Customer Reviews:
Showing reviews 1-5 of 152
 Not unlike previous Harmony remote models, only better September 22, 2009
A. Dent (Minas Anor, GD)
95 out of 102 found this review helpful
BRIEF EVALUATION
br /
br /The Harmony 900 can replace all infrared (IR) remotes used to control the various devices associated to an entertainment center. Once configured, its activity-centric interface effectively shields the user(s) from having to explicitly control individual devices, unless they want to. The Harmony will allow 'everyone', including the less technical members of a household to get the most off an entertainment center's capabilities without having to worry about switching the remote's 'modes' or remembering the correct I/O ports before watching a Blu-ray movie, watching TV or listening to the radio.
br /
br /As compared to its immediate predecessor models (880, 890), the Harmony 900 offers a number of incremental but generally welcome improvements or changes
br /
br /- Ergonomic shape, well-balanced body with sculpted buttons for a tactile feel.
br /- Surprisingly good, hi-res, full color touch screen that allows for up to 6, context defined 'soft' buttons.
br /- Included IR Blasters that make controlling devices behind walls or inside locked cabinets possible and improve remote's ease of use - no need to 'point' the remote.
br /- Better designed, wider charger base.
br /
br /The new Harmony 900 is an elegant and efficient way to operate one's audio-visual equipment and it's should be a 'must have' for anyone who can can afford it. PS3 owners should be aware that Harmony's lack of Bluetooth support will require the purchase of another add-on.
br /
br /
br /
br /PACKAGING AND PHYSICAL SETUP
br /
br /The Harmony 900 comes in a well-partitioned box that keeps the various components well-protected during shipping and makes it relatively easy to open and access its contents.
br /
br /The following are included:
br /
br /- Remote's body
br /- Charging base
br /- Remote's rechargeable battery
br /- IR master blaster
br /- 2 Mini Blasters
br /- 2 Power Adapters (one for the charger and one for the IR blaster)
br /- 5-ft. USB cable
br /- System software on a DVD
br /- Multi-lingual poster-style manual
br /
br /Putting it together is as easy as inserting the battery into the remote control - it's designed such that you can't do it wrong, attaching the power adapter wire to the charging stand and then performing the initial charge.
br /
br /
br /
br /CONFIGURATION
br /
br /An Internet-connected computer with a USB port will be needed to install the software and configure the remote. Once installed and an account is established, the software will guide the user, step by step through all the configuration/setup activities.
br /
br /[To make setup quicker and easier, one should have the EXACT make and model number (like Sony KDL-70XBR7, not just Sony Bravia) for all the devices about to be registered or one will have to go through a time consuming process involving 'teaching' the Harmony what every button on the unrecognized device's remote does.]
br /
br /Once all devices are registered and recognized, the software will suggest a series of 'activities' that it believes you should be able to perform with the registered devices. You can accept them all and then refine your requirements, remove some or add some of your own. For the basic setup to complete, Harmony will need to know which devices need to be on, which specific device is to be controlled when turning the volume up or down (TV or receiver) or changing the channel (cable box or TV) and which specific ports/channels are used (HDMI-1 or Satellite-IN)
br /
br /After the basic setup is completed and tested, it's possible to further customize your activities. Typically, you will add 'favorite' channels to the touch screen. For reasons I can't understand, the only 'channel' icons Harmony carries are for a number of FOX outlets but Harmony-compatible icons for most known channels (other than C-SPAN) I could find at a site whose URL I posted as the first 'comment' made to this post (can't post URLs inside the review). Optionally, you can add some 'soft' buttons for each device if the remote does not have physical buttons for all the available functions.
br /
br /It is also possible to customize the way your remote behaves: several color schemes are available, you can decide for how long the 900 will stay lit after a button is pressed, whether the 'favorite channels' or the 'controls' are displayed by default when a TV-related activity is selected, you can add custom commands as 'soft buttons' on the touch screen or change the default mapping of physical buttons to different commands.
