Rechargeable Tv Remote Control

Review by Tiger : 900 vs One, Can Buy Additional Blasters & Precision Cables

First I had the Harmony One and absolutely loved it. The One worked perfectly, was super fast, & easy to use. However, I grew tired of having to point it for 15 seconds at all my equipment while it turned my equipment on some of which has long power on times so the remote has to wait between the power command and the input command. For example, it knows that my TV takes about 10 seconds from power on to being able to change the input to the right source. But with IR, you have to keep pointing it broadly enough to hit all of your equipment. I can just set it at the edge of my couch and it normally would catch everything. It also makes it a little difficult to use the LCD screen if you have to point it at the equipment as you press a soft key because you need to tilt it towards you to read it or you have to sit up and look down at it while pointing. So then I bought the 900 so I wouldn't have keep pointing it at my equipment. The RF really lets you do this (more on this below). I also really like the 4 extra programmable keys (red,green,yellow,blue). My Tivo doesn't currently have the color commands you find on some other PVRs, so I like to program them to the most frequent soft keys I use because I find buttons easier to press by context than soft keys. For example, I set blue to LiveTV, and yellow/green to swap between full screen and zoom to help when I watch a wide-screen show in SDTV. On both, the biggest thing I liked is that I could program any of the keys, and additionally had soft keys on the LCD too if I wanted. It offers additional commands that aren't on the original remote. The biggest benefit for me was TV input and TV ratio commands to change directly to AV1, AV2, HDMI1, HDMI2, ... or switch between full screen, wide screen, and zoom without having to cycle through inputs or bring up menus using multiple buttons on my original remote. The software is great for setting it up. You can have moments of frustration, but it is really powerful and once you have it setup you forget about it and using the remote seems so simple & intuitive becuase you set it up for your preferences. It takes a while to setup, and longer to keep tweaking for your preferences to add, remove, and move soft keys and setup activities exactly how you want it. For a month I would use it and think that I wish something were moved, added, or different and would make a note to go tweak it and update it later. TOUCH SCREEN: The 900's screen is supposed to be a better resolution than the One, but I prefer the screen on the One. I find the One's screen brighter and easier to read. The 900's backlight seem yellower and the text feels more washed out to me. You can pick between 4 themes on the remote, one of which goes back to the One's theme, but with that theme I couldn't read the 900 as well compared to the One when I held them side-by-side. The default theme on the 900 is the easiest to read of the themes on the 900 in my opinion. The 900s touch screen is less sensitive than the One, and especially for changing pages which is a good improvement from the One which was way too touchy. On the One I was always accidentally changing pages instead of pressing the soft key I wanted, or accidentally doing something. This seems to intentionally improve that. Changing pages on the 900 is still very fast, but switching from Activity pages to Device pages takes much longer. The One changed pages and between activities and devices super fast. The 900 dims and brightens as it switches between them and takes longer. I miss the speed on the One when pulling up device-specific buttons to fix something, however I don't do that often. Within the task, page changing is sufficiently fast. RF: The RF is supposed to let you use the remote through cabinet doors and without pointing at the equipment. I have glass doors and just didn't want to point it at them all the time. Also my equipment is spaced apart enough that if you aren't careful you miss equipment even when pointing with IR. The RF has completely solved this. It really works. I don't know how to clean the screen anymore because I can't do it without turning things on. The best I can do is clean it quickly while it is starting my devices with a long power on time. If I press a button in my kitchen pointing nowhwere near my equipment in the living room, they follow the commands. However, the RF has some disadvantages. It is very slightly slower than IR commands, except for hiccups if you've place the emitters well. I've "raced" my One and 900 to navigate around my Tivo. They are incredibly close when it works. But was really slow when I didn't have my IR emitters placed well. I used the 900 and One to compare speeds until I got the commands working nearly equivalently on the 900 as my One. There are hiccups where you can see it fail to communicate with the RF receiver by an icon on the 900's LCD. You can also see the remote send the commands, and sometimes it gets backed up. So I press a ton of buttons really fast to test it, it seems to hang up or stop working, and eventually fires them all off. Every once in a while it will get backed up or fail a command, but is sufficiently rare. For example, once in a while I'll be fast forwarding and can't stop it until it has gone way too far. So for RF, take care to place them and test positioning to make sure it is most optimal. Do not overlap emitters or that can cause problems. EXTRA BLASTERS & PRECISION CABLES It comes with 1 blaster that is the RF receiver and 2 mini blasters that connect to the back of the blaster. You can buy additional blasters and precision IR