Customer Rating: 
Summary: Where have you been?
Comment: This universal remote is great! Easy to setup and easy to use, even a cave man could do it. This unit proves that not all universal remote controls are the same. Spend a little more from the beginning, get a lot of extras in the end. This does it all and does it well. I only replaced 3 remotes, but watching TV or a DVD has never, I repeat NEVER been this easy.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Great remote for the price
Comment: This remote has done a fantastic job for me. I have a very complicated system to control with a tv, satellite, av receiver and xbox 360 that all require precise input changes to work properly together.
It took a while to program it just the way I wanted (read about 2 weeks) but now my entire system is so simple to control that my visiting mom could figure it out. This remote has made controlling my living room so much easier! Thanks Harmony!
Customer Rating:
Summary: slick remote
Comment: I don't have much experience with universal remote other than ones I've used in the past never seem to have all the buttons you need. Not so with the harmony. This thing was easy to set up using my computer, has every button you could possibly need logically laid out and works amazing! When friends come over they have no problem turning on the t.v., satellite, and surround sound because of the activities button. It asks what you want to do, and you press the watch t.v. Button. It automatically turns on everyhing, on the proper settings and all! The best remote I've ever used, a child old an old man could figure this thing out! You don't have to be techno savvy to use this thing, and no more pile of remotes on the coffe table. I would add that the only thing that wouldmake this thing better is if it had Bluetooth so it could control my playststion for watching movies in it.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Great remote (once you spend a day configuring it)
Comment: The first time I tried to configure this remote, I almost gave up: I could not make it do what I wanted, the interface was confusing. After a few weeks, I tried to configure it again, and once I got a grip on the basic (the modes of operation, standard buttons vs. custom buttons, the Sound and Picture buttons), I was finally able to set it up to do exactly what I needed.
I agree with commenters lamenting the software. The software could be more user-friendly. For example, my default menus contained dozens of pages for custom buttons, which I did not need, and important buttons (such as power toggle) buried somewhere on page 15, and there is no easy way to rearrange the buttons: you must click the up/down arrow going one step up/down at a time. Deleting buttons will cause blanks on the screens (I would rather have the buttons shift to take the freed space). The wizard-based configuration could be less confusing. A manual explaining the remote basics would be helpful.
Once I spent a few hours and configured the remote to my taste (I changed most of the default settings for custom buttons), it turned out awesome. I like that all of my device and remote settings are stored online. I like the way the remote looks and feels (actually like the design better than the more expensive models). The remote seems more responsive than some of the native remotes it replaced (e.g. my Philips DVP5960/37 DVD remote, which takes up to 10 seconds to power on the DVD player).
I would definitely recommend this remote, but warn potential users that it may take them a while to figure the basics of the remote operation, master the software, and configure the devices.
UPDATE: After using the remote for a while, I have two major gripes. First, I wish it allowed controlling multiple devices in the device mode. For example, when I watch a DVD, I'm more likely to use the DVD device mode, but this mode does not let me control the volume of the TV (to change the volume, I need to either switch to the TV device mode or use the Watch DVD activity mode). Second, activity mode can be a pain to use. Say, I have the TV already turned on, but I want to watch a DVD. If I use the Watch DVD activity mode (so that I can control both the DVD and TV commands), the remote will turn on the DVD player, but turn off the TV (since the TV was already turned on). What I need to do is turn off the TV, and then use the Watch DVD activity mode to turn bot TV and DVD on.
Customer Rating:
Summary: New software works on Mac
Comment: Some of the reviews here say that this software doesn't work on a Mac. Those were probably written before the release of 7.5.0. This version works with the mac, although I did notice a flaw that eventually went away: You have to register with Logitech in order to set up the remote and sometimes the fields where you input your information would not become "active," and I could not get the software to accept any keystrokes. After fiddling around and pressing every link in sight, the problem worked itself out and I was able to continue.
As far as how the remote works, I like it. It has replaced all my remote controls except the DVD remote for the PlayStation 3 (which is bluetooth so that is to be expected).
The set up is done with the software via a usb cable. That is very convenient. It does take time, and it takes a little back and forth between the software and testing out the remote to make sure everything is the way you like it. But once you're done, that's it. You will have a remote that does everything the way you like it. Pretty much everything is customizable so if you're a tweek head, you should be satisfied with how this remote will allow you to put everything the way you want it. The only down side is that if you're more of a casual user and not big on computers, it might be a little frustrating to get the remote the way you want it.
One observation: This remote is intended to be used in "activities" mode, rather than in "device" mode. What this means is that if you select a "device" such as TV and you use a receiver/amp to control the volume, since you're in "device" mode, there is no way to have the volume control "punch through" to the receiver/amp. You will have to switch back and forth between TV and Receiver/Amp to control channel changing and volume control. Not very convenient. BUT, if you use the remote the way it was intended in "activities" mode, this is not an issue and the remote works the way you would expect (the volume "punches through"). You just have to set up the remote this way and that is what takes the most time. Logitech should have included a little more printed literature on this and a few other issues.
Overall, this is a great remote that could still use a little more polish on the software end, and some printed literature on how to use the remote would have been helpful.
Summary: Where have you been?
