Logitech Harmony 1000 Remote Control Review
A leader in the home entertainment industry, Logitech continues to push the boundaries with the Harmony 1000 Advanced Universal Remote. The Harmony 1000 Universal Remote is able to control over 100,000 devices from a large touch screen.
Not an Ordinary Remote
The 1000 Advanced features a 3.5-inch color touch screen for activity-base control. Unlike a standard remote, pressing an activity button automatically activates all of the required components in the correct order and adjusts the settings accordingly. Even better, no macro programming is required. To the left of the screen is a navigational wheel and volume/channel buttons. The power button is recessed in the upper-left corner.
As for the enclosure, the screen is surrounded with a glossy black border, while the rest of the unit is wrapped in a matte metal cover.
Tough Enough?
Due to the relatively large size of the remote, we found that it could take a few hits. What makes this remote even more reliable is the dual use of radio frequency (RF) and infrared (IR) technology. This means that the remote is able to broadcast through walls and furniture. This not only makes for a simpler experience, but the constant connection ensures that the complex steps involved in an activity command aren’t disrupted.
It Really is That Easy
We found that the use of large, colorful icons makes the Harmony 1000 Advanced a great remote for the technologically-impaired. The touch screen was very responsive and rarely missed a beat. The buttons are hard and ensure a consistent response, whereas rubber buttons can suffer from the occasional missed input.
Battery Life: I Think I Can, I Think I Can…
The Harmony 1000 Advanced uses a durable lithium-ion battery for extended use. The remote comes with an easy-to-use dock that ensures the remote will always be fully charged and easy to locate in a crowded media room.
Overflowing with Features
The Harmony 1000 Advanced includes patented Logitech Smart State technology that is able to track the operation of 15 devices simultaneously for maximum performance and precise control.
Can’t run a DVD or play a CD? No sound? Dim picture? The 1000 Advanced is able to troubleshoot problems directly on the remote, simply by pressing the “Help” button.
In many cases, the most difficult aspect of a universal remote is the programming. In a standard remote, additional devices are added by the use of three-digit codes or the signals are learned manually. In the 1000 Advanced, the process begins by installing the software on your PC or Mac. After connecting the remote to the computer, the management suite will start and automatically update the code database. Once the database has been updated, the program asks a series of questions and proceeds to upload all of the required configuration files. Nearly every piece of equipment is supported, with over 4,500 brands and over 150,000 individual components.
Outstanding Advantages
- Big 3.5-inch screen
- Use of bold colors and large icons
- Activity-based control
- “Help” button for easy, instant troubleshooting
- Prominent, well-designed dock ensures a constant charge
- Smart State feature allows simultaneous tracking of 15 components
- Large database of 150,000+ components
- Automatic update upon computer connect
- RF technology ensures connection through walls and a 100 foot range
Small Drawbacks
- Setup wizard can encounter the occasional hiccup
- Glossy black border attracts fingerprints
- Screen can smudge easily
Click here to purchase Harmony 1000 remote control and save money!
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Logitech Battery for Harmony Remote Control 1000 1100 1100i 3.7V 1250mAh Sale Price: $5.50 Used From: $15.60 Average Rating:   |
This site contains the personal opinions of various authors and contributors to this website. The opinions in these articles and reviews are offered in good faith, but also come with no guarantees or warranties.
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Once again the sharp lcd hdtv is one of the hottest gifts this Christmas, they’re selling out fast. I found mine at http://astore.amazon.com/50-inch-lg-hdtv-for-sale-20
It’s a piece of junk. Try removing the battery when it freezes on you without breaking something.
harmony 1000
This product does what it supposed to. It takes a little time to program. I now have only one remote in my living room.
H.C. ANDERS
A true universal remote
Easy to use,remote has help function if needed.Once all of your devices are in the system your done.would recommend
Fancy and a little touchy
This is my second Harmony remote. This one replaced a 3 year old 659 remote of theirs that my kids had abused until it finally died. I was obviously pleased with it, since I spent the big money on this one. The feature that sold me was RF support. No matter how much I try, I cannot get my wife to keep the remote pointed at the TV corner and things invariably get screwed up. Please note that this is not a Harmony issue. The TV equipment manufacturers need to have Bluetooth support for all their remote control functions, so that the remote can confirm that a signal sent is actually performed by the TV or other device. With RF, at least you do not have to point the damn thing at the TV.
