Logitech Harmony One Universal Remote with Color Touch Screen
by Logitech
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Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of Logitech Harmony One Universal Remote with Color Touch Screen
Customer Review: The One Remote to Have!
Summary: 5 Stars
Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Program (What's this?)
I love my Harmony One remote. It is high quality and elegant. It feels great in your hand. The software makes it easy to setup and gives you enough low level control to tweak it for complex setups (i.e. make techno-geeks like me happy). It took me a little while to recognize the difference between activity mode and device mode. Once I did I was really able to use it to it's full potential and save tons of key strokes on the remote. I try to explain it below. I highly recommend the Harmony One. Below are my comments and observations on the remote.
- My Setup: DVD Player, Ultimate TV (DirecTV DVR), VCR, DVD Recorder, Archos TV+ (DVR), Receiver, TV
- Some of My Activities:
-> Watch Ultimate TV: Turn on TV and Receiver, Set Receiver to Sat Input for sound, Set TV to correct Video Input. Ultimate TV is set to remain on at all times.
-> Watch DVD: Turn on TV, Receiver and DVD player. Set Receiver to DVD, set TV to Component input. Note when switching away from this activity the DVD player is turned off.
-> Watch Archos TV+ : Turn on TV, Receiver, Archos TV. Set Receiver to ArchosTV sound input, set TV to Component in. ArchosTV is turned off when another activity is chosen.
-Device Mode: When you select a device on the Harmony One, the buttons control the device you selected. I don't use device mode much since I have all the activities set up the way I want them and all the buttons I need programmed on the keypad or in the touch screen menu for that activity.
-Activity Mode: When you select an activity, the remote becomes a hybrid of the remotes of all the devices in the activity. For example the Volume buttons control the receiver, the channel buttons control the DVR, and other buttons may control TV functions. You do not need to change modes to control the different devices. If you run out of keypad buttons to program, you can add more functions to the menus on the touch screen. This is all setup through the computer software that comes with the remote. For each button in an activity, you can pick what device you want it to control, and watch function it should perform.
- The Touch screen: The touch screen is awesome. The screen shows 6 buttons at a time. You can cycle through multiple screens of buttons. You can program a button to do anything you want and label it. It can be tied to an activity or a device. You do have to be careful when using the touch screen because it is easy to hit the wrong button or two buttons at once.
- Customer Support: I wanted to add a discrete "ON" for the TV to my activities to make sure the TV was always turned on before any activity. I called customer support and the woman didn't understand what I wanted. I then emailed customer support and got the answer the next day. I was impressed with email support. There is a large FAQ that is helpful as well. The customer support staff have access to your remote setup since it is stored on line. This lets them know exactly what you are doing and help with it.
- Every button is programmable plus you can add more buttons via the touch screen.
- The setup is straight forward plus you can dig deeper into it if you are a more advanced user.
- The Harmony Once can learn commands from remotes when you can't find it in the online code set.
- When you pick up the remote, it knows it and the touch screen turns on. This is really cool.
- The off button turns off everything that you have programmed to turn off for the current activity.
- You need to keep the remote pointed at the entertainment center when you select an activity. It takes a second for it to transmit all the codes. You can reduce the delay in the setup to speed this up, but I haven't tried that yet. ==> Update: I reduced the delay for the TV and Receiver and it really speeds up the activities. The default delays are very conservative.
Customer Review: Great Remote!
Summary: 5 Stars
I purchased the Harmony One about three weeks ago and have been using it for the past two weeks. I love this remote. I have a Samsung HDTV, Pioneer VSX 1120-k a/v receiver, Cox cable box (Scientific Atlanta) and a Sony PS3 that is also used as my BluRay player (yes I bought the Logitec PS3 adapter).