Comment: This universal remote is great! Easy to setup and easy to use, even a cave man could do it. This unit proves that not all universal remote controls are the same. Spend a little more from the beginning, get a lot of extras in the end. This does it all and does it well. I only replaced 3 remotes, but watching TV or a DVD has never, I repeat NEVER been this easy.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Great remote for the price
Comment: This remote has done a fantastic job for me. I have a very complicated system to control with a tv, satellite, av receiver and xbox 360 that all require precise input changes to work properly together.
It took a while to program it just the way I wanted (read about 2 weeks) but now my entire system is so simple to control that my visiting mom could figure it out. This remote has made controlling my living room so much easier! Thanks Harmony!
Customer Rating:
Summary: slick remote
Comment: I don't have much experience with universal remote other than ones I've used in the past never seem to have all the buttons you need. Not so with the harmony. This thing was easy to set up using my computer, has every button you could possibly need logically laid out and works amazing! When friends come over they have no problem turning on the t.v., satellite, and surround sound because of the activities button. It asks what you want to do, and you press the watch t.v. Button. It automatically turns on everyhing, on the proper settings and all! The best remote I've ever used, a child old an old man could figure this thing out! You don't have to be techno savvy to use this thing, and no more pile of remotes on the coffe table. I would add that the only thing that wouldmake this thing better is if it had Bluetooth so it could control my playststion for watching movies in it.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Great remote (once you spend a day configuring it)
Comment: The first time I tried to configure this remote, I almost gave up: I could not make it do what I wanted, the interface was confusing. After a few weeks, I tried to configure it again, and once I got a grip on the basic (the modes of operation, standard buttons vs. custom buttons, the Sound and Picture buttons), I was finally able to set it up to do exactly what I needed.
I agree with commenters lamenting the software. The software could be more user-friendly. For example, my default menus contained dozens of pages for custom buttons, which I did not need, and important buttons (such as power toggle) buried somewhere on page 15, and there is no easy way to rearrange the buttons: you must click the up/down arrow going one step up/down at a time. Deleting buttons will cause blanks on the screens (I would rather have the buttons shift to take the freed space). The wizard-based configuration could be less confusing. A manual explaining the remote basics would be helpful.
Once I spent a few hours and configured the remote to my taste (I changed most of the default settings for custom buttons), it turned out awesome. I like that all of my device and remote settings are stored online. I like the way the remote looks and feels (actually like the design better than the more expensive models). The remote seems more responsive than some of the native remotes it replaced (e.g. my Philips DVP5960/37 DVD remote, which takes up to 10 seconds to power on the DVD player).
I would definitely recommend this remote, but warn potential users that it may take them a while to figure the basics of the remote operation, master the software, and configure the devices.
UPDATE: After using the remote for a while, I have two major gripes. First, I wish it allowed controlling multiple devices in the device mode. For example, when I watch a DVD, I'm more likely to use the DVD device mode, but this mode does not let me control the volume of the TV (to change the volume, I need to either switch to the TV device mode or use the Watch DVD activity mode). Second, activity mode can be a pain to use. Say, I have the TV already turned on, but I want to watch a DVD. If I use the Watch DVD activity mode (so that I can control both the DVD and TV commands), the remote will turn on the DVD player, but turn off the TV (since the TV was already turned on). What I need to do is turn off the TV, and then use the Watch DVD activity mode to turn bot TV and DVD on.
Customer Rating:
Summary: New software works on Mac
Comment: Some of the reviews here say that this software doesn't work on a Mac. Those were probably written before the release of 7.5.0. This version works with the mac, although I did notice a flaw that eventually went away: You have to register with Logitech in order to set up the remote and sometimes the fields where you input your information would not become "active," and I could not get the software to accept any keystrokes. After fiddling around and pressing every link in sight, the problem worked itself out and I was able to continue.
As far as how the remote works, I like it. It has replaced all my remote controls except the DVD remote for the PlayStation 3 (which is bluetooth so that is to be expected).
The set up is done with the software via a usb cable. That is very convenient. It does take time, and it takes a little back and forth between the software and testing out the remote to make sure everything is the way you like it. But once you're done, that's it. You will have a remote that does everything the way you like it. Pretty much everything is customizable so if you're a tweek head, you should be satisfied with how this remote will allow you to put everything the way you want it. The only down side is that if you're more of a casual user and not big on computers, it might be a little frustrating to get the remote the way you want it.
One observation: This remote is intended to be used in "activities" mode, rather than in "device" mode. What this means is that if you select a "device" such as TV and you use a receiver/amp to control the volume, since you're in "device" mode, there is no way to have the volume control "punch through" to the receiver/amp. You will have to switch back and forth between TV and Receiver/Amp to control channel changing and volume control. Not very convenient. BUT, if you use the remote the way it was intended in "activities" mode, this is not an issue and the remote works the way you would expect (the volume "punches through"). You just have to set up the remote this way and that is what takes the most time. Logitech should have included a little more printed literature on this and a few other issues.
Overall, this is a great remote that could still use a little more polish on the software end, and some printed literature on how to use the remote would have been helpful.
Logitech Harmony 550 Universal Remote Reviews: Page 11 of 126
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