Logitech Harmony 900 Remote Control (Black) Review

The first thing to point out is that CNET calls this the best remote they've ever tested, and I tend to agree. It's well-constructed, well-balanced has good button placement and the touchscreen is phenomenal.

The attention to detail is great, from the rubberized bottom, to the battery cover which doesn't accidentally slip off as much as older models, to the charging cradle, to the touch screen which, for example, displays a graphical circle, square, X, and triangle button when you're using the PS3.

On that note it's worth pointing out that the Harmony line of remotes is the only universal remote series I know to support the PS3 system with its separately sold PS3 adapter.

I also greatly appreciated that the RF module no longer has to be plugged into the computer via USB like the older Harmony 890 model. I used to dread going behind my equipment to unplug it and drag it to my computer. Now the 900 remote handles communication and updating of the RF module!

My chief complaints aren't about the hardware, which is near perfect aside from occasional delays with commands issued to the RF module/IR blaster, I just don't like the software, which I find clumsy and confusing to use. For example, to change the title of an activity, you don't double-click it, enter a name, then click elsewhere (an intuitive 3-step process); rather, you click a "Change Settings" button, then click a "Change Name" radio button, then click "Continue", then enter in the name, then click "Save" (5 unintuitive steps that are difficult to figure out until you get used to the software).

Also the support is pretty poor. I had a problem setting up a device for one activity and tried to find the support number for Harmony remotes and discovered I couldn't find it online; it was only buried deep in the software's support pages! Once I finally figured out where to call, I was on hold for about 1/2 an hour before a foreign support rep said my setup looked fine, and that I was experiencing a rare issue that required tier 2 tech support... who would call me back within 48 hours. Huh?!? That sort of wait is bad enough, but they actually missed the deadline and called back 3 days later, when I was on vacation! Ugh!

However, despite my complaints about the software, there really isn't anything better on the market and the phenomenal hardware makes this the best remote you can buy if you can afford it. I recommend it!

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If you're a Mac owner like me, you may run into trouble with the Harmony 900 drivers, which think they're a new network connection for some reason. See here for manual configuration instructions:
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Product Overview

Logitech Harmony 900 lets you put your home-entertainment equipment behind walls or cabinet doors using RF (radio frequency) technology. Just place the simple-to-install IR blaster and mini blasters near the equipment you want to control to turn RF signals into IR commands your devices understand. Once you’re set up, the full-color touch screen lets you see only the controls you need and start your entertainment with just one touch. You can replace up to 15 other remotes. And our software finds the control codes for your equipment from our online database of more than 5,000 brands and 225,000 devices. So chances are, if you own it, your Harmony 900 can control it.

Product Feature

• Complete RF (radio frequency ) wireless technology lets you control out-of-sight devices hidden neatly away behind cabinet doors from up to 100-feet away.
• Full-color touch screen for simple one-touch access to your favorite channels and activities, like "Watch a DVD" or "Listen to music"
• Sculpted backlit buttons in logical zones for easy entertainment control even in the dark
• Recharging dock eliminates the hassle of searching for and replacing batteries
• Replaces up to 15 remotes with universal control of virtually any home entertainment component

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*** Product Information and Prices Stored: Feb 19, 2010 20:48:14