pre-configured for Media Center PCs * online Web wizard for fast remote setup * 3 activity buttons * interactive display * learns the IR codes from existing remote controls *
1 If you have Windows Media Center, just buy this remote!
Since there are hundreds of other Universal remotes out there that are not designed for Windows MCE, the real question is "How well does this one control the Windows Media Center experience?"
I'm happy to say as an MCE user that this remote is exactly what I've been hoping for! I read Eric Miller's caustic review and had second thoughts about buying this remote until I looked at postings in the Windows Media Center forum from people with high end systems who love it.
Eric has a point about the soft buttons being hard to get to sometimes but that is no reason to stay away from this remote! I can customize my most used soft buttons to be hard buttons, and I don't care if I can't go directly to the Media Center menu with an activity button. After I go to an MCE activity I just press the green media button and I'm at the main menu. That seems like a very minor complaint.
"Watch My TV" does exactly what MCE users would expect, takes them to the "My TV" screen, and sets the A/V receiver and TV to the right inputs with one press of a button. Same for "My Music" or "Watch DVD".
Unless you're as nitpicky as Eric, if you have Windows MCE buy with confidence! You won't be sorry!
2 Best remote I've ever owned
This remote will do everything you need or want. Simple to use and great customer service. I had a couple of "glitches" (buttons that didn't work quite right) when I first programmed the device, but the Harmony support team helped me through those areas. The changes needed are now permanently in my data area on the Harmony web site so if I ever need to, all I have to do is reload the info.
Like another reviewer, I also have a TiVO (2 actually) and the only button that wouldn't work on my Harmony 680 was the "clear" button. Customer service fixed that in a jiffy, too.
I have owned several multiple device remotes over the years and never had one so good that I could really put away all my other remotes. I now only use one - the Harmony 680. Fantastic device! I'd give it 6 stars if I could.
3 Hmmm, I thought this would have been it....
Pros: The setup was pretty easy
Cons: The setup did not work!
I have had this device for about 3 weeks. I told my wife, that based on the reviews I read, that this would make her life easier. Unfortunately, I have had nothing but trouble with it. After using it for about a week, the volume of both my tv and receiver started going up. Regardless on what selection I made with the remote, boih would go up at the same time. Not just a little bit, but all the way.
I have tried to redo the setup, but that did not make a difference.
It is now basically useless. One other thing I had major trouble with is that I cannot close the battery door after the batteries are installed.
I have a pretty good understanding of remotes, but this one beats me. I guess I'll will be using my Sony multi-remote for a bit longer, as this one will go back where it came from.
4 This is the only remote you need
The Haromony 680 has taken the place of my TV remote, DVD remote, and Tivo remote. It's the best Christmas gift I could've gotten! My son programed it, did a bit of twiking to make it respond more quickly for Tivo use, and now I just enjoy using it. I took all the batteries out of my other remotes and stored them in a nearby drawer, in case I needed them, but I haven't had any reason to use them. My eyes aren't what they used to be, so at first,I had to put on my glasses to see what the function buttons were for, but now that I've used the remote for a while, I've gotten used to the buttons and don't have to "read" them anymore. Shifting from live TV to Tivo or DVD and back again is quick and simple. The Harmony 680 will even eject the DVD for me.
5 Finally a Great Remote!
I spent many hours on the web researching a remote to replace my Harmon Kardon TC1000 and the Harmony 680 appeared to be the right replacement. I have been completely satisfied with this remote. I use it to control a Plasma TV, Home Theater Receiver, VCR, DVD Player, TiVO, and Satellite Receiver. I have to disagree with some of the comments of other reviewers as I have not had the same problems. Some of the highlights:
1. Simple and Efficient Macros - Touch one button and you can turn on all components and have each component execute a number of commands. For example, I have one button set up to turn on my TV (then set the TV to the proper video input and sceen selection setting), turn on the receiver (then have it set to TiVo input and dolby digital sound selection), and finally tune TiVO to a specific channel. Others have claimed you cannot do this. Not true.
2. Great Design - Same bone style design of the very popular TiVO remote. Fits in the hand well. Two slots in the back for your fingers to rest in. Reaching all buttons is very easy. Buttons are shaped well, press easy, and are not too close together (unlike the 688 model). I initially had a problem with the buttons not responding when I pressed them repeatedly(especially for TiVO use), but once I learned that you could adjust button response times, that problem went away. All remote buttons light up so it is easy to use in the dark. The LCD is easy to see and provides you with six additional customizable buttons for each function you set up (i.e. watch TV, listen to music, etc). You can also use the LCD to scroll through different functions for each of your components, but once you customize the remote you probably won't need to do that.
