Customer Rating: 
Summary: Nice but... I'll stick w/ my Harmony
Comment: There are a lot of things I really like about this remote
1. Standing charging station
--Unlike my harmony remote, it is really easy to tell that
it is properly placed for charging
2. How it feels in the hand
This remote just feels good to hold. The buttons are well paced
and it rests nicely in the hand.
3. I REALLY like having access to the programming guide from the remote control. This is a great feature that make searching for shows even easier. I have Direct TV and this remote is able to get the program guide w/ correct channel number and info.
4. The face with weather info etc is nice as well as being able to get sports scores.
5. The buttons are silent when pushed - which is why (in part) I gave up on trying to set it up for the family room entertainment system and brought it into the bedroom w/ just the TV and the satellite box to worry about.
The Down side
1. Okay maybe I am too impatient or my system it too complicated. But programming it is harder than my Harmony. Takes too many buttons to get it to do what I want to do and I still don't have all the controls right.
2.Seem to work okay in the bedroom where there are less components and less activities that need to be programmed.
3. While checking sports scores is nice, that is why I have a laptop - though it will be interesting to see if my opinion changes come football season.
Overall works great w/ simple set up but for complex systems I still reccomend a Harmony remote.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Firmware Updates Could Still Save The Ultimate Remote
Comment: I'm a remote junkie. I've programmed a bunch of different universal remotes from the RadioShack 6-in-1 with its no screen/button only programming to the Logitech Harmony One Advanced Universal Remote with its simple online setup. So I know what I like and what works. I was very excited about getting this remote. WiFi capable sounded awesome (and is). I thought it was strange that they promoted "No PC Required" since my Harmony One uses the PC and it is so easy to setup. I didn't think of the PC as a stumbling point at all. As I suspected, programming it wasn't as easy as the online setup that the Harmony uses. The ESPN remote does take some technical savvy to get it hooked to your wireless setup and to get devices and activities setup. Being a programmer, I had fun doing it, but it was frustrating at points. I wanted to give this remote a 5 star review so badly that I worked very hard with customer support and on my own to find out the most I could and to give it every change. It's not at a 5 star level yet, but hopefully with firmware updates, they can get there. Some of the upgrades that they told me were coming sound promising. And since it has WiFi they can add all sorts of cool features in the future.
Device Setup:
The ESPN remote requires you to look up your device (TV, DVD, DVR, etc.) by brand. You then have to go through a trial and error process to find a codeset that not only works, but that has all the buttons/functions that you need for that device. They do not have their database sorted by Model Number (yet see below). It took me quite a while to get a good codeset for my Sony receiver that would switch to all the inputs with one button. I needed to bull my way through 40+ codesets. You need discrete input buttons for activities later. The TV wasn't too bad to get set up. The learning feature is really easy, so adding any function you don't find in the codeset is easy. Don't be afraid to use the learning function.
Activity Setup:
Activities again are not as easy to setup as the Harmony One. It runs a wizard to get your audio and video sources correct. You may have to tweak what it comes up with to get everything correct. The "All Power Off" function does not allow you to leave the power on for a device (like your DVR). I mentioned this to customer support, so hopefully they will upgrade this.
Support:
Customer support was really good. I worked with a guy that was very patient and very sharp. Here are some of the things we addressed:
- Adding model numbers to the add device process and online remote setup. Here is what they said: "We have a couple of innovations to the 'Add device wizard' on the remote in development and model numbers is just one of them. Another is that if you don't have the model number, the search will be much smarter and be able to home in on the correct command set much more quickly than it does currently. I personally believe that with these improvements, it will be so straightforward there will be no need to duplicate this setup on the PC. However, we will review that after those features are rolled out."
- The ability to manage your contacts on the click365.tv portal. For me it was slow to enter in email addresses. This would allow you to add them on the website.
What's Cool:
- An Olympics icon popped up on the start screen during the Summer Olympics. It takes you right to a web page dedicated to the Olympics. This special programming was really cool. I'm looking forward to other special things.
- WiFi - This is really neat. From TV listings to searches to live scores it's awesome!
- Texting / Emailing -- Come on! Emailing from your remote. May sound silly but it's really cool.
- The Screen is very cool and the buttons light up so nice!
- The ESPN sound byte when it starts up. Hopefully we can add more sounds!
Notes:
- You can jump right to a program from the listings. Just push down the stick. It will tune to that channel.
- Some of the buttons do feel a little cheap.
