Just get the XBox 360 version. Cheaper and has 4 extra buttons. heh

godai

@Player4: Fair enough; 100$ for simplicity in button-mashing. Maybe someone should make an iPhone app out of this.

But the question is again raise about this specific remote: why is IT 100$?? Its functions and features are found in remotes less than half the cost.

shiftyeyedgoat

@shiftyeyedgoat: Wow, you've definitely never used a proper remote. The reasons the harmony remotes rock is because of macros and the ease of setting them up on it. Plus the database of devices they work with is constantly updated.

But say you want to switch from watching cable to playing PS3 or something and have a separate home theater system, etc. Well you can press one button on the harmony and it's going to change all your inputs and settings. Then press one button and switch right back...regardless of how many components you are using.

The only question of why is why are they making one that's basically the same price and features of models they already have?

Player4

I just bought the older one that looks just like this from Fry's for my father-in-law. Now I see how they get you to upgrade - if you're over 40, you can't read the F8CKING TINY and FAINT TYPE on the screen!

dennitzio

@shiftyeyedgoat:

To SAVE THE ECONOMY. That's why.

GW told us to spend, not sacrifice. Why do you hate America?

mfaerber

@shiftyeyedgoat: whoops, hit enter too early.

Why 100$ for this? It looks obscenely basic.

Why use a universal remote from a third-party when most remotes that come WITH your electronics will handle all of your devices quite expertly?

etc. etc. Please advise.

shiftyeyedgoat

I don't get it; why?

shiftyeyedgoat

Looks almost exactly like the 360 version I bought 2 years ago for the exact same price.

mugido

save for the harmony one... your fingers and gadgets will love you for it

Cordfucious v 2.0.1

This remote rocks!

soonerloud

@Cordfucious v 2.0.1: Or you could also buy the Harmony 620 from costco- it's a renamed Harmony 670 (MSRP: $150), and it's also $100. The button layout is much better for DVRs on the 620/70 than on this.

The Harmony One looks awesome, but it's also 2.5x more expensive- that's a lot. For me, $100 would be doable- but $250 is way out of my range. They just target different audiences. It's like saying "just get a 3 series" when you're looking at a Camry- they're different classes of product.

jdickson87

You guys just keep finding things for me to spend >$100 on. You will be the ruin of my relationship.
This is exactly what I've been looking for, as the decked out remote with the color screen is about 3x too much.

Phenostar

I have been needing one since my Cable box and Home theater systems will not work on any of the remotes no matter how hard I try, and these remotes are great with a huge database of equipment online.

Hand_O_Death

It looks like they're moving away from the squishy black buttons that lose functionality over a short period of use, and moving toward more hard-plastic keys.

This is a good thing. I've chucked one 520 in the can already because the Guide key stopped working after only 18 months of light use.

416Hammy

Will it control my Tivo? No? Oh goodie, I'm not buying it.

nuggetz

"entry-level" and "remote"....those should not go together. I think I would rather wait until I can just yell out commands than have to waste money on a big honkin channel changer.

youknowit

@shiftyeyedgoat: Not in my experience. I don't think the iPhone has IR BTW.

I'm not sure how familiar you are with the functions and features of the harmony remotes. Many universals come with a book of signal codes. Harmony remotes are set up on a computer, and you can adjust just about everything. Even the gap of time between button presses in macros.

My purchase of harmony remotes started due to a girlfriend though. It was much easier to just show her to press one button.

Player4

Red, Green, Yellow, Blue!

Galley

I picked up a Harmony 620 from Costco a few weeks ago. They had a coupon for 50 off, so it was only 50 bucks!

innout3x3

@youknowit: That's what children are for. I think the upkeep cost of a remote is slightly less.

Phenostar

@nuggetz: Some of their other ones control tivo [www.logitech.com]

daath

The 550 is on amazon for +/- $50 all of the time. This looks almost the same. Don't understand the need for another model.

JB

The more important question we need answered is...

