Customer Reviews:
 Not sure it's worth messing with March 11, 2007
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
I'd heard a lot about Logitech Harmony remotes, so this was a huge disappointment.
If you just want something to switch your equipment on and off, it's somewhat useful. Maybe. But if you are hoping to set several settings for different activities, plan on spending hours messing around.
The much-vaunted database of settings isn't that useful, because it's incomplete and inaccurate. I have popular Samsung and Panasonic products, that aren't too old or too new (about one year old models). They don't even list all the inputs on my Samsung HDTV (the cable antenna is missing!? - doh!), so of course I can't set up the remote to use them right. And the menu navigation buttons aren't set right, so I have to figure out how to change them. I had to manually add some key features, too.
Accessing anything but the most commonly used remote buttons requires either wading through a long cryptic list of commands that might or might not match what the remote calls them; or customizing the setup so the commands you use most appear at the top.
So you have to carefully study your existing remotes, think about which features you need, make sure they are set up and accessible. Or, keep ALL your old remotes handy for when you need something other than the top 20 basic buttons.
Custom setup isn't easy. Using their site/software for detailed setup is cumbersome. There's no simple way to reorder the commands to get the ones you want at the top - you have to manually delete and reenter 30-80 commands! One solution is to use the Picture and Sound buttons and just put the settings in those lists for an activity. But it's still really cumbersome to re-order if you change it. And the website sometimes decides it knows better than you do what order you meant to put things in.
So, even with popular gear, it's not like the settings are complete, accurate or setup to be easy to use right from the database. This problem would apply to all Logitech Harmony remotes, as they use the same setup software / site.
It's just one more thing you need to spend several hours setting up.
And even then, it's not that great to use. They should have made the remote slightly larger, with bigger buttons that have less space between them.
Not sure it's worth messing with. The universal remote that came with my TV does a lot of this.
PITA March 10, 2007
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
I hoped this would simplify my 6+ remote system, no such luck.
First of all, Logitec needs to find someone to write an instruction manual , instead of a multi language cartoon. Speaking of which they carry the cartoon feature online with the setup...looks like the instructions for an 8 track tape player. Anyway I setup my components test it out, My receiver does not turn off (among other problems i listed on a post it to fix).
I try several times to fix that and other problems with online help to no avail. The remote also has all of the button functions of EACH remote on a 6x scroll, which makes it very tedious to do simple functions. I am a very patient techno-able person, and could probably tweak this thing into submission, but life is too short.
I returned it.
 Great March 9, 2007
Great look and feel. Getting started can take a while if you have lots of equipments. The screen is always on so that drains the batteries. I like its many features. I would recommend getting rechargeable batteries to go along with it.
 Wendy March 9, 2007
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
Am still working out a few kinks in the programming, but it sure is great to replace four controls with only one.
I really like this remote. March 8, 2007
2 out of 3 found this review helpful
This is my first universal remote. I was made aware of it based on a "buy this" recommendation from Newsweek. I picked it because it was on of the least expensive of the fully programmable Logitech remotes and got generally good reviews. I have not been disappointed.
The remote works in conjunction with computer software and is updated via USB port. The software does most of the heavy lifting after you enter model numbers from your components. It sets up the remote based on these model numbers and a large online database that contains specifics for different components. I was happy to find an entry for my 20 year old RCA TV set. After the initial setup of the remote, it can be tweaked to ones desire via the computer program. The remote can also "learn" remote control codes from an existing remote.
I ran into one problem with setup which was resolved by calling Logitech's 800 number. My problem was that one of the codes for my TV was not present in Logitech's database. Part of my problem is that I didn't have my old remote so that the 550 could learn the code. Upon calling Logitech's customer service they found the code which was learned from someone else's remote and added it to my account. The problem was solved to my very impressed satisfaction.
If I have one small gripe with the remote I would say that it's the computer control program... It's not web browser based can be somewhat non-intuitive at times.
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