Universal remotes for Home Theater/AV systems

[TracN Jack]

Any reccomendations? I have TOO MANY remotes and would like to simplify things so my wife can turn everything on without needing a masters degree.

 

[Jeff C]

I have a Logitech Harmony 880 and I love it. One button turns on everything and puts it to the right settings. It's expensive from a retail store, but I picked mine up on eBay at less than half of retail price.

 

[Rick Kent]

I have the Harmony Logitech 676 and love it also. It controls everything with one touch on/off, sets inputs on the TV and AV receiver.



I picked mine up at Sams Club, $99.99.

 

[Gary DiPietroSr]

We have been selling the Harmony one for our home theater jobs. Customers like it.

 

[Keith Lew]

Hey Jack

I bought a Harmon Kardon TC 30 which is really a Logitech (looks like a 550 Advance but with a full color LCD screen). Absolutely love it. Load software on your computer, connect online and go through a simple set-up to load up your components rather than having to individually program each device. After running the set up (30 min for a slow poke like me) it powered up just fine. Being task driven, the programming will not only power each required device but also put it to the right setting as well. So far, 4 of 4 say Logitech. They're available on Target .com too

 

[Brian D]

The Harmony Logistic remotes are the best !!! I have not used any of my other 5 remotes since getting there's.You program it on line. If you lose the info on the remote you just go back on line and dowload your file. It has one button controls that controls your tv,then turns on your cable box. Press another button for watching movies,it will turn your tv to a different input ,turn on your dvd player, turn on your stereo,turns off the cable box. You will not need any other remote EVER !!!



Brian D

 

[TracN Jack]

Looks like I will go with the Harmony 550 Advanced since it is on sale today at best buy for $99.00



I want the Harmony 890 - just cant justify the cost



I will let you know how it goes.

 

[Jeff C]

TracNJack, I picked up my Harmony 880 on eBay for $125 shipped. I'm sure if you can wait you can find a deal.



Here's one for $123 shipped. After taxes at the store on the 550, it's only $10 more for a helluva lot more remote.

 

[TracN Jack]

Thanks.. as i was looking at it and considering buy it now.. someone bid on it....DANG

 

[TracN Jack]

Well i did not want to wait... picked up the 550 advanced model for $99.00

I think i have it programmed correctly now so the wife can use it



down to 1 remote from 6

 

[Bill V]

I have the 880 and like it--for the most part. But I wish I had splurged and gotten the 890. It would be nice to have the IR capabilities.

 

[Mark Tomkiel]

Picked up a new Logitech 520 for $65 shipped off of ebay a couple of months ago. It's the same as the 550, except has more silver color. It works great but does require some tweaking, primarily in the speed settings. It controls my TV, Xbox360, DVD recorder, satellite, and reciever. It adjusts all the proper video sources on the TV along with the correct source settings on the reciever.... all with the push of a button.

 

[Thomas Rogers]

Mark, that price sounds good. Thanks, I am going to look into that for myself. My wife keeps getting confused too.

 

[Jeff C]

Yeah, the Harmony remotes are great. Controls my DVD player, satellite box, a/v receiver, HD system selector, original Xbox, Xbox 360, PS2, and the TV. I can hit a button and it all goes to the right settings. If I hit my media button it'll bring up my HD channel listings on the remote's LCD. I think the best feature is being able to add whatever buttons I want to the LCD at the top.

 

[Thomas Rogers]

Amazon.com has the Logitech Harmony 880 for $142.



P.S. That price is over $100 off MSRP, and I just ordered one for my birthday (free shipping too). It's really more of a present for my wife, since she fumbles with the DVR and receiver remotes (the receiver has a slider for selecting devices...dvd, tv, receiver). This should be a lot easier.



TJR

 

[TracN Jack]

Anyone looking at these still there is a Harmony 890 listed as Buy it now for $240.00

THis includes the RF reciever, so if you have your gear in a cabinet or in another room you can still control equipment normally controlled by IR remotes

This is a good deal list is $399.00



My new 550 is working like a charm

 

[Thomas Rogers]

Amazon.com shipped the Harmony 880 to my door today.



I have been playing with it most of the night. I have generated 16 different pieces of artwork for each of my favorite channels, messing with all the various buttons to get them just the way I like them, and it's controlling everything (AV receiver, DVD, HD Settop Box and TV) JUST the way I like it. Very sweet, and under $150 shipped to my door (my wife thinks I'm crazy, but she spends that much at the spa without even thinking about it).



My daughter (6yo) thinks it looks like the remote from the movie "Click!", and it kinda does.



TJR

 

[TracN Jack]

CLICK!.....

 

[Bill V]

TJR, I'm not sure of it at the moment (I have a link on my computer at home, but not here), but there is a website with TONS of channel icons for the 880's favorite channel lists. I'm sure you could find it without involving much search time. I think I linked to it through remotecentral.com, but I'm not positive. Either way, that site (as well as avsforum.com) are very good resources for creative programming of 880s and other remotes...

 

[Thomas Rogers]

Bill V, thanks. It took me less than 30 minutes to make mine with Photoshop, but I will do a search and report back if I find one. That's my favorite feature of that remote...the media/favorites icons...oh, that and the motion-sensing activation of the backlit...and the help button...and...



P.S., just found ONE site with icons (I like the 16 I made better)