Customer Rating: 
Summary: Harmony 550 remote
Comment: I have used the Logitech Harmony 550 Universal Remote for about one month. I have a mix of brands for audio and video systems that are about 10 years old. Online set up of the remote was easy for anyone with average or better computer skills. So far the remote has worked without a problem.
My only complaint would be with the size and position of the buttons. The buttons are close enough together that it is difficult to push some of the buttons only one button at a time unless you have small fingers. Also some buttons do not seem to be in the most logical positions; but you get use to that after a while.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Frustrating Setup, Wonderful in Use.
Comment: I got the Harmony 550 to control my Samsung LCD TV, HD TiVo, and Samsung Blu-Ray player. All of this equipment is brand new and supported by the Harmony 550 remote. After some initial setup frustrations, I'm happy to report I've been using the Harmony 550 for four days now without issue on any of my components. Perhaps more importantly, the remote allows my wife to easily control all of our new equipment without having to really learn anything about how it is all set up.
Setting up the remote was not as intuitive as it really should have been. I'm computer savvy and was helped by being able to understand what it was the software was trying to coax out of me or the original remotes at every step. The software is easy enough to use, but the process it takes you through seems a bit cumbersome. It tries to guess at all of the activities you want given all of your components, butI think this step probably hurts more than it helps. I'd rather just start with a clean slate of activities that I select myself. In my first two attempts, I was unable to create a "Listen to Music" activity that didn't also want to turn the TV on. This should be simple to do, and I imagine it's possible, but I wasn't able to easily and quickly figure it out.
The default mappings for my devices were pretty sufficient. I changed a few of them on the TiVo HD (most notably moving thumbs up and thumbs down to the up and down arrows - their logical location). I shuffled any of the controls that were relegated to the LCD so that the ones I use most often are on the first page. I still have a bit of shuffling I'd like to do, but all of the critical functions are covered.
Using the remote is a breeze. I don't have to worry about what input my equipment is hooked up to. I don't have to worry about which control handles the volume for my Blu-Ray player. I haven't had to use the "Help" button once. My TV supports discrete IR codes - remote codes that tell it "power on" and "power off" instead of simply "toggle power." The same goes for switching inputs - my TV can be told "switch to HDMI2" rather than having to scroll through each input to get there. When using a remote like the Harmony, this leads to fewer sync issues. The Harmony will work if it has only toggle and cycle controls but you may find yourself using the "Help" button a bit more to synchronize components.
I have a few minor gripes with the remote itself. It's difficult at first to distinguish between the respective channel and volume controls as they are flush with the face of the remote and have no space between them. Those buttons, along with the navigational circle and the "OK" button, are a little loud when pressed. They give off an audible click noise that I really wish they didn't. The other buttons are as quiet as they should be, though.
Overall, the remote gets 4 stars. Setting it up is more complicated than it really should be and may lead to a bit of frustration, but this is a one time thing for most users. Once setup the remote works wonderfully and indistinguishably from the original remotes.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Some minor CONS, overall really good
Comment: PROS: Easy (and fun) to setup. I love being able to just press 1 button and have it turn on everything that I need. Has been able to learn any commands that I needed. It has a nice feel.
CONS: Every now and then when I tell it to "Watch TV" the TV will either not turn on, or will be set to the wrong input. I just hit "HELP" and it fixes it. This could be user error, or maybe its setting the input too soon, before the TV is ready. Also, there is a slight delay from the time I press the button to when the action happens (ie Guide, DVR, Forward/Reverse), the DishNetwork remote doesn't have a delay. And, the layout could use some improvements, its not so easy to just feel your way around the remote with your fingers while watching TV. I have to sometimes look down at it to remember where the buttons are.
The cons are kind of small stuff. Overall I really love it!
Customer Rating:
Summary: Good remote, not as good as originals, but simpler!
Comment: Fairly easy to set up with software from www.logitech.com, but can appear to be limited in order to maintain that simplicity. E.g. You must initially choose one of their labels (Videogame, PVR, etc.), but if you have a wii and a PS3 and an XBOX360, you're going to have to initially choose Videogame1, Videogame2 and Videogame3. You can then go about changing the tag name to better reflect the action; sort of a roundabout way of doing things, but it makes it simpler for people who have a limited number of peripherals. There is noticeable lag time with some of my electronics (Niro AV receiver), but for most, it seems near to the original speed of the remote (Tivo). The range seems to be very good; I can point it away from the electronics and they still respond usually. One weird thing (feature?) is that the remote will glow sometimes when I get near it and other times it won't glow even if I shake it or pick it up. It has a matte finish on the back. I prefer a mirror finish, but to each his own. Battery life seems adequate (especially with the random glowing). Haven't had to replace them in over a month. The black buttons (on the top) have a good "click" when you press them, the grey/white buttons down below are more squishy. It's easy to add the Tivo 30-sec skip feature to this remote. Otherwise a solid remote that has replaced 4 others including my air conditioner remote!
Customer Rating:
Summary: Sleek and Stylish, oh and it works!
Comment: I have had this remote for a week now. I was sick of having cable+receiver+TV+HDDVD+PS3+XBOX remotes cluttering my coffee table, i was able to get that all down to two remotes, PS3 and harmony.
