Logitech Harmony 880 Advanced Universal Remote Control
by Logitech
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Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of Logitech Harmony 880 Advanced Universal Remote Control
Customer Review: Nice remote, with a few little nagging things...
Summary: 4 Stars
I just got this remote for Christmas and let me tell you it is SWEET! It does all it says it will do, and the ability to fine tune it to exactly as you want is phenomenal. There are a few little negatives that I think I will mention first:
First and foremost: IF YOU ARE NOT SOMEWHAT TECH-SAVY OR HAVE A BASIC UNDERSTANDING OF COMPUTERS AND YOUR ENTERTAINMENT SYSTEM THIS REMOTE IS NOT FOR YOU. Yes the remote is pretty user-friendly, but I feel its designed for those who fully understand their entertainment systems and have at least and intermediate understanding of computers.
1. The buttons are small and awkward sometimes, and in my opinion some are in weird places (like the play button)...so it will take some getting used to. Personally, I would have liked larger and more sensible buttons.
2. The remote doesn't "click into" or "lock" onto the charger base. It more or less sits on it, so it can be wobbly and definately a pain if your trying to use it while charging it (I don't).
3. You may, like me, end up spending a lot of time tweaking this remote to get it to function the way you want. The software is fantastic and really helps you to fine tune the remote, but it may take a lot of trial and error before everything functions exactly as you want it to. Also, if your like me and your computer is upstairs, you will be doing a lot of exercise testing the remote on your entertainment system then going back upstairs to the computer to make adjustments. If you have a good laptop computer and connection near your TV...you will save yourself a lot of time and effort.
Personally, I absolutely love the remote, and after tweaking it up a bit, it saves me so much time and frustration dealing with multiple remotes. One button for movies, and my television cuts on, reciever cuts on, both turn themselves to the correct channels, and the dvd player cuts on and plays. It's amazing. It even turns off stuff your not using automatically (like when I watch TV without surround, one button and it turns the tv on, sets the remote to control dvr box and volume via the television, and will turn off my dvd player and reciever if they are on). A fantastic remote.
I also really like that you can customize the remote itself, inventing extra buttons, and customizing the on screen menu to your liking. It even lets you name the activities you set up, and allows you to download pictures and slide shows on the remote itself. Major bonus points there.
Despite the few negatives, I really find the remote to be great. After doing some intense tweaking (and that did take a couple hours at least for me), I've got everything just the way I'd like it. However, after just a few minutes of work the basic functionality was there (I think I'm just super crazy about tweaking it). Definately 4 stars, the one taken away primarily because of the button layout and size.
Oh yeah, and on a sidenote...take the time to read and follow the instructions in the box. I think many people who had issues with the remote either didn't have the technical mindset to deal with a remote like this, or just didn't follow instructions out of excitment to use the remote. Make sure to get all your brand and model numbers written down BEFORE using the remote like it tells you to. Charge it up fully as well prior to using it. It will save you a lot of time, effort, and frustration.
Customer Review: Harmony 880 - A true UNIVERSAL remote control
Summary: 5 Stars
PROS:
* Looks cool.
* Very customizable.
* Place commands where you want them to appear on the screen.
* Can simulate every command on every remote.
* Can learn commands not stored in Logitech's database by setting the 880 remote head to head with your remote(s).
* The screen feature with 4 buttons on the left and 4 more on the right side is a great idea.
* Programmable Activities feature allows me to have the up-down channel buttons control my DVR and the up-down volume buttons control my big screen TV. ie you can have each button control any device you want it to.
CONS:
* Requires internet connection and USB cord in order to program.
*You'll need to be comfortable with a PC.
*You'll need to become familiar with Logitech's software in order to program and customize the remote. It's a bit confusing at first. Its not totally intuitive.
*Not as comfortable to hold and press buttons as most of my original remotes. I think the remote should be just a little bigger (due to my big hands).
*No macros allowed at this time but posts on internet sites say Logitech will add this to their software in the near future.
* Buttons in the middle of the remote should be a little bigger (left-right arrows, Device, Media)
* After two weeks I still don't know what the MEDIA button does.
* I don't know how long the little thin rectangular rechargeable battery will last. I wonder how much time and money will it take to get a replacement in the future.
* Too much glass around the screen. Every time I press a button next to the screen, press a left-right arrow to change the functions assigned to the screen buttons, etc finger prints and smudges are left on the glass. Very noticeable. I'm cleaning this remote every day just to get the smudges off.
