By Troy Petersen // Global Product Marketing Manager, Gaming on May 12, 2009
96 Comments
+ 26 Replies
Hi again everyone. I’m happy to be able to tell you (finally!) that the Harmony Adapter for PLAYSTATION 3 will be available in the next few weeks in North America, is coming any day to Australia, and will be available in Europe in July. Thanks for the many great comments and questions you posted in response to my March 20 blog post. Let me respond to some of them as succinctly as possible…
How much?
$59.99 suggested retail price
How does it work?
In short, the adapter takes an infrared (IR) signal from your Harmony remote, and then transmits a Bluetooth wireless signal that commands the PS3.
Can I use it to control other components that use Bluetooth wireless technology, such as the Wii game console?
No – in a nutshell, the adapter speaks a Bluetooth language using hardware and software that is specific to PS3, in the same way that Sony’s game controllers are specific to the PS3.
How is it powered?
The adapter runs off of an independent AC power plug (wall). We considered USB, but we didn’t want the adapter to use up one of your valuable USB ports. And if it did, you wouldn’t be able to power on the PS3. We also thought about using batteries, but we didn’t want to subject you to a frustrating troubleshooting exercise when it ran out of juice a year from now (I’d probably forget it had batteries by then). Once you plug it in, you won’t have to think about it anymore.
Which remotes will it work with?
Any Logitech Harmony remote. This adapter allows your Harmony remote to control the PS3 just as it would any other AV component (cable box, TV, DVR, etc.) in your entertainment system. You will have access to special commands we’ve created through your Harmony online account, including a power-off macro that allows you to turn off the PS3, along with your entire entertainment system, with a single button. It is NOT designed for use with other remote controls.
Why not make a remote with Bluetooth built in?
We’ve certainly looked into it – but we don’t want to make our existing Harmony users buy a new remote for PS3 control, nor do we want to restrict this control to a single Harmony model. With the adapter, you can use any Harmony remote you’d like.
Last, here’s a setup tip to keep in mind once you get the adapter and go to update your Harmony remote via your online account: If you’ve previously added a PS3 device to your account, remove it and then add it back as a new device. This will give you all the new codes and controls you need for the PS3. We’ve created what we believe is a good default button configuration for you. But if you’re like me, you’ll want to spend some time tweaking the buttons to perfectly suit your own tastes and your own unique setup. Then it’s off to the couch to enjoy your Blu-ray HD experience. Enjoy!
Related Reads:
- Logitech’s Harmony Adapter for PS3 arriving soon (CNET)
- Logitech Harmony Adapter for Playstation 3 — official, real, and in our hands (Engadget)
- Logitech Harmony PS3 Remote Adapter Review (Gizmodo)
- How To Use Your Universal Remote With Your PS3 (Kotaku)
Update (September 23, 2009)
Hi everyone,
Thanks all for your continued feedback.
We’ve been able to reproduce the issue that some of our customers have reported when using game controllers in combination with our Logitech Harmony Adapter for PS3. The issue exists in only the first batch of Harmony adapters we manufactured — the product that we’re currently producing works as expected.
The behavior is that the game controller loses its connection to or may fail to connect to the PS3 when the Logitech adapter is connected. These issues are most often seen with the new PS3 Slim, but we have also observed inconsistent behavior with the original PS3 and recent Sony firmware updates.
If you are experiencing similar behavior with your game controllers and our Harmony adapter, more information is available here.
Thanks for your patience, Troy
Tags: adapter, Harmony, playstation, ps3
(Average: 4.00 out of 5)
96 Comments + 26 Replies Add your own comment >>
Johnny | May 12th, 2009 at 3:45 am
I have been looking forward to this gadget, when will it be available in EU?
tpetersen | May 12th, 2009 at 11:59 am
Hi Johnny,
It will be available in Europe beginning in July for 59.99 euros.
-Troy
Jure | May 12th, 2009 at 5:04 am
Awesome… July can’t come quick enought.
Angel | May 12th, 2009 at 5:13 am
Hi there,
When will it be available in Switzerland and what will be the price?
