Harmony Remote

[Will Rickards]

So our verizon remote sucks. The buttons don't respond well. New batteries help but for a short while. I was looking at the harmony remotes but they seem insanely expensive.

What do you recommend? Complain to verizon and ask for a new remote? Buy a harmony on ebay?

 

[Mercutio]

I've not had a problem with Harmony remotes, though many home automation types absolutely despise them for some reason. I normally look for authorized refurbs on Amazon, which can be found for as little as $25 or $30 for the introductory models.

The present incarnation of my entertainment systems no longer needs any remotes at all. I have satisfactory control with just a mini-keyboard and trackpad now.

 

[Gilbo]

The present incarnation of my entertainment systems no longer needs any remotes at all. I have satisfactory control with just a mini-keyboard and trackpad now.

What are you doing / using if you don't mind me asking?

I'm looking at receivers right now, and my primary requirement is that I can control it from my cell phone, because I hate remotes. The Pioneer VSX-1121-K is the current front runner.

 

[Mercutio]

Most of my viewing is done via XBMC. My environment is controlled enough that I can set the volume level on my receiver at a high-ish point and otherwise control volume and playback on my HTPCs.

I can VNC into those machines if I need to do something that isn't terribly convenient to do with the mini keyboard/trackpad. It works great for what I do but probably wouldn't be ideal for anyone else unless they also had a well-organized library of digital media and absolutely no need for a non-computer source.

 

[Stereodude]

I have a two Harmony remotes. One for each system. I like them.

I've found the price is relative to how fancy of a model you get. I wouldn't recommend one as a replacement for one remote though. They're intended to replace all your remotes and be pretty easy to use.

 

[Mercutio]

The biggest problem I see with them is that people don't want to take the time to program or troubleshoot them, any more than they do any other remote. I've had to set them up for a dozen or so people.

When I later find out "It doesn't work", it's invariably because one key code someplace is wrong. It would take them all of five minutes to fire up the client software, log in and make/save the changes, but since I obviously didn't do it right in the first place, they just go back to using the six remotes they were using before.

 

[ddrueding]

The biggest problem I see with them is that people don't want to take the time to program or troubleshoot them, any more than they do any other remote. I've had to set them up for a dozen or so people.

When I later find out "It doesn't work", it's invariably because one key code someplace is wrong. It would take them all of five minutes to fire up the client software, log in and make/save the changes, but since I obviously didn't do it right in the first place, they just go back to using the six remotes they were using before.

Look on the bright side...I'm working on one of these systems. And that price is a mere fraction of retail. It makes the Harmony software look like the best GUI of all time.

 

[MaxBurn]

I have a career in software intended to manage office buildings and I still prefer to deal with four remotes on the table.

I do have a friend that took the time to set one of these up and maintain it. The task based things like watch tv where it sets up the components to do that task are very nice. Then he goes in to mention how you have to go download the files with the discrete ON/OFF IR commands because the actual remote you have only has a power toggle button, not the discrete on/off buttons you can use to learn the remote with. Even then you find some stupid thing here and there like some component somewhere doesn't have discrete commands for something which makes the whole task based thing a crap shoot.

Way beyond something I want to deal with for things that should be a pleasure.

 

[Mercutio]

In some cases, the Logitech software has the discrete on/off codes that aren't even available on the device. In some cases I've been able to obtain them from visiting "Remote Control Enthusiast" web sites. In some cases, there simply is no discrete code on the device for the thing you're trying to use. That's not a fault of the Harmony, but of the device in question. When that becomes an issue, you have to be very careful to specify the state of your devices in all your macro commands so that the remote doesn't try to accidentally send the wrong code at the wrong time; by default the remote will try to shut off devices that aren't in use and that can result in mayhem if you're not aware that it would do that.

In the end, I'd rather spend an hour making everything right on a Harmony than fuck around with any other high end consumer remote I've had the opportunity to use (e.g. Philips or S*ny). I've never had the opportunity to try URC or Crestron stuff but I believe those guys are the big step up from something like a Harmony.

 

[timwhit]

I have a Harmony 880 that I bought refurbished in 2007. It's worked pretty well, though the volume up doesn't work as well as it used to. If you don't change your gear very often then a Harmony remote it much easier to use than 3 or 4 separate remotes.

 

[ddrueding]

They are a big step up in cost at least. Once you have a touch screen remote, a couple candy-bar remotes, one in-wall panel, and the IR repeater stuff in back, you are nearing 6-figures. Want some whole-house audio distribution? Your surveillance cameras tied into the AV? You are talking more than my house.

 

[Chewy509]

We used to use a Crestron 4in1 remote, and it worked very well for those items it supported. For the one DVD player it didn't have or know about, it's learn mode worked flawlessly...

Now that all our lounge room equipment is Sony, we get to enjoy BraviaSync and the newly acquired Media Remote for Tablets... (So we can control everything from the one remote).

 

[BingBangBop]

I have a Sony TV and when the factory remote died I replaced it and a bunch of others with a multi-function Sony remote. The basic problem has been that Sony remotes seem to last only 3-6 months before the commonly used buttons become problematic and eventually don't work at all. The factory new warranty on these remotes is 30 days which really implies that they are not built to last and Sony knows.

My current intended solution is to actually buy the Best Buy 2Y extended warranty for $5 on a $15 Sony multi-device learning remote. I'm planning on having BB replace the remote over and over again over the 2Y time period as needed. Seems to me a lot cheaper than buying one of those Harmony remote controls for $80+ even if it does last much longer.

 

[Will Rickards]

Called verizon and they are going to swap the dvr & remote.
Hopefully that resolves the problem.

I looked at the harmony remotes but the low end model that was $30, didn't have backlit keys. Seems odd. The $60 one got bad reviews for disconnect issues that seemed related to the battery contacts. And I'm really not spending $100 on a remote so I didn't bother looking at the other models.

 

[Striker]

I have a Sony TV and when the factory remote died I replaced it and a bunch of others with a multi-function Sony remote. The basic problem has been that Sony remotes seem to last only 3-6 months before the commonly used buttons become problematic and eventually don't work at all. The factory new warranty on these remotes is 30 days which really implies that they are not built to last and Sony knows.

My current intended solution is to actually buy the Best Buy 2Y extended warranty for $5 on a $15 Sony multi-device learning remote. I'm planning on having BB replace the remote over and over again over the 2Y time period as needed. Seems to me a lot cheaper than buying one of those Harmony remote controls for $80+ even if it does last much longer.

Are you sure that warranty stays in effect? It used to be once you replaced the item the warranty was gone.

 

[BingBangBop]

Are you sure that warranty stays in effect? It used to be once you replaced the item the warranty was gone.

Don't know, I haven't needed to replace the second remote yet. I am just assuming, at this point. If it fails, them obviously my plan is not nearly as good.