Logitech Harmony 676 Universal Remote Control by Logitech
|
List Price: Our Price: $119.98 You Save: $80.01 (40%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Used: from $48.25 (click here) Category: CE See more digital camera details and other models |
|---|
Digital camera reviews of Logitech Harmony 676 Universal Remote Control
Digital camera Review: Best Remote I have ever owned!
Summary: 5 Stars
I have owned this remote for over a year now, so I have really put it through the test. During this period, I changed TVs, receivers, and DVD players, and each time the online interface tool was simple and flawless in helping step me through the process. I also changed computers, going from a PC to a Mac, and found the software works equally well on both platforms.
Having read some folk's frustrations with the set-up process, I would have to discount these as severely "technonlogy challenged" individuals...the kinds of people who probably had problems figuring out how to turn their electronics on or off with their old remotes...people like my 75 year old mother-in-law who used to call me long-distance to help her figure out how to turn off her sat box and turn on her VCR.
The only issues I have encountered are that sometimes when you press an activity button, such as to watch TV, my Directv sat receiver might not come on. This is usually the first sign that the batteries need replacing. My second issue is that to go from watching TV to watching a DVD, you basically have to power everything off, then power back up with the watch DVD activity button. Since HD TVs take a while to go through a power down, this is a bit of a hassle. But nothing that one can't live with.
On the extremely positive side, aside from the fact that it controls evey device you have and turns them on in the right order and with the right settings to do any activity you want, I love the fact that it is a) backlit (makes it much easier to see and control features when you are watching a movie and have all the lights out!) and b) battery powered (I want my remote to be remote and not always sitting in a charger!). I also like how it asks you questions to see if everything is working properly. If not, it steps you through the process to get everything in sync. I also like the interchangable face plates, although I admit that I have never changed from our red plate since we got the remote...just nice to have the option.
All-in-all, like most Logitech products I have owned, this is a very well designed product with terrific online support and tools. I cannot imagine a better remote for the money.
Digital camera Review: Best Remote I've Used
Summary: 5 Stars
Basically, this thing does whatever you want it to do, except give you a back rub.Digital camera Review: Best in te Harmony lineup.
Summary: 5 Stars
This is my favorite in the Harmony lineup. When I first considered the Harmony I wasn't satisfied with the 880, the buttons were not tactile and were hard to find. I purchased a different model and the buttons had some profile but were not tactile. I ended up with four different Harmony models before I decided on the 676. I've purchased seven now and have three in two different homes using the different color faces and one at my mothers house. It especially makes it easy for those that are not technically savy like my wife and mother. No matter what system they're using the remote funtions the same. Also with the ability to program it through the Harmony website it seems to be only limited by your imagination. You can keep going back as you think of a new tweek and change it. This is a great product!
Digital camera Review: Best remote I've ever had! I love it!
Summary: 5 Stars
I've had many remotes over the years, but my wife and child have been frustrated by the complexity of multiple remotes in multiple systems, so I have almost always had to come to their rescue. I have tried several highly-regarded "universal" remotes, but was never able to achieve a simple, complete, foolproof solution.
This remote is small, lightweight, comfortably shaped, and fully illuminated. The buttons are logically arranged and I can find them without looking. Best of all, this model actually works! On my first pass through the software, I was able to get completely automatic one-button activities. I did two minor tweaks the next day and now I have 100% functionality.
I ordered another 676 to use in another room, so now my family can easily use the same familiar remote buttons on a completely different system, without my help. Finally!
Digital camera Review: Best remote I've used
Summary: 4 Stars
[ This is almost the same as my 628 review ]
I don't have a lot to add to what other positive reviews have said. These remotes are very flexible and you can tweak them to perfection, or at least as close as your equipment allows. I've got a 676 and a 628 for my house, and bought a 628 for a friend. (I bought the 676 first, but after playing with it and a 628 I think I'd rather have a 628. Less clutter and a better Glow button.)
I give 4 stars instead of 5 because the database isn't perfect; I've had a few keys I've had to relearn, there always seem to be a handful of commands that don't apply to my model, and it's occasionally been missing discrete on/off commands that really exist.
Responses to some negative comments:
"It's hard to set up". Well, yeah, sort of. I think that if you take the default setup for your equipment you'll end up in about the same place as you would with a conventional "universal remote". The difference is that you can then tweak this remote so that it really works right... and when you've got it 95% right, the urge to kill off that last 5% can be tough to resist.
"There aren't enough buttons". This is tricky. I think that the right number of buttons is however many you *need*, and not a single button more. You've got the soft buttons and device mode for features that you only need every week or two, and not giving them a hard button helps to keep the remote uncluttered for the rest of the time. I actually prefer the 628 to the 676 because the extra buttons on the 676 add clutter without adding much value - see details below.
"It's expensive". Yep, but not as expensive as some of the other high-end remotes. The 628 bottomed out at a pretty reasonable price; perhaps the later models will drop similarly when they are discontinued. (Sigh, and the 676 has dropped significantly since I bought mine.)
"I don't want to have to go back to the computer to tweak it". I suppose that this is a matter of taste. Indeed, the tweak/load cycle is pretty slow, and should be faster. However, personally I think that's more than made up for by the fact that you can look at pages of programming information at once. With a typical learning remote you're almost flying blind - if you lose track of what you've set up and what you haven't, good luck finding your place.
"Web page is intolerably slow". Hasn't been a problem for me. Then again, I didn't get one for Christmas.
A few detailed comments about the 676, mostly for comparison with other Harmony models:
- The Glow button is hard to find in the dark. It glows a little, and it's directly under the OK button if you can remember that, but it should be easier to find.
- The four arrow buttons on the 628 may be better than the ring on the 676. At least one person didn't automatically figure out that the ring was the arrow pad.
- It'd be nice if play, stop, and pause were more distinctive.
- I think the buttons added on the 676 (vs the 628) add more clutter than value. They are:
Media - I don't watch TV. Perhaps Guide can substitute.
Chapter f/b - map well to channel up/dn
Sound, Pic - I just don't need to tweak those things very
often.
Exit - I mapped "Prev" to DVD "return" on my 628, and was
mostly happy.
Menu, Info, Guide - Do you really need all three? I mapped
the 628's Guide to DVD "menu", and put DVD "display"
on a soft button.
A, B - haven't needed 'em. (and how would I remember what they do? Soft buttons have labels...)
Now, admittedly, not watching TV does make my use simpler. I don't need to control a Tivo, so I don't know how easy that would be to set up. Programming a VCR might be a bit tough when you want the number pad to control the cable box. (Device mode is probably the answer.) I don't use Picture-in-Picture.
One caution: All three remotes have locked up during initial (one-time) firmware upgrades. A tech support call on the first one yielded the solution: boot the remote into "safe mode" (really!) by removing its batteries, holding down "Off", and plugging it into USB. The firmware upgrades went fine then.