cables. The 900 supports up to 5 blasters each with 2 mini blasters or precision IR cables. They are all available from [...] if you have the URLs or part numbers and I have bought all of them in January 2010. I bought 2 extra blasters, extra shelf emitters, and precision IR cables. However I couldn't find them by searching or navigating the site and only obtained the URLs by other forums and contacting support by email. Adding a blaster is very easy. On the remote itself, you go into options and RF setup and will find an add blaster button there. Then when you enable or disable RF for devices, it indicates blasters by number so it knows which ones are covered by which. Amazon edits URLs to other websites from reviews, so the best I can do is give you URL hints, part numbers, and correct names as they appear on Logitech or the parts store. You can find some if you know the correct exact name or part number, but for the cheaper parts store you will have to use an internet search engine or URL hints. You can buy the additional blaster as an expensive complete set, or by 1/3 the cost by buying the parts separately from the parts store. Note that the part numbers on the parts when ordering do not match the part numbers on your equipment, but when it arrives it is the same as the original. You can buy the expensive complete set including a blaster, mini-blasters, and AC adapter. Or better yet you can buy the parts separately and was quite cheap in my opinion. I bought the parts. I can't say prices in a review, but I thought the set was very expensive but the parts were very reasonable. I bought 2 extra blasters, 8 sets of 2 shelf emitters, 2 AC adapters, and precision IR cables for 75% of the cost of a single official extra blaster set. As parts, just note that the AC adapter and mini-blasters are sold separately from the blaster, but are still a ton cheaper. The parts descriptions are extremely unclear, but I ordered and can tell you what I found. Additional Blaster Set (extra "Harmony RF System") (Blaster, mini-blasters, & AC adapter) How to find: Search Logitech site for "Harmony RF System" or "6228". Descripotion will say for 900. [...] Additional Blaster Parts (sold separately) How to find: Search Logitech site for "Harmony 900" or "5874", open product page for the Harmony 900, click "Support", then "Replacement Parts". Or do an internet search for "[...] parts store harmony 900". Or from the parts store ([...]), use URL hint. [...] - Blaster (without AC adapter or mini-blasters) is called "Receiver for Harmony 900" P/N 993-000188. - AC Adapter (same as for remote charger) is called "AC Adaptor for Haromony One, H900 and H1100, 100-240V,5.5V,800MA" P/N 993-000377 - Mini-Blasters (set of 2) called "IR Shelf Emitter" P/N 993-000191 You can optionally buy Precision IR Cables that replace the 2 mini blasters with 2 cables with 4 mini stick on emitters each. It comes in a pack of 2 cables to fully replace 2 mini blasters and cover 8 devices. It also comes with large square stick on black-out covers to hide the signal from any other equipment, but if the equipment is visible, it might look ugly. I haven't tried the Precision IR Cables yet but bought some to try later. I hope to use them without affixing the black-out covers which seem optional. Precision IR Cables (set of 2) (P/N 915-000095) How to find: Search Logitech site for "Harmony RF System", "6230", or "915-000095". [...] UPDATE (after 4 months): I love the H900 and prefer using it over the One, mostly for the 4 extra buttons, and I like that the screen isn't as touchy so I don't accedentally change pages or press soft buttons like I used to. But there are drawbacks that are noticeable. RF is slower than IR. When I switch to my One if my H900 battery needs recharging, the One seems so fast by comparison. I even adjusted my inter-key delay to 0, but still feels a bit sluggish especially when entering in search words into Tivo. But I still like using my H900 for regular use. The H900 RF fails to communicate once in a while, but has not been a concern for me. The battery life is noticeably shorter than the One. I get about 3-4 days between charging on the H900 and 7-9 days on the One. The biggest problem is that the H900 locks up on the charging cradle and sometimes while watching shows and you must force a reboot by removing and replacing the battery. All but once it came right back up, but it loses the current time. It is annoying, but at least only happens every 2-3-days or so when on the charging cradle. Logitech support has always been extremely responsive and has answered many email questions as well as dealing with the lockup issue. Support is shipping me a new one as a replacement for warranty repair for the lockup issue. I hope to find improved battery life and no more lockup issues. Still, I am still happy with the H900, but the lockups make it feel buggy compared to the stellar One that has never had a problem, but let's hope we can chalk that up to a defective unit. UPDATE (after 6 months): Support sent a whole new box with all assessories & battery, not just a remote shell which was nice. The replacement works much better and I haven't had any of the problems from before. It hasn't locked up once, communication mis-fires are back a rare occurence, the battery life seems much better and I don't feel like I am charging it all the time, but still more than my One, but maybe not by much. The screen is back to a clean white backlight instead of a yellow tint on my original that bugged me and I thought made it harder to read, so it looks exactly like my One now. Sync'ing the new remote was incredibly simple, just clicked update and it was synch'd with my same setup as my old one.

