Logitech Harmony Remotes

[pitchleague]

I've been researching these things tonight as I may be purchasing one on Friday. Anybody have one and can give some feedback? I've watched some Yahoo Video reviews but most of them don't really show you how it works. They just talk with lots of "um", "uh", and "mmmmmm" comments sprinkled in with their love fest for it. But I wanted to see it in action or have testimonials of how well it really worked.

[Iron Chef Napalm]

I have an 880 and I like it. It is not perfect, but once it's setup I can hit one button and it will turn on all the devices I need to perform a function. I hit "watch DVD" and my TV turns on and goes to the proper input, my DVD player turns on, and my speakers turn on and go to the proper input and the remote will perform all the functions I need for watching a DVD. And if I want I can even customize which buttons perform different functions.

 

Pros:

Ease of Use (once programed)

High Wife Acceptance Factor

Works with almost every device under the sun

 

Cons:

Setup is time consuming. Not really hard, just a pain.

It only remembers the last thing you do with the remote. Example: If hit the power button on the TV instead of the remote it will screw up the sequence with the remote. This is really a limitation of the tv as it only has one button for power instead of a separate one for on and off. The remote does have extensive help procedures to correct this issue.

[Paul77]

I've literally owned dozens of "universal remotes" in the past and the harmony is the only one I've ever been happy with, especially the later models.

 

I'm a repeat buyer, I just can't recommend anything else. Set up takes a while, but it's easy. Just make sure that you have all the necessary information before you start programming your remote. That includes the manufacturer and model number of each piece of equipment you want to program. You punch all that info into an online "wizard" and plug the remote into your pc via usb cable a your off.

 

The remote itself scores high in the "cool" rating as well. People like to look at it, play around with it.

 

But most importantly it works! In my set up when I want to watch tv, I need to turn on the TV, access the satellite dish, the tivo, the sound system and the DVD recorder. And I can do it all with one push of one button. This also makes things easier on the wife and kids, who can't always understand why you can't just turn on the tv and be happy.

 

Plus you can set it up for different activities. If you want to watch TV, push "Watch TV". If you want to listen to the radio, push "Listen to Radio" etc...You tell the remote what equipment you need to do each activity. So, when I hit "listen to the radio" the harmony switches on the XM and the stereo receiver and it switches the input method.

Then later I want to watch a DVD, the TV comes on, the DVD player stats up and the stereo switches inputs again. It just makes things so much simpler.

 

There is a small learning curve, but it's nothing especially challenging.

[pitchleague]

okay, a question or two for both of you.

 

What happens, let's say, when you push "watch a DVD" when the television is already on? If I had already been watching the Brewer game and decide to throw a movie in and push the button, would the tv just remain "on" and change the input while the DVD player, amp, etc. turn on? Or would the TV turn "off" while everything else turns "on"?

 

Also, what do you do with your tivo? If you are turning the tivo "on", isn't that bad for your tivo to have had it "off" in the first place? I was under the understanding that the tivo is best served left on 24 hours a day, due to the hard drive issues of turning it on and off (standby). Or am I misinterpreting that from you (i.e. you do leave your tivo "on" and your remote just turns on the television to the appropriate input for watching tivo)?

 

I hope this makes sense. It's just some things that I wondered about but can't find answers online.

[Paul77]

What happens, let's say, when you push "watch a DVD" when the television is already on? If I had already been watching the Brewer game and decide to throw a movie in and push the button, would the tv just remain "on" and change the input while the DVD player, amp, etc. turn on? Or would the TV turn "off" while everything else turns "on"?

 

As long as you always let the remote do everything, you'll be fine. For example (and I just tried this in the living room to make sure this info is correct) I start with everything off. I used the remote to "Watch TV". Everything I needed do to watch tv powered on. Then I decided to "Watch a DVD". The TV stayed on, the receiver switched to "input 2" and the DVD player started up.