Programming the Harmony takes patience, but the process is quite refined. The menu structure is clean and for the most part works well. My gripes include:
1. Slow to respond. When you are fast forwarding through a commercial on the DVR, you want it to stop the instant you hit the play key. There is a time delay that gets frustrating. I think there is just too much software running in the remote.
2. Sometimes it gets confused or something and starts repeating a command over and over. This can get exciting if you are pressing up volume. The surround system will blast out loud until you can get things back under control.
Overall I am fairly pleased. The biggest shortcomings with all these remotes is that the I/R system for remote control is so brain damaged that no matter what remote you get, it will not be foolproof.
logitech remote
the service was great and i got in contact with the seller very good. there was a little confusion but right after i sent an email everything got right back on to track. very good seller
Nice all in 1 remote
My recent purchase of this remote went well. I did have trouble setting it up to control all of my dvd changers, I have 3 Sony 400-disk changers that are the same modle #, but after a little trial and error. I got them all working just fine. I went from having 9 remotes to deal with to just 1.
Warranty Expired and so did several remotes–Logitech NO HELP AT ALL
I, and two clients whom I have directed to this remote, all had unit failures very soon after the warranty expired. Logitech would not not help, even after acknowledging that at least one unit was defective. They lack integrity, and clearly this product is not built to last. Save yourself the money and the headache and go elsewhere.
Look around some
I upgraded to the logitech 1000 from the logitech 890. I was not really impressed. If you don’t like the 890, you won’t like the 1000.
1. The software, which is the same as the 890, requires you to connect to the internet each and every time you want or need to update the remote. I guess this is a small issue but I paid a lot of money for this I want the software on my computer to use when I want to and also I don’t like the idea of telling someone on the internet every piece of equipment in my house. (Ok, I know not a big deal, but i do wonder why I get so much junk mail for things.) I guess the main reason is with as many companies going under these days, if they fold you won’t be able to update or even change anything on your remote. Since you have to connect to the company even to refresh your software. (which is quite often!).
2. Poor layout. to even turn the lights up or down I have to switch the page three times. They need to offer more of a custom layout like other remotes do.
3. The buttons seem odd for a touch screen. It seems as though there are only certain hot spots for the buttons and you can’t move them or change them very much.
4. The remote was kind of glitchy. I had to reload the programing several times just to use it.
Overall its a good idea, but they just didn’t take it far enough for the price. I do however still like the 890, I did finally get used to it, yes it did take awhile, but now I do like it. Even though a couple of buttons don’t work I switched back to my 890 and returned the 1000. I’m hoping that they will come out with new programing for it and offer what other remotes do in that price range.
If it turned on my TV’s and had better software, it would be great. Sucks currently though
I read all the reviews before buying this and figured it couldnt be that bad. Boy was I wrong ! I have a litany of problems with this overpriced piece of crap, but I’ll just list my top 2.
Firstly, when I hit the button to turn on my TV, 80% of the time, the TV doesnt turn on ! I have to hit the help button in which the remote asks me if the tv is on, I click no, and then after 2 tries, it finally turns on the tv. I cant believe a $300 remote cant turn on the TV.
Secondly, the software is plain horrid. I’m a software engineer, and I could make better software in my sleep. Switching between controlling devices is a pain to the point that I ended up using my old remotes
I really should return this ! What a rip off !
