Logitech's Harmony 880

Logitech's announced the next step up from their Harmony 688 remote, the Harmony 880—it's a little easier on the eyes, but not a whole lot easier on the pocket book, holding steady at $250. But hey, for the same price as the 688 now you get a customizable color screen and a charging station, in addition to some slightly less uncomely looks.

[Via DigitalMediaThoughts]

[Galley @ Dec 19th 2005 12:53AM]

This is the remote I have been waiting for! It includes a charger, has a nice color screen, and has room for eight activities, instead of the usual four. You can even add custom graphics.

[Roger Binns @ Dec 19th 2005 12:53AM]

Be *very* careful with these Harmony/Logitech remotes. You cannot update the remote without the web site up and functioning. I have been unable to update my older remote for two weeks because of a bug/crash in their web site. (It wouldn't let me change or add any device, but they have finally fixed it yesterday). You can see other people have experienced outages over time as well.

As an alternative I decided to create a new account. Read the Terms of Service very carefully. They limit the number of component changes you can do, and they have the right to terminate your service at any time for any reason which will make your remote increasingly useless. Do you trust Logitech to maintain their online site for several years, not drop your model if it becomes unprofitable, continue to support your client operating system, keep up with device drivers etc for however long you intend to use the remote? I certainly don't.

[Pappy @ Dec 19th 2005 12:53AM]

As someone who has owned and loved Harmony Remotes for years, I've *never* seen a web outage that long. In fact, Harmony is known as having the best customer support in the industry. Certainly the recent purchase buy Logitech could change things, but it hasn't happened yet.

See the Harmony forum on www.remotecentral.com for more info.

[Griffon @ Dec 19th 2005 12:53AM]

I don't know, I had a 688 go bad and so I had to RMA it to Canada, it was qutie the hassle, and turn around was anything but quick. What they sent me was refurbished one with an anoying buzzing sound but but whole exchange process was a such a pain that it's not worth doing again over the issue. THis things cost ot much and are way fragile IMO.

[Jeff James @ Dec 19th 2005 12:53AM]

I agree, Never had a problem with my Harmony or the site.
I am waiting for this remote. I'll be getting it. I may even replace my $500 MX-700 remote with this new 880!

[Brett @ Dec 19th 2005 12:53AM]

Can this remote learn/interact PC commands?

I have a computer with BeyondMedia/BTV running and I would like to control it with this remote, infact I would like to custom program it with this remote. Is this kind of thing possible? I am not sure if the USB connection is a receiver or just a base to download codes.

[Roger Binns @ Dec 19th 2005 12:53AM]

I don't deny that Harmony had good support. They were a private company and had every reason to try hard. Logitech is a public company and has to maximize shareholder value. Their current TOS do not obligate them to provide any service at all, or to fix web site issues when they occur, or to keep supporting whatever model you bought. If you, your model or whatever else becomes unprofitable or they want to drop you for any reason, they can and you have *no* recourse. They currently limit you to 30 changes a year. What if that gets lowered, or they start charging for support, or they stop supporting whatever operating system or USB chipset you are using?

You are totally at their mercy. You cannot make *any* changes without their web site up and functioning.

I did make suggestions to them as to how to resolve this. One was guarantee a minimum time that your device is supported (eg 4 years from purchase) and accepting arbitration from an independent 3rd party in the event of dispute should service be terminated. Another alternative is a downloadable program that lets you change the remote without having to contact their site.

They have said they won't do any of that (I asked). I think anyone would be insane to get one of these remotes when it can so easily be turned into a paperweight.

[Roger Binns @ Dec 19th 2005 12:53AM]

The Harmony remotes can learn. The way they work is that the web site downloads a program to you and it uploads the codes back to the website. You tell the website how everything is connected, and it produces the equivalent of new firmware that you load into the remote. The learning process is slow and painful and everything gets uploaded to the Logitech web servers for analysis and storage. You can read more about this and the caveats at www.remotecentral.com.

[twain wheck @ Dec 19th 2005 12:53AM]

why would i want these instead of a Pronto?

