Universal Remote

[DrJRapp]

Earlier this week I picked up a Logitec Harmony 880 universal remote to replace my now defunct Sony RM3000 which had been dropped one too many times. Simplicity in a remote is the key criterion here since my wife is a technophobe when it comes to audio and I have a 15 YO step son who already blew out more than one set of speakers by cranking the volume up full blast on the 1098 trying to get sound out of the system, then realizing he needed to switch inputs, and forgetting to turn the volume down before doing so.

The answer of course is an activities driven remote, or at least one that has solid macro ability to create activities and limit acess to specific devices. The Harmony fills that bill completely. It's sooooo easy to program, you just go online and follow instructions. Tech support is also excellent. I was having some difficulties consitently controlling my Rotel 1098 and they were able to custom modify and upload IR delays to fix that without my touching a thing. They were also kind enough to create a customized activity for me to independently control my lights via the lutron Maestro IR that I have. Anyway, everything works like a charm. I like the feel of the remote in my hand, the way it's color screen turns on and off to movement and the logical way the buttons are laid out and lit to operate in the dark. For $249 it's an extreme value and very tempting for anyone who ever wanted a truely powerfull universal remote but was unwilling to commit $600-$1000 to a Pronto or whatever.
__________________

[RickF]

Jerry I also have the Harmony 880 and will second everything you said, it really fits the bill for us.

[dermie999]

Jerry,


Thanks very much. Is there a URL for Harmony? It's just that I'm in Australia so Web sites are good places to start tracking down equipment availability of shore from the good ole USA.

Trevor

[Kens1]

I also have a Harmony, but the lesser 628 - still a very good remote. I also found the tech support superb. I was having a problen shutting down my cambridge audio 640c cd player and they customized the ir to fix the problem on their end. This remote is a breeze for the whole family to use.
The odd time it will forget to shut down one component when I hit the off button but all you have to do is hit the"help" button and it corrects it instantly. This remote is much much easier to use than the remote that came with the 1056 reciever I have. For the $120.00 Canadian I spent I highly recommend it.

[Andrew Pratt]

but was unwilling to commit $600-$1000 to a Pronto or whatever.

Just to be fair the pronto's don't have to be anywhere near that price. Of course that takes nothing away from the Harmony remote as it is very good.

[DrJRapp]

Jerry,


Thanks very much. Is there a URL for Harmony? It's just that I'm in Australia so Web sites are good places to start tracking down equipment availability of shore from the good ole USA.

Trevor

Trevor

Logitech.com works here. Then select Harmony Remote Controls from the product list.

[DrJRapp]

Just to be fair the pronto's don't have to be anywhere near that price. Of course that takes nothing away from the Harmony remote as it is very good.

Andrew,

I'm still be in the market for a Pronto if you can tell me where I can get a color screen one (the 880 is color LCD) pre-programmed with rechargable batteries and charger stand, cheap. The best I was able to do (from an authorized dealer) was $700 and about $250 for programming.

[dermie999]

Thanks very much once again Jerry. This is a silly question and I apologise for asking it. I accessed the Logitech site and could find no reference to the 880. Then I checked on Amazon and could find the 880 but listed as available in September 05!


Trevor

[Andrew Pratt]

Jerry let me look into it.

[RickF]

Thanks very much once again Jerry. This is a silly question and I apologise for asking it. I accessed the Logitech site and could find no reference to the 880. Then I checked on Amazon and could find the 880 but listed as available in September 05!


Trevor

Trevor, here you go.
Harmony 880 remote.

[Stevebez]

Could not tell from the website but does the 880 output radio freq (wifi) output?

Very cool looking remote ... docking station is a win.

Rgds Steve

[Mark1Ace1]

I was looking at the Universal Remote MX3000, but at a tenth of that price, this remote looks promising...Apparently on sale in Australia 18th July...

Mark

[Stevebez]

I have universal remote Aeros (aka Orion MX850) ... really nice - no big complaints - but the 880 looks the part.

Universal also very easy to program etc and has wifi output which is very uselfull for my purposes with plenty plasma ir flooding.

