

04.01.2015 11:27:01

In step 2, when you click on the action for the button you want to assign this to, you'd select "Behaviours" and then the item "Activate Plex Behaviour" in the list that pops up.

If the Plex Mac app is installed, this item should be there. Is it not on your Mac? Or are you using the Plex web version? 

User

04.01.2015 17:46:01

Oh, I see now... I do have it installed and mapped to "DVR" as a universal command, but it doesn't open.

Sent from my iPhone

 

User

04.01.2015 20:04:55

Felix,

i have successfully activated the applications that I need to start following your tip, but how do I get an application to close once I open another application. for example. I open plea, then i would like to lose plea and open another application but by pressing the key for the other application.

How can i do this.

 

User

09.01.2015 15:40:01

Chances are you did not configure that button in the Harmony app on your iPhone in a way that the Harmony Hub also passes it along to Remote Buddy. The DVR button does nothing using the defaults supplied by the Harmony app.

Please see this FAQ for how to use all buttons on your Smart Control with Remote Buddy:

https://www.iospirit.com/support/faqs/remotebuddy/category/23/Hardware-Harmony-Smart-Control/entry/265/-/ 

User

09.01.2015 15:43:01

There is no automated way to close one application when opening another. What you can do, however, is create an action that

1) Quits the currently controlled app (whatever that may be at the point) 
2) Opens another app

To do that, you can create a new action that itself contains these two Behaviour Actions:

1) Behaviours > Quit currently controlled app 
2) Behaviours > Activate [App name] Behaviour 

User

11.01.2015 04:31:01

I'm sorry, but I am at a complete loss here. I have tried to map both "Activate Plex Home Theater Behaviour" or the home state under the Plex Home Theater settings on the left hand side menu under Mapping... Tried this for both DVR and EPG. Nothing happens.

While I can see this app is astoundingly robust, I just want to open Plex with a button push when I select "Remote Buddy" on my Harmony.

Can you walk me through this?

Sent from my iPad

 

User

11.01.2015 12:09:01

Please follow the steps at

https://www.iospirit.com/support/faqs/remotebuddy/category/23/Hardware-Harmony-Smart-Control/entry/265/-/

There's a complete, pictured walk-through of all the necessary steps when you click on "Show" next to "Unlocking all buttons of the Smart Control" at the end of that FAQ entry.

Without performing these steps, the Harmony won't send anything to Remote Buddy for presses of the Record, DVR, Guide, Info, Exit, Vol+, Vol-, Mute and E buttons. The Harmony also won't share the duration of button presses for the Rewind and Stop buttons, making it hard to use Rewind in some applications.

Since both DVR and EPG are among the buttons that Harmony won't send anything about to Remote Buddy with default Harmony settings, nothing happens when you try to use these two.

Once you have followed the "Unlocking all buttons of the Smart Control" steps in the Harmony app, the DVR and Guide (EPG) buttons should just work.

Alternatively, you could also map the actions to a button that Harmony sends button presses for with default settings - like the red button (in the red, green, yellow, blue row of buttons). But then you'd, of course, not be able to use the extra button, which can be really useful to have around.

Hope that helps. 

User

11.01.2015 16:00:02

I did this - 
I'll try it again. I'm hoping someone out there can help me through this because I am hitting a wall on getting Plex to start with ANY button (unlocked and shown per the directions below).

Again, I just want a setting where I select Remote Buddy on my Harmony and the inputs switch to the Mac Mini and Plex automatically starts.

Sent from my iPhone

 

User

17.01.2015 05:14:01

I have followed all advice, instructions, tips and hints.

No luck.

I'm beginning to sense this just doesn't work, because I am not finding an answer.

My Harmony Remote works with my iMac. BUT I have to manually start Plex with my mouse to use it.

Is there a way to start Plex with a button push? I've tried mapping, I have tried Global Mapping. I have tried behaviors. I've tried mapping to "Home" under Plex Home Theater in behaviors. I've tried mapping to Behaviors and Activate Plex Home Theater Behaviors.

Nothing turns Plex on.

Sent from my iPhone

 

User

20.01.2015 15:11:01

Have you tried selecting "Behaviours > Activate Plex Home Theater Behaviour" for f.ex. "Mapping > Global mapping > 5" and then pressing the button 5 on the remote?

If it doesn't work: is Remote Buddy running at the time?

Is Plex already running in the background?

Thanks in advance. 

User

21.01.2015 04:11:01

Plex is not already running in the background because I was hoping this would open Plex (start it running). I will try the behavior setting.

Thanks!

Sent from my iPad

 

User

24.01.2015 01:59:31

I have this exact setup (Harmony Ultimate Hub, Tablet with Harmony remote app, Mac Mini, Remote Buddy, Plex) running perfectly.

What Felix suggests is exactly how I set things up. A few things that could trip you up: 
- You likely want to make the button fire the Plex behavior on the global context in Remote Buddy. This way no matter what behavior is active, you can press this button and Plex will launch. 
- You may have to play around with the Harmony software some to see how the buttons map to the buttons defined in Remote Buddy (some of the names don't quite match because Remote Buddy has the button names for the physical Ultimate Remote, not the app)

You should not need Plex to be running in the background in order for Remote Buddy to launch it.

Last edited: 24.01.2015 02:00:56 

User

26.03.2015 12:46:30

Again, I just want a setting where I select Remote Buddy on my Harmony and the inputs switch to the Mac Mini and Plex automatically starts.

_____________________________________________________

Setup: Mac Mini, AV, Logitech Harmony, PLEX / XBMC

Felix,

Remote Buddy has been set up and as an ACTIVITY on Harmony (universal) as instructed. 
Unlocking all buttons of the Smart Control as been performed as well ..as instructed

If my ultimate intention, is to open PLEX (Movie/Music) or XBMC at the press of a single button, are you suggesting that I

1. Mac Mini must always be on 24/7 
2. Remote Buddy must be set to start up at login. 
3. Perform the following action on Remote Buddy - Behaviours > Activate Plex Home Theater Behaviour" for f.ex. "Mapping > Global mapping > 5" and then pressing the button DVR on the remote, assign it an unused button on my remote like DVR.

Now, once this has been done, is pressing REMOTE BUDDY and then DVR on my remote all I need to do? (which doesnt make it a single press really)

RobertI: Does pressing a single activity (Remote Buddy) on your remote automatically open PLEX?

Apparently, I saw somewhere the set up below on the remote control works,

Manufacturer: Microsoft 
Model: XBMC 
Device Type*: Media Center PC

OR

Manufacturer: Plex 
Model: Plex Player 
Device Type*: Media Center PC

Please help, I am having sleepless nights trying to get this solved.

Cheers

 
Last edited: 26.03.2015 12:57:20 

User

03.02.2016 21:41:39

I hope this isn't still an issue.

I think what you are referring to would be something that happens in the Harmony.

You have to edit the activity and add and additional command to the start up shut down sequence. Traditionally it will only turn each device in an activity on. But you can add additional button presses on any of the devices, you can also add timed pauses to help space out the commands.

You can also create a custom sequence as a button, for example I have a "TV to Projector" sequence. It presses the projector on button, waits for a few seconds (because it takes a while to kick in) then turns the TV off.

This save me having to remap all the buttons for my "mac mini" activity, for both the TV and Projector.

I used to have it set up with "watch kodi tv" and "watch kodi projector"

but that was a nightmare making sure i kept each activity identical.