br /
br /Further fine tuning can be done to change the default buttons mapping for any registered device or even to establish the exact order in which the various components are turned on and off and, if needed, set specific delays between specific steps performed to start a particular 'activity'.
br /
br /Even when there aren't any devices behind walls or inside cabinets, the Blasters can be used to enhance the user's experience. By placing these IR-generating devices (one big 'master' and two attached 'mini blasters') on the shelf/shelves or inside the cabinets you no longer need to worry about pointing 'at' whatever it is you want to operate because the Blasters communicate with the remote via radio (RF) which means no need to point and less severe distance restrictions. The Blaster use is an either-or proposition for any individual device. For example, Harmony allowed me to exempt the AV receiver from the Blaster treatment (it was not responding to Blaster commands reliably), meaning that everything but the AV receiver could be controlled through the Blaster while the receiver was getting 'traditional' IR commands from the remote.
br /
br /While it's true that the initial setup can be completed in about one hour, I found that the more I use the Harmony the more I think of further refinements so it can take several setup refining sessions over several days before the configuration could be called 'stable'. Once that's accomplished, everything is set more or less on 'automatic pilot' and there's very little to worry and a lot to enjoy. Once used to the 'cycle', updating is easy: fire up the software, enter changes, connect the remote to the computer and get it updated.
br /
br /
br /
br /THE EXPERIENCE
br /
br /Anyone watching a Harmony at work for the first time should be impressed. I know that I was when I first used my Harmony 880 a year or so ago. It's almost like it's talking with the TV, the satellite receiver, the Blu-ray player, the AV receiver box. Devices turn themselves on or off as needed as you switch from one 'activity' to another, they reconfigure themselves, opening the proper input or output channels and the Harmony appears to conduct 2-way communication sessions with each one of them individually - probably not true since, as far as I know, IR controllers don't get feedback from the devices they control - if anyone knows otherwise, please correct me.
br /
br /Once set up, the typical interaction with the remote is to select an 'activity' and then enjoy the show. The Harmony will turn off the devices not needed for the activity, turn on and properly set up those that must be on, set up the soft buttons on the touch screen and map the 'hard' buttons to various functions. To switch to a different activity, simply touch the 'activity' button, then select the desired activity from the touch screen and the Harmony will go through a similar cycle. To turn everything off, touch the 'off' button and everything is turned off unless the setup asked the Harmony to keep certain devices 'on' all the time - the satellite box, for example.
br /
br /Whenever the Harmony makes a mistake or gets confused about the status of a particular device, pressing the Help button will place the Harmony in a troubleshooting mode. It will try to interactively fix the problem or, if the user knows exactly what to do, telling Harmony 'I know how to fix this' will give the user the opportunity to address the problem without assistance.
br /
br /Besides 'activities', it is possible to command a specific device, independently. And, of course, the Harmony's own settings can be tweaked to some degree - and for minor, remote specific changes such as the color scheme, the setup can be performed on the remote directly - no need to connect it to a computer.
br /
br /Unlike its immediate predecessors, the Harmony 900 designers opted for the 'groovy' look. Sculpted, well-defined buttons, instead of the smooth styling of the 880 and 890. Just about every button you would expect on a respectable remote is there, including the 4 'colored' buttons used with some satellite/cable boxes and Blu-ray players. Since Harmony 'knows' a lot about all the devices it works with - it loads data from a 200,000 electronic devices database - the functions usually map correctly to the expected Harmony button. In addition, the full color touch screen allows for 6 additional 'soft' buttons to be visible at any given time and, if more than 6 buttons are needed, it's possible to 'flip' page after page of more buttons - there are 'touch' page-flipping buttons to the right and left of the touch screen. In our case, we used 4 pages worth of 'favorite channels' so we have 'my' page, a movies channels page, the kids page and Ms. D's page - most convenient.