Rotel codes mastered by universal and downloadable from website. Enjoyable hardbuttoned remote with massive macro functionality.

Needs colour screen though and docking station to recharge batts.

Rgds Steve.

[DrJRapp]

I was looking at the Universal Remote MX3000, but at a tenth of that price, this remote looks promising...Apparently on sale in Australia 18th July...

Mark

Exactly the same scenario here. I was waiting for two weeks for my dealer to get back to me on a price for the MX with programming when my family told me they couldn't wait any more. Fortunatly for me the dealer was slow. I saved a bundle.

Granted the 880 probably won't do everything an MX 3000 or a Pronto 6000 will do, but it does everything I need it to, and it does it well with one button simplicity. I can even download the schedules from my favorite sat channels into it...something I haven't tried yet.

Oh by the way, the rechargable batteries lasted just about a week on the first charge.

[Andrew Pratt]

Jerry I'll PM you with some pricing info.

[jim777]

I got the 688. The buttons are a bit cheesy but overall it is a great remote. I like the fact that everything can be organized as "activities" but it is still possible to activate specific buttons of each device (like you can force an item ON or OFF without choosing that activity). I also use the feature to keep the amp ON once it is ON instead of turning it off each time. That way I don't cycle it and it stays warm (I close it once at the end of the evening).

[wanderso]

Earlier this week I picked up a Logitec Harmony 880 universal remote to replace my now defunct Sony RM3000 which had been dropped one too many times. Simplicity in a remote is the key criterion here since my wife is a technophobe when it comes to audio and I have a 15 YO step son who already blew out more than one set of speakers by cranking the volume up full blast on the 1098 trying to get sound out of the system, then realizing he needed to switch inputs, and forgetting to turn the volume down before doing so.

The answer of course is an activities driven remote, or at least one that has solid macro ability to create activities and limit acess to specific devices. The Harmony fills that bill completely. It's sooooo easy to program, you just go online and follow instructions. Tech support is also excellent. I was having some difficulties consitently controlling my Rotel 1098 and they were able to custom modify and upload IR delays to fix that without my touching a thing. They were also kind enough to create a customized activity for me to independently control my lights via the lutron Maestro IR that I have. Anyway, everything works like a charm. I like the feel of the remote in my hand, the way it's color screen turns on and off to movement and the logical way the buttons are laid out and lit to operate in the dark. For $249 it's an extreme value and very tempting for anyone who ever wanted a truely powerfull universal remote but was unwilling to commit $600-$1000 to a Pronto or whatever.
__________________

I have an MX-500 and a MX-850 that I use with my Rotel gear (different equip - different rooms).

I bought a Harmony 880 and find that it is more of a "user" remote that an A/V "guy" remote. If you wish to switch inputs it is off with the old, on with the new whereas the MX series products allow Macros to change inputs on the Rotel/TV/etc without turning anything off...

My g/f on the other hand LOVES the 880 I gave her!!!!! Changes everything and turns everything on or off and if it didn't work quite right the first time, the HELP feature fixes it for her.

[chrispy35]

I got the 688. The buttons are a bit cheesy but overall it is a great remote. I like the fact that everything can be organized as "activities" but it is still possible to activate specific buttons of each device (like you can force an item ON or OFF without choosing that activity). I also use the feature to keep the amp ON once it is ON instead of turning it off each time. That way I don't cycle it and it stays warm (I close it once at the end of the evening).

I just got one too. The price in Canada just dropped so that you can get it for below the price of the lesser 676(?). $150 after rebates from bestbuy.ca or futureshop.ca in the past two weeks.

[DrJRapp]

If you wish to switch inputs it is off with the old, on with the new whereas the MX series products allow Macros to change inputs on the Rotel/TV/etc without turning anything off...

The 880 can be programmed to do that too. You need to get a bit deeper into the setup.

[Aussie Geoff]

DrRapp,

I am tempted buy the 880 to replace my dieing Pronto TSU3000. I can see that it has all the standard buttons as hard buttons, plus the 8 activitiey areas on the screen. However can you use it to program buttons like the SUR+ button on the RSP-1098? If so where and how easy are they to get to?