A really good universal remote that can simulate every button on every one of your original remotes - even the remote for your oscillating room fan or ceiling fan. Just get the make and model numbers off your devices and enter them into the software.
You definitely need to be patient. I'm a total computer geek and even I got confused at times. You'll need to reprogram the remote quite a few times in order to get every button simulated and also get the buttons next to the screens to have the commands in the order you want them the appear. I re-programmed mine about 15 times just to get it to be exactly the way I want it.
You aren't limited to just 8 button functions at the buttons next to the screen. Just use the left-right arrows to page to the next screen and you'll have 8 more functions next to the buttons. If these 8 aren't enough, you can press the left-right arrows again and have 8 more functions programmed. One of my remotes has 7 pages of button functions. And even more could have been set up while I was doing the programming.
I just found out I can toggle from "activities" mode to "device" mode and back to "activities" mode by just continuing to press the "device" button. I like this feature.
[...]
OVERALL, HIGHLY RECOMMENDED IF YOU HAVE PATIENCE, AREN'T EASILY CONFUSED BY GADGETS, ARE COMFORTABLE USING A COMPUTER AND WANT A REMOTE THAT CAN SIMULATE EVERY BUTTON ON EVERY ONE OF YOUR ORIGINAL REMOTES.
I report - You decide.
Customer Review: Just OK.
Summary: 3 Stars
I recently upgraded to the 880 model. I miss the 670 model which is very sturdy.The buttons are raised and make them easier to use.They glow well in the dark unlike the 880 model which seems very cheap and only the screen glows in the dark.The 880 buttons however are better organized, most located below the central channel select while the 670 buttons are all over the place like most traditional remote control.So if you have used a remote control before, you will get used to the 670 model but for easier use the 880 model is better.The prints on the 670 model are larger and durable while the 880 model prints are smaller and of cheaper quality.
The 880 model looks very cheap and delicate.It is far from looking sleek which I think was the intention of the designers.The 670 is well designed for everyday hard use. I have dropped the 670 several times and find it very sturdy. My main complaint with the 670 model is that it does not have a re-chargeable base while the 880 model has.
Some reviewers have had problems with the rechargeable cradle. I have been fortunate to have one that the remote sits comfortable on.When I place the remote on the rechargeable cradle, I always make sure to see the battery re-charging icon on the display screen before I walk away. Which is an indication that the battery is charging and I have never had problems.I just do not drop the remote on the cradle and walk away. which I guess most users do, only to come back that their remote did not charge because it did not make good contact.I always have the battery indicator on the remote showing full charge each day after several hours of TV watching with the remote off the cradle. I enjoy this bit and it is the very reason I bought the 880 model, so I do not have to change batteries every 12 or so weeks.
I find the 880 model response time faster than the 670 model, maybe the 670 is slower because of use. Both models have a wide field of IR range. I do not have to aim both remotes directly to my appliances' IR eye, to get them to work. Which is great! My Samsung TV remote has to be pointed directly to the TV's IR eye for the TV to pick up the remote signal.The buttons of the 670 model has the number embossed unlike the 880 model.The numbers on the 880 models are cheap ink prints that will fade off with time.The letters and numbers on the 880 model are smaller in size than the 670 model.I always have to take my time looking at the prints on the 880 model. I wish the 670 model has a re-chargeable base and I have recommended to Logitech Harmony on their website to revisit the 670 model and make a rechargeable cradle for it.The design of the 670 model is almost flawless to me.If you do not mind buying new batteries every 12 to 16 weeks, I will strongly recommend the 670 model over the 880 model.But if changing batteries will be irritating to you as it was for me then go for the 880 or any other model with a re-chargeable base.I went for the 880 model because of the favorable reviews on it and cost.To be fair to the 670 model it does warn you when the batteries are weak but for me that happens rather too frequently. Both models have easy set-up and do a good job controlling all dedicated appliances-cable box,TV,Oppo Blu-ray player,Phillips 6 piece HTIB and the xbox 360.
Customer Review: Almost perfect - a few flaws
Summary: 4 Stars
I have three different Harmony remotes -- I'm a big fan. This one is the most expensive of the three that I own, and it definitely has some benefits over its less expensive brethren. It's not completely without flaws, thoguh.
First, as I indicated above, I'm a big fan of Harmony Remotes. You can program them to do everything that any of your devices' IR remotes can do. In general, the dedicated buttons on the remote are enough to handle the tasks that you do 90% of the time. Less frequently used functions can be configured to appear on the LCD screen, which displays 8 items at a time, and can scroll. For really seldom-used functions, everything that a device's original remote can do is accessible in "Device" mode.
