InVeNtOr Posted February 10, 2009 Share Posted February 10, 2009 i know there was a disscussion about this some time ago. what i am asking is if, the harmony one is a good remote? can owners of this remote let me know if it's worth the money to overpriced? i found the harmony one for $190, including shipping. are they better remotes that are cheaper? i don't want the big two hand remotes, wife said no. she has let me get away with so much, so bowing down when remotes is conserned, i could care less. i can get the 880 for >$130 i plan on buying this next week so i can get rid of the 4 remote juggle! thanks in advance...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tommyboy Posted February 10, 2009 Share Posted February 10, 2009 I think that Harmony's are worth the money......... If you have a Target near you, check there. I saw mine for about 30 less than I paid at CC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CECAA850 Posted February 10, 2009 Share Posted February 10, 2009 I can't speak for the One, but the 880 is great. Some of the buttons are a little small but to me it's not a bone of contention. I think mine replaced 7 or 8 remotes. Their tech support is great also. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roaddog359 Posted February 10, 2009 Share Posted February 10, 2009 I have the Harmony one and I think it is a more refined remote. It has a nice touch screenon it as well. It is nice, and i can control all my equipment in many different ways. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jamesV Posted February 10, 2009 Share Posted February 10, 2009 I have a 880 and can't be happier with it. I don't see how I will ever go back to being without it. Set up was simple and turning everything on is a snap. My gf is even comfortable with turning it on. Before she didn't even touch any of the remotes. This was a far better way for me since I listen to everything thru my speakers, meaning every time the TV turns on the speakers are on. A buddy of mine just purchased the Harmony One but I haven't talked to him to much since. I will be meeting him for lunch this week so I will ask him. There is another company that some on the site have remotes from, Universal Remote Control. You might want to do a quick search here and see what you find. I believe that some purchased from the Professional line. James Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
InVeNtOr Posted February 10, 2009 Author Share Posted February 10, 2009 james, i would really like to hear the difference from the 880 and one. i can get the 880 much cheaper than the one so if there isn't a huge difference i may go the cheaper route. funny thing is, i found the one for $150 used, and the wife suggested getting the new one for $190. woman thinks we are made of money....lol! thanks for the input guys. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tommyboy Posted February 11, 2009 Share Posted February 11, 2009 I like the fact that they're "mommy proof". She can push one button, lets say "watch a movie", and it turns on the receiver, tv, and BD player ONLY, and sets everything to the proper settings. Or push "listen to cd's", and it turn off the TV, BD player, turns on the cd player, and switches the receiver to CD. All with just one button. No more phone calls at work asking how to turn on a movie, or switch a movie to listening to cd's............ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dtximages Posted February 12, 2009 Share Posted February 12, 2009 Honestly, I think i had a different experience with the harmony. I didn't really like it. I was expecting a Crestron (ms?) i guess. I also have components in various places in my room. Using the computer the set it up did not come about easily for me either. it didnt have a couple of my main components. My H/K receiver requires alot of settings (especially if the power goes out, resets to default) and the harmony woudlnt do any of it. At least not simply. Perhaps theyve upgraded them since i bought mine. Have they chaned much? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tommyboy Posted February 12, 2009 Share Posted February 12, 2009 especially if the power goes out, resets to default That would suck! When I finally got my receiver back from moving here from England, it still had all the previous settings............ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CECAA850 Posted February 12, 2009 Share Posted February 12, 2009 Don't most H/K's have a battery in them just for such reasons? Maybe his is dead? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tommyboy Posted February 12, 2009 Share Posted February 12, 2009 Don't know? I know mine doesn't have a battery. It took about 8 weeks to get back to me so a battery would have died in that time.......... