If Logitech's multifaceted
Harmony 900 seemed a bit too rich for your blood, why not give the whole
universal remote thing another chance with the Harmony 700? Priced at $149.99, this entry-level clicker packs an awful lot of promise into a package that practically any serious home theater junkie will be able to finance. Designed to replace a half-dozen remotes in your current setup, the 700 features a color display, rechargeable AA batteries and one-click control of your favorite activities. As with every other new Harmony, this one too can be connected to your Mac or PC and programmed via the internet to control whatever components you rely on -- "from Betamax to Blu-ray" as Logitech so eloquently puts it. Details beyond that are few and far between, but we're guessing the outfit's keeping things as simple as possible here as to not befuddle the target market.
posted Sep 3rd 2009 4:00AM
So it controls Sony products well.
Not the one that matters to me - my PS3.
SMK can do it, but Logitech still wants to sell me separate box. Hopefully they'll come out with a IR/BT combo soon. Then they get my $150.
NHAnimator
Logitech has put out a Harmony® Adapter for PLAYSTATION®3 that works with all Harmony remotes; it's $60.
Logitech's official page:
http://www.logitech.com/index.cfm/remotes/universal_remotes/devices/5732&cl=us,en
Here's engadget's hands on review:
http://www.engadget.com/2009/05/12/logitech-harmony-adapter-for-playstation-3-official-real-an/
I haven't used it myself so I don't know how well it works.
You can get a third party infared remote for $15-20. Most of these work with the harmony. Problem solved.
No, no, no. I don't want to buy two remotes OR a remote and an adapter. I want ONE remote which does it all.
Logitech should reallly be more realistic when it comes to pricing. An entry level product at 150$ is plain ridiculous..
I own the Logitech Harmony 800, paid 70 euros for it while Logitech was still selling it for 140. It's a decent product with great features, but the buildquality is not what you'd expect of such an expensive product. Plastic, loose buttons and a cheap screen.. 50$ perhaps..
The 510/520/530 are usually around $80 and I have seen the 610 for $50 or less many times, this seems more like a 880 replacement although it does not look as good imho.
I have owned a 510 and currently use a 610 and my uncle has owned a 520 and currently uses a 880
Harmony remotes are awesome, the only reason I upgraded it is after 3+ years of daily use I kinda killed the pause button.
It doesn't even look backlit...
I've owned a Harmony 659, a Logitech Harmony 880, and a Logitech Harmony One, and in many ways the 659 was the best. As an example, the One's IR receiver to learn commands is really flaky, and it only has two IR transmitters, so the range is horrible and needs to be pointed directly at whatever needs to be controlled, things which weren't the case with the older models.
Honestly, the One is the worst of the 3. And the 659 lasted for 4 years. The 880 lasted a little over a year (just long enough that it was no longer warranteed). The One has been going strong for almost a year now, but I don't have much faith that it'll be better.
Yeah, the 880 had the worst build quality of any consumer electronics device I've ever bought. There were problems with the charging cradle, the battery didn't sit right, it liked to freeze and reboot itself, and the buttons stopped working reliably. That said, I absolutely love the functionality. Pity that Logitech charges so much for a product that is so poorly put together.
No Vista green button means this is another Logitech remote I'll be ignoring.
No Bluetooth no buy.
I have the Harmony One and it was the biggest waste of money. Trying to simplify all the media equipment just makes it harder to use. Not only that but programming on the computer is a major pain in the ass and doesnt properly work with my Samsung TV.
The One sits in a draw collecting dust while a $20 universal remote takes responsibility for all my media equipment.
I'll buy it from you for $50.
I also am intereted in buying it. Let me know!!
I used the 880, until I dropped it once too many times, and then upgraded to the 1000.
Both are a joy to use and the programming bit can be a bit of a pain, but it's far the most powerful and flexible remote I have ever used.
If Logitech really wants everybody to have Harmony remote, then price it accordingly. When a lay person sees a $20 universal remote vs a $150 one, guess which on he/she more likely to get.
all these universal remote controls are a waste of money, the more sophisticated, the more wasteful. They never work as intended.
Funny, My low-end Harmony cost me $80 CAD, was shockingly simple to setup, controls everything at the touch of a single button, and has been a dream. Even my non-tech-geek girlfriend who lectured me for spending that much on a remote now praises it as her favourite single component in our TV room.
