Integrating Denon AVR-X2600-H with SmartThings and Harmony

Hello everyone, I’m thrilled to share my recent experience with the Denon AVR-X2600-H receiver and how I’m working on integrating it with SmartThings and Harmony. This journey has been both exciting and a bit challenging, and I wanted to document my progress and seek some advice from the community.

First, let me start by saying how impressed I am with the Denon receiver. The sound quality is outstanding, and the Heos integration is a fantastic addition. However, my goal is to fully integrate this device into my smart home ecosystem. I’ve managed to get the receiver working with SmartThings and Harmony, but there are a few hurdles I’m trying to overcome.

One of the main challenges has been getting the receiver to work seamlessly with Google Home. While I’ve successfully paired the receiver with my Alexa devices, Google Home doesn’t recognize it. I’ve tried various configurations and even reached out to Denon support, but I’m still searching for a solution. If anyone has successfully integrated their Denon receiver with Google Home, I’d love to hear about your setup!

Another aspect I’m exploring is using Harmony to control the receiver. The Harmony app doesn’t natively support my model, so I’ve opted to use a similar model (the X2500) as a workaround. While this works for basic controls, I’m hoping to achieve more advanced functionality, such as presetting radio stations and Spotify playlists directly from my action tiles. This would allow me to have a centralized hub for all my entertainment needs.

I’m also experimenting with voice notifications. The idea is that when I ask Alexa or Google Assistant about the status of my entertainment system, they can provide real-time updates on what’s playing or if there’s an issue. This level of integration would truly make my home entertainment setup feel ‘smart.’

As I continue to tweak and refine my setup, I’m learning more about the capabilities of both SmartThings and Harmony. It’s been a rewarding experience, and I’m eager to share my findings with the community. If anyone has tips or tricks for optimizing the integration of a Denon receiver with these platforms, please don’t hesitate to share!

Lastly, I’m considering expanding my Heos system with additional speakers throughout the house. This would not only enhance the audio experience but also provide more opportunities for voice control and automation. I’m curious to know how others have approached similar projects and what lessons they’ve learned along the way.

Thank you all for your time and insights. I look forward to hearing from you and learning more about how to make my home entertainment system as seamless and integrated as possible!