Universal Remote Opinion

On Sat, 21 Apr 2007 23:34:37 GMT, Tom Horsley
wrote:

On Fri, 20 Apr 2007 12:04:00 -0400
Mike Ray wrote:

I now have a Logitech Harmony 676 Advanced Universal Remote
($119) and although it requires a few extra button pushes to use, it has
an LCD screen you can use to label buttons.

Just be aware that the Harmony comes with a Love-Hate relationship.
I love using mine, but the web based setup software is a monumental
pain in the patoot. See my review at:

http://home.att.net/~Tom.Horsley/harmony.html

Hey Tom, that's some great information you provided.
Much better than anyone else has provided.

Thanks for taking the time to review the product and post your
findings.

Keep up the great work!

On Jun 3, 1:29 pm, jiml wrote:
On Sat, 21 Apr 2007 23:34:37 GMT, Tom Horsley
wrote:

On Fri, 20 Apr 2007 12:04:00 -0400
Mike Ray wrote:

I now have a Logitech Harmony 676 Advanced Universal Remote
($119) and although it requires a few extra button pushes to use, it has
an LCD screen you can use to label buttons.

Just be aware that the Harmony comes with a Love-Hate relationship.
I love using mine, but the web based setup software is a monumental
pain in the patoot. See my review at:

http://home.att.net/~Tom.Horsley/harmony.html

Hey Tom, that's some great information you provided.
Much better than anyone else has provided.

Thanks for taking the time to review the product and post your
findings.

Keep up the great work!

Yep, I have the Harmony 659. Got it off eBay for around $100 CAD
including shipping. I love it! Programs really easily, though there
are some features missing IMO....but a great remote all round!

"max.power" wrote in message
oups.com...
On Jun 3, 1:29 pm, jiml wrote:
On Sat, 21 Apr 2007 23:34:37 GMT, Tom Horsley
wrote:

On Fri, 20 Apr 2007 12:04:00 -0400
Mike Ray wrote:

I now have a Logitech Harmony 676 Advanced Universal Remote
($119) and although it requires a few extra button pushes to use, it
has
an LCD screen you can use to label buttons.

Just be aware that the Harmony comes with a Love-Hate relationship.
I love using mine, but the web based setup software is a monumental
pain in the patoot. See my review at:

http://home.att.net/~Tom.Horsley/harmony.html

Hey Tom, that's some great information you provided.
Much better than anyone else has provided.

Thanks for taking the time to review the product and post your
findings.

Keep up the great work!

Yep, I have the Harmony 659. Got it off eBay for around $100 CAD
including shipping. I love it! Programs really easily, though there
are some features missing IMO....but a great remote all round!

I got the 659 as a freebie with my widescreen. Software interface is a bit
cludgy, but when you're done the remote does all the basics nicely: Turns
on the appropriate gear, sets inputs for whatever you're doing (in my case
cable ... don't ask..., satellite, DVD and legacy VCR). There are some
tweaks that are best or at least more easily done with the device-specific
remote, but for 99% of my viewing, the Harmony does the job. Highly
recommended at the price (around $100).

R / John

On Tue, 5 Jun 2007 15:13:38 -0500, "John Carrier"
wrote:


"max.power" wrote in message
roups.com...
On Jun 3, 1:29 pm, jiml wrote:
On Sat, 21 Apr 2007 23:34:37 GMT, Tom Horsley
wrote:

On Fri, 20 Apr 2007 12:04:00 -0400
Mike Ray wrote:

I now have a Logitech Harmony 676 Advanced Universal Remote
($119) and although it requires a few extra button pushes to use, it
has
an LCD screen you can use to label buttons.

Just be aware that the Harmony comes with a Love-Hate relationship.
I love using mine, but the web based setup software is a monumental
pain in the patoot. See my review at:

http://home.att.net/~Tom.Horsley/harmony.html

Hey Tom, that's some great information you provided.
Much better than anyone else has provided.

Thanks for taking the time to review the product and post your
findings.

Keep up the great work!

Yep, I have the Harmony 659. Got it off eBay for around $100 CAD
including shipping. I love it! Programs really easily, though there
are some features missing IMO....but a great remote all round!

I got the 659 as a freebie with my widescreen. Software interface is a bit
cludgy, but when you're done the remote does all the basics nicely: Turns
on the appropriate gear, sets inputs for whatever you're doing (in my case
cable ... don't ask..., satellite, DVD and legacy VCR). There are some
tweaks that are best or at least more easily done with the device-specific
remote, but for 99% of my viewing, the Harmony does the job. Highly
recommended at the price (around $100).


The tweaking is kind of part of the fun. To tweak and tweak the
Harmony until you are absolutely able to dispense with every single
other remote control is such a cool feeling!