- No touch screen. I like the Harmony One Touch Screen. It does have the six side buttons that perform functions that are labeled on the screen.
Conclusion:
The ESPN remote has a lot of promise but isn't as functional or easy to use as the Harmony One. I had fun using it, but I wouldn't trade in my Harmony One just yet especially for more money.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Great for sports scores, as a remote, not so much
Comment: The ESPN Universal Remote is designed to appeal to the ultimate sports-watching enthusiast, by combining the convenience of a single universal remote with targeted internet content in the form of a program guide for TV listings, weather info, internet browsing, e-mail and texting, and sports scores. In theory, it might seem like a great idea to combine all of these things in one, but a practical device that replaces all of your remotes, computer, and cellphone while watching TV is another matter, and one where the ESPN remote fails to hit the mark.
While some may complain that the remote lacks rf-capabaility (radio frequency, so that you don't have to aim the remote at the sensor), this isn't really necessary, since it uses built-in 802.11b/g Wi-Fi technology. Using this to connect to your existing wireless connection, it will then access something called Click365 to obtain Internet content. I found the whole setup process fairly easy and simple, and I didn't need to use my computer to set it up. I had my custom program listings in a few minutes, and the listings were actually fairly nice. Very easy to read and offered just enough information. However, anyone who is a big enough sports fan to spend this kind of money on a remote, is very likely going to have digital cable or satellite, and will certainly already have access to a much better program guide than the one provided through Click365. Why would I stare at a 2 inch screen to see what's on when I can view it on my large screen TV? This technology might have been great five years ago, but is virtually pointless now. It can be useful sometimes, when I have friends over and don't want to bring up the guide while they're watching a game.
When it came time to set up the rest of my audio devices, I found that the remote is not as simple as it could have been. It uses the standard code system, where every one of your devices has several codes associated with it, that your program into the remote. The remote displays the codes on the LCD screen, which is fairly useful, but you still have to find all of the codes. The actual design of the remote is okay, but doesn't feel as comfortable in your hand as it should. The screen looks great and the icons are all easily viewable and very colorful. It's not a touch screen however, and you will navigate it with a small "joystick," much like a cell phone. I found the text messaging aspect of it difficult to use since the keyboard is at the bottom of the remote, and the buttons were very small. I also realized that I don't want to use my remote to send text messages. I always have my cell phone around, and since the remote isn't capable of receiving cell calls, why not just use my actual phone to text message people? That way I don't have to learn a new device. It almost seems like they just added messaging to the remote because they could, regardless of whether it's a useful feature.
Overall, for its price, the ESPN remote is a fun toy, but definitely not worth the value, and not as useful as it would appear. I have used several Harmony remotes in the past, and would advise anyone thinking of getting this to go for even Harmony's cheapest model over this. The only actual benefit I could find from this remote were the sports scores, which I used significantly. However as digital TV providers and cell phones continue to evolve, you will find a more and more decreasing need for this, when you can get pretty much any score from your phone or TV.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Not quite "The Ultimate Remote".... yet
Comment: Even before I managed to get this ESPN remote out of the blister package, I had already accidentally turned the unit on. I'm glad I didn't have to find batteries, or wait 16+ hours to fully charge the unit. By the time I was able to get the remote out of the packaging, it was already searching for wireless networks.
Pros:
- The screen works nicely and seems clear enough to read.
- Sensitive to motion -- automatically turns on when picked up.
- Full backlight on all of the buttons that is very useful when watching tv in dark rooms.
- Good layout of buttons -- Overall, the buttons layout seems pretty well thought out (as long as you are a channel surfer and not a channel chooser because the 0-9 keys are all the way at the bottom...but who uses those anyways?)
- Once you have set up your location, the home page has tv listing, ESPN, internet (haven't tried it yet), messaging that you can receive through click365 (I was able to send an e-mail from the remote), and weather. The tv listing is kinda nice too because it shows all listings according to filters such as movies, espn, family shows and HD broadcast. It displays in a grid format scrolling up and down through the channels and left and right to advance and review the timeslots.
- Easy setup & Updates -- I followed the onscreen prompts to input the WEP and then setup on locale. It automatically connected to search for product updates and the then gathers information on TV listing based on your method of TV signal (terrestrial, cable, or satellite). The remote has a 5-way D-pad and left and right soft buttons makes navigation of the remotes screen very easy (of course it also makes it look and feel an awful lot like my old Nokia phone). Setup of devices and activity is similar to other all-in-one remotes such as the Logitech Harmony and the others.