br /
br /The remote lights up whenever a button or the screen are pressed or when the remote is moved, shaken or rattled (gently, hopefully). It would stay lit for up to 30 seconds (configurable) if nothing else is done to it, waiting for additional commands. Clearly, the shape was scientifically determined to fit the average human hand as comfortably as possible - it feels well balanced and comfortable to hold and it's easy to pick up from a table or from your armchair's arm. When not in use, the preferred resting place should be the charging cradle which holds it securely until it's needed again.
br /
br /
br /
br /WARRANTY AND SUPPORT
br /
br /The one year limited warranty appears to be standard. Harmony reserves the right to replace your unit or parts of it with either new or refurbished components at its own discretion. You are not covered if you abuse your Harmony and, depending on local laws and regulations you may or may not have to pay for shipping the device back and forth.
br /
br /Once you register your Harmony, you are entitled to 90-day free phone support. This should be sufficient to address whatever issues you may have with the setup. Based on my prior experience with the 880, once configured, there's hardly any need to make further changes for as long as you don't add new devices to your entertainment center so 90 days of support should be enough. After that, support is available for a fee. I never required any assistance for my 880 and I am still within the 90-day free support with the 900.
br /
br /
br /
br /ISSUES
br /
br /Like everything else, the Harmony 900 is not perfect. I probably hinted at some problems above but it may not hurt to list them all in one place.
br /
br /- It's a fingerprint magnet. Unlike its 880/890 sisters, the 900's shiny black surface not only takes fingerprints, it's attracting them and it's showing them off, possibly in duplicate (kidding). The 900 looks elegant and pretty when clean but all it takes is one touch for much the prettiness to go away and you MUST touch the 'touch' screen or you won't be able to do much.
br /- Lack of Bluetooth support requires to purchase an extra module for controlling a PS3 if you have one. I have one.
br /- No more than 4 screens of favorite channels (for a total of 24) per TV activity.
br /- The software does not support more than one Harmony device per account if they are to be configured independently. The requirement for separate accounts makes maintaining more that one Harmony device more difficult than it should be. Granted, at the price the Harmonies sell, this is not likely to be an issue for too many users.
br /- The IR Blaster stays on at all times - the only way to turn it off is to unplug it.
br /- Price, of course. How many people will be willing to pay more than they paid for their PS3 to be able to control 'it' and the devices surrounding it? Hard to tell.
br /
br /
br /
br /RATING
br /
br /I already discussed why using a Harmony 900 makes for such a satisfying experience:
br /
br /- it simplifies life by eliminating the need of keeping numerous remote controls handy
br /- it saves time and reduces frustrations
br /- it allows those less technologically sophisticated (think children) to take full advantage of technology
br /
br /Two of the issues that I listed above - need of an add-on for PS3 support and complications when managing more than one Harmony device - are not likely to affect most Harmony users.
br /
br /I will not factor in 'price' when rating the Harmony 900 because prices can change and because the review guidelines state that I shouldn't. By the way, I was able to get my old 880 for VERY LITTLE when it showed up for a couple of hours as a 'lightning deal', refurbished, so prices can and do vary.
br /
br /The 'fingerprint magnet' problem is real. It's possible that not everyone cares about it but it annoys me a lot. I will deduct half a star for that but the rounded up score is going to be a 5-star, given that individual reviews don't allow for half star increments.
br /
br /Please note that (again) I did not factor in 'price', I did not need warranty repairs and my interaction with customer support was very limited.
br /
br /
br /_____________________________________________________________
br /
br /Note: HARMONY 900 vs. HARMONY 880 vs. HARMONY ONE
br /
br /Since I happen to own both the 880 and the 900 at this time and I saw the ONE in action at a friend's house, a brief comparison may help some decide on which model to pick.
br /
br /
br /Advantage 900 over 880
br /----------------------
br /- IR blasters make control of out-of-side devices possible (can get as add-ons separately for the 880)
br /- Sculpted buttons provide better tactile feedback
br /- Touch-screen allows for a lot of flexibility in configuration
br /- Higher screen resolution
br /- Better designed shape
br /- (Apparently) better charging unit. The 880 known to experience 'charger' problems.