Review by C. Johnson : Great remote, but earlier Harmonys may offer better value.

Below is my original review. There was a small bug in the Harmony software, but Logitech has addressed and corrected the issue. See my comment at the end of this review for more information on the bug. The Harmony 900 looks to continue the greatness of the Harmony line and for the most part it does not disappoint, but as one other reviewer already pointed out, those who are looking for the extra control that macros provide, will be thoroughly disappointed at Logitech's decision to remove this potentially useful functionality. Also, if you are upgrading from a previous Harmony, be prepared to go through the setup process all over again. I was able to use my existing Harmony software that I currently use for my Logitech Harmony 670 Universal Remote without needing to use the provided CD in the package. However keep in mind that this remote is NOT compatible with older remotes meaning that it's not as simple as just moving your current configuration over to the new remote. The software however, immediately detects this and prompts you to create a new account for the new remote. After doing this, you have to go through the painstaking process of adding your devices and activities. However just like the Harmony 670 the process of adding devices/activities is quite simple. Unlike many universal remotes, Harmony remotes do NOT rely on entering archaic manufacturer codes. Instead Logitech has gone though the trouble of creating an extensive database that has thousands of devices. All you need to do is enter the model number of your device and chances are Logitech's database has that exact model meaning it already knows the exact buttons and functions of the manufacturer remote. In the RARE event it does not have the model number in their database, and then you can easily teach the Harmony the commands using the original remote. Even though the process of adding devices/activities is simple, it does take time and if you are upgrading it's a pain if you already did this previously. After adding devices you can then create certain activities like Watch TV, Watch Movie, Play Game, etc. While this process is a little more complicated than simply adding devices it is still relatively simple, compared to other universal remotes. In fact, the software does most of the work for you by asking simple questions, like "which device do you use to control volume?", "What setting does your receiver need to be on", etc. Of course there are some situations where you have to tweak the buttons, and this can easily be done. You can reassign hard buttons (actual buttons on the remote) and/or add "soft" buttons, (virtual buttons on the touch screen) to do exactly what you want. I already explained this in great detail in my review of the Harmony 670, so I won't repeat it here as the functionality with the 900 is virtually the same. The remote design is slightly different than the 670, but the ergonomics are still there and there are even new buttons that make it even more user friendly like the Red, Yellow, Green, and Blue buttons that are used on DirectTV Remotes. However it feels like it's less durable than the 670 and while my 670 has taken quite a few drops on a wooden floor, I don't think the 900 will be able to handle drops as well. Adding to the excellence of the Harmony 670, the Harmony 900 offers a full color touch screen that is quite responsive. There are some touch recognition problems, but nothing too major. There are also multiple options that allow you to change the theme (look) of the buttons on the screen and you can also add predefined images to soft buttons. A HUGE advantage of the Harmony 900 is that it uses a rechargeable battery as opposed to the 670 which requires 4 AAA batteries. This further eliminates the need for extra batteries because all you have to do is place the remote in its included remote holder/charger when not in use, and you'll be guaranteed to always have enough power to use this remote when ever you need it. Another plus of this remote over the 670 is the inclusion of IR Blasters, which basically convert IR signals to RF signals meaning you don't have to point the remote directly at the devices to get them to respond. One issue I had with the 670 is that sometimes my A/V selector and DVD Recorder would not always respond to commands. This problem is alleviated with the IR Blasters. All I had to do was place the IR Blasters in my cabinet with the two mini blasters in the general vicinity of these "problem devices" and they now respond to the remotes commands without issue. There is also an option to use your PS3 with this remote with the purchase of a PS3 adapter. With all of these pluses, there is one glaring omission that is sure to turn off some potential buyers. For some reason Logitech felt the need to remove macro capability. For those that are unfamiliar with macros it's basically a set of commands that you can program to do certain tasks with one button press as opposed to many. Macros are not the same as "Activities"; instead it's certain tasks you might perform AFTER starting an activity. Skipping a commercial or switching the aspect ratio of your TV which normally would require you navigating your TV's on screen menus are two examples you can assign a macro to. A macro would do menu navigating for you automatically, but since they are not supported with the 900, then you are back to doing this manually. Most people won't need macros in fact I never used them with my 670, but I can definitely see how it is an essential feature for some and it would make no since for them to drop such a huge amount of money on a universal remote that doesn't have a feature that earlier Harmony remotes supported. Personally I like the remote, and it's more than likely going to replace my 670 once I get everything set up properly and used to the touch screen, but the exclusion of a popular feature on this remote is something I can't ignore. Why would anyone spend the money on an upgrade when it can't do AT THE MINIMUM all the things they are used to doing on their old remote? It makes no sense to me. As far as a recommendation, it comes down to what you are looking for. I have never used the Harmony One, but on paper, I really see no huge advantage of getting the 900 over it. The disadvantage however is realized if you need macro support; the 900 simply does not have it. Even if you don't need macros, the only advantage I can see with the 900 is that it has RF capability. If you can live without that, you'd be better of going with the Harmony One for much less money. Personally if I were actually comparing them in a store, I'd end up going with the Harmony One because it's the better value. While the RF support on the 900 is nice, I could live without it. Don't get me wrong, it's a great remote it's just that you could save a lot of money while getting the same functionality (minus RF support) by going with the Harmony One. Recommended ONLY if you NEED RF support and DON'T NEED macros; otherwise go with the Harmony One or another earlier model and save a lot of money.

