30 out of 30 people found this review helpful.
Logitech Harmony One Universal Remote Control
Date of Review: May 12, 2008
The Bottom Line: If you have a home theater system, this may be just what you need ... if you can afford it.
When I received my free Harmony One Universal Remote Control, made by Logitech, I was thrilled. I am a member of an online rewards program, and received this $250 remote absolutely free! I had no idea this universal remote would be so different from the cheap $20 types I have used in the past.
This is a sleek looking remote, with an LCD touch activated screen that looks like a mini television. It rests in it's own cradle which charges from a standard outlet, and the unit uses rechargeable batteries, so there are never any batteries to buy! This one remote will control my television, stereo, DVD player and my cable box, all at the same time! If I want to watch a movie, I press "watch movie" and my television, DVD player and stereo all come on at the same time, and the drawer to my DVD player even opens up for me! How's that for convenience? It sure is alot more appealing to have this one remote sitting on our end table than having four separate remotes to keep track of. The remote has contoured, backlighted buttons, and a help button to guide you if you aren't sure how to operate the device.
The system comes with a CD which you download to your computer. The online wizard walks you through the steps of the set up, asking you the brand and model of each of your electronic pieces. There are no codes to worry about, you can set which devices you want left on or off, and it works with all infrared-controlled devices, even televisions that are 20 years old. I love the full color touch screen, it's easy to navigate. The remote is also ergonomically designed so it's very comfortable in my hands, there are even underside grips built in. The buttons are divided into four zones, and each button has a different feel, so you can actually learn to use this simply by feel rather than looking.
Harmony One Database
The Harmony One database actually contains data for over 5000 brands, and more than 225,000 different models! This one remote can actually replace 15 separate remote controls.
Computer Requirements
There are a few requirements that your computer will need in order to set up the Harmony One. For PC's you need to have Windows 2000, XP or Windows Vista, a USB port, a CD-Rom drive and internet access. If you have a Mac, the requirements are Mac OS 10.3 or later, USB port, CD-Rom drive, and internet access.
Awards
The Logitech Harmony One Universal Remote Control was awarded the 2008 Consumer Electronics Show Best Innovations Award in the home-theater accessories category. It was also named PC Magazine's Editor's Choice. It is the number one market category leader in the United States for advanced remote controls. Logitech spent over 20,000 hours researching the Harmony One, based on consumer feedback.
My Experience
I am not a gadget person, and I don't get along with electronics very well. My husband and I set this up together, and I must say it would have been a little challenging doing it by myself.
First we had to let it charge for several hours, so we did that overnight and programmed the remote the next evening. We needed to have internet access, install the software on our computer, and the CD installs an application that let us configure and update the Harmony One Remote.
Our Panasonic entertainment system that controls our radio, CD player, and tape deck is about 20 years old, and Logitech could not find that exact model number in their database. They suggested two different models, which we entered and tried, but they didn't work.
We listen to our movies with the sound system going through our stereo speakers, and it was difficult setting it up so that the "VCR 1" choice was picked when we wanted to watch a movie. The "radio" was coming on instead. We went back to the computer software for help, and found out that if our exact model isn't in the database, we could program it in by holding our stereo remote 2 inches away from the Logitech remote, and then pressing certain buttons such as "power", "volume control", etc. As we did this, one by one they checked off onto the computer screen as being completed. After we finally got all the correct data put in, it only took about 10 minutes to download the information from our computer to the remote control via the enclosed USB cable.
When I click the activities button, I can choose from watching a DVD's, Play VCR, Listen to CD's, Listen to Radio, or watch PVR (TV). There is even a "replay" and "skip" button!
Watching a DVD the old way now seems like an incredible hassle! We had to turn on the TV with one remote, the DVD player with another, and the music system with a third remote control. Then we had to make sure the music system was set to VCR 1, and that the DVD player was set to DVD and not VCR. Finally, we could open the DVD drive and put the movie in and push play. NOW, with the Logitech Harmony One, all I need to do is have the movie ready to go, take the remote and click "Activity" on the LCD screen. It will give a choice of listening to the radio, watching TV, or watching a movie. When I choose "watch movie", all three of the devices turn on at the same time, they are already set on the proper channels and settings, and I simply stick the movie in the DVD player and it does the rest. This is one amazing universal remote control! Watching a movie or listening to music is as easy as touching the screen.
The remote button recognizes our favorite channels that we have programmed into our Tivo system, and I love that the "play area" has the play, pause, skip and other buttons all in close proximity so I can access them quickly and easily. The touch screen on the Harmony One is also color coded, so you always know which menu you are on. Activities is blue, remote options is green, and devices is amber colored. If you need a command that isn't available, that is fixed by using the software to create your own buttons that will then appear on the screen! If a device doesn't do what you want, you have the "help" button right there to guide you to the solution with simple yes and no questions.
This remote does everything that any other remote will do, and so much more. If you get stuck, or something doesn't work just right, there is a "help" button that will ask you simple "yes or no" questions until the problem is fixed. I used this just today. When I hit the off button, the TV was remaining on but the cable box turned off. After using the help feature I solved the problem. Then it will ask you "did that fix the problem? If not, the remote will ask you questions to help correct the problem". All you have to do it hit yes or no.
In all honesty, this took us the better part of the evening to figure out. We started about 7:00 pm and finished around 9:00, so I would plan on spending at least two hours setting this up. But once it's done, you won't have to worry about a thing. You can go back into the software and add more devices at a later time, or change devices if you upgrade your equipment.
There is some work required to keep this running properly and up to date. You need to update the software that drives the Harmony One remote, but this is easily done by connecting the remote to your computer and starting the software, it will update automatically. Aside from that, Logitech provides both online and telephone customer support.
My only complaint is that the sleek shiny black surface that is so attractive also attracts something else, dust and figerprints! I am continually wiping it to get them off, and it can be pretty unsightly. It sure is pretty when it's new, but I would prefer the matte finish that most remote controls have!
Cost
Now that I have you convinced you need one of these babies, you better be willing to open up the pocketbook, because these typically retail for $250.00. I was shocked when I saw the price of this at Tiger Direct! Honestly, I don't think I'd ever pay that amount of money for one, but I might be willing to buy it as a Christmas or birthday present for my husband, since he is so hard to buy for since he has everything!
If you have an expensive home entertainment or theater system, this Harmony One remote would be absolutely perfect for you! I think it would make a great gift for an older person, someone who has a hard time getting their current system working. I know that my mother-in-law has a hard time just setting up her DVD or CD player. You could set up all of their electronic devices on the Harmony One, and it will do all of the work for them!
This is, in a word, amazing. Check it out at your local Best Buy or consumer electronics store!