br /
br /
br /Advantage 880 over 900
br /----------------------
br /- Price
br /- Matte surface does not show fingerprints
br /
br /
br /Advantage 900 over ONE
br /----------------------
br /- Yellow/Red/Green/Blue keys on the remote
br /- Blasters
br /
br /
br /Advantage ONE over 900
br /----------------------
br /- Price
br /
br /
br /_____________________________________________________________
br /
br /CUSTOMER SUPPORT
br /
br /I am adding this section after a few weeks and two customer support calls because I was pleasantly surprised by the quality and professionalism of Logitech's customer support team.
br /
br /While it is true that, in both cases, it took more than 15 minutes for someone to actually pick up the phone, my issues - both having to do with programming the remote - were resolved quickly and to my complete satisfaction by the support person directly modifying my setup and, in both cases, the calls ended with some pretty useful advice.
br /
br /Of course, it should be noted that 'free' support by humans is only available for the first 90 days. After that, it's the knowledge base or paying for human assistance.
Possibly the best universal remote ever made September 24, 2009
D. Matheny (Austin, TX)
41 out of 45 found this review helpful
I'm sure that I'm not the only person who has tried for years to find a universal remote that actually works intuitively. At some point, I probably even forgot that was the goal and just looked for a remote that wouldn't be too awkward with whatever my current home theater setup was. The problem was that, even though my immediate family could remember which button mapped to which feature, I practically had to leave a written manual for baby-sitters, in-laws, and other guests. Unfortunately, the alternative was to have 4-5 remote controls that were all needed to control different functions - which is even worse than a bad universal remote in my opinion.
br /
br /Anyway, my experience with Logitech universal remotes actually began with the Harmony One. I'll try to sum up my entire review by just saying that the Harmony One was the first truly intuitive universal remote I have ever owned. It is extremely comfortable in the hand, and can be used easily by guests without needing to give detailed instructions.
br /
br /The reason I mentioned the Harmony One is that the Harmony 900 is basically the same remote with the additional RF functionality. The 900 does have a few minor feature improvements over the One and the interface seems just a bit more polished; but, it is close enough that I would still stick with the One if I didn't need the RF feature.
br /
br /Here are the things I really like about both the Harmony One and 900 remotes:
br /1) Extremely intuitive - easily better than even the original remotes that came with my equipment
br /2) Very comfortable in the hand - The One and 900 have exactly the same profile and they both use the same charging base
br /3) I love that the backlight turns on automatically when the remote is moved, but it's also possible to control it by feel once you get used to the layout because of the way Logitech designed the buttons
br /4) It took a bit to get these programmed how I wanted them, but the software is easy to use and Logitech provides free phone support if you run into issues. Also, most of the codes from my OEM remotes were already in the online database.
br /5) Nice rechargeable base - the remote will go for a couple of days without a charge, but I try to stay in the habbit of leaving it on the base when it's not in use so I can always find it. :)
br /
br /As I've been using the Harmony 900 remote, here are some of the improvements I've seen over the One:
br /1) The RF functionality is the most obvious improvement.
br /2) There are 4 additional colored buttons (red, green, yellow red) that map perfectly to the buttons on my Xbox 360 controller.
br /3) The soft buttons can now use icons instead of just text and there is a good selection of icons to choose from. This is a really nice touch - and you can still use the text labels if you prefer them.
br /
br /I suspect nothing is perfect, so here are the things that could be improved with the Harmony 900:
br /1) The biggest thing I wish Logitech would change is that a custom power-on command cannot be used for different activities. In my case, I'm using the Media Center Extender feature in an Xbox 360 to control my home theater system; so, in order to turn it on in that mode, I need to send the 'Media Center' command to the Xbox 360 instead of 'power-on'. Fortunately, there is a way to modify the power-on or off commands, but it is set at the device level so it impacts all the activities. This makes it impossible to have one activity for 'Play Xbox' and another for 'Media Center' and I end up combining both features into one activity (which isn't really ideal).