Pros-
Easy set up
Turns multiple components on and to the correct setting with one button
sleek and stylish
cons-
doesnt support bluetooth devices such as a PS3
Summary: Harmony 550 remote
Comment: I have used the Logitech Harmony 550 Universal Remote for about one month. I have a mix of brands for audio and video systems that are about 10 years old. Online set up of the remote was easy for anyone with average or better computer skills. So far the remote has worked without a problem.
My only complaint would be with the size and position of the buttons. The buttons are close enough together that it is difficult to push some of the buttons only one button at a time unless you have small fingers. Also some buttons do not seem to be in the most logical positions; but you get use to that after a while.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Frustrating Setup, Wonderful in Use.
Comment: I got the Harmony 550 to control my Samsung LCD TV, HD TiVo, and Samsung Blu-Ray player. All of this equipment is brand new and supported by the Harmony 550 remote. After some initial setup frustrations, I'm happy to report I've been using the Harmony 550 for four days now without issue on any of my components. Perhaps more importantly, the remote allows my wife to easily control all of our new equipment without having to really learn anything about how it is all set up.
Setting up the remote was not as intuitive as it really should have been. I'm computer savvy and was helped by being able to understand what it was the software was trying to coax out of me or the original remotes at every step. The software is easy enough to use, but the process it takes you through seems a bit cumbersome. It tries to guess at all of the activities you want given all of your components, butI think this step probably hurts more than it helps. I'd rather just start with a clean slate of activities that I select myself. In my first two attempts, I was unable to create a "Listen to Music" activity that didn't also want to turn the TV on. This should be simple to do, and I imagine it's possible, but I wasn't able to easily and quickly figure it out.
The default mappings for my devices were pretty sufficient. I changed a few of them on the TiVo HD (most notably moving thumbs up and thumbs down to the up and down arrows - their logical location). I shuffled any of the controls that were relegated to the LCD so that the ones I use most often are on the first page. I still have a bit of shuffling I'd like to do, but all of the critical functions are covered.
Using the remote is a breeze. I don't have to worry about what input my equipment is hooked up to. I don't have to worry about which control handles the volume for my Blu-Ray player. I haven't had to use the "Help" button once. My TV supports discrete IR codes - remote codes that tell it "power on" and "power off" instead of simply "toggle power." The same goes for switching inputs - my TV can be told "switch to HDMI2" rather than having to scroll through each input to get there. When using a remote like the Harmony, this leads to fewer sync issues. The Harmony will work if it has only toggle and cycle controls but you may find yourself using the "Help" button a bit more to synchronize components.
I have a few minor gripes with the remote itself. It's difficult at first to distinguish between the respective channel and volume controls as they are flush with the face of the remote and have no space between them. Those buttons, along with the navigational circle and the "OK" button, are a little loud when pressed. They give off an audible click noise that I really wish they didn't. The other buttons are as quiet as they should be, though.
Overall, the remote gets 4 stars. Setting it up is more complicated than it really should be and may lead to a bit of frustration, but this is a one time thing for most users. Once setup the remote works wonderfully and indistinguishably from the original remotes.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Some minor CONS, overall really good
Comment: PROS: Easy (and fun) to setup. I love being able to just press 1 button and have it turn on everything that I need. Has been able to learn any commands that I needed. It has a nice feel.
CONS: Every now and then when I tell it to "Watch TV" the TV will either not turn on, or will be set to the wrong input. I just hit "HELP" and it fixes it. This could be user error, or maybe its setting the input too soon, before the TV is ready. Also, there is a slight delay from the time I press the button to when the action happens (ie Guide, DVR, Forward/Reverse), the DishNetwork remote doesn't have a delay. And, the layout could use some improvements, its not so easy to just feel your way around the remote with your fingers while watching TV. I have to sometimes look down at it to remember where the buttons are.
The cons are kind of small stuff. Overall I really love it!
Customer Rating:
Summary: Good remote, not as good as originals, but simpler!
Comment: Fairly easy to set up with software from www.logitech.com, but can appear to be limited in order to maintain that simplicity. E.g. You must initially choose one of their labels (Videogame, PVR, etc.), but if you have a wii and a PS3 and an XBOX360, you're going to have to initially choose Videogame1, Videogame2 and Videogame3. You can then go about changing the tag name to better reflect the action; sort of a roundabout way of doing things, but it makes it simpler for people who have a limited number of peripherals. There is noticeable lag time with some of my electronics (Niro AV receiver), but for most, it seems near to the original speed of the remote (Tivo). The range seems to be very good; I can point it away from the electronics and they still respond usually. One weird thing (feature?) is that the remote will glow sometimes when I get near it and other times it won't glow even if I shake it or pick it up. It has a matte finish on the back. I prefer a mirror finish, but to each his own. Battery life seems adequate (especially with the random glowing). Haven't had to replace them in over a month. The black buttons (on the top) have a good "click" when you press them, the grey/white buttons down below are more squishy. It's easy to add the Tivo 30-sec skip feature to this remote. Otherwise a solid remote that has replaced 4 others including my air conditioner remote!
Customer Rating:
Summary: Sleek and Stylish, oh and it works!
Comment: I have had this remote for a week now. I was sick of having cable+receiver+TV+HDDVD+PS3+XBOX remotes cluttering my coffee table, i was able to get that all down to two remotes, PS3 and harmony.
Pros-
Easy set up
Turns multiple components on and to the correct setting with one button
sleek and stylish
cons-
doesnt support bluetooth devices such as a PS3
Logitech Harmony 550 Universal Remote Reviews: Page 14 of 126
9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 |
9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 |