I guess you're technically correct though: my Harmony remots didn't work as I intended it to, it goes well above and beyond.
Have you ever used a Harmony remote?
At least I've got chicken.
I bought a refurbed Harmony 550 about a year ago. I have to say it's one of the best purchases I've ever made. Remotes for my Cable Box, DVR, Blue Ray, Receiver, Media Player, Roku, Xbox, and TV have all been replaced by the one. It was worth the $50 just to not have to "remind" my wife how to get something to play. Now it's just press the activities but and choose.
Same here... loving our 550 too. Now THAT's the price level to get a Harmony in every home, at least at the start. Once you realize how great it is, the $149 doesn't seem like that much anymore.
I have to agree. $50 550 user here. Who needs a color lcd in their remote? Ditch the built in battery and charger too. You're paying for software and device library, which is already in place. There's no reason they couldn't market a $50 harmony and still make money.
It's rare to see a big company get something so right. I bought a Harmony on impulse during a ebay sale and consider it one of the best purchases I've ever made. Within 5 minutes I had it setup for my whole complicated system, and nobody is happier than my wife who always complained about it being so complicated just to watch a movie, having to use like 2-3 remotes.
I got a Harmony 620 for Christmas 2008. It died on me in June and the replaced it. They are horrible on batteries. I've tried multiple brands and even 2500mAh rechargeable. Maybe it's because the remote uses AAA's (four), but I have to replace them about every 25-30 days and that's with the backlight completely disabled.
Compare that to the multi-function remote that came with my 8300HD-DVR from Time Warner Cable. That remote is seven years old and batteries last at least eight months (2xAA). Sure, it doesn't have a display, but I really could get by without the display if Logitech for buttons where the display is.
No, you couldn't. How would you know what each button does? And what about using multiple sets of buttons? Taking out the display would severely limit the usability of the device. No, the display is just fine thank you. And this remote comes with it's own rechargeable batteries.
What are they smoking at Logitech? $150 for a fancy remote hardly qualifies as "entry level". I picked up non Logitech brand and I control 4 devices with it for $20.
I bought a harmony one remote last winter from Circuit city's closeout sale for $150, and I love it.
This is a great little remote. Feels good in the hand. Syncs your settings really quickly (much faster then any other Harmony I've used so far). I couldn't find anything really wrong with the remote except for the 6 device limit. I have more then that in my main room so this is used in another room.
And again as ask the PS3 snobs, why add the cost of Bluetooth to the remote to support only one device? BT is not the new standard in controlling CE. It was just never put in the PS3 to save money. Simple as that.
How are they trying to be universal without support all wave transmitting including bluetooth.
I really don't understand. Maker of game accessory making universal remote w/o Next generation HTPC like console.
Buttons look smaller than a grain of rice.
@Ned ... one word: activities
on my harmony one, i click 'watch a movie' and my TV turns on and goes to input 5, my receiver turns on and goes to input 2, and my remote, and screen change to controls to operate the PS3, blu-ray playback, and XMB.
When I'm done with the movie, I shut down the PS3 on the XMB (still using the harmony), and hit 'watch TV' the receiver turns off, the DVR turns on, and the TV switches to input 6. And, all my remote functions now control the DVR, and tv...
my third harmony remote and I am an unashamed fanboy.
I've had two Harmony 880's and both of them have had buttons stop working... on the first it was the volume up button (even though I was able to program that to a soft button, it just felt weird to do it that way) and the second developed problems on two of its soft buttons. IN addition, BOTH 880's had batteries that swelled up and, once removed, were all but impossible to get back in (in fact, it WAS impossible to get the battery compartment cover back on due to the battery swelling.)
Logitech's support is fantastic, but I've just needed it too much with my 880. Kind of makes me weary of other Harmony products.
Dustoman wrote "No you couldn't".
Don't you just love when people who don't know you say you can't/couldn't do something?
Yes I could. You should have asked how.
How? Easy. For ME (which is all I was talking about, not everyone else), they could replace the area used by the display and it's buttons with probably 15 buttons total. Heck, I really only use that display for List, A, B and C anyways. Can't speak for others.
If they really don't want to get rid of the display, go side lit eInk.