Frustrating limitations – seems not solved by 1100 either
I will start by saying I only own one of these remotes, and am not a professional installer, perhaps I don’t even qualify as a home enthusiast. I’ve organized my review into two parts HW & SW, though the vast majority of my comments are regarding the SW. This is a bit long, but that’s mostly due to my emotional need to share my experience rather than a tremendous amount of substantial content! I’ll summarize my main complaints in case my narrative is not so compelling
1) not capacitive touch screen
logitech keeps all your programmed devices in their database
2) RF support only for RF extender, not for other home devices
3) time consuming tedious process of updating PC SW and updating remote
4) lack of common sense from customer support
5) lack of documentation (online or hardcopy) for RF extender
6) lack of intelligence regarding additional shut-down actions when switching tasks
7) always need to be online in order to update config with PC
On the HW side the buttons and screen are fairly well laid out with room around the screen and buttons to hold the remote comfortable when using the hard-keys. However the touch screen is NOT capacitive and therefore soft-key presses require substantial pressure and are prone to mistakes for someone with slightly fat fingers. The charger has a slim profile, however it tends to take some fiddling to get the connection correct. The lack of Bluetooth support is well documented in the online description, however given the lack of capacitive touch-screen for the price I find the lack of BT a bit disappointing. Also RF support is limited ONLY TO RF EXTENDER. In spite of the online description that (at the time I purchased) said you can control lights, fans etc, the remote can not communicate with any RF device (for example most ceiling fans are controlled by RF including Hampton Bay). In fact my EXACT Hampton Bay model number was listed in their database, but even after configuring the lights as a device I could not control them. As a result I still need at least 4 remotes (BT, two ceiling fans/lights, and Harmony) to be accessible to control the devices in my media room.
On the SW side I don’t know where to begin. First off it is NOT an advantage that you can do “PC setup”. The PC database is only accessible when you are connected to the internet, and Logitech also keeps in their database information about all the devices you have programmed into your remote. I’m not sure what this information could be used for, but worry there is some unnecessary risk of unscrupulous people with access to the database giving information about who/where high-priced A/V equipment could be accessible. It also makes me wonder what other kinds of usage data it may be compiling and storing with my account. They know what kind of cable box I have, my address, and therefore the complete channel line-up for my cable provider, and could in theory keep track of all of my cable viewing.
The process of updating your activities, updating the remote, and testing is also quite time consuming. My projector requires two power-off signals and getting the timing right, and finding the right menu to add the extra power-off signal during activity shutdown was a bit tedious. Also tedious was the fact that the same additional shut-down sequence actions had to be added manually for every activity defined that included the projector. Finally, the remote is not completely successful understanding when you switch activities. Going from current activity “projector DVD” to “projector TV” turns off all devices from the first activity and turns on all devices for the new activity that aren’t common to both, but doesn’t recognize that the projector is the same device in the additional shut-down action so every switch ends up sending at least one power toggle signal to the projector. The only solution I can think of (which I have not tried yet) is to create special activities called power-up and power-down plus “a”, “b” “switch a to b” and “switch b to a” etc. Considering how time conuming each experiment is, this is something that I’ll tackle when I have a whole day to kill. Setting the timing for the video switching and re-detection of input channel for the projector took a few rounds of experimentation. Each cycle takes at least 5 minutes, perhaps more if you are trying to configure the RF extender also.
Customer support was difficult to deal with. I took a week or two after the initial setup of “projector DVD” activity to tackle the “project TV” activity setup. When I tried to connect (remember I said you always have to be online when configuring) to my account I got an error. I was still within the window for phone support, so called. In spite of my explanation that it was working two weeks ago and now didn’t, customer support insisted I disable my home wireless network, reconfigure both my laptop and my cable modem to create a direct connection, and also disable both firewall and virus protection on my laptop, BEFORE they would try to help me trouble-shoot. After all that they said “ok now download the latest version of the PC software” and guess what. It worked. I then had to reconfigure back my laptop, wireless home network, and guess what – it still worked. All I really needed to do was get latest version of the PC software.
Lastly documentation on the RF extender is very poor – especially lacking instructions about how to pair with the remote. I actually considered sending it back because after several attempts initially I could not get it to pair. However I gave it one more try with the updated PC software and there was a new step in the PC configuration that explained how to force a retry of the pairing, and it worked v. nicely. I now can control the stereo/CD from just about anywhere in the house. That is very nice for remote listening, and may actually inspire me to set up a more efficient multi-room stereo configuration.
Lastly there was a [...] rebate offered at the time I purchased the remote. I filled out the rebate and included the original (cardboard) UPC code in the envelope. However when my application was received I got an email for rebate tracking, and rebate status is “invalid – UPC missing.” There was an explanation that there may be more than one UPC symbol on the package and please make sure you sent in the correct one(?!!?). I’m writing now before checking whether there actually is another UPC on the box, but it is on my to-do list when I get home tonight. If not then the UPC must have been lost/damaged in the mail, and I am out [...].