3. Set Up - Set up is done online at the Logitech website. Basic set up was fairly simple, but there was a bit of a learning curve when I tried to fine tune my set up. If you are technically inclined, you will be slightly annoyed. If not, you may find this a bit frustrating.
All in all a great product that is easy to use for the whole family. My wife loves it and my mother bought one after I showed her how it worked. Actually, she took mine and asked me to order another. That's how good it is. If you are willing to spend an hour setting it up, then this is the remote for you.
6 Quick and easy, but some limitations
I got tired of constantly having to redo the menus on my Pronto everytime I made a minor change, so when I saw this Harmony remote advertised, I thought it sounded like a really great and easier alternative. I don't have a Media PC but I really liked the choice of buttons on it, so thought I'd give it a try. Let's cover the highs and lows:
1. Good remote for Tivo use (probably best of the Harmonies), but I had to manually configure a lot of the buttons that really should have been preset. Like play, pause, forward, etc. None of those worked with the basic setup.
2. Basic setup is easy, but the online help if you have any problems is really confusing and annoying at times. I never did find anything that described how to use the online program guide. I did figure it out myself, but there should be more help for stuff like this.
3. As another user mentioned, ability to customize is somewhat limited, certainly compared to some other fancier (but more expensive) universal remotes. For instance, the macros for doing things like Listen to Music only determine what components will be on and what inputs they will be set to. I cannot, for instance, make Listen to Music tune my cable box to my favorite digital music channel. The up-side of this is that for most people, the setup is pretty easy, you don't have to be a techno-geek to figure it out, like you do with some remotes.
4. The ability of the remote to remember what components are on and off and switch them automatically is *really* nice. The Help button to correct any issues always worked great for me if something got messed up accidentally.
5. I'm glad I can add some custom commands using the LCD but the biggest issue for me here is that it only allows 5 characters to display. Definitely NOT enough.
Overall, this is a decent remote that does what you want 95% of the time. For a lot of users that find programming universal remotes too difficult, it's a great solution. I'm not sure it's quite the right remote if you really want complete control, but for the most part, it does the job.
7 Almost a great MCE remote but it falls miserably short.
This remote has too many buttons which it will not allow you customize. The most glaring example is the green MEDIA button itself! Not a problem you say, this is reserved for Media Center. Think again. I set up a Macro to operate my Media Center PC but the Media button won't work because Logitech's/Harmony's software decided that I should really use this button for some other purpose then actually controlling my Media PC. What?!?! I'm sorry that's just really stupid. Don't get me wrong, I could create a Macro (aka Activity) where the Media button works with Media Center but then I would be forced to select a pre-determined action like My TV or My Music, and so on. What if I just want the Media PC to open to the main menu? Nope, sorry, you can't do that. The setup software is riddled with absurd contingencies like this. You can do A, but only if you do B and don't do C. It wouldn't be so bad if there was some logical reason for this behavior but there is none, except maybe a God Complex on the part of the designers.
Also, I've found the physical buttons on the remote don't always register when you've pressed them so sometimes you have to hit them two or three times. Most frequently this happens with the directional buttons surrounding the OK button. Four discreet buttons (up, down, left, right) might have served better then the one integrated ring button, who knows. All things being equal, I prefer a ring button but at the end-of-the-day I just want a button that works when I press it.
The other annoying feature is the soft buttons. These are `buttons' you define which are displayed on the LCD. You may or may not be able to create a soft button to do what you want but be warned, the software will decide what order these buttons appear, not you. Of course, the software surely knows better then you. This is of course why your most frequently used soft buttons will inevitably be buried in the middle or at the end of a long list so you have to scroll to reach them. Don't be too hasty in doing so either. You can only scroll one direction. If you pass the item you wanted, you'll have to keep scrolling down to the bottom then start over at the top. The same can be said for your Activities and Device lists too. It would have been nice to be able to control item placement so that your most frequently used items could be at the beginning or organized alphabetically or put in some other order that makes sense to you. Alas, there is simply no way to control this.
They claim this thing is customizable, and it is to a certain extent, but only if the sometimes completely illogical configuration software deems the function you want worthy. It's all really too bad, this could have been an excellent remote but as it is I would rather use two or three individual remotes then try and use this one.
On the plus side, I will say their technical support was responsive. I emailed them three times and never had to wait more then a day for a response. Of course, it didn't matter. All they seemed capable of doing was regurgitating information already available in the online FAQ.