Thanls

Geoff

[DrJRapp]

DrRapp,

I am tempted buy the 880 to replace my dieing Pronto TSU3000. I can see that it has all the standard buttons as hard buttons, plus the 8 activitiey areas on the screen. However can you use it to program buttons like the SUR+ button on the RSP-1098? If so where and how easy are they to get to?

Thanls

Geoff

Once you create a equipment list online you can go to any of your devices and the details button takes you to a list of all the functions. With the 1098 that included many that don't exist or are difficult to access on the RR1050. You can then select the function, assign it to either a lcd screen position or hard button. I was even able to insert a custom learned functions from my sat remote (guide and info) into the 1098 setup so I could acess them without changing devices. I was surprised by the fact that the Harmony already had all the codes in their database for my Shanling CDT100, not a very common unit.

The 880 is very powerful & versitile and so far I have found it is limited only by my imagination. Another thing I like about the Harmony is that my entire setup is held online in a database by logitech. I can sit on my office computer and tinker with my setup, then go home and download it into my remote. I'm not strapped to only one computer. Also, should anything happen to the remote, all I need to do is hook up another one to the usb cable and download my whole program in 10 seconds.

There is a downside to all this convienience, my 15 yo stepson now finds it way too easy to invite his friends over to show off MY EQUIPMENT. I've had to chase them out more than once already this week!...lol

[Aussie Geoff]

Jerry,

Thanks for your prompt and detailed reply. From this and the on-line simulation it seems like a very clever unit indeed - no more 100+ hour sessions to program a Pronto next gen....

I have ordered one tonight and hope to program it next week (assuming it it delivered from stock) while my family is on holidays...

Then I can (hopefully) trash my Pronto - whose screen has (like many TSU3000's - become very dim just as the 12 month waranty expired!

Geoff

[ILuvDefTech]

DrJRapp,

I was having some difficulties consitently controlling my Rotel 1098 and they were able to custom modify and upload IR delays to fix that without my touching a thing.

I had the Harmony 6XX a few months ago. Don't remember the exact model. Anyway, I had a terrible time getting it to control the sound on my 1068. After numerous emails with tech support they fixed it, but then if I tried to add the 1068 to another activity, it wouldn't control the sound again. After about 3 weeks of this I finally gave up and took the remote back. This 880 remote looks great, but if I can't control the sound on the 1068 it's worthless. And if I have to contact tech support each time I put the 1068 into an activity, the remote loses it's cool factor. How has your experience, or anyone else's, been with this?

[jim777]

Everything worked after 15 minutes and then I tweaked to accelerate the timings and stuff like that. It is almost perfect now, just one or two more tweaks to do... didn't need tech support either, but I did need to learn my amp's volume buttons in "raw" mode because the default one wasn't sensible enough (the volume knob moved too much for a single press).

[DrJRapp]

DrJRapp,


if I can't control the sound on the 1068 it's worthless. And if I have to contact tech support each time I put the 1068 into an activity, the remote loses it's cool factor. How has your experience, or anyone else's, been with this?

I think they have done their homework with Rotel gear over the past few months. After the initial delay tweak that I mentioned my 1098 has worked flawlwssly no matter what activity.

[thyname]

Funny, when I checked 880 on Amazon.com it says it will be available on September 1st (in USA), but it is available on Bestbuy and Logitech website. Any info Jerry on where you got it from? Also I would be very interested to know from the other guys any authorized online retailer that offer it with a discount. I looking to get it for no more than USD 200 shipped.

Thanks a lot for the info. It is here where I heard about logitech 880 first, and I like it a lot...

[DrJRapp]

Funny, when I checked 880 on Amazon.com it says it will be available on September 1st (in USA), but it is available on Bestbuy and Logitech website. Any info Jerry on where you got it from?

Thanks a lot for the info. It is here where I heard about logitech 880 first, and I like it a lot...