In the end the only real advantage of this remote over my Marantz receiver remote is the graphical display and the RF extender. The marantz remote has programmable macros, learns all IR commands, and actually has has perhaps two less programmable soft-keys than the number of touch-buttons that can fit on the Harmony remote.
[Update at home: UPC I sent in was absolutely the only one on the box. Rebate was therefore totally a scam, or I am completely screwed by lost/missing UPC or inability of rebate processor to scan heavy cardboard UPC]
[Additional complaints: the remote makes a high-pitched whine on the charging station until completely charged, and consistently hangs if the charging station is unplugged while the remote is in the cradle]
This is the Best Remote hands down
I purchased this remote to replace the Sony RM-AV1000. The Sony Remote has an lcd screen but no color, and no images, also has no sub menus. The Harmony 1000 has everything. You program it by connecting it to your computer, All you do to program it is select from a menu of choices what brand and model # your Tv is, And all other components, Receiver, DVD, Cd, VCR. Cable box, Dish Box. Also tell it from a drop down menu of choices how each device is connected. DVI, HDMI, RCA, Coaxial, Optical. It automatically adds the features that your old hand held remote had, Including sub-menus. The best part for me, since I’ve gotten older and my eyes are not as good as they use to be, It’s all pictures. I don’t need reading glasses as I did with the Sony remote. The Harmony 1000 is all touch screen. You do have hard buttons, for volume, mute. channel up or down. I rarely use these. I have my favorite channels programed in. If you like Fox News, theres a picture for it. you like A&E theres a picture for it. Just about any channel out there, theres a picture for it. you only need to tell it what channel it is on. Once your done programming. It will tell you to unplug it from the computer and go try it out. You may need some fine tuning, things I forgot to tell it or add in. There are no AA or AAA batteries to replace. The remote has its own charging base. and the remote tells you when its time to charge it. One last note. I turned the remote sound off. (mute remote) I didn’t need it to make a sound everytime I touched a button on the screen.
Don’t BUY THIS UNLESS YOU LIKE PROBLEMS THAT CAN’T BE SOLVED
At first, thought I had the best thing ever. After a while, no way. Problems with the buttons and control. Runaway volume, intermittently comes on (when it feels like it). Support is atrocious. Usually minimum of 72 hours before response. They start telling you to use buttons other than the ones that are logical (ie. channel up for volume, etc.). Mine is defective and they just won’t accept it. I have a $400 piece of junk with no recourse. They won’t fix or replace, told to buy a new one AND IT IS STILL UNDER WARRANTY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
A Little Tweaking
I was excited when my Remote showed up…It went downhill a little from there. First, this is not Logitech’s fault but Amazons. I was shipped a remote that had been previously OPENED, and returned…it was packed well enough but it was obvious that someone had used it already…even the software was opened. Okay, with that said on to the remote…Touch screen is good…don’t really have any issues with it…Controls all my devices…sleek very cool…everyone in the house has been able to figure it out pretty quickly…
Downside…When you set up an activity, there should be a delay in changing the input…Logitech has it set so it sends the turn on signal and the input signal at the same time…In my case TV needs to be on fully before it will recognize that signal to go to the proper input… But the help menu does make it a quick fix….I just wish they would program a 15second delay into that…
All and all I like it…and now I don’t have 6 remotes on the table
Terrific Remote
I am very happy with this purchase. I wanted to upgrade to a Blu-ray player but my wife and kids were concerned with being able to work three remotes, adjusting the TV inputs, etc. I was looking for a slick remote that would be a one-touch operation and found the Harmony 1000 on sale. It compares to some much more expensive remotes from professional installers who then charge set-up fees (and charge again if you change AV equipment). I found the software easy to progam and now the 7 yr old can operate all the functions easily! Not the cheapest remote, but easy to program and use. Overall a good value with nice ‘wow’ factor to boot!
Great idea…not so great execution
I’ve started several reviews of the Logitech Harmony 1000 universal remote…initially good, then bad, now somewhere in between. So is the love-hate relationship I have with this little item of electronic wizardry.