I found the software and setup procedure very easy to use. It took me about one hour to get it setup. I did this the in the following order:
1) Hooked up my Logitech PS3 adapter
2) Wrote down the Name and Model of the components listed above
3) Wrote down the "input" for each device (HDMI 1, Component input, etc)
4) Loaded the software that came with the Harmony onto my PC
5) Followed the directions as prompted by the software
a) set up the devices
b) choose the activities
c) set up the "favorites screen"
d) connected up my Harmony via the USB cable and updated with settings
6) Once I finished on the PC, I took the remote into the family room and tried all the Activites and they all worked!
Even though everything worked flawlessly, I wanted to "refine" the settings. I went back to the PC and did the following:
1) When I set up the Activities, the first one was "Game Controller" followed by DVD and then TV. I was able to change the order so TV is on top, followed by DVD and then Game Controller. This is the order of most used first.
2) I wanted to change my Favorites screen from showing the station names (i.e. HBO, CBS, FOX, etc) to their actual logo. These logos can be downloaded from IconHarmony website: http://www.iconharmony.com/icons/home - this was a strictly cosmetic desire but it really looks cool.
I couldn't believe how well the Harmony handled my most complex device: the Pioneer a/v receiver. This is a new model released eight months ago. There are dozens of settings/commands on this device and the Harmony has them all: at least as far as I can tell. I just choose Devices, Receiver on my Harmony and it lists 14 sub menus which include all the commands that were on the receiver remote and it is a lot easier to read and understand.
In summary, the things I liked about the Harmony One:
A) Easy to use setup: walks you through each step in an easy to understand method
B) Button and screen backlight that comes on automatically when you pick up the remote
C) Customizable buttons and names
D) Help screen: not that you will need it
E) Your remote settings are saved on your PC so you don't need to re-enter.
F) Easy to change order of listings such as which networks show on which screens
G) Works great with my PS3 (you will need to buy the Logitech PS3 adapter).
H) Charging cradle is convenient. Just place the remote on it and it keeps it charged
I) The software gives you the option to leave your cable box on all the time or power it on and off when watching TV. I chose to leave it on since there is a delay when the box is turned on. This way I can switch from watching a DVD to cable instantly. Nice feature.
J) Looks: The shiny black finish is nice looking and I don't have any real problem with fingerprints like others mention. I wipe it down with the microfiber cloth that came with the remote once every couple of days and it looks great!
K) Last but certainly not least, my wife can now watch TV or a DVD on my PS3 with the touch of a single button (actually the touch screen). A happy wife trumps all the other pluses!
Things I don't like: Have to come back later when I find something!
Finally I bought this on Amazon for approx $150. That is a great price for a great remote! Anyone wanting to be able to watch TV with a single button or switch to watching a DVD etc, by touching just one button, this is the remote for you. By buying on Amazon, I knew if I did not like it I could return it within 30 days with no hassle. Unless something goes wrong, there is no way this remote is going back to Amazon. Sorry Jeff Bezos (Amazon CEO), it's mine! Oops, no it's my wife's!
Customer Review: Very Picky and Very Satisfied
Summary: 5 Stars
After reading many of these reviews and cruising the web for several days regarding this product, I sprang for the Harmony One for a very reasonable price off of Amazon a week ago.
It's very important to approach this remote as an "Activity Based" device rather than just a remote that can control a bunch of equipment one at a time. Touch the "Watch TV" activity button and all needed components turn on and set themselves to appropriate inputs. Touch "Watch DVD" and unneeded devices turn off (like my Cox Digital Cable box) and the other components set themselves to the right inputs. Hit the Off key and every component shuts off. Although previous remotes from this company performed Activity Based commands, none do it in such an elegant, pleasing package that fits perfectly in the palm of your hand.
Everything I've ever read about this device (all the positive things) are more than true - this is an outstanding all-in-one IR remote and quite possibly the best ever made. From the look-and-feel, design, charger, software set up and customization, I can easily appreciate the thousands of hours of R&D that went into this beautiful device. And it's my FIRST universal remote ever.
