questionsare logitech harmony remotes worth it?


I personally love my Logitech Harmony 650. Very user friendly and extremely easy to set up. The price can be a bit overwhelming at first, however they are also very reliable remotes and so far I have not had any problems with mine. I use mine for my LCD TV, Surround Sound, and DVD player, I may also consider the adapter to have it work with my PS3 as well. It is a sound investment and if you are willing to front the cash for one, I feel its well worth it.


I think they are worth it.

It works for almost anything and if by chance the device isn't in the remote database, you can manually program (provided you have the original remote).

I own the Logitech Harmony 550.


yes. i switched to one (harmony 880) about 3 years ago and have never looked back. my in-laws got one a year ago and love it as well. i'll actually be passing mine on to my brother and will be getting the Harmony One Advanced.


@studerc: Agreed, I have the same model as you do. I have it controlling my TV, DVR, Blu-Ray Player, Home Theater Receiver and old stereo VCR. It's fantastic! When I press "Watch TV", it turns on the TV, DVR and Home Theater Receiver. "Watch a Movie" turns on the TV, Blu-Ray Player and Home Theater Receiver. "Listen to Music" just turns on the Home Theater Receiver. It was easy to program and I was thrilled to hide all those remotes. The batteries are still going strong after 5 months of use. It was well worth the sale price of around $50.


I have a ps3 as my primary blu-ray/netflix player. Would love to get a harmony but i would need to buy the ps3 adapter...then its getting too pricey.


Anyone have advice for a cheaper remote? I can't afford a Harmony right now, but I was hoping to find a remote that can work for my Tivo and Roku in addition to the TV/DVD (hopefully with the specific DVR buttons on it).

I was thinking of getting this Philips remote:
But I'm reluctant to spend with no confirmation of it working with a Roku...


@novastarj Have you considered a lower end Harmony? A quick search on Amazon resulted in a 300i for $25 from Target (plus $6.50 shipping if it isn't available in-store).

A roommate in my first house had a Harmony for his home theater setup. I was impressed by how customizable it was and how it interfaced with the PC and made setup so much easier. All my experiences proir to that point were universal remotes with wild programming key combinations and sequences. I would have to look back at the manual a half dozen times just to get it to work with my TV.

After one experience with a Harmony, I believe it was a model 550, I was hooked. Since then, I've talked a friend into buying his own model 550, I've bought myself a model 620, and I bought my dad a 520 this past Christmas.

I love the ease of use of the Harmony line and don't think I'd ever even consider a different universal remote.


@kromo: you can use the dongle from this to operate your PS3 with the Harmony One.

The only thing it doesn't do is turn on the PS3.


I received a Harmony 880 as a gift. My wife cannot watch the TV without it. I set it to use the TV, DVR, home entertainment system, and DVD all in one remote, instead of 4 remotes. It was fairly simple to program, even for a novice.


Absolutely worth it. I recently got a Samsung Blu-Ray player in a Woot BOC with no remote. Plugged in my Harmony 550 to my computer, told it I had the Samsung and a couple of minutes later, it was working perfectly!


Worth every penny.
I have had my 620 for a couple of years now and LOVE it. Before I had this, I had half my coffee table covered in remotes. Now I have the one. I call mine Neo. He runs my T.V., Xbox 360, Blu-Ray, and stereo.

Mine doesn't have a color screen like the newer ones, but I got it as a refureb for about $70 a couple years back. Thinking about upgrading to a newer one.

It's easy for guest to use and figure out also. With the activity buttons it makes everything a breeze. You can set one button to watch a movie. Push the button and it will turn on the needed devices for watching a movie. T.V., player, stereo. Whatever you program it to on your computer.

Buy one.


@zerrick: It's a possibility, I just wanted a remote with more than 4 devices (there's only 4 I use regularly, but it seems like a waste to only program those in). The 300i is limited to 4.

Oh well. Maybe a good thing to spend my new Best Buy gift card on :)


I have the 890 Harmony. It came with the cradle to charge it and the ability to send radio waves (not only IR) to the receiver unit. Then you can plug in something that has an IR transmitter you can place near the unit's IR receiver you are controlling. So you can then hide the unit behind a cabinet if you want and also control it from another room since you no longer have to depend on line of site.

I've been very happy with our Harmony. It's saved a lot of grief because now my wife and kids only have to press one button to use my entertainment system. It did take a little bit of learning how to set it up but once your done it makes life a lot easier. If you go to this link:

That is the dented box for sale stuff at Logitech. Check there from time to time and you can get a good deal on a higher end Harmony. Items change frequently there, That's how I got mine.


Love my 890 as well, was kicking myself for waiting so long to get one. My only suggestion would be if you get a remote that has a display, make sure you get a model with the more expensive rechargeable battery unit because they go through batteries pretty quick with the display.