I have never had any trouble with the website's programming applets. Some folks hate them, but I'm not one of them. There have been occasions where I have had to try a configuration, and go back to tweak it, because it wasn't working exactly the way I wanted it to. I would rather do this on my computer, using the website's huge database of devices and IR codes, than to try to program it manually, the way I used to have to do with older universal remotes.
I also do not have the problems that some other folks complain about where the device state gets out of sync. I always program my devices using what they call "discrete codes", where there's a different command for "On" and "Off", instead fo a single "Toggle Power" command, and different commands for TV input selection. I never have to try to find the discrete code settings, even if they're not provided by the device's original remote, because Logitech's online device database already has all of the discrete codes for all of my devices stored and ready for me to use.
The Harmony 880, in particular, is really nice. I like having the dedicated charger stand, not only becuase I don't have to change the batteries, but because I always know where to find the remote. The charger stand itself is not without its wrinkles. As others have mentioned in their reviews, sometimes the remote gets a little finicky about precise positioning. This has gotten worse in the years since I bought the remote, to the point where I ended up talking to customer service about it. They have inidcated that I will be able to get a replacement cradle which corrects this issue, although the promised call back has been a little delayed in coming.
One other issue with this particular model is that the buttons are fairly smooth and flush to the body of the remote. This can make it a bit of a challenge to find the right button in the dark. The remote does have a motion-sensitive backlight feature, which makes the button-finding problem tolerable - if you pick it up (or sometimes shake it a bit), it lights up.
The button layout itself is fine. Buttons are right where they ought to be, seldom used buttons are smaller and out of the way. This model has all of the buttons that I need for the room where I use it, which includes a DVR.
Overall, this is a solid remote, at the expensive end of the awesome Harmony line. I've recommended Harmony remotes to everyone who's faced remote problems. If it weren't for the problems I've mentioned, I'd give it 5 stars. As it stands, it's just a bit short of perfect.
Customer Review: Great remote once it is configured
Summary: 4 Stars
I've had this remote for a bit over a year now (and I'm finally getting around to writing this review). Quite simply, I love it. Since I'm a tech guy, I was never bothered but a multi-step process for operating a home theater system. But I bought this remote after my old one ran out of memory. In hindsight, I can't believe I waited so long.
The "Activity" buttons make it very easy for anyone to use my home theater, regardless of technical abilities. The remote is context sensitive, and it gives you all of the relevant controls for the devices used in the current activity both on the LCD/soft-keys and on the hard buttons (i.e. watching a DVD may require controls for the TV, receiver, and DVD player). This means that you have simple, basic control of every component in use without having to switch the remote's mode of operation. You can also directly select a device to control if you want the full functionality of just that individual component (regardless of the current "activity").
Programming this remote is achieved via a USB connection to a computer with some software that connects to Logitech's device database. On the remote, all the programmed data is stored in non-volatile memory, so if the batteries die, your programming is safe and you don't have to reprogram the remote. Also, should the remote get lost or fail, you can presumably buy another one (same model) and program it using your existing setup data that is stored on the Logitech servers.
On the negative side (and the reason I only gave 4 stars)... It took a lot of time to configure and customize this remote, possibly because I'm a technophile and want things set up in a very specific way. Conceptually, programming the remote via the computer is great. But the software is a little annoying to use and the database Logitech maintains is only approximate - it tends to include functions for a family of devices from a manufacturer. For example, if you have a single disc DVD player from a given manufacturer, you enter in the make and model and the database will give you all the controls you need, plus some that don't apply, such as controls for the 5-disc player of the same brand. This means you have to delete some of the unnecessary buttons if you want to have a concise set of controls. Another problem with the setup is that things weren't always automatically placed in logical configurations on the hard and soft keys. So, for example, the TiVo thumbs-up and thumbs-down keys might be placed on different 'pages' for the LCD soft-keys, so again it requires some manual work to shuffle the keys around until they are most comfortable and logical for you. But with a little work, you can configure it exactly the way you want.
Because the configuration process can take some time and tech-savviness , I would say that this remote is perfect for households where there is at least one technophile (to program it) and others who want home theater operation to be dead simple!
Bottom line, for the price, this is really a fantastic universal remote, and it is really quite universal! I would love it if Logitech could streamline the programming process a little bit more, but that notwithstanding, they have made it so much better than any other universal remote brand I've tried to date.