br /2) I was a little disappointed when I saw that I couldn't just upgrade from the Harmony One to the Harmony 900 in the Logitech software. I ended up having to create another account and then copied all my settings over manually - but at least I only have to go through that manual migration process once. With the remotes being so similar to each other, I'm really surprised that it's not possible to just upgrade from one to the other.
br /
br /If you've made it this far, let me just sum up by saying that either one of these remotes really is worth the cost. In my opionion, it is the final touch for a home theater system that makes it much more enjoyable to use. In some ways, it is funny that people will spend thousands of dollars on an HDTV, DVD player, surround sound receiver, speakers, etc... - and then they have 4 different remotes sitting there so no one else can even figure out how to turn the system on to watch TV :).
br /
Harmony 900 August 30, 2009
Viking
18 out of 22 found this review helpful
As a long time fan of the Harmony remote series, particularly the Harmony One, I was excited to hear that Logitech had introduced the radio frequency (RF) version of this incredible universal advanced remote. This 900 builds upon the comfortable shape and great key layout design of the Harmony One. It also has an even more rich look and feel. It looks great on my coffee table, on or off the charging base! The additional 4 color buttons map perfectly to my set DirecTV receiver's and Blu-Ray player's additional features.
br /
br / This is my 3rd Harmony remote purchase and I am still amazed at how simple the one touch Activity (Watch TV, Watch DVD, etc) approach makes controlling my system. My wife and kids can control my entire setup without having to call for help. One touch simplicity and the remote gets it done. The OEM remotes from my 6 components never come out of the drawer.
br /
br / Like all Harmony's, the Web programming and USB connection make setup a breeze (Harmony had the remote codes for each of my components in their database). The Harmony 900 takes simple setup a step further by making the final remote and extender configurations all done on the touch screen. Very intuitive and trouble free.
br /
br / The Harmony 900 is everything I hoped it would be and more and has no equal. If you have remote or hidden equipment, or just want the convenience of not having to `point' the remote every time you enter a command, the Harmony 900 is your ultimate solution!
br /
br /
Awesome!!! November 5, 2009
John Holmes
4 out of 4 found this review helpful
I own this product and I purchased it from Amazon. I will be reviewing the product and not Amazon.
br /
br /I am a Mac user. Some other Mac users have reported issues with this remote not working properly with a Mac. Either Logitech has updated the software or I'm not as much of a computer novice as I thought because I had no trouble getting the remote to work with my Mac (Mac Intel running OS X v10.5.8). The mac configured the remote as a network device (as reported by other reviewers) but it was all done automatically by the software and I didn't have to do anything other than click the "OK" button once.
br /
br /Setup was a breeze; I have a Sharp AQUOS LC-46D64U HDTV, a Yamaha RX-V663 audio receiver, a Dish Network VIP-612 DVR/satellite receiver, a PlayStation 3, and an Xbox 360. My total setup time was about 30 minutes, and that includes testing the devices and setting up the RF system. Setup was done via the Logitech Harmony Remote Software (v.7.6.0) that was included in the box. This is the first Harmony remote I have ever used so I had to create a new account and it didn't matter to me that I couldn't move my settings over from another Harmony remote as some other reviewers are reporting.
br /
br /I'm also not too sure why some reviewers are saying that the included RF system doesn't work well; I had zero issues with it. I have a Polk SoundBar50 that sits right in front of my TV and completely covers the IR receiver on the front of the TV. I put the main blaster UNDER the soundbar and it was still able to reach the TV's IR receiver with no problem; I then walked to the back of my house, 3 rooms away, and was able to turn the TV on and off with no problem (needless to say, I won't normally be turning my TV on from 3 rooms away, but I did this to test the range).
br /
br /Some reviewers are complaining about the fact that macros have been removed from the Harmony 900; however, I don't know what macros could do that the "activities" of the Harmony 900 can't do. For all intents and purposes, the "activities" of the harmony 900 have the same functions as macros. I was able to program certain devices to turn on in a certain order and then go to a certain input or to a certain channel. For example, when I use the "Watch TV" activity, I have my satellite receiver turn on and then immediately bring up the Guide all automatically.
br /
br /I also purchased the Logitech Harmony PS3 Adapter (which I will be reviewing momentarily) and it integrated flawlessly with the Harmony 900.
br /
br /Overall I am very pleased with the Harmony 900 and I highly recommend it to anyone who needs the great functionality of a Harmony remote and the convenience of an RF system.
