<SUBMISSION>
<ACCESSION-NUMBER>0001209191-09-015731
<TYPE>4
<PUBLIC-DOCUMENT-COUNT>1
<PERIOD>20090310
<FILING-DATE>20090312
<DATE-OF-FILING-DATE-CHANGE>20090312
<REPORTING-OWNER>
<OWNER-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>SOLOMON LEWIS
<CIK>0001025161
</OWNER-DATA>
<FILING-VALUES>
<FORM-TYPE>4
<ACT>34
<FILE-NUMBER>000-25826
<FILM-NUMBER>09675328
</FILING-VALUES>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>C/O ANACOMP INC
<STREET2>P.O. BOX 40888
<CITY>INDIANAPOLIS
<STATE>IN
<ZIP>46240-0888
<PHONE>3178449666
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
</REPORTING-OWNER>
<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>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>doc4.xml
<DESCRIPTION>FORM 4 SUBMISSION
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0303</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2009-03-10</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

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

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001025161</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>SOLOMON LEWIS</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>1</isOther>
            <otherText>Chairman</otherText>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2009-03-10</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>14209</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0.00</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>24478</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Each restricted stock unit represents a contingent right to receive one share of HLIT common stock.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">The award is for 14,209 restricted stock units which vest in one annual installment on February 15, 2010. Vested shares will be delivered to the reporting person on or immediately following February 15, 2010.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Laura Donovan
By Attorney-in-Fact: Laura Donovan</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2009-03-12</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SUBMISSION>