[Edward Rothman @ Dec 19th 2005 12:53AM]

Harmony remotes are wonderful I own 2 and have been delighted with both units I look forward to getting my 880 (indeed it answers the only major gripe I have with my remote which is battery life). Setup is so easy it makes the pronto look like a joke (yes I did own a pronto for a while). State memory is what makes this remote special . it 'knows' which devices are on and off which speeds up switching devices enormously and stops those embarrassing device off states that occur with less inteligent remotes. I operate a small installation business and I frequently provide these remotes to clients who are universaly happy indeed they are the only remote I have ever recieved a thank-you note on!

[Aaron @ Dec 19th 2005 12:53AM]

Just an fyi...

You can preorder the Harmony 880 at www.HiDefLifestyle.com. Logitech is airfreighting the first shipment into the U.S. the second week of April.

[Ed Campbell @ Dec 19th 2005 12:53AM]

I pre-ordered the Harmony 880 from Value Electronics, today. Their price is competitive. If you're a member [as I am] of the AVS TiVo Community, there is an additional discount. I'm getting free freight, as well -- and my card [as is usual at VE] won't be charged until it's shipped.

I have no experience with Harmony support; but, the support I've received from Logitech has been phenomenal in this era of outsourced CSR! I get to speak to someone who has the same 1st language -- who knows the products.

I had a cordless keyboard/mouse combo where the mouse did a melt-down the 1st night on the charger. They told me to throw away the mouse and they sent me a complete replacement package. So, now, I have a spare keyboard.

In addition, if you're a switcher like me -- I finally left Wintel altogether, after 22 years, and bought a Mac Mini a couple of months ago -- you'll be pleased to know that Harmony remotes, starting with the 880, will work with OS X as well as Window$. No emulation required.

[Ed Campbell @ Dec 19th 2005 12:53AM]

I pre-ordered the Harmony 880 from Value Electronics, today. Their price is competitive. If you're a member [as I am] of the AVS TiVo Community, there is an additional discount. I'm getting free freight, as well -- and my card [as is usual at VE] won't be charged until it's shipped.

I have no experience with Harmony support; but, the support I've received from Logitech has been phenomenal in this era of outsourced CSR! I get to speak to someone who has the same 1st language -- who knows the products.

I had a cordless keyboard/mouse combo where the mouse did a melt-down the 1st night on the charger. They told me to throw away the mouse and they sent me a complete replacement package. So, now, I have a spare keyboard.

In addition, if you're a switcher like me -- I finally left Wintel altogether, after 22 years, and bought a Mac Mini a couple of months ago -- you'll be pleased to know that Harmony remotes, starting with the 880, will work with OS X as well as Window$. No emulation required.

[Aaron @ Dec 19th 2005 12:53AM]

Unfortunately the 880 release has been delayed by approximately two weeks. We're being told (by Logitech U.S. management) that we should expect to have product to fill orders by May 1rst.

We will keep everyone up to date on what Logitech is telling HiDef Lifestyle. We have also been assured that we will have enough product to fill our preorders when the initial shipment is released.

[reuben @ Dec 19th 2005 12:53AM]

Can the logitech remotes natually control multiple tv's or do you have to manually program in the extra tv's after the 1st one.

[reuben @ Dec 19th 2005 12:53AM]

Can the logitech remotes natually control multiple tv's or do you have to manually program in the extra tv's after the 1st one.

[Dom K @ Dec 19th 2005 12:53AM]

Where else can I pre-purchase it? Looks like www.HiDefLifestyle.com doesn't ship to Canada..

[Don B @ Dec 19th 2005 12:53AM]

Will this remote's macro settings ("watch TV", etc) work w/ components that toggle to different settings rather than have a remote function for each setting? For example, my TV (Samsung 65" HD) toggles from DVI, to Component 1, to Component 2, and so on, and has no button to select them individually (you can't go directly from DVI to Component 2, for example). So, if I'm watching a DVD, will this remote know how many times to hit "input" to get from one setting to the other? As far as I know, all Samsung TV's are like this, so I'm curious if toggle functions will be a problem w/ this remote. I thank you in advance for your feedback.

[Kickin @ Dec 19th 2005 12:53AM]

Pre order prices at $235 seem a bit high. I've seen other posts and sites claiming to have it for around $169-$179 USD. You can almost bet that they will be on ebay and listed around this price within a few hours after being released.