(To make my entertainment set up "visually clean", I purchased a Hot Link IR extender, as I have all of my components in a closet off of the living room and I ran wires under the house and up through the floors in key places.) The only equipment one sees in the living room is the 46" plasma on a pedestal stand and a few little BOSE satellite speakers. Here's what I have:
Panasonic TH-46PZ800U
BOSE DVD/FM/AM/Surround Lifestyle 38
Cox Communications Digital Cable Box
Bang & Olufsen Beocenter 7700
Apple iMac w/Front Row for iTunes
The Harmony One handled them all - and thanks to this thread and others, I found the "trick" to get the BOSE device to "read" IR commands - all these years I never knew that it COULD read IR - they promote their RF remotes as some kind of godsend, and I always thought I'd always have to end up with two remotes no matter what I did to alleviate the problem. Even the software that you use to program the Harmony One via your computer knew about this and showed me the actual page from the BOSE owners manual!
After that hurdle was jumped, it was off to my old B&O Beocenter 7700, which is my record player and cassette tape player. (I still have a lot of records that I treasure and can't find in digital format yet.) Even though everything I've read said the B&O IR from older machines was impossible to teach to the Harmony One, I took a chance and set up the B&O as a device and successfully taught the ONE the key commands I needed from the old remote. To my complete shock, it worked.
I've already shown off the Harmony One to some pretty tough customers - fellow IT workers who pride themselves on being very, very technically inclined. They were blown away and are seriously considering a purchase.
The Harmony One, in combination of hiding away all of my components via the Hot Link IR extender (which GREATLY increases the already excellent sensitivity and range of the ONE via a hyper-sensitive IR "eye") has made me feel that I have a brand new entertainment system. I'm still having fun tweaking and playing with the device to bring it to ultimate perfection - but even with just the initial ACTIVITY set up and not tweaking a thing it will handle your basic needs in 1/2 an hour's programming time.
Readers may be interested in two very nice web sites regarding this remote - there is an excellent discussion forum- Google for "Official Logitech Harmony One thread". There is also a wonderful site that a "fan" created where you can download and install beautiful TV station color logo's to the Harmony One's touch screen - imagine going to your favorite TV stations by simply touching the station icon! Just Google for "Icon Harmony".
I'm very hard to please and very picky about my technology - I'm a firm believer in technology serving the user, elegant useful interfaces and ergonomic and pleasing design - this has made me one happy customer!
Customer Review: Expelliarmus! ...
Summary: 5 Stars
Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Program (What's this?)
1. The remote came so well-packaged from Amazon I thought it was Easter, as it was surrounded in its box by that type of green plastic grass that you usually see in plastic Easter Baskets with chocolate.
2. The remote fits nicely in the hand, looks good and is easy to control. The docking bay looks sleek, very cool and is unobtrusive to the eye as it lays flat when docked.
3. The software was easy and simple to use and I had no difficulty interfacing with it. I have numerous devices (12 in all) and it was able to control each of them, even my VCR that's closing in on 15 years of age. I was able to get through the set up pretty quickly. Although it does require a certain amount, and type, of patience when programming a universal remote. I didn't experience anything troubling or hard to get past. In fact, the remote seemed to learn my devices mostly by itself and required very little extra programming, by me, for most of my gear.
4. One thing to be aware of though - is SONY equipment. There are proprietary issues with Sony that seem to trump here and get in the way of things with the remote. But this is the fault of Sony and not Logitech. You may have to program all your buttons with your Sony devices like any other Universal Remote from the old days, so if you're already accustomed to it, you won't feel put out and it doesn't take that long anyways. But seeing the remote learn your other devices in a matter of seconds, with no extra input, is pretty cool.
5. I was able to program other custom buttons for devices that are harder to find in the search database like my HDMI A/B Switch, which I'll probably replace now anyways. But it learned it quickly and I was able to put away the cheap remote that came with the switch that hardly ever worked.
6. The touch screen is very well laid out into simple menus that can be completely customized if you so desire. I kept it pretty simple and neglected attaching photos / pictures with each different device or TV channel. While it may look like a Star Trek device, and difficult to get used to, the remote is pretty basic and quickly takes over as the main remote without much pain or labor.
