Harmony "One" and Panamax MAX-5400EX Discuss Harmony "One" and Panamax MAX-5400EX in the Home Theater | Audio | Video forum; Harmony "One" and Panamax MAX-5400EX I got a Harmony One universal remote control for Christmas but cannot seem to get it to control this power ...

**jagman** · **12-30-08, 04:39 PM**

I got a Harmony One universal remote control for Christmas

but cannot seem to get it to control this power conditioner. I have the Panamax set so the SAT receiver, PS3 and HD-A3 always get power, but I also have it configured so when I push the button on the left front part of the panel, the BFD goes on immediately, and then 5 seconds later (or 10 maybe?), the sub amp, integrated amp, HDMI switch and external video processor turn on. This is of course done to avoid the dreaded thump associated with turning on the BFD when the downstream amp is on. I also have it done this way becuase the BFD, HDMI switch and prosound amp are not remote controlled and thus pressing one botton turns them all on. Without the Panamax button being pressed, none of the units besides the SAT receiver, PS3 and HD-A3 get power. So... can the Harmony One universal remote control be programmed to "push" the button?

**jagman** · **12-30-08, 04:45 PM**

BTW, my integrated amp doesn't have a voltage trigger (but a receiver I'm waiting to get does!). If I had it so the new receiver, PS3, HD-A3 and SAT receiver have constant power, then having the Harmony One turn on the receiver could cause the receiver to trigger the rest of the power conditioner to turn on, which would in turn cause the equipment without remote controls to turn on (in the right order to avoid the thump). Having it set up that way would allow pressing one button on the Harmony One to turn everything on! The problem is I don't know when that receiver will be released so until that happens I'm stuck with the present situation.

One last thing. I already know the PS3 and Harmony One don't interact but I ordered a Blue Wave dongle to get at least partial functionality out of the Harmony One.

**Sonnie** · **12-30-08, 04:56 PM**

I think you are going to have to wait on your new receiver. I am not aware of anyway to push that button wirelessly with the remote.

**jagman** · **12-30-08, 05:03 PM**

That's my fear. Harmony has the codes for just about all the other conditions... but not this one. I can't find any info to suggest it can be controlled remotely.

**Anthony** · **12-30-08, 06:34 PM**

I have the 5100PM and an older version of the same. Both are trigger only (no IR). Sorry I didn't have better news. Good excuse to upgrade, though

**jagman** · **12-31-08, 02:17 AM**

No upgrading for me. I got this because of the tip Sonnie sent out from the Shack. Plus... I have good news. I got home from work and checked my owners manual for the integrated amp and sure enough it has d/c trigger for an accompanying amp

. My guess is their thoughts were someone might use the integrated amp as a pre/pro. I'll use it to turn on my power conditioner! Both units have 1/8" connectors on each end (the output on the integrated amp and the input on the power conditioner)... is it as simple as getting one wire with 1/8' male connectors on each end, plugging them in to the respective output and inputsand turning on the integrated amp? I've never used this feature but it seems pretty straight forward.

**Sonnie** · **12-31-08, 07:14 AM**

There ya go...

**Anthony** · **12-31-08, 07:27 AM**

That's the setup I've been using for a while now. Works great and no thumps.

Congrats and enjoy.

**jagman** · **01-02-09, 11:44 AM**

Well... good news and bad news.

Banks 1 and 2 in the Panamax are always on. Banks 3 and 4 turn on immediately when triggered on, and have a 10 second delay when triggered off. Bank 5 turns on with a 5 second delay when triggered on, and turns off immediately when triggered off. This ideal since I have the BFD plugged into bank 3 and the sub amp plugged into bank 5. So the way I have it set up, when I turn the receiver on, the BFD turns on immediately and the sub amp 5 seconds later. When I turn the receiver off, the sub amp turns off immediately with the BFD following 10 seconds later.

Beautiful... except for one small thing.

Bank 5 is designed for high current electronics (a receiver/amp and a subamp). Banks 1-4 are not for high current applications. In order for the receiver to trigger the turn on sequence and shutdown sequence, it has to have constant power. If plugged into bank 5, it won't have constant power. If plugged into either bank 1 or bank 2, it will have constant power, but it won't be plugged into an outlet designed for high current electronics (which might potentially limit dynamics). This seems like a design flaw to me. How can a receiver trigger the power conditioner's turn on and turn off sequence if the receiver is supposed to be plugged into one of the outlets that has to be triggered on? The only possible way to get around this is to plug the receiver into the current limiting banks 1 or 2. Again... it seems like a design flaw to me. I don't see a way around this

.

Anthony... do you have a receiver or are you using separates? If you have a receiver... I take it you also have to have yours plugged into either bank 1 or 2. Do you get the sense that dynamics are limited? My speakers (other than the sub) have a high pass filter set at 80Hz so my thought is the potentially limited current will be less of an issue than if I were running my mains full range.

**Anthony** · **01-02-09, 11:56 AM**

Hmm, I'd have to check. My amp turns on via its own 12V trigger, so it can be in the "always on" high current one. The sub amp is the only one on a triggered port. I will have to look again, it has been so long.

Also, I though I had some control over which ports were on and which were timed. Again, I will check this weekend and get back to you.

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