Most Reliable Gadget in my House December 11, 2009
David Edmiston (So Cal)
4 out of 4 found this review helpful
I bought this remote with three criteria in mind:
br /
br /1) The RF must control all of the devices in my cabinet.
br /
br /2) It has to be simple enough for my wife to use.
br /
br /3) It must be compatible with all of my home entertainment components.
br /
br /Check, check, and check!
br /
br /I've seen a lot of complaints in the reviews here about poor RF signal and difficult setup. Either they are unlucky, I am very lucky, or Logitech has problems with consistency. I also noticed complaints about the charge life: I accidentally unplugged the Hamony's charger last week and it took four days for the "low signal" message to appear. Lucky? Who knows. I'm happy though.
br /
br /I was able to set up the controls for the following equipment in less than 20 minutes:
br /
br /* Panasonic HDTV
br /* Yamaha amplifier
br /* DirecTV HD DVR
br /* Sony BluRay
br /* Yamaha DVD changer
br /
br /The setup was quick and intuitive using their software and website. All I had to do was make a quick list of the make/model of every device plus identify the connection type for each. Then I used their software to create a virtual map of my system and create the activities for my viewing. After the initial setup, I haven't had to change a thing!
br /
br /Instead of messing with a bunch of modes like a regular remote, the Harmony has "activities". Wow - That makes sense! So push the soft-key for "Watch TV" and the TV Amp turn on (plus the amp is switched to the right input for my satellite receiver and the TV is switched to the right input). Done watching TV? Either press the power button to turn everything off or press another activity to "Watch BluRay", "Watch DVD", or "Listen to CD".
br /
br /Best of all, my wife LOVES it. This is the one gadget in our home that she doesn't gripe about. She doesn't even think of it as a gadget--it's just the clicker she uses to operate some of the _other_ gadgets. If any of the macros get off track (setting the sound or video to the wrong mode) she can just press help. The help has two modes: automatic mode tries to guess what's wrong and fix it for you and manual lets you pick which component is messed up and presents you with a short list of options to fix it (e.g. just press "HDMI").
br /
br /The RF blaster has exceeded my expectations. I used to have an IR box on the mantle with wired IR "eyes" for every device in my cabinet. The reason I bought the Harmony was that I had run out of IR eyes. I'm pleasantly surprised that the Harmony's IR transmitters send a stronger signal, so I don't need 1:1 IR eyes for each of my devices. I have one at the bottom of the cabinet, one on the left, and one on the right. This provides complete coverage to all of the devices.
br /
br /Gripes: I only have two gripes with the Harmony 900.
br /
br /1) The clock on the remote keeps resetting. This happens about twice a month and I can't figure out why. It's easy to fix, but it's still annoying.
br /
br /2) The tactile touch of the buttons makes a little too much noise. When you press any of the buttons they actually make a "click" sound. Although you can configure the remote not to make a sound when you press the soft-keys, the physical keys make a clicking sound and there's nothing you can do about it. Sometimes this wakes my wife up when she's asleep and I'm turning the volume up/down.
br /
br /I compare this experience with my experience with the Philips SRT9320 Prestigo 20 Device Universal Remote... I've had nothing but frustration with the Prestigio. That remote took forever to set up, it doesn't have half the functionality, and it has a brick charger instead of a docking cradle. I can't stand that remote and my kids can't figure out how to use it.
Showing reviews 1-5 of 152
|