7. The remote has a very quick response time with the devices and seems as if it's actually stronger than most of the OEM remotes that came with each piece of equipment. My Cable Box remote was the most obvious as it was sluggish and annoying. The Harmony remote responds quicker and from farther distances.
8. One of the nicest features that some people may not be aware of is the use of Macro commands. One button turns on multiple items at different settings so you don't have to go through one by one and do it yourself, like watching a DVD or Cable TV. It's incredibly impressive on so many levels and makes the experience of watching your home theater that much simpler.
9. Radio station programming. Thank you, Lord. Since I work from home and I listen to the radio all day, having a button on the touch screen for `Radio Stations' made me very happy.
10. My only complaint: No remote page feature. Everyone loses their remote - everyone. Looking for it sometimes is exasperating.
This is the slickest remote I've ever handled. Several people that came over to visit, did a double-take as their jaw hit the floor, awestruck, when they realized I had a remote with touch-screen.
Man, is it cool.
Customer Review: Simply awesome!
Summary: 5 Stars
I read many of the reviews for the Harmony One here before I decided to order it for myself. The vast majority of reviews, both here and elsewhere, were very positive. After receiving the remote, I installed the software on my PC, connected the remote via the USB cable, input the make and model # of my various components (Pioneer Elite VSX-81TXV receiver (purchased 9/2006), Samsung UN55B8500XF TV (purchased 12/2009), Panasonic DMP-BD85 (purchased 7/2010), Mitsubishi HS-U590 (purchased in the mid-1990's), and DirecTV DVR HR22-100 (about 1 year old)), answered some questions about how the components were connected and how I used them, updated the remote, and that was it. Took it down to the TV room for a test drive, and everything worked absolutely flawlessly!
(NOTE: I found that when entering my components, it was best to indicate that I did NOT have the remote for the device. If I indicated that I DID have the remote, the software wanted me to point it at the Harmony One and go through the process of mapping all of the buttons. Instead, I went back and said that I did not have the remotes for my devices, and I guess it set up the default button mappings for everything based on the make/model, which worked perfectly.)
This remote is absolutely amazing. To those who have complaints about the way it works, or that it sometimes doesn't seem to send the commands to every component, I would say that those are *extremely* minor gripes considering how well this remote works overall, and what it does for the money. As far as the remote sometimes not sending commands to every component, I have experienced this myself. However, in most cases, I think it is simply because I did not keep the remote pointed towards the components long enough for it to send all of the commands. And even when this has happened, the remote asks (on the LCD display screen) whether everything came on and is working as expected. If you answer "no", it resends commands until everything is working to your satisfaction. How much easier could it get?
I can't speak to the reliability or customer support (haven't had it long enough to have a problem or to need customer support), but otherwise, I have nothing but good things to say about this remote. Touch the "Watch TV" button, and the TV, DirecTV box, and receiver turn on. Touch "Watch DVD", and the DirectTV box turns off, the Blue Ray player turns on, and the input selection on the receiver changes from HDMI1 to HDMI2 (I have the DirecTV receiver on HDMI1 and the Blue Ray on HDMI2 on the receiver). Hit the On/Off button, and everything that's on shuts off.
Until I got this remote, I was the only one in the house who knew who to set everything to watch TV, or to change to watching a DVD/Blue Ray, etc. (because I'm the one who set it all up, and the only one who is technically inclined/interested enough to know how everything works). With this remote, ANYONE who picks it up can work the system without knowing a thing about it. That in itself is an incredible achievement on the part of Logitech. The software allows for complete customization of the remote, and as long as you're reasonably intelligent and even remotely technically inclined, you will be able to make this thing do exactly what you want.
If you're tired of dealing with a pile of remotes, and are willing to spend the money, you won't regret buying this remote! It is a brilliant little piece of technology. I can't wait to renovate my TV room so I can install recessed lighting with remote-controlled dimmer switches (IR), so that I can add control of the room lighting to what this remote does for me.
The bottom line: this remote works as advertised, is easy to set up and easier to use, and looks great doing it.