Cons:
- Button response -- The buttons are hard plastic and have the clicky response. I am more partial to the rubber button with some give and the lack of "clicks".
- While the remote 5-way d pad is very responsive and easy to use, the second 4 way d pad is horrible response (I use it for navigating tivo's menus and tv listing). Kinda weird that one is excellent and the other is so pitiful.
- Changing channels from TV listings -- Another thing that doesn't make sense is that from the tv listing, you can see time date channel and listing details but there is no way to set it to change channel to that movie. You will have to find out what channel that show is playing on and then manually change it. For the price, if it can tell you when and where it is playing, it should be able to change the cannel for you.
Overall, not a bad remote control that is easy to set up (without a PC!) and has some perks of internet connection that auto updates and has tv listings. I just hope that at the very least, con #3 be changed/fixed in an update.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Good but not great
Comment: I really wanted to love this remote. There is a lot to love about it, conceptually. A remote that requires no PC to set up (the implication is that it's easy to set up). A remote that gives you instant access to the Internet to look up that sports trivia fact that is escaping you at the moment or to look at programming without bringing up the guide disturbing everyone else you're watching TV with. This remote has great potential. Unfortunately, there were a few glitches that prevent me from giving it more than a two star rating.
I've tried several universal remotes and hated all of them except the Logitech Harmony Remote I have. There are three things I love about the Harmony Remote. First, is the database they have of devices. It was the first universal remote I had used that I did not have to really program. I simply got the makes and model numbers of the devices I owned and put them into their software. Yes, it requires a PC for set up. But, as you'll see, that is not necessarily a bad thing. Secondly, their support is superb. The few glitches I did have with the remote, I was able to easily resolve with a technician over the phone who actually got me to look at the menus on my TV (I had a pretty obscure TV) and he figured out the best way to switch the inputs (the trickiest part of programming these things). He actually updated my database for me, doing the custom programming, and then all I had to do was plug in my remote and download the changes. The third thing I love about the Harmony Remote is its ability to "Help". You get these things to simplify your life and so your wife and kids can turn on the TV when you're not around. When things don't work quite right and the activity leaves the receiver left turned off or the TV still set to the Wii output from the last time it was used, my kids can just hit "Help" and it steps them through trying things itself, until the problem is fixed.
This review is not about the Harmony Remote. But, I think this background will be useful in helping you understand why I think this remote is great in some ways and not so great in others.
I've had the remote for about three weeks now. It took me a couple of hours to get the initial set up done. Some of that was my fault (I had a heck of time getting the network password and encryption type into the remote). This is not uncommon when you're using the type of encryption I'm using that requires a long, complicated password and when you're not sure what the network type is. This is a necessary step to get the full use out of the remote as it needs a wireless network connection to perform its best magic tricks (sending messages to a buddy while you're watching TV, custom TV listings, Internet searches). Now that it is set up, no problem. However, I did run across a software glitch that caused the remote to hang up twice and I could not figure out how to reset it. I was extremely upset as I did not want to have to re-enter all of my settings. I tried calling support (they apparently had closed early that day because no one answered during their normal time and the voicemail that said I was calling after hours came on). I went to the support website. So much for not needing a PC to set it up. Finally, I disconnected the battery which fixed the problem and I did not lose my settings. The next business day (this happened on a Friday evening), I got an email saying they were aware of the problem and they would issue an update. This brings me to another good thing about the remote. When the update was ready, I got a message on the remote saying it was ready and it was easy to download and install.
Setting up of my devices was one of those shotgun approach things that I hate about universal remotes. For whatever reason, manufacturers of TVs, DVD players, etc. have multiple command sets they use for their remotes. The ESPN Ultimate Remote relies on a hit or miss method of programming. For example, you tell it you have a Mitsubishi TV, but it doesn't ask you which Mitsubishi TV you have. It then tries to power on and off the TV. Once it hits the code for toggling the TV on and off, it asks you to manually try choosing other functions on the remote (like volume, input, whatever) and telling the remote whether the functions work or not. I don't like this approach because it does not guarantee me that I have the right set even if a couple of functions work. This approach also takes a while if you have a lot of devices. I'd much prefer a more intelligent approach when they ask me which device I have and they have done the work to determine which command set it uses. BTW, for a remote that requires a wireless Internet connection to perform its most unique functions, I think it's kind of pointless to tout that it does not need a PC for set up. I'd rather use the big screen, fully keyboard, fast Internet access of my PC than use a handheld device anyway. The set up will only be an occasional thing. Not once in the years I've had my Harmony have I regretted I needed to use the software on my PC to tweak it.