First the good: The unit is attractive and feels substantial. Hard buttons are logically laid out and can be custom programmed. Programming the universal remote using Logitech’s online interface is relatively simple and straightforward, although it takes several iterations to get everything set up the way you want. The website queries you about which components are used with each activity (e.g., watch TV, watch DVD, listen to CD, etc.). There is an extensive list based on component type (e.g., AV receiver, CD player, TV), manufacturer, and model number. The advantage of using a website, rather than CD-ROM software, is that Logitech can continually update its site to reflect new models or advances in technology.
Once an activity is selected, only the controls for that activity are displayed on the touchscreen. The icons are large and bright and easy to see in a dimly lit home theater. However, certain controls may be on different screens that you must tab through (e.g., DVD controls on one screen and a numeric keypad on a separate screen). But this is a minor quibble.
Now for the bad: Initially, I had some problems with the display freezing and not being able activate any of the controls. Because there is no on-off switch or reboot button, the only way to rectify this problem was to remove the rechargeable battery. This process would have been much easier with three hands, but I had to settle for two. The second time this happened I was about to throw the remote against the wall. The second time appears to be the charm.
The next fault that cropped up was the unit’s occasional, and unpredictable, failure to activate one of more component. There is a help button that allows you to trouble shoot the problem, but the reason I bought this remote was so I wouldn’t have to press a half dozen buttons to activate three different components. I discovered that part, if not all, of this problem results from the variable intervals at which the IR signals are sent out. If you don’t keep the remote pointed at your components continuously for up to 10 seconds, the signal may fail to reach one or more of the components.
The last complaint I have is the sensitivity (or lack thereof) of the touch screen. This, too, is occasional and unpredictable. Sometimes a virtual “button” doesn’t respond to even firm pressure, and in other cases, the wrong button is activated, even when using a stylus. However, The unit does not come with a stylus. You wouldn’t expect it to, because the virtual buttons are large and widely separated so that even the clumsiest of thumbs should be able to manipulate them. After some trial and error, first using a retracted ballpoint pen as a stylus, and later the tip of a fingernail, I’ve managed to successfully discriminate between the buttons. But it requires that you pay more attention to the universal remote than you might with the wand type remote.
Considering the high price tag of this remote, the performance should have been flawless.
very nice and easy to use remote
this is a very nice remote and easy to use just follow the directions that come with the remote your PC does all the work, you can add and delete any device you can change the color or add a picture from your PC for the screen background this remote is amazing i can control my tv,dvd player,cable box,stereo and my PS2 with just one remote. I’m very happy with this remote.
Awesome Remote
This remote is very easy to setup, all you need are the model numbers of the components you would like it to control and a USB connection to your computer. The color touch screen is very cool and works flawlessly. Very bright display and lighted buttons. It is actually easier to recognize the button icons in a dark environment rather than a lighted environment.
The form factor is not single hand friendly. Although, it does feel good in both hands using your thumbs to press the buttons much like a game console controller. I find it works best for me if I set it on the arm of my chair or on my thigh and operate it with one hand. The volume and channel buttons are exactly opposite from any other remote I have used. I would have also liked a battery meter on the display rather than a warning when the battery gets low. These are just minor annoyances compared to the overall functionality of the remote.
Not What It Should Be At All
After having spent more than a month trying to get this unit to cooperate I must conclude that Logitech has made this item just too complicated to make it worth an item that is user friendly. I first ran into the problem that the computer I was using to set this up had too many Logitech items on it. Apparently the programming for the remote does not like it if you have very many other Logitech items running at the same time. It continually locked up while trying to update, or to load the programming information.
I have to go on to say that support for this item is far from good. In fact it is close to nonexistent. I usually rate equipment as being user friendly on the following scale. If I can program it without the manual, then it is very user friendly. If I need to use the manual then it is usually an item that my friends will call me over to their home to program. If I have to call for support, then this item is not meant for the general masses.
I have to say that this item has been the greatest disappointment that I have had in a long time. I say this not from the aspect of how it works, or functions, but from the standpoint that setup is nothing short of a nightmare. I cannot recommend this unit, unless you are just shy of being a full blown computer programmer.
Best Universal Remote
A friend recommended this remote. Generally we are very happy with it. Some of our newer AV components were not available on Logitech’s list, so we spent a little more time programming the remote than promised. However once done, it works like a dream. I can truely say that I’ve only got one remote for all my components now, no exceptions. I even programmed the components in a seperate room and can use the same remote there also. And Amazon had the best price by far.