I can see where, to many, that tweaking wouldn't be all that fun, but
those are people that probably didn't enjoy playing "The Incredible
Machine" either :-)

On Tue, 05 Jun 2007 20:21:26 -0700, dgates
wrote:

On Tue, 5 Jun 2007 15:13:38 -0500, "John Carrier"
wrote:


"max.power" wrote in message
groups.com...
On Jun 3, 1:29 pm, jiml wrote:
On Sat, 21 Apr 2007 23:34:37 GMT, Tom Horsley
wrote:

On Fri, 20 Apr 2007 12:04:00 -0400
Mike Ray wrote:

I now have a Logitech Harmony 676 Advanced Universal Remote
($119) and although it requires a few extra button pushes to use, it
has
an LCD screen you can use to label buttons.

Just be aware that the Harmony comes with a Love-Hate relationship.
I love using mine, but the web based setup software is a monumental
pain in the patoot. See my review at:

http://home.att.net/~Tom.Horsley/harmony.html

Hey Tom, that's some great information you provided.
Much better than anyone else has provided.

Thanks for taking the time to review the product and post your
findings.

Keep up the great work!

Yep, I have the Harmony 659. Got it off eBay for around $100 CAD
including shipping. I love it! Programs really easily, though there
are some features missing IMO....but a great remote all round!

I got the 659 as a freebie with my widescreen. Software interface is a bit
cludgy, but when you're done the remote does all the basics nicely: Turns
on the appropriate gear, sets inputs for whatever you're doing (in my case
cable ... don't ask..., satellite, DVD and legacy VCR). There are some
tweaks that are best or at least more easily done with the device-specific
remote, but for 99% of my viewing, the Harmony does the job. Highly
recommended at the price (around $100).


The tweaking is kind of part of the fun. To tweak and tweak the
Harmony until you are absolutely able to dispense with every single
other remote control is such a cool feeling!

I can see where, to many, that tweaking wouldn't be all that fun, but
those are people that probably didn't enjoy playing "The Incredible
Machine" either :-)

I have plenty of room on my coffee table for all of my remotes and I
like them to be separate.
Thumper

On Tue, 05 Jun 2007 20:21:26 -0700
dgates wrote:

The tweaking is kind of part of the fun. To tweak and tweak the
Harmony until you are absolutely able to dispense with every single
other remote control is such a cool feeling!

I can see where, to many, that tweaking wouldn't be all that fun, but
those are people that probably didn't enjoy playing "The Incredible
Machine" either :-)

I enjoy having it tweaked. I do not enjoy searching a twisty maze
of html links to find (for instance) where to change the delay it
defaulted two between signals, etc. If only they would build a site-map
web page I could search for stuff in so as to go directly to the
item I want to change. That would be a vast improvement (yes, I have
communicated that and many other feelings to them :-).

On Wed, 06 Jun 2007 21:41:27 GMT, Tom Horsley
wrote:

On Tue, 05 Jun 2007 20:21:26 -0700
dgates wrote:

The tweaking is kind of part of the fun. To tweak and tweak the
Harmony until you are absolutely able to dispense with every single
other remote control is such a cool feeling!

I can see where, to many, that tweaking wouldn't be all that fun, but
those are people that probably didn't enjoy playing "The Incredible
Machine" either :-)

I enjoy having it tweaked. I do not enjoy searching a twisty maze
of html links to find (for instance) where to change the delay it
defaulted two between signals, etc. If only they would build a site-map
web page I could search for stuff in so as to go directly to the
item I want to change. That would be a vast improvement (yes, I have
communicated that and many other feelings to them :-).

Yes, actually, you've hit an area where I don't feel my tweaking
skills are that great: setting things like delay-between-signal times.

Fortunately, I've only had two uses for that (that I know of):

One is an older TV that needed a slightly longer-than-default delay
between being powered on and switching video inputs. I figured that
out, fixed it, and have now forgotten what I did.

The other is my white Logitech MM50 speaker thingy that holds my iPod
in the weight room. I can't figure out how to get the MM50 to react
differently to the act of *holding down* the "Left" button, as opposed
to simply pressing it once and letting go. (Holding down the Left
button makes an iPod speedsearch backwards -- say, through a podcast
-- while pressling "Left" once makes it jump to the beginning of a
podcast and exit.)

But that seems like a really small complaint, as regards the Harmony.
It was only on a lark that I even tried seeing if it could control the
MM50. All of my TVs, cable boxes, DVD players, TiVo, etc., the remote
now controls just fine.

"Tom Horsley" wrote in message
news:[email protected]
On Tue, 05 Jun 2007 20:21:26 -0700
dgates wrote:

The tweaking is kind of part of the fun. To tweak and tweak the
Harmony until you are absolutely able to dispense with every single
other remote control is such a cool feeling!

I can see where, to many, that tweaking wouldn't be all that fun, but
those are people that probably didn't enjoy playing "The Incredible
Machine" either :-)

I enjoy having it tweaked. I do not enjoy searching a twisty maze
of html links to find (for instance) where to change the delay it
defaulted two between signals, etc. If only they would build a site-map
web page I could search for stuff in so as to go directly to the
item I want to change. That would be a vast improvement (yes, I have
communicated that and many other feelings to them :-).