Best regards and keep up the good work
Angel
ben | May 12th, 2009 at 5:21 am
can you play games with it too?
tpetersen | May 12th, 2009 at 11:59 am
Hi Ben,
Like all remote controls for PS3, it won’t be recognized within games. However, when you’re not in a game, you have access to all the same controls as a standard PS3 game controller. With your Harmony remote and the adapter, you can navigate the system with ease, do things like scroll through and play music files and videos, and of course, control DVDs and Blu-ray movies.
-Troy
ap | May 12th, 2009 at 5:23 am
Where can I pre-order this?
exilschwabe | May 12th, 2009 at 5:54 am
Great. Just today i started looking after such a device. Point in time!
freemantim | May 12th, 2009 at 6:16 am
Awesome! Can’t wait to get this!
spacedsnake | May 12th, 2009 at 7:13 am
Logitech should make the IR command available for other Remotes as well. They would sell a whole lot more of them.
WhyNotV2 | May 12th, 2009 at 7:52 am
No RF? I have to attach one of the IR sensors from the extender to the front of this $60 device? I love Logitech and buy Logitech products whenever I have the chance because they are the best and they rarely do things halfarsed. I’m believing that no built-in RF and having taken so long to develop this device is one in that low-populated column.
tpetersen | May 12th, 2009 at 12:00 pm
Hi WhyNotV2,
There are a few ways to use the PS3 adapter with an RF Harmony remote. You could place the PS3 adapter within line of sight of the remote control – all the RF remote models also emit IR. Alternatively, you can place the PS3 adapter behind the RF extender’s IR emitter cable. OR, if you’d prefer, you can use a 2.5 mm to 3.5 mm cable (male to male) to connect a port on the PS3 adapter directly to your Harmony RF extender. You can find such a cable online or at your local electronics store.
-Troy
anony | May 12th, 2009 at 8:13 am
Looks like this adapter is up over at Amazon, and exclusive to them. At least right now…
Chris | May 12th, 2009 at 8:15 am
Bestbuy’s website is saying available 5/27-6/9. Does that sound about right? I’m ready for this device as well! Been looking at purchasing a device like this for quite some time. Glad I haven’t yet, as I will for sure be getting Logitech’s! The $60 price tag doesn’t really bother me at all.
fabio | May 12th, 2009 at 8:18 am
Why not sell this adapter AND release a harmony remote with bluetooth built-in as well? Then you won’t alienate current harmony users, while also presenting a better alternative to new users to harmony. I’ve wanted to buy a harmony 550 for a few months, but because my main media player at home is a PS3, I’ve been waiting for a better solution. Buying the same harmony 550 + this adapter is an option, but not the one I’ve been hoping for.
KoD7085 | May 12th, 2009 at 10:10 am
First Day Purchase, ’nuff said.
Seriously, thank you Logitech for finally coming out with this.
Dr. Kenneth Noisewater | May 12th, 2009 at 11:02 am
Interesting.. I presume, what with it shooting out bluetooth commands, this can sit on top of a credenza or closed entertainment cabinet and work properly like any other RF remote, even if my 880 is just IR?
Alternately, the Nyko IR USB dongle works great with Harmony but doesn’t have remote poweron or ‘Playstation’ button.
If this had come out 6 months ago, I’d have gotten it when I got my PS3, but maybe I’ll wait until xmas or birthday now..
Tedders | May 12th, 2009 at 11:09 am
I think WhyNotV2 is confused. They have also confused me on what the heck they are talking about. Plug in the AC adapter and pair it with the PS3 and you are good to go.
Chris | May 12th, 2009 at 11:14 am
Purchased from Amazon, thanks Logitech! Keep up the good work!
Steve | May 12th, 2009 at 11:24 am
I just ordered this from Amazon…. and it already shipped and has a delivery date of Thursday.
Troy Petersen | May 12th, 2009 at 12:01 pm
Hi all,
Quick update – as many of you have already figured out, you can order today (in U.S.) on some online sites, including our own.
-Troy
Teabone | May 12th, 2009 at 12:10 pm
60 dollars in the US and then 60 euros in Europe??? At today’s rates 60 euros is MORE THAN 80 DOLLARS!!! Add in 25% Norwegian sales tax and we’re at 100 bucks. Approximately half the price I payed for my Harmony One which is just WAY too much.
