Logitech Harmony 880 remote, review.

[jeff]

Amazon.com: Logitech Harmony 880 Advanced Universal Remote Control: Electronics

Anyone else have 5+ remotes for their home theater setup? I did and hated having to switch from one to the next to the next.

What's the best way to fix the problem? Buying a universal remote, thats what!

There's two types of universal remotes, one you program using a # code that matches the device you use, this will let you control a few basic features of the device, then there's fully programmable remotes that will control every and anything that can understand an IR or in some cases, and RF signal.

While the cheaper remotes cost anywhere from 10-30 dollars, the higher end remotes can range from $70.00 to the skys the limit.

My goal was to find the best bang for the buck, something that will do the job well enough and not cost too much. After researching for awhile, I narrowed my search down to the Logitech Harmony 880. $249.99 at most places, $199.99 at newegg.com and it can be found in the low $100s on amazon.com Also one day woot.com had it for $79.99!!!!! too bad it sold out within a few hours.

What you get.

Remote
Charger base
USB cable.
CD with small picture guide on how to setup the remote.

1. open package
2. remove batter cover
3. insert battery
4. charge remote on charge station.
5. install software and continue from there.

Wheres the manual? oh it doesn't have one.

Install the software, make up a username/password, then you're forced to update the software because if you don't have the latest update it will not let you use the software. log into the site, and use a web based program to set things up. Why again did I just install a 20MB program to use a webbased program?

Once you log in, it will ask you to input the model #s of your devices. Once that's done it will set the remote up to use any and every feature the device has to offer. The main buttons on the remote are used as they're marked, #s, guide, vol up/down, yada yada, any of the other features, like Video 1-2-3-4 would be accessed by using the blue screen buttons.

I found that the blue screen buttons (see picture of DVD blue screen) are hard to follow since there can be 12-13 pages worth of commands, most will never be used.

file, flip, folder, folder a, folder b, L1, L2, L3... lots of random things that the average person will never use. Thankfully you can go into the software and remove any of them, I removed every single one outside of,

(TV) power on, power off.

(Receiver) power on, power off, video 1 "renamed Nintendo Wii" Video 2 "renamed Cable" Video 3 "renamed xbox 360... as with very few other commands.

(Cable box) power, on demand, and exit. most of the normal buttons cover most everything else, from the DVR to browsing the guide. So again, why do I need 12+ pages of commands? I don't thats why I removed them.

This made it super clean and so simple anyone even grandma could use it.
Only problem is, in order to remove a command, you need to click on the drop down window, move it to the black field, then rename the command so it says nothing. over and over and over and over again, why didn't they put a clear all button in the software? bah, it's ok there's only 80 or so commands to clear ONE AT A TIME. sigh. but it was worth it.

Also if you want to add a command that is not listed, all you need to do is place the old remote in front of the 880 remote, and push whatever button you want to use, the 880 remote will learn the button and let you name it and place it where ever you want (within the blue menu)

As far as unknown devices like my HDMI Switcher, all I did was added a random device, in my case I used a lighting system, I removed all the default buttons and added using the learning command I was able to teach the 880 remote, how to toggle from HDMI 1, 2, and 3, then renamed the button to say, Cable TV, DVD, and PS3

Here's where the remote gets fun.

You can setup an activities list, the walks you though a Q&A about how you use your system.

You can view the pictures on how I setup the TV.

So when sit down and pick up my remote, I can click on Watch TV. This will turn on.

My TV, receiver, cable box, and HDMI switcher, it will also set the receiver, HDMI switcher, and TV to the needed inputs, it also turns anything not needed off.

If I have everything setup to watch TV and I want to play xbox 360, all I need to do is click play xbox 360 and it will turn off the cable box, and turn on the xbox 360. The same goes for clicking watch dvd, it will turn off the 360 and turn on the dvd player.

Also there's a off button right at the very top, this will turn everything off with a single push of a button.

I really like the feel of the remote, I've read a lot of complaints about the buttons being too small, they are small but that's something I like. what can I say, I have small hands =)

I like how you don't need to push any buttons to light the remote up, all you need to do is pick it up, it has a sensor inside that when the remote is tilted it turns on.

You have a lot of neat little options on how to setup the remote, from how long you keep the back lighting, button icons, background pictures, and so on. However, I found that even when using paint shop pro to edit a picture of myself to the recommend size, it still looked bad when uploaded onto the remote, in fact it was so bad it looked like my eyes were closed in the picture! the idea of having picture slide shows and custom backgrounds is neat but in the end the quality of the pictures are too bad to even want to display them.

There's even a help button that is pretty much a "stupid" button. If something isn't working, it's there to help you, so when you push the help.... stupid button, it will ask you things like. Is your TV turned on? Is your receiver turned on? is your cable box turned on? Why they have the stupid button is beyond me.

I've also noticed that the IR signal is much more powerful then any of my other remotes.

Over all I'm really happy with the Logitech Harmony 880 remote.
While it seems pricey it really isn't that bad, considering it's the top remote of the low end universal remotes. There's nicer remotes out there but none can touch this remote for the street price of $249.99, and at the $129.99 amazon.com price. it's a killer deal.

Amazon.com: Logitech Harmony 880 Advanced Universal Remote Control: Electronics