<SUBMISSION>
<ACCESSION-NUMBER>0001209191-06-038551
<TYPE>4
<PUBLIC-DOCUMENT-COUNT>1
<PERIOD>20060628
<FILING-DATE>20060629
<DATE-OF-FILING-DATE-CHANGE>20060629
<ISSUER>
<COMPANY-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>HARMONIC INC
<CIK>0000851310
<ASSIGNED-SIC>3663
<IRS-NUMBER>770201147
<STATE-OF-INCORPORATION>DE
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>1231
</COMPANY-DATA>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>549 BALTIC WAY
<CITY>SUNNYVALE
<STATE>CA
<ZIP>94089
<PHONE>4085422500
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<FORMER-COMPANY>
<FORMER-CONFORMED-NAME>HARMONIC LIGHTWAVES INC
<DATE-CHANGED>19950404
</FORMER-COMPANY>
</ISSUER>
<REPORTING-OWNER>
<OWNER-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>KVAMME FLOYD E
<CIK>0001032451
<STATE-OF-INCORPORATION>CA
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>1231
</OWNER-DATA>
<FILING-VALUES>
<FORM-TYPE>4
<ACT>34
<FILE-NUMBER>000-25826
<FILM-NUMBER>06933051
</FILING-VALUES>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<PHONE>4084148868
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>C/O POWER INTEGRATIONS
<STREET2>5245 HELLYER AVE
<CITY>SAN JOSE
<STATE>CA
<ZIP>95138
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
</REPORTING-OWNER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>doc4.xml
<DESCRIPTION>FORM 4 SUBMISSION
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0202</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2006-06-28</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000851310</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>HARMONIC INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>HLIT</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001032451</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>KVAMME FLOYD E</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>549 BALTIC WAY</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>SUNNYVALE</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>94089</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Right to buy</value>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>3.97</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2006-06-28</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>10000</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>3.97</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2006-07-28</value>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2013-06-28</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>10000</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>10000</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">BOD Annual Option. Automatically granted on the date of our Annual Stockholders meeting each year if on such dates he or she shall have served on our board of directors for at least the preceding six (6) months.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Vests monthly over one year from date of grant.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Laura Donovan
By Attorney-in-Fact: Laura Donovan</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2006-06-29</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SUBMISSION>