This is a great product, but I’ll be fine with picking up my dualshock until the prices come down…
Shawn | May 12th, 2009 at 1:02 pm
Thank you so much for creating this product. My order is already in.
Braden | May 12th, 2009 at 1:57 pm
Troy – Great product, happy to see it released. Here’s an unrelated question though – is there an RF-enabled version of the Harmony One coming any time soon? I have an 890 and it is absolute junk compared to the One, but due to my HT setup I need the RF abilities. I would eagerly jump on an RF-enabled One…
tpetersen | May 12th, 2009 at 2:07 pm
Hi Braden,
That\’s probably a better question for the Harmony team (I\’m in the gaming business unit), but as a rule, we can\’t reveal information about our future plans with regard to products. In any case, I\’ll forward your comment to the Harmony team.
-Troy
Brian | May 12th, 2009 at 2:09 pm
This is great! Would you mind providing a list of the pre-configured special commands that will be made available?
tpetersen | May 13th, 2009 at 3:14 pm
Hi Brian,
First, we\’ve created default button mapping, taking the standard 51 PS3 commands and applying them to the most appropriate hard and soft (LCD) buttons on the Harmony remotes. You just need to update your remote by adding the updated PS3 device to your online Harmony account. You may still want to tweak your own button configuration — and all of these commands can be assigned to any buttons you choose.
Above and beyond the standard commands, we\’ve added a PS3 power off macro command that allows Harmony users to turn the PS3 — and their entire entertainment system — off with a single touch. And one other little nugget — in addition to a PS button, we\’ve added a \”PS hold\” command because the system recognizes a difference between holding a PS button and tapping it. All of these commands can be assigned to any Harmony remote button.
-Troy
RobertV | May 12th, 2009 at 4:08 pm
What are the voltage / power requirements? I’m curious because I would like to use my USB to power adapter instead of an actual power supply which would be coming from another component (either my A/V receiver, DirecTV receiver, or power conditioner) that supplies constant power whether its off or on.
tpetersen | May 13th, 2009 at 3:15 pm
Hi RobertV,
The power adapter we use is 5V/500mA. We investigated using a USB power solution, but opted against it beacuse if you use the PS3 as the power source you wouldn\’t be able to power on the PS3 with the remote and you would also tie up one of those precious USB ports that could otherwise be used for game controllers.
-Troy
Charlie | May 12th, 2009 at 4:34 pm
As another European customer, charging €60 for a $60 product is nothing short of gouging – and as I’m in the UK will you also be charging £60 for this product ($92 equivalent)?
I really don’t know how you think you can justify charging over $20 more for the same product in Europe.
Sorry, but I’ll pass, thanks. Now, if you were charging a more realistic price of €45 to €50 (or £40 to £45) I’d bite your arm off, but don’t take the Michael out of us.
shayno | May 12th, 2009 at 8:28 pm
when is this released in Australia?
Albert | May 13th, 2009 at 12:44 am
Indeed — am curious as well as to when this is coming out in AU. I checked the AU website and there’s no mention of it whatsoever. The blog made it sound like we’d get it before the States!! Was quite excited.
Onetwo | May 13th, 2009 at 1:08 am
Hi, does this unit do power sensing. I dont see a power sensing option on it, the new schmart adapter while 20 dollars more provides a usb power sensing cord.
This is for us with kids or who forget to turn it off and on and off with the remote, and things would get out of sync.
Would be interested if this unit has a power sensing cord, or any power sensing somehow implemented.
tpetersen | May 13th, 2009 at 3:14 pm
Hi OneTwo,
We don\’t include power sensing because the remote and adapter can turn the PS3 on and off — and yes, the commands are different for on and off. By default, your Harmony remote and adapter will turn the PS3 off when you power off your system (you can change this of course in your Harmony account). Your Harmony remote also keeps track of the state of your components, and you can always use the remote\’s Help button if any of your devices (including PS3) get out of sequence.
-Troy
Onetwo | May 13th, 2009 at 1:11 am
OR just a follow up, maybe this unit does not need it? Are the off and on button different.