 

If you do something manually however, you can confuse the remote. For example. I walk in to the room and turn the tv on manually. The remote thinks that the TV is still off, even though it's on. Now when I hit the "Watch tv" button, the tv will turn off. I hope that made sense.

 

Also, what do you do with your tivo? If you are turning the tivo "on", isn't that bad for your tivo to have had it "off" in the first place? I was under the understanding that the tivo is best served left on 24 hours a day, due to the hard drive issues of turning it on and off (standby). Or am I misinterpreting that from you (i.e. you do leave your tivo "on" and your remote just turns on the television to the appropriate input for watching tivo)?

 

Yeah the Tivo is on 24/7. What I meant was the remote "acquires" the tivo and makes sure my tv is set up with the correct input.

[pitchleague]

on the first point, thank you. That clears things up a bit.

 

On the second point, if watching TV via tivo (Directivo, to be exact) would be the "default" setting for "watch tv" that I would want to program or would I set it up differently?

 

I do appreciate this help as, like I said, the internet just does user "reviews" but any videos out there don't really show it in action the proper way.

[Paul77]

Harmony in action (Video)

. It's coincidence that he basically used the same example I did earlier.

 

There are a few videos on youtube you might find interesting.

 

On the second point, if watching TV via tivo (Directivo, to be exact) would be the "default" setting for "watch tv" that I would want to program or would I set it up differently?

 

I'm not sure I understood the question completely. You customize everything the first time you use it. If you want to use DirecTivo as your main setting for watch tv (as I have in one room) it will work fine. You can even program in redundancies. For example I have 3 different DVD players in the living room (a DVD Recorder, a DivX player and a DVD/VCR Combo). You can set up separate activities using each one.

[Paul77]

Here's

of the remote.

[MoneyballMan]

These remotes are great. Just make sure you get the one that support TiVo (there are some models that do not). Like others on here, I tried MANY different universal remotes until I settled on one of these and it has worked great (although now I switched to RF-based remote with my components in a closet).

[Paul77]

These remotes are great. Just make sure you get the one that support TiVo (there are some models that do not).

 

I think all the new ones support Tivo, some even have dedicated buttons for Tivo only features.

[pitchleague]

well, there you go. Serves me right for not even trying Youtube. Thank you for those; they explained alot.

 

The only question now is this: sometimes we like to watch tv thru just the television speakers but other times we listen thru the surround sound speakers (i.e. Packer games). Could you make 2 separate activities for watching television in this way?

[Iron Chef Napalm]

I don't know about the other models, but I could do that with my 880. You can setup several customized activities for the same devices.

[Paul77]

The only question now is this: sometimes we like to watch tv thru just the television speakers but other times we listen thru the surround sound speakers (i.e. Packer games). Could you make 2 separate activities for watching television in this way?

 

I haven't tried that myself but I'm sure you could. And Iron Shelf says you can. I'd say your safe.

 

The Harmony isn't perfect, but it's pretty close. I'm sure if you decide to go with it you wont regret it.

[pitchleague]

Well, thanks for all the help. Much better advice than I could find on CNET or some of the other sites that review stuff. All they do is kiss up to how great it is. And I understand that it is a great product. I just couldn't find definitive answers of how it really works and if it work in my situation. Your answers has pretty much convinced me to give it a shot. Thanks!

[Iron Chef Napalm]

If you want to go even more in depth, check out Avsforum.com

 

Here's a direct link to their forum just on remotes.

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/forumdisplay.php?f=93

 

 

 

 

Edit: I need to figure out how to delete old signatures with this yuku stuff...

[Paul77]

If want to go even more in depth check out Avsforum.com

Yes, that is an excellent resource.

[pitchleague]

thanks for the forum link. 90+ pages of FAQ just for the 880! I'll be reading for a while. Until I get sick of it. But it's nice for reference when, I mean if (in case the wife is reading this), I buy this.

 

No, just kidding. She sounds pretty supportive of this potential purchase.