I waited a while before tackling the "activities" on the remote. Again, for such an advanced remote, I was unpleasantly surprised that it seems not much better than the Universal Sony remote that came with my A/V Receiver about 8 years ago. I just started with the activities this afternoon and while powering everything off seems to be working OK, I haven't quite mastered the others (like hitting one button to watch cable TV) yet. It does try to guess what to do and it asks you to help by changing the inputs on the devices. But, it's still not quite working great. And, mysteriously now I can't use it to change channels on my satellite box (which was working fine before). The numbers come up on the screen and the box shows the buttons I'm inputting but the channels don't actually change.
A couple of other really good things about this remote. It has a motion sensor that turns the screen on when you touch it. It also has a nice backlight that is easy to turn on with a button on the side. It has a rechargable battery and comes with a cradle. Important, because if you really start surfing the 'net while watching TV, I would imagine it would eat up AA batteries pretty quickly. The screen is sharp and clear and beautiful color. The only problem is for the price, I would expect it to be touchscreen and I still find myself wanting to push the icons rather than the hard buttons on the side of the screen. Speaking of buttons, the buttons are pretty flimsy feeling. But, again, important, it doesn't look like the lettering will wear off anytime soon.
All in all, if this were a beta version of the remote, I'd say "Great start" and I think with a little work, it'll be wonderful". However, for $300 and with the difficulty of the set up, I'd characterize it as not ready for prime time and I'd look elsewhere for something to simplify my life and just continue to use my laptop for Internet access while I'm watching TV. However, I wouldn't be at all surprised to see some MAJOR software upgrades fixing all of these problems and making the remote a real must have.
Pros
* Great color screen
* Internet access from your couch
* Customized TV Guide
* Rechargeable battery
* Nice bright backlight
* Easy software upgrades- let's hope they take advantage of this
Cons
* Initial set up of devices- clumsy and can't be sure you've got it right
* Set up of activities- almost impossible to get right
* Cheap feel
Summary: Nice but... I'll stick w/ my Harmony
Comment: There are a lot of things I really like about this remote
1. Standing charging station
--Unlike my harmony remote, it is really easy to tell that
it is properly placed for charging
2. How it feels in the hand
This remote just feels good to hold. The buttons are well paced
and it rests nicely in the hand.
3. I REALLY like having access to the programming guide from the remote control. This is a great feature that make searching for shows even easier. I have Direct TV and this remote is able to get the program guide w/ correct channel number and info.
4. The face with weather info etc is nice as well as being able to get sports scores.
5. The buttons are silent when pushed - which is why (in part) I gave up on trying to set it up for the family room entertainment system and brought it into the bedroom w/ just the TV and the satellite box to worry about.
The Down side
1. Okay maybe I am too impatient or my system it too complicated. But programming it is harder than my Harmony. Takes too many buttons to get it to do what I want to do and I still don't have all the controls right.
2.Seem to work okay in the bedroom where there are less components and less activities that need to be programmed.
3. While checking sports scores is nice, that is why I have a laptop - though it will be interesting to see if my opinion changes come football season.
Overall works great w/ simple set up but for complex systems I still reccomend a Harmony remote.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Firmware Updates Could Still Save The Ultimate Remote
Comment: I'm a remote junkie. I've programmed a bunch of different universal remotes from the RadioShack 6-in-1 with its no screen/button only programming to the Logitech Harmony One Advanced Universal Remote with its simple online setup. So I know what I like and what works. I was very excited about getting this remote. WiFi capable sounded awesome (and is). I thought it was strange that they promoted "No PC Required" since my Harmony One uses the PC and it is so easy to setup. I didn't think of the PC as a stumbling point at all. As I suspected, programming it wasn't as easy as the online setup that the Harmony uses. The ESPN remote does take some technical savvy to get it hooked to your wireless setup and to get devices and activities setup. Being a programmer, I had fun doing it, but it was frustrating at points. I wanted to give this remote a 5 star review so badly that I worked very hard with customer support and on my own to find out the most I could and to give it every change. It's not at a 5 star level yet, but hopefully with firmware updates, they can get there. Some of the upgrades that they told me were coming sound promising. And since it has WiFi they can add all sorts of cool features in the future.