WOW!
Faced with five remotes on the table it was time for a universal remote. After reading many reviews and going to actually going to see and touch many of them I settled on the Harmony 1000. Wow! This is a great remote. While it may take some time to gather all the input information from your audio-video equipment the actual programming was easy. It worked as programmed the first time. I can now finally operate my CD carousel by remote. While I seldom use it,I’m also going back in to program the unit to operate my VCR. The simplicity is wonderful. Just press Watch a DVD, Listen to Radio, Listen to CD, etc and the right units come on. I am a happy camper.
Great Universal Remote
I love my new Logitech remote. It does everything I want it to, even control my fan!! I have had a few issues with the screen freezing up, but all I have to do is take the battery out, put it back in and it works just fine. It controls my tv, surround sound, XBOX 360, DVD player, and a seperate receiver I have for my vinyl player, ipod dock, and cd changer. the updates are easy to install, as well as installing new devices. I would recommend this remote to anyone who has 8 remotes like I used to have. It’s all in my one remote now, and well, that makes it really, really nice, it cleaned up my living room so much, and anyone can use it!
My initial experience with the Harmony 1000
My experience with this was not what I expected. I like to think I have at least an average intellegence and can read technical manuals. I had run the setup program which didn’t take to long to run. When I finished it was an almost OK setup. I ended up bringing my laptop in the same room as the TV, But that only helped a little. When I tried to Email Logitech their site was always under constriction, and I wasn’t sure if my mesage went thru or not. I finally called the toll free number, got some one in India who to my surprise was able to get my remote up and working with almost no problems. He was good and understandable. For almost a month before the call I had 5 remotes where I had had 4. And my frustation level was very high. I not sure I would do this again for this price even though it works fine now.
very nice product.
The people who can’t work this remote are the same people that can’t work their regular remotes and think this product will make life easier. This remote is for tech junkies who want a bunch of toys and control them from one source. This thing is perfect for those people. I have my Xbox, TV, Blue-ray, stereo in the house and out, TV outside, pool lights, pool controls, landscape lights, Computer with media center and god knows what else on one remote.
Get this remote if you are on the fence.
Before getting this remote, I was on the fence. I read 100 out of the 308 reviews on here before jumping in and had a long conversation with the ups guy about whether or not to delivery refuse it. I’m glad I did get it. Some negative reviewers are simply mean-spirited. I would recommend this remote because it accomplished what I needed. My goals were to reduce the growing pile of remotes, to have a nice, conversation gadget with wow factor, get away from the form factor of clicker remotes. I bought mine refurbished for 1/2 price so I figured I got the worst of the lot. Even with that, it worked as advertised. There were numerous complaints about ease of surfin – if you channel surf you have the wrong remote. Tablet style remotes are not designed for channel surfers. Go get a $20 clicker at Walmart. There were complaints about software being complex – if that’s the case, you bit off too much and you are in over your head. This isn’t an iPod. Expect some complexity. Still, the complexity is well hidden behind the setup wizard. Logitech aimed for the middle of the road crowd and that was a good decision.
Other comments recommended waiting for the 1100. I disagree. These remotes are too expensive considering the raw manufacturing cost is probably about $20 (if that much). Simply make sure you get the latest software and firmware updates to resolve most of the outstanding issues. You will need to specifically scan for those since the firmware isn’t automatically pushed down. There seem to have been some manufacturing issues with the first batches – that’s fixed now.
I can see why the 1100 has a Flash UI instead of the Java interface, it helps the ease of use. Does that justify 500 bucks for the 1100? Not in my book. If you insist on having the latest and greatest, go for it. But not because you think it is an upgrade. Besides, the people who come to your home won’t know that this isn’t the most recent – think about it and save some money.
There are complaints about freezing. That is true, it did lock up on me about 3 times. I believe this is related to docking the unit. Can you name a gadget that doesn’t require an occasional reboot? Thanks. I use it right from the doc, don’t even bother to lift it – I just poke at it on the docker, it’s that sweet and the commands always get to the device even though the remote is pointing to the ceiling and the devices are 20 feet away.
