Harmony Hub: Add Voice Control to Your TV and Entertainment Center

The Logitech Harmony Hub, Part 1:

     

Control your TV, DVR, and Other Entertainment Components with Your Voice

If you have a Fire TV and Alexa, you've probably already played around with voice controlling it.  And you may have wished you could extend these voice-control abilities to your TV itself, as well as your other entertainment system components.  Well, what if I told you there was a way to add this voice control to your existing equipment?  Would you like to learn more?

Today, we're going to tell you just how to do that, using the Logitech Harmony Hub.  In Part 1, we're going to introduce you to the Harmony Hub itself, and talk about how it can enhance equipment you already own.  Later, we'll get a little bit deeper into setting up the Harmony Hub, as well as configuring it to work with your equipment.

What is the Harmony Hub?

The Harmony Hub is a small device that connects to your home wifi and turns your smartphone or tablet into a universal remote control. Additionally, once you activate the corresponding skill, it adds Alexa Voice Control abilities to your home entertainment system. So the Harmony Hub gives you BOTH universal remote and Alexa voice control abilities.

An Alexa Powered Smart Home (Smart Home Series, Part 1)

My Smart Home, Part I:
Powered by Alexa & The Amazon Echo

Alexa is Amazon's Voice Controlled Personal Assistant

Alexa is Compatible with a Plethora of Devices

  

After last week's article reviewing The Dash Wand, I received an email request asking me to talk a little more about Alexa and my own Smart Home.  So today, a new series begins, focusing on the Smart Home. We'll take a look at my own Smart Devices, and how they have changed my life for the better.

This series will begin with an introduction to Smart Devices, as well as an Introduction to Alexa, Amazon's software-based Personal Assistant. Alexa acts as the hub for my own Smart Home devices, and she adds the voice control component to them. Later articles will go into more depth about how to use Alexa, how to integrate various devices into your smart home, and how to use Alexa to tie it all together and make it simple to operate. (In fact, I would not have expanded my own stable of smart devices had I not fallen in love with the Echo's ease of use.)

If you'd like to be notified when new articles in the series are published,we recommend you subscribe via e-mail, using the box in the sidebar of this  blog, or follow us on Twitter.  (Facebook can be flaky at showing followers our posts.) Future posts in this series will include items such as Smart Outlets, Smart Thermostats, and Smart Light-bulbs.  Today's post will concentrate on Alexa, Alexa-enabled devices, and the Amazon Echo.

What is a Smart Home?

Many of us remember the voice-directed computers featured in classic science fiction. 2001: A Space Odyssey had Hal, and on Star Trek, Spock often called to the computer for help. And while neither Knight Rider's KITT nor the Jetson's Rosie have materialized yet, we have made great strides in artificial intelligence over the last couple of decades. In 2017, having a voice controlled home is no longer in the realm of science fiction, nor limited to the wealthy.

Simply put, a Smart Home is a home equipped with lighting, heating, and other devices that can be controlled remotely, usually by means of a computer or a mobile phone. A smart device is merely a single component of a Smart Home. Smart devices usually depend on a live internet connection to function.  Most can be controlled via wi-fi, even if you are not inside your house.

Today, you can buy devices with smart technology built in.  You can also buy accessories to bring smart technology to older devices.  You can find Smart Devices in all categories, from lighting to entertainment to security to appliances. Most devices come with some sort of app to use as a controller. Some devices also use hubs for communication. (We will be covering various smart devices and their capabilities in future articles in this series.  Again, if you have an interest in this area, you may want to subscribe to this blog, and/or follow us on Twitter, so you don't miss a single article.)

Many manufacturers are making smart devices. Some of the more common names in Smart Home Technology are Wink, Nest, Belkin We-Mo, TP-Link, Phillips Hue and Ecobee. Samsung is probably the leader in Smart Appliances, including refrigerators and washers, and is getting into the hub and lighting areas as well.

Most smart devices do not have built in voice control. To control the device, you must open an app on a phone, tablet, or computer.  That is where Alexa, and her Echo Family of devices come in.  Alexa is an easy and economical way to bring hands-free control to your Smart Devices.  Alexa brings voice control to your Smart Home and frees you from the apps.

What is Alexa, and What Can She Do?

Alexa is the name of Amazon's software-based Personal Assistant.  Alexa is not a smart device per se, but rather, can interface with a plethora of smart devices, including those made by other manufacturers.  In addition, Alexa powers Amazon's own array of smart home devices, which in turn, extend voice control to compatible Smart Home devices.

Tip: Convert That Old Computer to a Safer Internet Machine

Pre Windows 7 Machines are NOT SAFE for Surfing the Internet

Neverware's Cloud Ready is a Safer Alternative

If there's anything the recent ransomware attacks proved, older computers are just NOT the best choice for surfing the Internet.  Both Microsoft and Apple pushed users to upgrade their Operating Systems, due to security vulnerabilities that were currently being exploited.  Folks running Windows 10, and those who keep their Windows 7 systems updated had no worries.  The ransomware could NOT attack their systems.  However those running Windows XP and/or Vista were extremely vulnerable.  In fact, most viruses are designed to attack older operating systems and those that are not kept patched.

However, most older systems are unable to handle Windows 10.  Many users are stuck with 7, XP, or even (shudder) Vista, as their budgets do not allow for new machines.  Many people have older systems lying around they'd like to re-purpose for children or as spares.  Do you have to abandon all hopes of surfing safely with an older machine?  Heck no!  Neverware is here with a solution. It can convert that old computer into a much safer, Internet Machine.  Neverware will help you convert that dangerous old laptop into a Chromebook.