I have considered many times to get one of these or some other gadget to make it less complicated to use the tv\dvr setup but I always talk myself out of it as it has the potential to make the tv easy enough for my wife to use. Once she can use the tv or more specifically the dvr without assistance, I fear my xfiles collection will be over-run with royal wedding preparations or other drivel.

My defense against this has always been my ability to add another remote to the mix if she gets wise to the current setup. With one of these, I fear it is just a matter of time before life as I know it ceases to exist.

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I have the Harmony One which I paid about $180 for. Got four remotes off my coffee table and replaced it with one. It really is great.

I won't bore you with the positives, but let you know the negatives because to me those can be more important when making a purchase.

1. LCD touchscreen. Very cool, but very fragile. I get annoyed every time someone drops it off the arm of the couch. It has not broken for me yet, but other reviews on Amazon had complaints.

2. Sorta rattles. Not sure why. Not a big deal, just odd.

3. Set up. I didn't have any problems, but it does take some time and requires plugging into a PC and installing software.

4. Fast forward. For some reason, the FFW buttons act differently than my Cox Cable remote. I haven't yet mastered FFW through commercials to TV show with perfection just yet. I miss the 6 second buffer 24 provided.



5. Netflix. Now this may be my fault, I haven't fully explored this yet. But when I stream video through my TVs widget system, the controls don't operate the same. I'm not really sure how to fix this. Sometimes when I try to adjust the volume of the receiver it will stop the movie playback for whatever reason. Again, might be my fault and not the remotes.

Good luck.


Harmonies are fantastic! Totally worth it, no question. Just be warned: DO NOT GET A REFURBISHED HARMONY. Mine froze up a couple of times (solved by removing the batteries for a couple of hours. However, about a month ago, it wouldn't unfreeze (even after having the batteries out for a week). It would just go right back to the frozen "Activities" screen once the batteries were put back in.


Nothing works better than my three remotes... I have tried several all in one's and they just can not match the OEM with each component.


I love my Harmony 880. I bought it off an Amazon deal for about $50. It's the only way my wife can use our home theater system which I was buying around the same time. I've never even taken the TV, receiver, DVD player, BluRay player, Comcast cable, or Dish Network receiver remotes out of their original plastic bags. There is no need. Logitech's PC setup program couldn't be any easier.


I found an H659 new in box at Goodwill for $3.99. It was a shock when I saw it on the shelf.
I love the usb internet setup. I use it for everything including my Laserdisc players!

To be honest, though, I still use the original remotes quite a bit since they are dedicated and quicker to use.


I have the Harmony One and I'm absolutely in love with it. All the features, easy connectivity and options to turn on multiple devices at once makes it a win for me. Throw in the lifetime warranty with Logitech and you've got an awesome product.


The configuration of the controls isn't perfect, and they seem to have a command buffer that will send a signal for each button push even after you stop pushing buttons - so be careful not to push the same button more than you need to. Still, if you want to simplify starting multiple devices, they are good.


Don't waste your money. They don't even work with devices that ARE in their database let alone devices that aren't. After a couple of days messing with the thing trying to get it to work, I went back to the old basket o' remotes.

Pay no attention to the fanboys. Go read the reviews on Amazon or Newegg and you'll quickly learn I'm far from the only one who's had problems with these. If you're lucky enough to have compatible equipment, they work great. If not, forget it. Trying to manually program one is an exercise in frustration. Logitech's claims that these will work with anything is BS.


@mommadillo: Your remote is suffering from an epidemic that millions of consumer electronics face every year: user error.

I have 6 different devices from five completely different manufacturers programmed and I have had no issue. It is highly unlikely for someone to have MULTIPLE devices that don't work, especially if they are in the Logitech database.

The remote doesn't always work the first time. That is what the remote assistance is for. It takes a few tries to find the correct codes for certain devices. My Xbox took a good number of tries, but I eventually got it to work.

I'm no fanboy, as I've already listed my qualms with the device. I'm just someone who is happy to have a remote that does 95% of what my 4 other remotes did and is more aesthetically pleasing than each of them.


Absolutely. They may be a bit pricey but totally worth it.


Worth every penny.... great for those who have trouble operating multiple remotes (such as some elderly folks) and great for those of us who like to tinker.


@wootbretz: It rattles because there is a sensor to detect when you pick it up. When you pick it up and it rattles the light should turn on so you can see what you are doing on the screen. I am not sure why the sensor is kind of old school and bulky, but that is what it does.


@wickedd365: Thanks for the mention. When I was browsing the BB ad I saw this and wondered 'is the Logitech remote worth it?' Ironically @studerc was the first post specifically mention that remote + woot appreciation card. Fate, luck? Who cares I am getting a Logitech Harmony 650!


@tdtiny71: Thanks! Now fix my Netflix issues.


@mommadillo: I'm a fangirl and it takes quite a bit to impress me. It does take some knowledge to set up a Harmony remote. You have to know how things are connected and in what order. The software will guide you but you need to know what you're doing, especially if you have several devices.


@caffeine_dude: Getting a 650 for only $19.99 is a pretty fantastic deal. I hope you enjoy the remote!


