Logitech goes mid-range with Harmony 670 Universal remote

You can't hit the high-end without giving us less demanding folk a taste of freshness as well, so Logitech is appeasing the mid-range crowd by dishing out the Harmony 670 Universal remote. Boasting the same incredulous functionality traits we've grown to expect from the Harmony lineup, the 670 improves upon the Harmony 659 by placing crucial DVR controls in a "more central location" and adds color-coded "one-touch" buttons to make common tasks easier to execute. This remote is also Logitech's first to feature the Harmony 7.0 software, which makes wading through 175,000 devices in its online setup bank a tad simpler to grasp by reducing it down to "four easy steps." It also sports a backlit keypad, built-in LCD screen, and options to add "additional control functions and custom activities" as your home theater addition grows. The Harmony 670 is available now for a very middle-of-the-road $149.99.

[Grant H @ Oct 10th 2006 3:52PM]

That's not bad, at all. Good price, nice feature set!

[Gil @ Oct 10th 2006 3:53PM]

My main gripe with these remotes is battery time. I ALWAYS misplace my remote. How the hell am I going to remember to charge it?

[Jake @ Oct 10th 2006 3:57PM]

"incredulous"???

[disciple83 @ Oct 10th 2006 3:59PM]

See, thats the thing about this remote. It has a big ass base station, how are you going to misplace it? You only have one remote to keep up with now, and it comes with its own frekain pace in your living room, and you'd still lose it? Something tells me you shouldn't be allowed to wield the power anyway.

[Gil @ Oct 10th 2006 4:08PM]

Big ass base station? Am I supposed to hold the fraking basestation in my hand?

I use the remote. Remote gets left on the bar. I forget about it. When I finally find it on the bar it's discharged and useless.

Am I the only one who gets home tired in the evening from a long day of work? I grab the remote to entertain myself before I go to sleep, then when I do go I just drop it somewhere. My tired ass isn't going to move to the base station to place the remote in it's place.
Kind of defeats the purpose of "remote"

[P @ Oct 10th 2006 4:07PM]

The 7.0 software has been availible for all Harmony remotes for some time now

[Ed @ Oct 10th 2006 4:22PM]

I have the 676, which this one is probably replacing, and I only need to recharge its batteries once a month or so.

[cheinonen @ Oct 10th 2006 4:23PM]

Maybe this is their first remote to ship with the v7 software, but I was able to just download and install it for my Harmony 676 right now and, amazingly, it looks and acts exactly like the v5 software I had installed before it. I wish if I had to go through the hassle of installing software and not using the web for this, that it would have an interface that didn't use a web browser, as it makes it somewhat slow and not as easy to use as it could be.

[dcpmark @ Oct 10th 2006 4:29PM]

Ummm....base station? The 659 it is replacing uses AAA batteries, and nowhere in the story or press release does it say it uses a recharging base station.

[Mark @ Oct 10th 2006 4:37PM]

This device will suffer from the same usage problem as other Harmony remotes. The number keys are too close to the bottom of the remote making number "press's" awkward. You don't realize it until you use one.

[Chris Wray @ Oct 10th 2006 4:55PM]

Where'd they put the thumbs-up/thumbs-down buttons?
That was my first reaction, at least.

[Volker @ Oct 10th 2006 5:09PM]

Still waiting for a mid-level remote that works with my xbox 360 but 'wireless' meaning like the controller, not using IR.
Any suggestions ?

[Dave @ Oct 10th 2006 5:43PM]

Well IR IS wireless. Not sure how this model works with the 360, but it is specialty designed for it.
http://www.logitech.com/index.cfm/products/detailsharmony/US/EN,CRID=2084,CONTENTID=11250

[Galley @ Oct 10th 2006 7:50PM]

The software sucks as much as ever. :-(

[Volker @ Oct 10th 2006 8:20PM]

@Dave
Sorry, I know of course that IR doesn't use wires ;)
As for the model you linked to: looks like it still uses IR to communicate with the 360 but I need a solution that doesn't require a clear line of sight.

[harley @ Oct 10th 2006 10:16PM]

The keypad is still a big improvement. Easier to the touch, and backlit too.

[Charles @ Oct 11th 2006 2:15AM]

Hopefully it doesn't suck like the Logitech Xbox 360 remote. Don't ever buy that piece of junk.

[Pete @ Oct 11th 2006 8:52AM]

So how does this compare to the 688 or 676? Can it work with Comcast's service, too?

[Alondo @ Oct 11th 2006 9:45AM]

These devices (Harmony remotes) are great! I have mine controlling my Sony HDTV, DirecTV HD receiver, Onkyo AV Receiver, and my computer with an ASUS DW5 DH Deluxe motherboard. With the internet connectivity, there is no limit to how much stuff I can have this control. The web interface could be better, but I only use it when I change the setup.

Really worth the money, especially since I only have to track one remote now.

[Kane Martin @ Oct 12th 2006 10:56PM]

Volker,
Try checking out the Harmony 890. I don't know if this unit is out of your price range or not. But it included a RF basestation. Thus eliminating direct line of site. Or you could just go get an IR repeater.