There are complaints about the remote doing the wrong thing. That’s user error. The remote makes certain assumptions and tells you about those assumptions in the item/action column. If those assumptions are not correct, then your expectations won’t be me. Pay attention while in setup mode. But I do agree, the assumptions section could be more prominent to help the user. I would take away 1/2 star for that but Amazon doesn’t allow it.
Once you get an idea of what it can do, you’ll spend a few days bringing it to perfection which is where I feel the software could be better. It’s too tedious to do some things. And being web based, the UI may time out after 20 minutes especially when customizing a lot of buttons (power users) meaning you could lose data (you get the dreaded form post data). I took 1 star away for the software issues.
At the current price, there is value add for this remote if you have 3 or more components. If you have less, then a $20 clicker will do you good. The more components you have, the more complicated your system is and the more this shines. I have 9 pieces and all were in the database. There were complaints about devices not in the database. My recommendation: granny you need to upgrade your 1930’s device, or you have esoteric devices. Either way, you should not be on here complaining.
Pros
Easy to setup, wizards do a good job for ordinary users.
Does effectively replace all remotes. I was able to get rid of my denon remote (denon remotes are complex with buttons on both sides of the remote).
very customizable with soft and hard buttons.
Fantastic database of devices.
Value add at the current amazon price.
Cons
Wizards limit the customizability for power users. Complex activities are simply tedious. I would not enjoy paying someone to do this because it would cost a pretty penny.
Software is not well-designed. It’s tedious to setup everything the way you want it, not difficult just tedious for power users.
No simulaion mode, you cannot tell that your settings are correct untill you download to the remote. If you discover a spelling error on one of your button labels, you have to go through the process again.
It is sluggish, noticeably sluggish but not crappy sluggish. You can improve the response by tweaking key delay settings though
What’s my verdict? This remote gets a bad rap from mean spirited reviewers who obviously have set the wrong expectation of tablet style remotes and modern software. The remote rocks, quite simply. It’s at a good price now and the software and hardware issues have been worked out.
Makes watching TV a frustrating experience
A touch screen remote seems like a great idea on paper, but in practice it really, really does not work. Especially this flawed implementation by Logitech.
My main problem with this remote is the horrible interface. For example, on the DVR control screen the (tiny) play button is separated by 10 or so pixels from a GIANT help button at the top of the screen. The problem with this layout is that when you’re fast-forwarding on your DVR and the commercial ends, three out of five times you end up hitting the help button. This brings up a dialog that says, “Did that fix your problem?” right over the on-screen controls as your DVR continues to fast-foward right into your show, spoiling the next scene for you. You can’t get rid of the dialog without hitting the close button on it and only after all that frustration can you try to stop the DVR from fast-forwarding. I don’t know how many shows I have had spoiled by this bonehead button layout.
There’s also many inconsistencies in the UI like the A, B, and C buttons that disappear in three out of four of the DVR control screens (List, Guide, Info, and Exit are absent in one out of four). It’s just a confusing mess.
Not to mention the touch screen is not very sensitive, the charger buzzes when the device is plugged in (I’ve had two versions of this remote and they both buzzed), and it’s really awkward to hold in one hand.
What bothers me the most is that this remote is made by Logitech who in my opinion make the absolute best universal remotes. In fact my Harmony 1000 is going back and I am getting a Harmony One which is a far, far superior remote at half the price.
This remote is a textbook example of form over function. It may look nice in the charger or sitting on a table with its pretty icons and all, but trying to use it on a daily basis is an exercise in frustration.
Don’t Get a Logitech Remote
After a month it is still not working.
I programed it and it would not work. Then it would not recharge.
After 2 phone calls to tech support I was getting the run around and was told I would get a replacement unit. Never happened. They claim it is the battery and it takes 2 weeks to get the battery. I asked for an extension of the 60 days of free support until the unit gets working. I was told this is impossible. They would make a note in my account.
Buying a Loitech Harmoney 1000 was the worst decision I ever made. I wish I would have put the $300 on the Cardinals to go to the Super Bowl. I now have a $300 peice of medal that does nothing. I would never recommend to anyoner to ever buy a Logitech remote. I have bought a Marantz and gotten much better support. More expensive but it will work and they will support it.