Then again, as a wise man once said, you can sell anything you want for whatever you want...if you don't have it in stock.

[Don B @ Dec 19th 2005 12:53AM]

I've heard rumours that the MRSP has dropped. Could be the reason...

[romeo salta @ Dec 19th 2005 12:53AM]

First off, what other remote is there that could be used with one hand that could be programmed for about 8 components? I already have a first generation green Pronto - the 1000, I believe? It is OK and if one can get the RC5 codes it is even better. I find the learning of codes to be tedious, but it works. Is there anything better about the colour one, other than bigger memory and colourful display? I am looking for a higher end remote with good display and hard keys.

I bought a first generation Harmony remote about 4 years ago and have never been able to program it to my satisfaction. I resent the fact that they advertise as having the codes for hundreds of components, what they do not say is that those codes have been provided by the customers who may or may not have known what they were doing. In other words there is the possibility of bad codes out there.

The other problem I have had is with the programing of the hard buttons. Regardless of what they say, they are not easy to program and there is an endless series of error messages and updating. Regarding the reliability of the site, I agree with whomever said that it is not always available. I have run into that problem. But, what I consider the biggest drawback is the inability to be able to upgrade the remote unless one can connect to the Harmony site.

[Mike O @ Dec 19th 2005 12:53AM]

Got this from HiDefLivestyle about my preorder:

Unfortunately the official release date for the Harmony 880 has been
updated to June 10th. This product is getting enormous attention and
Logitech/Harmony have decided to delay its release to ensure that the
product has been perfected before it ships. We have been ensured that there
will be no more delays before its launch and that HiDef Lifestyle will
be able to fill all preorders on or before the official launch date.

[Don B @ Dec 19th 2005 12:53AM]

Ok ladies and gents, this is not a drill. Some of you may have been aware of this, but I'm guessing most weren't. Best Buy has an exlusive one month offering on the 880. I found this out from a post on HDTVoice.com. I was skeptical of this being a rumor, but they actually have them in and I just picked one up myself! Haven't had a chance to even open the package yet, but considering I got the last one my nearest location had in stock, I thought I should give you all the heads up.

Only downside is that it's going for full retail at $249. Worth it to me having it in hand a full month earlier and not having to worry about a sketchy pre-order.

[Don B @ Dec 19th 2005 12:53AM]

Sorry, one more addition to that info. Some people, reportedly, have had luck with having Best Buy match other on-line pre-order offers. I was running late to get to an appointment, so I didn't have time to haggle with them. But thought you would want to know. Good luck.

[George C @ Dec 19th 2005 12:53AM]

The 880 is indeed in Best Buy stores (although not even listed on their web site). Just grabbed the last one from my local store yesterday.

Entire setup process for my system (10 components), including tweaking, took less than 1 hour. Everything seems to be working great so far. It probably helped that I already own a Harmony 688 (which is now moving to the basement rec room system) and was familiar with Harmony set up process.

Admittedly, I spent a LOT more time initially setting up the 688, but it's been working flawlessly for well over a year now. In either case, setup for the Harmony remotes is the easiest I've ever experienced -- light years ahead of other universal remotes I've owned. As for the internet interface, I've NEVER experienced an upload/update delay of more than a few minutes. Maybe I've been lucky, but never I've never found the Harmony or Logitech sites down. If you are upgrading from a previous Harmony, you either have to e-mail Harmony to "copy" your profile or setup a new one. I chose the latter, because I am still using both Harmonies and wanted to have a "clean" install on the 880. Even starting from scratch, it was a sub 1-hour process.

The design of the 880 is gorgeous -- it looks great just sitting on the coffee table. Some of the buttons -- particularly the oddly shaped vol and channel up/down buttons -- take a little getting used to, but work great. Overall button layout is much improved, although the number keys are still a tad awkward to reach. Willing to make the effort for such a full-featured, one-hand remote though.

Great, new well-documented features include the docking station charger and motion sensor wake up. One other cool feature -- you can program 16 favorite channels in, and attach your own color graphics (e.g., channel icons) to each. Here's where I found icons for just about every cable/tv/satellite channel imaginable: http://www.satlogo.com/tv/a.html. Enjoy!