Review by Kevin Nicholls "jaded, aging hipster" : Evolutionary, I suppose.

I've owned a Logitech Harmony 880 Advanced Universal Remote Control for just about three years now, and I've really liked it. As Logitech advertised, it's been constantly updated with the latest devices, so that it's as current today as it was when I bought it. So, moving up to the 900 seemed like a logical move. Comparatively speaking, there are some improvements: 1) The remote fits properly in the dock the first time (this is a problem that plagued 880's). 2) The ergonomics are a big improvement. 3) The display is very clear and easy to read. 4) The addition of the "blaster" RF-to-IR feature can be useful. But really, that sums up the key differences between the older 880 that costs about a third of the 900. If you're thinking about upgrading, you're going to need to make yourself a new Harmony account and set it up just like you had to with your previous Harmony. For reasons absolutely beyond me, Logitech will not let you carry over your settings. Anyway, enough with the comparison... As with most of the remotes in the Harmony series, the 900 is the sort of product that makes most people say "That much money for a remote? Are you nuts?", and later becomes indispensable. As your entertainment system grows or evolves, it's really great to know that you can keep using the remote you're accustomed to, without losing functionality. I started out with an HDTV, Yamaha receiver, satellite receiver / DVR, CD changer, and DVD changer. I've since switched out my Yamaha receiver twice, added an Xbox 360, Wii*, PlayStation 3*, Apple TV, HD-DVD player, and HDMI switch. (*denotes Bluetooth devices that do not work with Harmony remotes out of the box) With every addition, I've spent a few minutes with the Harmony software, and my new devices started working. Seriously. You will not go back, once you've used a Harmony. On the software side, the 900 presented some very unusual problems on my Mac running Snow Leopard. Upon connecting the remote, my previously installed remote software decided it needed to add a new ethernet port, and spawned a box that expected me to configure it. I cancelled out, and the new ethernet port pulled a DHCP address. The software started working, and my network connection stopped working until I disconnected the remote. I tried it a few times, just to make sure what I thought I was seeing was what was actually going on. And, while the software does a reasonable job if your setup is straightforward (e.g., you have everything going directly to your receiver in the inputs that they're labeled for). If your setup is more complex (e.g. A/V switches, a VCR in the inputs labeled DVD, etc.), you need to do a lot of hand holding to get the Harmony software to do the right thing. Once you decide to customize, the Harmony software begins to lose its intuitiveness rapidly. The touchscreen on the remote is a bit on the kitschy side. The display looks great, but the screen isn't as responsive as an iPhone, for example. Similarly disappointing, the firmware on the remote is slow, so there are times when doing things with softkeys or scrolling between menus can be tedious. Hopefully, Logitech will address this in future updates. It would be kind of cool if Logitech had done something useful with the touchscreen, instead of playing "Me too!" with companies who add them for the sake of adding them. Sadly, the touchscreen acts a bit as a series of inaccurate toggle switches. As for the IR Blaster feature, it's a good idea, but the implementation is seriously lacking. The base unit needs to be plugged in to AC power, and located somewhere obvious. The smaller IR blasters connect to the base, but need a clear view of the device's IR receiver. So if your components are on the edge of a shelf, getting the little blasters to work can be difficult, if not impossible. Sadly, with the addition of the IR Blaster, Logitech has apparently decided to go cheap on the built-in IR on the remote. There's one there, but it isn't nearly as good as older models. "Only three stars, though?" you ask? Yes, but take that with a grain of salt if you're reading this after 2009, as prices will most likely have changed. Here's my case against the 900: 1) Evolutionary improvements over the 880, but nothing that really changes the functionality. 2) Firmware / OS is very slow (though this is bound to improve). 3) You could buy three Harmony 880's for what this costs, and all you'd lose is the touchscreen and IR Blaster. 4) OS X support isn't as good as it used to be. That doesn't make the 900 a bad product at all, though. If prices have dropped, and you see this in the low 2's, I'd definitely pick one up. But right now, buying this at or near MSRP is kind of nutty.