Device Setup:
The ESPN remote requires you to look up your device (TV, DVD, DVR, etc.) by brand. You then have to go through a trial and error process to find a codeset that not only works, but that has all the buttons/functions that you need for that device. They do not have their database sorted by Model Number (yet see below). It took me quite a while to get a good codeset for my Sony receiver that would switch to all the inputs with one button. I needed to bull my way through 40+ codesets. You need discrete input buttons for activities later. The TV wasn't too bad to get set up. The learning feature is really easy, so adding any function you don't find in the codeset is easy. Don't be afraid to use the learning function.
Activity Setup:
Activities again are not as easy to setup as the Harmony One. It runs a wizard to get your audio and video sources correct. You may have to tweak what it comes up with to get everything correct. The "All Power Off" function does not allow you to leave the power on for a device (like your DVR). I mentioned this to customer support, so hopefully they will upgrade this.
Support:
Customer support was really good. I worked with a guy that was very patient and very sharp. Here are some of the things we addressed:
- Adding model numbers to the add device process and online remote setup. Here is what they said: "We have a couple of innovations to the 'Add device wizard' on the remote in development and model numbers is just one of them. Another is that if you don't have the model number, the search will be much smarter and be able to home in on the correct command set much more quickly than it does currently. I personally believe that with these improvements, it will be so straightforward there will be no need to duplicate this setup on the PC. However, we will review that after those features are rolled out."
- The ability to manage your contacts on the click365.tv portal. For me it was slow to enter in email addresses. This would allow you to add them on the website.
What's Cool:
- An Olympics icon popped up on the start screen during the Summer Olympics. It takes you right to a web page dedicated to the Olympics. This special programming was really cool. I'm looking forward to other special things.
- WiFi - This is really neat. From TV listings to searches to live scores it's awesome!
- Texting / Emailing -- Come on! Emailing from your remote. May sound silly but it's really cool.
- The Screen is very cool and the buttons light up so nice!
- The ESPN sound byte when it starts up. Hopefully we can add more sounds!
Notes:
- You can jump right to a program from the listings. Just push down the stick. It will tune to that channel.
- Some of the buttons do feel a little cheap.
- No touch screen. I like the Harmony One Touch Screen. It does have the six side buttons that perform functions that are labeled on the screen.
Conclusion:
The ESPN remote has a lot of promise but isn't as functional or easy to use as the Harmony One. I had fun using it, but I wouldn't trade in my Harmony One just yet especially for more money.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Great for sports scores, as a remote, not so much
Comment: The ESPN Universal Remote is designed to appeal to the ultimate sports-watching enthusiast, by combining the convenience of a single universal remote with targeted internet content in the form of a program guide for TV listings, weather info, internet browsing, e-mail and texting, and sports scores. In theory, it might seem like a great idea to combine all of these things in one, but a practical device that replaces all of your remotes, computer, and cellphone while watching TV is another matter, and one where the ESPN remote fails to hit the mark.
While some may complain that the remote lacks rf-capabaility (radio frequency, so that you don't have to aim the remote at the sensor), this isn't really necessary, since it uses built-in 802.11b/g Wi-Fi technology. Using this to connect to your existing wireless connection, it will then access something called Click365 to obtain Internet content. I found the whole setup process fairly easy and simple, and I didn't need to use my computer to set it up. I had my custom program listings in a few minutes, and the listings were actually fairly nice. Very easy to read and offered just enough information. However, anyone who is a big enough sports fan to spend this kind of money on a remote, is very likely going to have digital cable or satellite, and will certainly already have access to a much better program guide than the one provided through Click365. Why would I stare at a 2 inch screen to see what's on when I can view it on my large screen TV? This technology might have been great five years ago, but is virtually pointless now. It can be useful sometimes, when I have friends over and don't want to bring up the guide while they're watching a game.
When it came time to set up the rest of my audio devices, I found that the remote is not as simple as it could have been. It uses the standard code system, where every one of your devices has several codes associated with it, that your program into the remote. The remote displays the codes on the LCD screen, which is fairly useful, but you still have to find all of the codes. The actual design of the remote is okay, but doesn't feel as comfortable in your hand as it should. The screen looks great and the icons are all easily viewable and very colorful. It's not a touch screen however, and you will navigate it with a small "joystick," much like a cell phone. I found the text messaging aspect of it difficult to use since the keyboard is at the bottom of the remote, and the buttons were very small. I also realized that I don't want to use my remote to send text messages. I always have my cell phone around, and since the remote isn't capable of receiving cell calls, why not just use my actual phone to text message people? That way I don't have to learn a new device. It almost seems like they just added messaging to the remote because they could, regardless of whether it's a useful feature.