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carbon summit Posted February 12, 2009 Share Posted February 12, 2009 I've had the Harmony 550, 880, 720 and now the One. What can I say I'm not afraid to try things out and see what I like!!! I liked the 550 but could see where the button placement could be improved. I went to the 880 next and it was my least favorite of them. The buttons are small and placed really close together. Hard to use without looking at it. I loved the 720. It had everything I liked about the 550 and fixed the button issues I didn't like about it. Some of the buttons have a cheap clicking sound to them. If you look at a picture of one its the silver buttons. Volume, channel and others. It made the remote seem cheap. I saw it mentioned in reviews before I got it and thought they were being petty but it ended up bugging me too. I still own this one but don't use it. My son is fascinated with my One so he may get the 720 for his room. He is getting quite a nice setup for a soon to be 7 year old just by getting my leftovers!! The Harmony One was the remote I didn't want to own due to price. You can find 720s for a third of the cost and the One isn't three times better in the big picture. But the One IMHO does have by far the best button layout and you find you're using it without looking at it relatively fast from when you first pick it up. I was trying to save money and tried many others but in the end after using each of the above for a few weeks I gave the One a try and have not looked back. In truth I think any Harmony remote you go with you'll love. I know I'll never go back to having regular remotes. Keep the old ones handy. I still use my receiver or my TV remote when I'm playing with settings. Its just easier for the now and then stuff but for day to day movie watching or music listening I only use the Harmony. I'd go to a Best Buy or some where like that that is going to have a few display models so you can hold them in your hand and feel how each works for you. Like was mentioned before the setup is computer based if you're comfortable with that and I'll also say that Harmony has awesome tech support that you can call toll free for the first 60 days. I'd guess you'll have all the bugs worked out in two months! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kelA Posted February 12, 2009 Share Posted February 12, 2009 Try www.remotecentral.com. This is a good site for reviews and programming tips and all that jazz. I currrently am using a URC MX-900 and love it. I had a professional program it, and glad I did. A good programmer is worth the money IMO. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IndyKlipschFan Posted February 12, 2009 Share Posted February 12, 2009 http://www.universalremote.com/product_detail.php?model=38 The 850 is RF controlled, and works great for me too! BY ALL MEANS GET ONE WITH RF.. NOT IF. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IndyKlipschFan Posted February 12, 2009 Share Posted February 12, 2009 Most of the new ones now have color screens, bigger LCD screens, and might do more, I am not so sure?... Do you need all that facy stuff on a remote... or do you want it to be touch something 1 time, and everything fires up and is ready to go... And all you need to do then is punch in one key for HDTV or DVD or 2 Channel for music and then just volume up or down? Heck mine is even is programmed for the lighs to dim as well.. LOL The bottom line is this.... I do not need my remote to tell me it is ESPN or NBC etc etc OR have a picture of some crazy clip art... JUST WORK! I want it to feel good in my hand, and let me not have to have small skinny fingers to punch something in too! Just a thought! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
InVeNtOr Posted February 12, 2009 Author Share Posted February 12, 2009 i don't have my equipement hidden so having a rf remote would mean having all those little emitters stick to the front of my equipement. that would bug the heck out of me. you made very good points, and made me laugh.... carbon, thanks for the review. if i go harmony, which i am leaning toward, i will stick with the one. i think the universal remotes are more expencive, at least the ones that have the same features as the One. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kelA Posted February 12, 2009 Share Posted February 12, 2009 Check out the R50 the latest from Universal Remote. MSRP is $150. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
askbob1 Posted February 12, 2009 Share Posted February 12, 2009 inventor, i was also looking at the harmony one, but i felt the price is just too high for what it is. don't get me wrong, it is probably one of the nicest remotes as far as the way the buttons are layed out and the way if feels in hand. after ruling out the one, i purchased a urc remote. talk about big and clunky!! then, around christmas, BB had the harmony 550 for $50. i have to say, the button layout isn't perfect, but it is a darn fine remote for the money! i especially like the harmony software via usb connection to your computer. very handy indeed. one last benefit, all the buttons and screen light up the same color blue as your emotiva....[] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carbon summit Posted February 13, 2009 Share Posted February 13, 2009 If the 550 sounds good I noticed buy.com has refurb 720s for $77.99 with free shipping. It adds color screen and better button placement (IMHO). Well worth the extra $28, probably less since you'd have to pay tax at BB. http://www.buy.com/prod/harmony-720-advanced-universal-remote-refurbished/q/loc/111/210729006.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
InVeNtOr Posted February 13, 2009 Author Share Posted February 13, 2009 logitech doesn't have the 720 on their website....you said it's the 550, but upgraded??? it's sold out too.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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