Match

http://news.cnet.com/8301-1001_3-575...nting-quarter/

I like their remotes. It just makes everything easier after you program the settings. I just hope another company buys this.

TheBigDave

Disappointing news. I've got the Harmony 650 and couldn't live without it.

Maybe business has been down because they haven't updated their product line. For the past year I've been thinking of buying a couple more Harmony remotes. But I've been waiting because I kept hearing that new models would be coming soon.

Sdallnct

I have used their remotes for years. And got in on the Best Buy prices mistake for a Harmony One for like $59 I think and love, love it. Hopefully it continues to be supported for a while anyway.

Drexl

I sure hope so, because they depend on the online database to add devices.

TGM

what brand is comparable? ie: something that has "activity" buttons?

Sdallnct

Well the activities are essentially macros that many other remotes use. In fact there are remotes that are even more customizable.

However, there are few that can be programmed so easily to do so much. That is also its weakness. Once set up, it is cumbersome to make fine tuned adjustments.

Mr. Salty

Agreed. I've had the Harmony One for years and bought one last month to give to friends for Christmas. It's amazing that it hasn't changed one bit.

The other thing is price, particularly on a couple of their upper-level remotes. As great as they are there is no reason why, at this point, the Harmony One should list for $250.

Sdallnct

I don't think the price point so much as the places it is being sold at that price point.

At true HT stores there are many more expensive remotes. However to sell that remote at Best Buy, at that price, I think is tough.

I think it would have been a better to split the line and only sell the more expensive models at HT stores, the mid at Amazon, BB and the cheapest ones at Wally World.

clckworang

Hmm. Maybe this is part of the reason why Logitech wasn't all that helpful when I recently sent a message about my troubles with my trusty Harmony 880. It took a few years, but it has finally succumbed to nearly all of the manufacturing defects I have heard about. The battery cover broke, which I've heard happened to many users. The battery got to where it couldn't hold a charge for more than a day or two, so I had to charge it quite often, which resulted in the battery swelling to the point where it would no longer even fit into the remote. So, I bought another battery, thinking that would do the trick. Lo and behold, the cradle had stopped working. I was basically told they couldn't do anything for me but that they would give me an opportunity to fill out a survey about future products. Uh, thanks. If you go on their website, I think there are only 3 models even listed now. I was considering picking up a Harmony One in the next month or two, but now I might hold off and look into another brand. I don't know any comparable brands or models, though, so I guess some research is in order.

BSTNFAN

I think the future of this in apps. Almost every new HT device coming out now can be connected to the home network so people will just download an app for their phone/tablet.

Drexl

I hope that won't be our only option. I realize phones can do a lot, but at some point I want dedicated devices for certain things. Think about something like changing channels (or any other controls) while on the phone. If you get a call, you'd have to get into the app to turn down the volume before you can answer.

If it's going to be part of another device, I'd rather it be a game controller if they all go the route of including the touchscreen.

Pointyskull

I was about to upgrade my old Harmony (can't remember the model at the moment) for a newer model.

What are comparable competitors? For me Harmony has been the only game in town.

Sdallnct

Place to look for information on remotes.

http://www.remotecentral.com/

Spiky

^^^ Yeah, I wish there was more traffic at that site these days. There was a time I was there almost daily. Ironically, it's kinda like Harmony killed the need for discussion of various remotes. Almost anybody could program one to what I would call an intermediate to advanced level of remote power/ability. Not much left to discuss.

12thmonkey, what price range? There isn't really a competitor at their price range, not when considering ease of use vs the power it has, etc. But there are solid remotes with programming and macros in the range. URC remotes, for instance.

Pointyskull

I wonder if the price will drop on current models....

Deftones

Sales are disappointing because the word is getting around they make shit products. I was absolutely in love with my Harmony 650. In love! But then the hard reset issue cropped up after about a year. Do a search on it, it's a significant problem. They never addressed it and people who tried to get repairs were basically told to "screw off." So, I went to the URC R40 and haven't looked back. I absolutely love this thing and it's built like a brick shithouse, so I know it'll hold up over time where as the 650 didn't.

Pointyskull

Nice!
How does the setup compare? I assume you can set activities like with Logitech (to turn on relevant components to watch TV, DVD, etc)?

Spiky

Crap! I meant URC above, not UEI. I have the R50, which is actually below the R40. I think I like the R40 more, may have to look at that.

Sdallnct

Meh, had the opposite experience. When my cradle on my 880 went out they overnighted me one, no charge. And I used the crap out of that thing and it lasted forever. Finally buttons started to stick due to spilling coke in it. I re-mapped many of those buttons and contues to use. After reading about it elsewhere, I called them and they gave me a "coupon" for like a third off any remote (mine 880 was years out of warranty). I never used it, but got the price mistake at BB for the the Harmony One, that I love.

Mr. Salty

Uh, no. Your experience isn't typical.

Deftones

Uh yes, it is. Approximately 1/4th of the nearly 940 reviews on Amazon are 1 or 2 stars. Care to guess how many of those talk about the reset issues?

http://www.amazon.com/Logitech-Harmo...owViewpoints=0

Start reading the AVS thread about this remote. Care to guess how many have had reset issues?
http://www.avsforum.com/t/1237145/of...ote-thread/120

Pointyskull

While the friendly bickering continues, I will be ordering a URC R40. Thanks for the suggestion....

Mr. Salty

So they've had problems with one remote out of how many they've released? Every company releases a dud now and then, and I agree they should have done a much, much better job of addressing and correcting the problem. But over all, Logitech has a good reputation.

The vaunted URC R40 gets the same rating on Amazon as the problematic 600 and 650, so you can frame Amazon reviews any way you want. There are always going to be customers who have a negative experience.

Deftones

Comparing something with 900+ reviews to something with 30+ isn't a valid comparison. If you bothered to do research, which I'm sure you haven't, the URC R40 gets negative reviews for 2 reasons. One is justified, the other is not.

The first being no instructions on program it. However, only a true moron would not be able to program it, as everything is literally on the screen and it walks you through. There are several one star reviews from idiots that have this complaint. It's not a valid complaint, IMHO.

The second being there is a stupid issue when you program it that it'll occasionally erase the last learned code. For whatever reason, it hasn't been fixed by the company. But it no way affects the functioning of the remote or causes it not to work properly. The same can not be said about the Harmony 650.

And if you think I'm just singling out the 650, you'd be wrong. While I've had that remote and it was easy to log my complaints, I've done plenty of research on remotes. The Harmony One (older model w/o the touch screen) had a fuckton of battery issues (battery swell, battery explosions, not holding a charge, etc.). So it isn't just one remote that's a "dud". There are numerous issues with other remotes.

Granted, many people have had no issues. I'm not saying it's total crap. But when 25% of customers have valid complaints about an issue that has no resolution, I'd say the company has gone into the shitter rapidly over the past few years. Even more a slap in the face when people contacted the company with valid warranty claims and were told the damages were intentional or from dropping the remote, and then offered a bullshit 20% off coupon to buy another. Fuck that noise. That's a company that doesn't stand behind their product.

As an aside, I think Logitech makes fantastic computer peripherals and I do not hesitate to buy any of their computer products. But, never again, will I be fooled into buying any of their remote controls.

Deftones

FWIW, I love the thing. I had a previous URC RF20 and a bigger older model, which the name escapes me MX something. Loved them to death, but they were too big and clunky and not very user friendly. The R40 takes a bit longer to set up than the Harmony remotes, since everything is done on the remote itself, but it's super easy to do, provided you follow the prompts. The only caution is there is a known issue about erasing learned codes, so read the Amazon reviews about it and how to bypass the issue.