Overall, for its price, the ESPN remote is a fun toy, but definitely not worth the value, and not as useful as it would appear. I have used several Harmony remotes in the past, and would advise anyone thinking of getting this to go for even Harmony's cheapest model over this. The only actual benefit I could find from this remote were the sports scores, which I used significantly. However as digital TV providers and cell phones continue to evolve, you will find a more and more decreasing need for this, when you can get pretty much any score from your phone or TV.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Not quite "The Ultimate Remote".... yet
Comment: Even before I managed to get this ESPN remote out of the blister package, I had already accidentally turned the unit on. I'm glad I didn't have to find batteries, or wait 16+ hours to fully charge the unit. By the time I was able to get the remote out of the packaging, it was already searching for wireless networks.
Pros:
- The screen works nicely and seems clear enough to read.
- Sensitive to motion -- automatically turns on when picked up.
- Full backlight on all of the buttons that is very useful when watching tv in dark rooms.
- Good layout of buttons -- Overall, the buttons layout seems pretty well thought out (as long as you are a channel surfer and not a channel chooser because the 0-9 keys are all the way at the bottom...but who uses those anyways?)
- Once you have set up your location, the home page has tv listing, ESPN, internet (haven't tried it yet), messaging that you can receive through click365 (I was able to send an e-mail from the remote), and weather. The tv listing is kinda nice too because it shows all listings according to filters such as movies, espn, family shows and HD broadcast. It displays in a grid format scrolling up and down through the channels and left and right to advance and review the timeslots.
- Easy setup & Updates -- I followed the onscreen prompts to input the WEP and then setup on locale. It automatically connected to search for product updates and the then gathers information on TV listing based on your method of TV signal (terrestrial, cable, or satellite). The remote has a 5-way D-pad and left and right soft buttons makes navigation of the remotes screen very easy (of course it also makes it look and feel an awful lot like my old Nokia phone). Setup of devices and activity is similar to other all-in-one remotes such as the Logitech Harmony and the others.
Cons:
- Button response -- The buttons are hard plastic and have the clicky response. I am more partial to the rubber button with some give and the lack of "clicks".
- While the remote 5-way d pad is very responsive and easy to use, the second 4 way d pad is horrible response (I use it for navigating tivo's menus and tv listing). Kinda weird that one is excellent and the other is so pitiful.
- Changing channels from TV listings -- Another thing that doesn't make sense is that from the tv listing, you can see time date channel and listing details but there is no way to set it to change channel to that movie. You will have to find out what channel that show is playing on and then manually change it. For the price, if it can tell you when and where it is playing, it should be able to change the cannel for you.
Overall, not a bad remote control that is easy to set up (without a PC!) and has some perks of internet connection that auto updates and has tv listings. I just hope that at the very least, con #3 be changed/fixed in an update.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Good but not great
Comment: I really wanted to love this remote. There is a lot to love about it, conceptually. A remote that requires no PC to set up (the implication is that it's easy to set up). A remote that gives you instant access to the Internet to look up that sports trivia fact that is escaping you at the moment or to look at programming without bringing up the guide disturbing everyone else you're watching TV with. This remote has great potential. Unfortunately, there were a few glitches that prevent me from giving it more than a two star rating.
I've tried several universal remotes and hated all of them except the Logitech Harmony Remote I have. There are three things I love about the Harmony Remote. First, is the database they have of devices. It was the first universal remote I had used that I did not have to really program. I simply got the makes and model numbers of the devices I owned and put them into their software. Yes, it requires a PC for set up. But, as you'll see, that is not necessarily a bad thing. Secondly, their support is superb. The few glitches I did have with the remote, I was able to easily resolve with a technician over the phone who actually got me to look at the menus on my TV (I had a pretty obscure TV) and he figured out the best way to switch the inputs (the trickiest part of programming these things). He actually updated my database for me, doing the custom programming, and then all I had to do was plug in my remote and download the changes. The third thing I love about the Harmony Remote is its ability to "Help". You get these things to simplify your life and so your wife and kids can turn on the TV when you're not around. When things don't work quite right and the activity leaves the receiver left turned off or the TV still set to the Wii output from the last time it was used, my kids can just hit "Help" and it steps them through trying things itself, until the problem is fixed.