I'm a big believer in Harmony remotes....I tend to have the oddball brand devices that aren't found in any pre-programmed remotes - like my old Symphony brand CD player, my GoVideo LCD TV, or the Akai TV that I had until recently. The Harmony could control any of these. My 880 handles the big entertainment center for me. It has activity-based programming, which is the key to wife acceptance. She can sit down and with two button presses, turn on the stereo, TV, switch box, Tivo and room lights, and set the input selects on each of them, and be watching her show in no time. The kids can do the same to be playing PS2 or Xbox or watching the ReplayTV.
The Harmony 300i is much less powerful. It can has access to the large library of device codes, but can only control 4 devices. And it does not have activity-based programming. You press a device key to begin control of that device. Then another device key to control another device, etc.


We have the 550 and love it! We use it to run the TV with Blu-Ray, sound system, DirecTV, and Wii. The battery use hasn't been terrible, we maybe replace batteries every 6 months or so, not bad at all for the functionality.

This remote works extremely well for our LG Blu-Ray player's Netflix interface.


Asking if a Logitech Harmony Remote is "worth it" is similar to asking if is an amazing site (not trying to suck up). I bought a logitech harmony 360 edition about 4 years ago for $99. I had a TV, Receiver, XBOX 360, Computer (with remote) and a few other odd things and I immediately found myself adding more and more devices to the remote.

I now have a Harmony One (which is amazing) and PS3 with adapter. Yes, the ps3 takes a while to shut down with it, but for watching a blu-ray or dvd or netflix on PS3, it's a much better connection than having to use a bluetooth controller or remote, and a secondary remote for the TV, Receiver, etc. I hooked my parents up with one not too long ago, hooked my brother up with one for Christmas (with PS3 adapter). Really, the programability of these remotes is astounding. The dorms at Iowa have A/C units that have infared receivers...the remote works for that.

All in all, buy one if you can afford it, you will thank yourself later


Logitech Harmony remotes are ABSOLUTELY worth the money. We had an older Harmony model that got chewed up by our dogs and upgraded to the Harmony 650 model. It is simply amazing. We control everything with it (TV, DirecTV DVR, Blu-ray player, and surround sound system) and it works nearly flawlessly. The nicest feature is that you can press one button and turn on everything you need to watch TV, play a movie, or anything else you want to do.

Bottom line: It is one of the best tech investments I've ever made.


Everyone, please ignore mommadillo's ignorant remarks. As one person already responded, her complaints are a simple case of "user error", nothing else. My wife and I BOTH love our Harmony One, with the PS3 adaptor. I programmed it, no big deal but yeah I am a computer geek. I doubt my wife could successfully program it, she'd likely give up in frustration like mommadillo did. But she absolutely LOVES using it, instead of the half-dozen remotes it replaced. She was never comfortable sitting down and using the home entertainment system before, now she breezes through all the functions without a thought. I'm planning on getting a new receiver soon, and maybe changing from TWC and a Tivo to DirecTV and their DVR. If I do, it will be completely transparent to the wife - the "Watch TV" function & all the buttons will work identically!

Bottom line - if you're technically inept, find a friend or family member to help you with the programming/setup. The Harmony remotes are fantastic.


And as for mommazilla's ridiculous claim that if you go read the reviews on Amazon or Newegg they'll back up her claims - here's Amazon info for the Harmony One:

Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars (1,718 customer reviews)

#4 Top Rated in Electronics > Accessories & Supplies > Audio & Video Accessories > Remote Controls > TV Remote Controls

Amazon Bestsellers Rank:

#1 in Electronics > Accessories & Supplies > Audio & Video Accessories > Remote Controls > TV Remote Controls
#13 in Electronics > Accessories & Supplies > Audio & Video Accessories > TV Accessories

So, its the NUMBER ONE selling remote on all of Amazon, and 1,713 reviewers give it an average of 4.3 stars out of 5. Yeah, mommazilla, that sounds like a simply AWFUL product, huh? Yikes, where do these people come from!?!?!?


I have a 550, and love it. It runs my LCD, Blu-Ray, and Home Theater. The best part is it allows you to run all your devices at once. You can setup different activities like watch tv, watch movie, listen to music etc...

I got a Yamaha Receiver off without a remote and knew it wouldn't be a problem because my Harmony works like a champ. Also my batteries last quite a long time as long as you take care of it I don't have to change mine too often at all.

I say get one they are worth it, and I know since you are asking here you already know how to find a good deal on one.


I've used my old Harmony 659 for years now. It's supported every device I've thrown at it, including several TVs and receivers. Actually now that I think of it, it's the oldest part of my entertainment center, and it's not going anywhere any time soon. It currently supports six devices - Mitsubishi TV, Pioneer receiver, PS3, Wii, 360, and the Antec IR receiver in the HTPC that I built. No problem at all.

A few friends also use Harmony remotes, and they won't use anything else now.