I got mine from BB, I paid their full price of $249.00 since I needed it ASAP. I've seen it on eBay for less, but I'm not sure anyone else really has them yet. BB got the entire first shipment due to some sort of default by Logitech on delivering something else to BB, so the 880 priority was the settlement. OBTW, it's worth every bit of $249!

[wanderso]

The 880 can be programmed to do that too. You need to get a bit deeper into the setup.

It can be, that is true...IF the harmony site is not down!!! I had the experience of finding the site down twice in the first four days...and making changes to the 880 is not intuitive or easy under any circumstances IF you wish to customize it. The MX line on the otherhand does NOT require a website to be available and is extremely easy to use the configuration setup.

[thyname]

I could not wait anymore: I was at BB today and I saw one Harmony 880 Universal remote (only one in the shelf) and I purchased it. They were not available for less at online stores yet, and I had no choice but to pay the full price from Best Buy (and taxes), I know I am crazy to throw $250 for a remote. My fiance will not talk to me today and maybe tomorrow too....

First impressions: quite easy setup, everything is online, I just entered brand and model of my components and chose activities such: Watch TV, Watch DVD, Watch DVD/SACD, Play CD. I thought that was it, but I was wrong... the remote did not seem to control the inputs in my Samsung DLP very well (would go to the wrong input). I called Logitech: no waiting at all, and the lady at the other line was so nice and patient, guiding me step by step. Great costumer service!! It seemed like I made a small mistake (component1 instead of component2 input) that messed up everything. Now everything works fine. Let me explain a little:

Activity: Watch TV: Press Activity - Watch TV...... The tv is on and at component1 to watch satellite tv.

Activity: Watch DVD/SACD: Press Activity - watch SACD/DVD in the remote....... automatically TV input switches to Video1, Rotel preamp and amp turn on, Rotel preamp inputs switches to AUX, my SACD/DVD player turns on and play is pressed.

Activity: Play CD, I press ACtivity - Play CD in my Harmony remote: The TV turns off, Rotel preamp input switches to CD and Rotel CD player presses Play..

Next Activity is "play DVD" for my HTIB... basically the same as above with the TV input switching automatically to S-video where my HTIB is plugged.

By the way, it looks awesome too!!! Now what do I do with my other remotes?!!

[IntegrateMe]

Worry not my good man....if it is any consolation, we concluded negotiations today in regards to a $450,000 project and the "remote control" used in the Kitchen sells for over $8,000.

The $250 sunk into the Harmony is a great buy no matter how you slice it.

Barry

[sprout]

Just bought the 885 in the UK.

It is the best remote I haave ever owned, and I have been fortunate enough to have a few.

Customer services cannot be faulted, very helpful and responsive.

They called me back in the UK from Canada when I pointed out there was aa problem with theeir compiler. It was fixed that day.

Awesome

sprout

[thyname]

Is there an 885? I never knew....Is an advanced version over 880, or an European version of 880?

[sprout]

Is there an 885? I never knew....Is an advanced version over 880, or an European version of 880?

Hi, you are correct, it is European version of 880.

I think only difference is we have a slightly different layout

Cheers

sprout

[sprout]

Pictures 8)

sprout

[sprout]

Incidentally, last night on AVForums, people were discussing that they had seen adverts in Norway for the 895? and said it was due in November?

Consensus in the end was that this may be an RF model?

It was colour screen and more expensive than the 880/885

Cheers

sprout

[thyname]

Thanks for posting the pictures sprout! I also did a google search on 885. 880 and 885 look pretty much the same, with on small difference: instead a down up two buttons on 880 there are four "colored" buttons on 885, all these underneath the OK button.

I am hooked to the remote, and very happy with its performance. I also created logos for 16 favorite channels now, I press activities-watch TV-media and they show up 8 in each of two pages. I can just press the corresponding buttons to select the channel I want. It is also cool to have the satellite box to go to my favorite channel after pressing watch tv button, it is like having a home page on internet explorer. I also found controling each device separately very convenient, especially satellite receiver.