On the other units this occurred because pressing the ps button turned it on, and pressing the ps button also turned it off.
Geoffo | May 13th, 2009 at 1:41 am
Yeah, good question, Shayno. And what’s the Australian price likely to be?
JakiChan | May 13th, 2009 at 11:06 am
How are you doing On/Off? Is it through a macro or something? Or will it always work? I have an off sequence programmed in my Harmony via the IR2BT controller I have, but it sometimes doesn’t work.
tpetersen | May 14th, 2009 at 10:49 am
Hi JakiChan,
Power off is a macro command and power on is the equivalent of tapping the PS button on a game controller.
-Troy
Spin | May 13th, 2009 at 3:28 pm
Any word on a date for Canadian availability? I’m looking forward to hurling the lousy non-backlit Sony blu-ray remote in the trash as soon as possible…
Charlie | May 13th, 2009 at 3:50 pm
I think you missed a trick by not powering this device via a USB socket, you could have provided a power supply terminating in a USB plug and given users the choice of using either the provided wall-wart or an always-on USB port for power, seeing as USB ports are now common on AV kit (amps, set-top boxes etc.) which would very likely be in the vicinity of the PS3.
The power requirements for this device can be provided no problem by USB, and I find the decision not to support USB quite bizarre.
Nick | May 13th, 2009 at 11:44 pm
Here’s a novel idea…why not make both and give consumers the option? Existing Harmony users can buy this super expensive AC plug hogging $60 adapter OR buy a brand new bluetooth enabled remote. Everyone wins.
Andrew | May 14th, 2009 at 12:51 am
When will this be available in Australia? This blog suggests “any day” in Australia, yet US websites are already selling it before Australia, even though they were supposed to get it “in the next few weeks”.
I phoned Logitech Presales who directed me to Harmony Support, as they didn’t know about it. Harmony Support told me to call DSE and Harvey Norman. Both these stores do not have it in their systems, and neither do any Australian online stores.
If it’s going to be a few weeks, please let us know so I can stop chasing now and wait. Cheers.
Brian | May 14th, 2009 at 5:42 am
I received the Harmony PS3 Adapter last night. It has a port to connect a cable to my RF Extender so you do not have to have line of sight to the PS3, at least, that’s how I understand it. I’m technically challenged.
What type cable do I use and where do I get it?
Brian
Troy Petersen | May 14th, 2009 at 10:48 am
@Andrew, Spin, Albert, Geoffo and Shayno,
Quick update on availability. For our friends in Australia, it should start to to show up online in June. Pricing is $99 AUD. In Canada, it should start to be available online as early as next week!
-Troy
John | May 14th, 2009 at 11:30 am
What are the 2 receptacles on the adapter for, where do they plug into the PS3?
Troy Petersen | May 14th, 2009 at 11:57 am
Hi John,
The adapter connects wirelessly to the PS3 (via Bluetooth). One port is for the power supply. The other (optional use), as I mentioned in my post to WhyNotV2, can be used to connect the adapter to one of the Harmony RF extenders.
-Troy
Adam | May 14th, 2009 at 1:18 pm
How will the adapter handle PS3 firmware updates? I’m already reading that with the latest PS3 update, the adapter will not power on the PS3.
tpetersen | May 14th, 2009 at 2:52 pm
Hi Adam,
System updates for the PS3 won\’t affect the functionality of the adapter and Harmony remote.
-Troy
LXD | May 15th, 2009 at 1:29 am
Hello tpetersen,
is the US-Adapter comapitble with the PAL-PS3 and also with Europe-Harmonys?
thx
John | May 15th, 2009 at 4:44 am
I live in the UK and I’m visiting the US next week. If I pick one of these up will it work in the UK?
tpetersen | May 15th, 2009 at 8:04 am
Hi John and LXD,
The U.S. adapter will work in the U.K. as long as you have an outlet converter.