I've had a few Harmony remotes (starting a few years ago before they were
purchased by Logitech, with the 768, and now an 880 and 659). You are
correct about the timing delays being somewhat hidden, but once you find it,
it isn't so bad.

Their tech support prior to Logitech was superb, though I have not contacted
them since then.......

"dgates" wrote in message
...
On Wed, 06 Jun 2007 21:41:27 GMT, Tom Horsley
wrote:

On Tue, 05 Jun 2007 20:21:26 -0700
dgates wrote:

The tweaking is kind of part of the fun. To tweak and tweak the
Harmony until you are absolutely able to dispense with every single
other remote control is such a cool feeling!

I can see where, to many, that tweaking wouldn't be all that fun, but
those are people that probably didn't enjoy playing "The Incredible
Machine" either :-)

I enjoy having it tweaked. I do not enjoy searching a twisty maze
of html links to find (for instance) where to change the delay it
defaulted two between signals, etc. If only they would build a site-map
web page I could search for stuff in so as to go directly to the
item I want to change. That would be a vast improvement (yes, I have
communicated that and many other feelings to them :-).

Yes, actually, you've hit an area where I don't feel my tweaking
skills are that great: setting things like delay-between-signal times.

Fortunately, I've only had two uses for that (that I know of):

One is an older TV that needed a slightly longer-than-default delay
between being powered on and switching video inputs. I figured that
out, fixed it, and have now forgotten what I did.

The other is my white Logitech MM50 speaker thingy that holds my iPod
in the weight room. I can't figure out how to get the MM50 to react
differently to the act of *holding down* the "Left" button, as opposed
to simply pressing it once and letting go. (Holding down the Left
button makes an iPod speedsearch backwards -- say, through a podcast
-- while pressling "Left" once makes it jump to the beginning of a
podcast and exit.)

But that seems like a really small complaint, as regards the Harmony.
It was only on a lark that I even tried seeing if it could control the
MM50. All of my TVs, cable boxes, DVD players, TiVo, etc., the remote
now controls just fine.



Can't you reprogram the fast forward button (only reprogram for use during
the Ipod activity)?

On Sat, 09 Jun 2007 12:55:36 GMT, "L Alpert"
wrote:


"dgates" wrote in message
.. .
On Wed, 06 Jun 2007 21:41:27 GMT, Tom Horsley
wrote:

On Tue, 05 Jun 2007 20:21:26 -0700
dgates wrote:

The tweaking is kind of part of the fun. To tweak and tweak the
Harmony until you are absolutely able to dispense with every single
other remote control is such a cool feeling!

I can see where, to many, that tweaking wouldn't be all that fun, but
those are people that probably didn't enjoy playing "The Incredible
Machine" either :-)

I enjoy having it tweaked. I do not enjoy searching a twisty maze
of html links to find (for instance) where to change the delay it
defaulted two between signals, etc. If only they would build a site-map
web page I could search for stuff in so as to go directly to the
item I want to change. That would be a vast improvement (yes, I have
communicated that and many other feelings to them :-).

Yes, actually, you've hit an area where I don't feel my tweaking
skills are that great: setting things like delay-between-signal times.

Fortunately, I've only had two uses for that (that I know of):

One is an older TV that needed a slightly longer-than-default delay
between being powered on and switching video inputs. I figured that
out, fixed it, and have now forgotten what I did.

The other is my white Logitech MM50 speaker thingy that holds my iPod
in the weight room. I can't figure out how to get the MM50 to react
differently to the act of *holding down* the "Left" button, as opposed
to simply pressing it once and letting go. (Holding down the Left
button makes an iPod speedsearch backwards -- say, through a podcast
-- while pressling "Left" once makes it jump to the beginning of a
podcast and exit.)

But that seems like a really small complaint, as regards the Harmony.
It was only on a lark that I even tried seeing if it could control the
MM50. All of my TVs, cable boxes, DVD players, TiVo, etc., the remote
now controls just fine.



Can't you reprogram the fast forward button (only reprogram for use during
the Ipod activity)?

I'm not sure how to answer that. For each activity, the fast forward
("FF") button will do something different. When watching a DVR, it is
the FF button for the DVR. When watching a DVD, it is the FF button
for the DVD player.

When controlling an iPod, however, there is a single button on the
iPod that means both FF and "Skip a Whole Song," depending on how you
push it. If you tap the button once, it skips the whole song. If you
hold the button down, and wait a moment while you keep holding, it
starts FF-ing through the song.

What I had a problem with was getting the remote to accurately send
the message to the iPod: "Okay, I'm HOLDING this button down. I'm not
just tapping it once." Sure, for my part, I would hold the button
down, but somehow the first thing transmitted to the iPod was "He just
tapped the button."

Keep in mind that this is a very particular, unusual case. For all my
other needs, the Harmony remotes have been just fine, even controlling
TV volumes (which also need to distinguish between "he tapped the
button once" and "he's holding it down."