Where is the Bluetooth Harmony?

valthun

@Martin: Oh, and the 510 only controls 5 devices, which I doubt would be enough for anybody ready to drop $100 on a remote control. The 550 will do at least twice as many.

Martin

I don't understand the point of this remote. It sounds like a stripped down version of the 550, which also normally sells for $100 at Best Buy (I just bought one there on sale for $80 last week) and even less online. BTW, @nuggetz, the 550 controls my Tivo just fine; I don't know why the 510 wouldn't too.

Martin

Don't do it!

This and the 550 both suck compared to the 670 or the One. The ergonomics are horrible and the screen is hard to read.

up2l8

@innout3x3: I did the same. I wanted the Harmony One, but at 4x the price, I couldn't justify it merely for touchscreen. I also prefer batteries over a Li-ion rechargeable.

klew

@jdickson87: The one is $190 on amazon, and the price stays pretty consistent. Had my eye on it for a while.

collider

@soonerloud: This ^^^

I love my remote. I had a Philips Pronto before and it blew. Logitech got it right with thier Harmony line.

smegz

Love my harmony. But to be honest, my old Sony Remote Commander (don't recall the number, but it was the one with no screen) worked better. The PC link is a great idea and you can customize quite a bit, but nothing compares to direct device programming. On the Sony, I could program my DVD sub to control the TV and the receiver. Then do the same for the TV, etc. The logitach requires you to select the device each time you want to perform an action, such as volume on the reciever. Kind of a pain. And the "What do you want to do?" functionality is really a pain to use.

That being said, its VERY compact and small, so, youknowit, don't fret on the size. Smaller than any of the remotes that power my HT kit. And plenty durable. I have had mine for a couple years now. They do suck batteries, so get a set of rechargeables.

The_Bronze

@Player4: Sony RM-VL600 learning remote. Simple. Does everything you need. $30.

ripfire

Perhaps this model does something about the atrocious battery life - not needing to recharge every two weeks would be nice. I know that my old remote did a lot less, but I only needed to worry about the batteries every two years.

klaybc

@soonerloud:

Fancy that, my old Harmony remote's LCD has been dying the last few months and finally completely died after I attempted to "fix" it by smacking it into the living room table. All the buttons still work though LOL!

But I love the remote, it's easy to setup and use and is reliable (except for the LCD after a year or so), so I'll be checking out this new one eventually.

T-Will

Bah, now I'm even more undecided. Talk about over saturation of a product. How many Harmonys do we need?

2-7offsuit

to be honest, i find that the lowest-end harmony remote should always be good enough. the true power of harmony lies in the downloadable button settings and customizable one-touch "activity" buttons. for the more expensive remotes, you're just paying for a colour screen and a peanut shape.

willyolio

@valthun:
Been waiting for one myself. Can't stand using the PS3 controller anymore and I don't feel like purchasing the BD remote. Not that fed up yet.

Dr.Jeckyl

@soonerloud:

I've got the 555, it's great at the control part & the 'activities' make switching amp, tv and components back and forth really easy. *But* after less than a year the buttons are rubbing off.

daemonoid

@jdickson87: Dell had Harmony One on sale for about $150 a few days ago.

Pixlmonkey

@ripfire: Not even close. My remote prior to using a Harmony had pretty much the same features as that. It does not compare at all. You only get four macro buttons, and most likely they are pretty limited on what you can program into them (number of keystrokes, no timing adjustments, etc). It's much better to have the "activities" setup they have on the harmony. There's really no comparison.

Player4

@Player4: No comparison? They're both remotes. Both can be reconfigured to turn on/off multiple devices, change volume, change channels, have playback controls, cursor controls, select different input settings... One is $100 and the other is $30. Oh yeah, you're right. No comparison.

I think that if you find yourself tinkering with your system more than 3 levels, then it's time to reevaluate your setup.

ripfire

Lets see, the build quality is still complete shit, and the "my first universal remote" software is still for babies. I'll be keeping my URC MX-900, thanks.

davekaybsc