-Troy
Nick | May 15th, 2009 at 5:35 am
So no plans to ever make a bluetooth remote? I think the excuse is silly, it’s not like you’re never going to make another model with more features again. People don’t have to buy things, but this one-way adpater approach is just plain backwards. It’s overpriced and I certainly don’t want something else to plug in.
donny | May 15th, 2009 at 7:34 pm
$60 USD? So far I’ve seen $71 CDN online.
My Sony BT remote cost $19 CDN. My Harmony remotes were both under $40 CDN.
Where’s the value?
Junior | May 15th, 2009 at 7:53 pm
I have 2 PS3s and only 1 Harmony remote for now. If i use the adapter, will it interfere with the other PS3, or is it “locked” to just one PS3. Also, If i purchase another remote and adapter for the other PS3, will that interfere with this one?
tpetersen | May 18th, 2009 at 1:10 pm
Hi Junior,
The Harmony Adapter for PS3 pairs directly with and remains paired to a single PS3 machine. If you have multiple PS3 machines, there is no issue with an adapter being confused because it is paired directly to one unit. If you had two PS3 machines in different rooms, you can control them separately. However, if you had two of the adapters within line of sight of a remote, the IR signals sent by the Harmony would be interepreted the same by both (the same way if you had to TVs with the same model in the same area).
-Troy
Andrew | May 16th, 2009 at 1:11 pm
Ordered it from Amazon with Saturday delivery Friday, and have been giving it a workout today. Love it! Thanks so much Logitech – this is exactly what I have been missing. Setup was dead simple, and so far I haven’t had a single issue. Plus, it looks pretty good!
Charlie | May 17th, 2009 at 11:22 am
Will one of these[1] work with the Logitech Harmony Adapter for PS3, allowing power to be provided from an active USB socket?
1. http://tinyurl.com/r6kckj (Amazon)
tpetersen | May 18th, 2009 at 1:11 pm
Hi Charlie,
Unfortunately, I can\’t vouch for specific products unless we\’ve had a chance to test ourselves. I wouldn\’t recommend using a USB power source unless that device always remains on, otherwise the power on/off won\’t work correctly. That said, you would need to find a connector/plug with the following specs to connect to the Harmony Adapter for PS3:
3.5 mm outside diameter/1.1 mm inside diameter
7.5 mm length of the barrel.
+ is inside pin
- is outside contact
-Troy
Chris | May 17th, 2009 at 6:55 pm
Received my Logitech Harmony adapter for ps3 yesterday. It is very nice. But I seem to be having some issues with it. For instance, if I go an activity involving my PS3, do whatever i have to do in that activity, then power off the ps3, then go to say my “Watch TV” activity, then when i go to power down everything with the power button at the top(i have a harmony 880), the PS3 COMES BACK ON! Pretty frustrating. But really the only way I’ve found to be able to keep the PS3 off is if I go back to my “Watch TV” activity, then hit the devices button, then PS3, then the PowerOff command. Anything else I do, the PS3 just seems to want to stay on, or come back on.
tpetersen | May 18th, 2009 at 1:11 pm
Hi Chris,
I\’d recommend contacting our Harmony customer support to troubleshoot your setup. You can start at forums.logitech.com or http://www.logitech.com/support.
-Troy
Spiny | May 18th, 2009 at 1:21 am
Nice, but 60GBP is too expensive. I’ll stick with my Sony remote.
Chris | May 18th, 2009 at 4:39 am
Okay, then how about this for weird behavior…. If I’m in a PS3 related activity, then power off, if I switch to “Watch TV” activity fast enough, the PS3 won’t come unexpectedly. But if I power off PS3, then let it sit there for a min, then go to my “Watch TV” activity, the PS3 will COME BACK ON. So frustrating, spent HOURS yesterday, trying to get it to act halfway right. I’m sure it’s something simple.
John Shulters | May 18th, 2009 at 11:09 am
DON’T WASTE YOUR MONEY FOLKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I have a Harmony and COUNTLESS other logitech products. I love these guys. But this new adapter is bloated hardware and at worst a bogus attempt to grab money. I’ve been using the Nyko Blu-Wave infrared remote USB receiver with my Harmony remote for a year now, and it works great, and I got it for $15 at Best Buy (unfortuntely, you have to be wasteful and throw away the Nyko remote…all you need is the USB receiver).