[Jon Yee @ Dec 19th 2005 12:53AM]

CDW has it presale for $160. I ordered mine today ($180 shipped) and it said 2+ weeks delivery.

[TAPILADO @ Dec 19th 2005 12:53AM]

After struggling with numerous (6) original remotes and a few All-in-One Remotes, I have finally broke down and purchased the Harmony 880. This is by far the best Multi function/programmable/learnable remote I have ever owned. You can program almost every button on the remote to do anything your original remote will do. Most of us do not use all of the buttons on the original remote.
Customizing the 880 was very simple. Some of the codes on the original remote were not on the inital setup. But all you have to do is point the orignal at the 880 and press the learn button then custom name the function. Then assign that function to any key on the 880 or create a custom functon on the display. The best part is that you can program just the keys you use from each separate remote to function on one setup. This means you do not have to switch to a different remote to control different components. I could rave about this remote for pages but I know you will not read it. After purchasing numerous All-in-One remotes (Producer 8, 6in1, ect.) I have finally found the only remote worth owning. This is definitly worth every dollar you invest into it. It is also one item in the house you use almost every day. All this is done on your computer using a USB cable. Everything is on the computer screen making things easier to setup. Yes you must connect to the Harmony computer site to download the initial codes for each of your remotes, but make sure you install the newest software from Logitech. All those people worried about the site closing down, please sell your Harmony 880 to someone that will enjoy it. The worried people can go back to the old way programming their remotes by pressing hundreds of buttons on their Old Universal Remote. The chances of Logitech closing down the site is pretty remote.

[YT @ Dec 19th 2005 12:53AM]

In regards to Jon Yee's post of 5/14/05 regarding CDW's presale for $160, I just spoke with a CDW representative who indicated that their scheduled to receive these units on or about 6/20/05 (hence the 2+ weeks designation). He also indicated that they have enough units coming in to satisfy all of the current pre-order and then some. Hope this helps. In addition, TechOnWeb.com estimates their shipments to arrive on 5/19/05 (40 units) and then a much larger shipment again in early 6/05.

[Tom Swatloski @ Dec 19th 2005 12:53AM]

Just recieved an email from CDW canceling my Harmony 880 pre-order. To quote the email,

"I was just notified that this product (from order ???????) will not be made available to CDW. I'm sorry but it looks like the deal really was too good to be true. I am going to have to cancel this order."

CDW Item URL below:

http://www.cdw.com/shop/products/default.aspx?EDC=767686

[Rich @ Dec 19th 2005 12:53AM]

I had an 880 pre-ordered from CDW and got a call and was told "we're not going to get this item" and that they would have to cancel the order... Anyone heard about any glitches with the 880 that they're having to fix?

[Aaron @ Dec 19th 2005 12:53AM]

Logitech will not be giving the 880 to many of these "discount" sites. The remotes will be landing next week for authorized resellers. I would make SURE that the place you're ordering from knows for sure that they're getting the 880's in.

There are no problems with the remote that are holding up production. There is a firmware update that will be included in the remotes that we will receive next week.

Thanks!

Aaron S.
HIDEF Lifestyle

[Keith M. Corbett @ Dec 19th 2005 12:53AM]

I ordered the Harmony 880 from Value Electronics on May 26 2005. I received an email order confirmation with no indication of a ship date. I called several times and left messages. They have not returned my calls.

My old Harmony is not working properly. I would very much like to get the new model with recharger.

[Keith M. Corbett @ Dec 19th 2005 12:53AM]

Turns out Value Electronics did respond via email. And I quote: "Rest assured we will ship you the unit at the very earliest opportunity."

Actually it is reassuring to hear from them. I just wanted to get a follow-up in acknowledgment of my calls and emails. So points to them for following through.

[Jesse Snow @ Dec 19th 2005 12:53AM]

I have been using a 668 for almost 2 years and have never experienced a outage at the website. I have up graded my stereo twice in that time and the remote has worked perfect and the web site has been there every time I have logged on. I have just pre-ordered an 880 for 179.00 which is to ship on or before the 22nd of this month. Thank you to the person who listed the site for the network and station logo's, a great help. I tried many remotes before including the pronto, and the Harmony beats them all hands down.