<?xml version="1.0"?>
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    <periodOfReport>2021-02-11</periodOfReport>

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

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001216448</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>HARSHMAN PATRICK</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>2590 ORCHARD PARKWAY</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>SAN JOSE</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>95131</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
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            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>President and CEO</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

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    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Shares sold to cover exercise price and taxes in connection with exercise of stock option expiring on March 14, 2021.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">These shares of common stock were acquired upon the vesting of restricted stock units on 2/15/2021. These restricted stock units were initially granted to the Reporting Person on 3/20/2018, and were identified on a Form 4 filed by the Reporting Person on 3/22/2018.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">Shares of Harmonic Inc. common stock withheld by Harmonic Inc. to satisfy tax withholding obligation upon vesting of restricted stock units.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F4">These shares of common stock were acquired upon the vesting of restricted stock units on 2/15/2021. These restricted stock units were initially granted to the Reporting Person on 4/15/2019, and were identified on a Form 4 filed by the Reporting Person on 4/17/2019.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F5">These shares of common stock were acquired upon the vesting of restricted stock units on 2/15/2021. These restricted stock units were initially granted to the Reporting Person on 2/24/2020, and were identified on a Form 4 filed by the Reporting Person on 2/26/2020.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Laura Donovan
By Attorney-in-Fact Laura Donovan</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2021-02-16</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
