Reverse Engineering the Logitech Harmony • Hacker News Board

Re: Reverse Engineering the Logitech Harmony

#21

Post by antegamisou » Sat, Sep 19, 2020, 12:16 AM UTC

glenharris wrote: post #9

Hey y'all. I wrote the client/server/embedded software for the Harmony (technically the 'EasyZapper'(!) at first). It was the original 'two guys and a laptop' project. My mate Justin was the electrical/industrial/hardware/UI designer (although he will blame all the shitty software UI on me...). Happy to answer any questions. Glen.

Could you or Justin explain this?

https://twitter.com/Foone/status/1251462876029579264

Re: Reverse Engineering the Logitech Harmony

#22

Post by CawCawCaw » Sat, Sep 19, 2020, 4:05 AM UTC

mdaniel wrote: post #13

https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1251395931351609347.html is the URL I came to the comments looking for

Somehow it looks like the bot was not responding on twitter, but the unrolled thread was created.

Re: Reverse Engineering the Logitech Harmony

#23

Post by epda » Sat, Sep 19, 2020, 7:02 AM UTC

Really amazing deep dive. When mine did this I just bought a new battery. This does seems more fun though.

Re: Reverse Engineering the Logitech Harmony

#24

Post by Lammy » Sat, Sep 19, 2020, 9:50 AM UTC

antegamisou wrote: post #21

glenharris wrote: post #9

Hey y'all. I wrote the client/server/embedded software for the Harmony (technically the 'EasyZapper'(!) at first). It was the original 'two guys and a laptop' project. My mate Justin was the electrical/industrial/hardware/UI designer (although he will blame all the shitty software UI on me...). Happy to answer any questions. Glen.

Could you or Justin explain this? https://twitter.com/Foone/status/1251462876029579264

meme

n. (1)

A unit of cultural information, such as a cultural practice or idea, that is transmitted verbally or by repeated action from one mind to another.

Re: Reverse Engineering the Logitech Harmony

#25

Post by Lammy » Sat, Sep 19, 2020, 10:02 AM UTC

Foone is into such fun things, but I absolutely can’t stand how everything is “stupid”, “the dumbest thing ever”, “what were they thinking?”, etc. It must be exhausting to hate everything so much. It sure is exhausting to read about it.

Re: Reverse Engineering the Logitech Harmony

#26

Post by acydlord » Sat, Sep 19, 2020, 11:32 AM UTC

glenharris wrote: post #9

Hey y'all. I wrote the client/server/embedded software for the Harmony (technically the 'EasyZapper'(!) at first). It was the original 'two guys and a laptop' project. My mate Justin was the electrical/industrial/hardware/UI designer (although he will blame all the shitty software UI on me...). Happy to answer any questions. Glen.

How long did you stay on the Harmony team? I was a SME with these remotes and worked with the support team in Phoenix until they shuttered that office. I've still got one of the original remotes and early beta models of the H900 and the PS3 adapter in my collection.

Re: Reverse Engineering the Logitech Harmony

#27

Post by Grazester » Sat, Sep 19, 2020, 1:46 PM UTC

t0mbstone wrote: post #2

This is some proper hacking. It seems like the majority of stuff on Hacker News these days is just political crap, but this... this is good stuff.

Zeitgeist? It also seems like IT was viewed as more fringe. Now that it's more mainstream and part of our day to day lives it would cross over more and more into the political; whether it be surveillance using tech or the regulating of domestic or foreign tech companies.

Re: Reverse Engineering the Logitech Harmony

#28

Post by kelchm » Sat, Sep 19, 2020, 2:20 PM UTC

I’ve been using the Harmony devices for years, even back before Logitech purchased them.

The software is awful and has always been awful, but the hardware has been pretty consistently solid.

I really wish there was a way to run a custom firmware on these devices, particularly the Harmony Hub + Simple Remote.

Re: Reverse Engineering the Logitech Harmony

#29

Post by glenharris » Sat, Sep 19, 2020, 4:44 PM UTC

acydlord wrote: post #26

glenharris wrote: post #9

Hey y'all. I wrote the client/server/embedded software for the Harmony (technically the 'EasyZapper'(!) at first). It was the original 'two guys and a laptop' project. My mate Justin was the electrical/industrial/hardware/UI designer (although he will blame all the shitty software UI on me...). Happy to answer any questions. Glen.

How long did you stay on the Harmony team? I was a SME with these remotes and worked with the support team in Phoenix until they shuttered that office. I've still got one of the original remotes and early beta models of the H900 and the PS3 adapter in my collection.

Logitech bought us in 2004, I think I stayed on for about another 12-18 months or so. I would have finished up around mid-late 2005. I have a ridiculous collection of early Harmony Remotes that I cant bear to get rid of :-)

Re: Reverse Engineering the Logitech Harmony

#30

Post by glenharris » Sat, Sep 19, 2020, 4:45 PM UTC

kelchm wrote: post #28

I’ve been using the Harmony devices for years, even back before Logitech purchased them. The software is awful and has always been awful, but the hardware has been pretty consistently solid. I really wish there was a way to run a custom firmware on these devices, particularly the Harmony Hub + Simple Remote.

Justin could not agree with you more!