Logitech Harmony 550 Universal Remote Control
by Logitech
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Our Price: $175.99 Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Used: from $70.00 (click here) Category: CE See more product details |
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Customers in the UK,
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for British Pounds
Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of Logitech Harmony 550 Universal Remote Control
Customer Review: Amazingly Simple
Summary: 5 Stars
This is the first truly universal remote I've owned and I am not disappointed at all with it. Before getting this remote, I was juggling 3 to 4 different remotes. I have a Comcast hd dvr hooked up to an Onkyo AV receiver and a Sony TV. The comcast remote was good enough when watching tv. It has the ability to turn on all of the components and adjust the volume. But I was never able to get it to fully control the Receiver and tv. In order to change inputs you really had to use the remote for the receiver.
The Harmony 550, to put it simply, has changed my life, at least when it comes to tv. All it takes is the push of a button and it will turn on all of your devices and set them to the correct input. You can even take it a step further and have it change to a specific channel when it turns on. If after watching tv you decide you want to watch a movie or play a video game, all it takes is another push of a button. The remote will turn on the device you need, and turn off any devices you no longer need.
Setup is very straight forward and easy to use. Plug it into your computer and follow the instructions on how to add your devices. If at first the remote doesn't have a button or function that the original remote had, you can have the 550 learn it and set it to a button.
My only quarrel with this remote is not a problem with the Harmony 550 itself, but all universal remotes. It doesn't have bluetooth control. I own a PS3 and a Wii, both of which use bluetooth to turn on. It's not a huge problem since when playing games you have to use the controller anyways, but when I want to watch a dvd or blu-ray, it would be nice to be able to just use a universal remote.
Customer Review: Smokin!!
Summary: 5 Stars
I purchased this remote like many of you to get rid of the glut of remotes sitting on the coffee table or entertainment center.
I initially was going to purchase the Harmony 880, but after I read a few reviews and checked them out in the stores, i decided on the 550. It is exactly what I needed with room to grow. My system consists of a plasma TV, a/v receiver, cd jukebox, dvd player and HD DVR digital cable box. I'm sure many of you have more components, but don't worry, this device will control up to 15.
Ease of use: This remote was much simpler to set up than what I imagined. Simply write down the model numbers of your equipment, type it in online, and BINGO! You're on your way to a true universal remote. Setting up the activities is a bit more in depth, but not hard at all. Also, the help button is phenomenal!! If something is not working accoringly, just press the help button and it will be fixed in seconds.
Look: Another reason why I chose this remote over the 880 is the look. It's so stylish and sleek. The buttons really glow. Although you'll get used to the placement of the buttons fairly quickly, it's nice to have a truly backlit remote. (seems to be a rarity these days)
Cons: The only con I have with this remote is the closeness of the number keys. This may present a slight problem with folks with large fingers. However, it's no problem for me at all. Also, is it really worth paying an extra $70 for the 880 just because the # buttons are better spaced? I don't think so.
If you have been trying to decide on a universal remote, this is the one. It's relatively inexpensive and will get the job done. I'd recommend this to the young and old!
Customer Review: 30 minutes setup and universal control!
Summary: 5 Stars
I bought this as a spare universal remote in case my sons broke my Grundig GDDR8250HDD hard disk DVD recorder remote. It was broken before and I another player too. Before getting the remote, I did "test drive" the Harmony 550 at logitech website and was able to find my models inside. When the product arrived, I opened it (it was easy to open albeit it was plastic sealed up), the 4 AAA Duracell batteries are already loaded (there's 4 Duracell spare batteries too!) and plug it to USB (come with USB cable) port, load the CD and install. I got Internet access (which is essential) and I setup a user account, add a few devices, including my Sharp TV, Dell TV and most importantly Grundig DVD recorder (I could not find GDDR8250HDD but I could find GDDR8160HDD which is essentially same model with lower HDD capacity. It doesn't matter anyway.). The software is updated, firmware of Harmony 550 updated and finally the remote is updated with the devices I wanted to control, all within 30 minutes! I tried to control all my devices and it worked all to my expectation! Everything in 30 minutes! It could also control air-con units (a bonus which I didn't expect). One last thing, there are 2 IR ports, both in front and back. One thing I always hoped for is for a skin to be available, to protect these Harmony remotes against drop/scratches/water?, especially the higher end ones. This remote deserves 5 stars, it is not perfect but I couldn't find any better and worth the value.
Update (4 Jul 2008):
I realized I can use the control without any 4AAA batteries at all. My Grundig DVD recorder has a USB port. I just plugged in the USB cable and the control can work without any batteries. Save the EARTH!
Customer Review: A simpler life through technology!
Summary: 5 Stars
I am a fairly typical guy with every guy's problem- five remotes for my fairly high-end home theater system. I have tried universal remotes in the past but they've always been something of a bust- the major stumbling blocks are the additional controls needed for my 5-disc DVD changer and my Comcast DVR box. This reduced me to using my universal remote for the basic stuff but keeping the other remotes nearby in case I had to do anything other than just watch TV.
Enter the Harmony 550. After reading many positive reviews both professional and from customers, I decided to plonk down the eighty bucks for this remote, figuring that I might just get lucky and it would work for me.
This remote doesn't just "work", however- it RULES! The online setup was easier than I expected- I just gathered the model numbers for my devices (Sony WEGA tv, Scientific Atlanta DVR box, Sony surround receiver, Panasonic DVD player, RCA VCR)and entered them at setup. I answered a few slightly vague questions about the setup of my system, and the remote was ready! The macro functions work amazingly well-the coolness factor of being able to push the "play DVD" function button and watching the remote do all the steps for you is enough to make you smile every time you do it. On top of it all it just looks so cool... my dad has one of the earlier-model Harmony remotes and keeps casting envious glances at mine every time he comes over.
All in all, I can't recommend the Harmony 550 highly enough. Yes, it's not cheap, but there are many more expensive remotes out there (most of them produced by Logitech as well) that probably don't offer that much more bang for the buck. Try it, you'll like it!
Customer Review: Same features as the harmony one for over $100 less!
Summary: 5 Stars
I just got this today and wow is it awesome. I am a huge tech geek and cant believe i went so long without one of these. One of my friends got the Harmony One recently and i fell in love with the ease of use and the macro settings. This remote while not as fancy as the "One" with its lack of a color LCD touchscreen, is still just as fantastic.
If the Harmony One is considered the ferrari of remotes, then this 550 is still a porche (and not a cheapo boxter).
Setup seemed complicated at first but once i stopped being dumb it was a breeze. You just need to be patient and know what you're doing and you'll too find setup to be easy. Write down all of your model numbers and be sure you know what inputs you need everthing set to.
This remote is so easy to use my wife picked it up and started using it without any trouble.
Right now i have my Toshiba HDTV, HDDVD player, PS3, Wii, Xbox 360, DVR, and my Monoprice HDMI switch all setup. For the Wii and the playstation i set a macro to switch to the correct source, then use my PS3 remote since its bluetooth (i need to buy the RF/Bluetooth adapter for the PS3)
The remote itself feels nice and solid and really looks spectacular compared to all of my other remotes.
I compared this to the 880 and after reading reviews and taking advice from another one of my friends who has both the 880 and the 550 i went with this one and so far it seems to have payed off.
Dont listen to all the nay sayers. If your looking for an awesome remote but dont want to shell out the dough for the Harmony One, you may have just found what you're looking for. And for $65 ish you cant really beat it.