[sprout]

Thanks for posting the pictures sprout! I also did a google search on 885. 880 and 885 look pretty much the same, with on small difference: instead a down up two buttons on 880 there are four "colored" buttons on 885, all these underneath the OK button.

I am hooked to the remote, and very happy with its performance. I also created logos for 16 favorite channels now, I press activities-watch TV-media and they show up 8 in each of two pages. I can just press the corresponding buttons to select the channel I want. It is also cool to have the satellite box to go to my favorite channel after pressing watch tv button, it is like having a home page on internet explorer. I also found controling each device separately very convenient, especially satellite receiver.

Excellent :T

I am not down the road as far as you yet with mine, but well pleased.

It feels great in the hand, usable in the dark and easy to walk round.

I will be interested now in

created logos for 16 favorite channels now, I press activities-watch TV-media and they show up 8 in each of two pages. I can just press the corresponding buttons to select the channel I want.

Did you have to make the logos a specific size, or do they get resized automatically?

Great remote, great people on here, and top forum

Cheers

sprout

[thyname]

You can get logos online from individual channels websites or from this site:

http://www.satlogo.com/

...and resize them with Adobe Photoshop. You can also try this resizing tool from Microsoft:

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/d...powertoys.mspx

However, I found a great site with already resized logos specifically for 880 below:

http://squareworld.com/harmony/

It is a great site with many logos, and backgrounds as well. I already changed my default background as well.

I took most of my logos from this website, with only a couple doing them myself.

I hope this helps. Have fun and enjoy the remote!

[tboooe]

oh man my wife is gonna kill me. I stumbled upon this thread last night and I have to admit this remote looks AWESOME!! The problem is, my wife saw me looking at the logitech website and flipped out when I told her it was a $300 remote. She said that it better be mighty friendly because if I buy it, it will only be it and me in bed for a while. It took me a few seconds to make up my mind, of course taking into careful consideration my ahem....manly needs...so I decided to buy the remote!

To my wife's defense I have gone a spending spree recently. Here is what I have bought in the last month alone:
1. SONOS wireless music system (GREAT if you have digital music) $1200
2. B&W 601 s3 for the bedroom $440
3. B&W 805S for the family room ($2000)
4. Rotel RB 1080 amp $1000
5. B&W stand for 805 $400
6. Nordost Blue Heaven speaker cables and Red Dawn interconnects

Next up (which the wife does not know about yet) are a 50" DLP (maybe mitsubishi), Rotel RSP 1068, RCD 1072, RDV 1060.

Oh man, its going to be a long, lonely summer. BUT I got all of my toys to play with and keep me company.

[sprout]

It is a great site with many logos, and backgrounds as well. I already changed my default background as well.

I took most of my logos from this website, with only a couple doing them myself.

I hope this helps. Have fun and enjoy the remote!

Thanks for all the effort you put into that post

There is some useful stuff there.

My remote will be looking different tomorrow :lol:

Many thanks

sprout

[thyname]

oh man my wife is gonna kill me.

I know what you mean, my fiance was so mad at me when she saw the remote home, it is not even funny! Considering that all the gear you see below I purchased within the the last 10 months.... She has refused to touch the remote so far :evil: Anyway, I hope to show it to her with all the features (all in good times) and I am sure that she will be amazed, it is sooooo easy to use (of course after I did all the "dirty" work of programming it).

Sprout, glad you liked that site!

[jim777]

I always thought that a good easy remote like the Harmony's was a positive WAF factor :rofl:

[DrJRapp]

my fiance was so mad at me when she saw the remote home, it is not even funny!

Hang in there, my wife thought $250 was a bit steep as well, but after three weeks with the 880 she is making very strong hints that we should have one in the MBR as well.

[thyname]

Some people (including my fiance) would argue that with $250 one can purchase a TV set for example, or a nice piece of furniture, or some kitchen appliances, etc.

By the way Jim, how is the new "Octavarium" from Dream Theater? I used to like Images and Words, but I usually find progressive metal a little complicated.

[Mark1Ace1]

Lets just keep our wives in the kitchen and keep spending...lol...

Mark