This review is not about the Harmony Remote. But, I think this background will be useful in helping you understand why I think this remote is great in some ways and not so great in others.
I've had the remote for about three weeks now. It took me a couple of hours to get the initial set up done. Some of that was my fault (I had a heck of time getting the network password and encryption type into the remote). This is not uncommon when you're using the type of encryption I'm using that requires a long, complicated password and when you're not sure what the network type is. This is a necessary step to get the full use out of the remote as it needs a wireless network connection to perform its best magic tricks (sending messages to a buddy while you're watching TV, custom TV listings, Internet searches). Now that it is set up, no problem. However, I did run across a software glitch that caused the remote to hang up twice and I could not figure out how to reset it. I was extremely upset as I did not want to have to re-enter all of my settings. I tried calling support (they apparently had closed early that day because no one answered during their normal time and the voicemail that said I was calling after hours came on). I went to the support website. So much for not needing a PC to set it up. Finally, I disconnected the battery which fixed the problem and I did not lose my settings. The next business day (this happened on a Friday evening), I got an email saying they were aware of the problem and they would issue an update. This brings me to another good thing about the remote. When the update was ready, I got a message on the remote saying it was ready and it was easy to download and install.
Setting up of my devices was one of those shotgun approach things that I hate about universal remotes. For whatever reason, manufacturers of TVs, DVD players, etc. have multiple command sets they use for their remotes. The ESPN Ultimate Remote relies on a hit or miss method of programming. For example, you tell it you have a Mitsubishi TV, but it doesn't ask you which Mitsubishi TV you have. It then tries to power on and off the TV. Once it hits the code for toggling the TV on and off, it asks you to manually try choosing other functions on the remote (like volume, input, whatever) and telling the remote whether the functions work or not. I don't like this approach because it does not guarantee me that I have the right set even if a couple of functions work. This approach also takes a while if you have a lot of devices. I'd much prefer a more intelligent approach when they ask me which device I have and they have done the work to determine which command set it uses. BTW, for a remote that requires a wireless Internet connection to perform its most unique functions, I think it's kind of pointless to tout that it does not need a PC for set up. I'd rather use the big screen, fully keyboard, fast Internet access of my PC than use a handheld device anyway. The set up will only be an occasional thing. Not once in the years I've had my Harmony have I regretted I needed to use the software on my PC to tweak it.
I waited a while before tackling the "activities" on the remote. Again, for such an advanced remote, I was unpleasantly surprised that it seems not much better than the Universal Sony remote that came with my A/V Receiver about 8 years ago. I just started with the activities this afternoon and while powering everything off seems to be working OK, I haven't quite mastered the others (like hitting one button to watch cable TV) yet. It does try to guess what to do and it asks you to help by changing the inputs on the devices. But, it's still not quite working great. And, mysteriously now I can't use it to change channels on my satellite box (which was working fine before). The numbers come up on the screen and the box shows the buttons I'm inputting but the channels don't actually change.
A couple of other really good things about this remote. It has a motion sensor that turns the screen on when you touch it. It also has a nice backlight that is easy to turn on with a button on the side. It has a rechargable battery and comes with a cradle. Important, because if you really start surfing the 'net while watching TV, I would imagine it would eat up AA batteries pretty quickly. The screen is sharp and clear and beautiful color. The only problem is for the price, I would expect it to be touchscreen and I still find myself wanting to push the icons rather than the hard buttons on the side of the screen. Speaking of buttons, the buttons are pretty flimsy feeling. But, again, important, it doesn't look like the lettering will wear off anytime soon.
All in all, if this were a beta version of the remote, I'd say "Great start" and I think with a little work, it'll be wonderful". However, for $300 and with the difficulty of the set up, I'd characterize it as not ready for prime time and I'd look elsewhere for something to simplify my life and just continue to use my laptop for Internet access while I'm watching TV. However, I wouldn't be at all surprised to see some MAJOR software upgrades fixing all of these problems and making the remote a real must have.
Pros
* Great color screen
* Internet access from your couch
* Customized TV Guide
* Rechargeable battery
* Nice bright backlight
* Easy software upgrades- let's hope they take advantage of this
Cons
* Initial set up of devices- clumsy and can't be sure you've got it right
* Set up of activities- almost impossible to get right
* Cheap feel