Harmony Remote with DirecTV HR21

[NutFlush920]

Here's the deal. I have a total of 4 different remotes in my living room(TV, DirecTV, Surroundsound, and PS3). I go to my friends house and he pulls out this Harmony remote and says it can control everything including his fireplace. My wife is all about limiting the amount of remotes we have.

I have been racking my brain this morning looking at all the different ones they offer on Newegg. I don't want to spend a fortune (under $100). I don't need RF because I have a Slingbox using IR in my system and I know I need the adapter for the PS3 seperatly. Checking the Logitech website, all my devices are compatible.

What model do you all suggest? Most of the remotes I look at don't have the "List" button to access the playlist or the red/green/yellow/blue shortcut buttons, how do you get around this?

Thanks in advance for the help. Can't believe this is wife approved. :up

 

[Rey]

the buttons are customizable. you can add functions as well. i had a harmony 670 which worked great. i now have a harmony 880 for over a year now and works well too. to get them under $100 look on ebay. its where i got mine. you wont find models like the harmony one under $100 unless its really,really used. you can find the other models barely used for under $100.

 

[david_gilbert]

i got the harmony 890 after my 880 was stolen in a break in. i found mine on Ebay as a factory reconditioned unit for like 90.00 shipped. you can customize teh 8 buttons for the LCD screen to do what you want. i have mine set for list/red/blue/green/yellow/a couple of tv functions. if you need more functions, you set a 2nd or 3rd page of them. my wife loves it because she can hit "watch tv" and it puts everythign on the correct inputs. when she wants to watch a DVD, she hits that and it turns on the dvd/tv/surround and puts the tv on hdmi 2. if she wants to play the wii, she hits play game and it turns the tv to AV1 and turns on the surround(won't control wii itself). she don't have to worry about remembering what inputs are what for the different devices.

if you have ANY issues with setup, call logitech and they can fix it for you easily. they will customize your setup and you loging and download it to the remote.

 

[Rey]

look at the screen so you can see where i added some of these functions

 

[NutFlush920]

i got the harmony 890 after my 880 was stolen in a break in. i found mine on Ebay as a factory reconditioned unit for like 90.00 shipped. you can customize teh 8 buttons for the LCD screen to do what you want. i have mine set for list/red/blue/green/yellow/a couple of tv functions. if you need more functions, you set a 2nd or 3rd page of them. my wife loves it because she can hit "watch tv" and it puts everythign on the correct inputs. when she wants to watch a DVD, she hits that and it turns on the dvd/tv/surround and puts the tv on hdmi 2. if she wants to play the wii, she hits play game and it turns the tv to AV1 and turns on the surround(won't control wii itself). she don't have to worry about remembering what inputs are what for the different devices.

if you have ANY issues with setup, call logitech and they can fix it for you easily. they will customize your setup and you loging and download it to the remote.

From what I see, the 880 looks sweet. Does the 880 have all the same settings that the 890 has as far as the wife being able to just press "watch tv" or "DVD" and all the settings on the TV and surround sound changing over to the appropriate inputs/outputs?

 

[hancox]

Don't count out the model for the xbox 360 - dedicated color buttons! Will also be cheaper, compared to an 880.

FYI - main difference between the 880 and 890 is RF, and the RF doesn't work with the HR2x. Go for the 880, if you like that layout.

 

[NutFlush920]

I see that the 880 has a rechargable stand. How often do you find yourself having to charge it? Are the rechargeable batteries replaceable as all batteries do eventually die? Can they be replaced with Duracell or Energizer rechargeable batteries?

 

[hancox]

I place it in mine every night, but I would think you, minimally, could last a week.

Harmony batteries only, but replaceable.

 

[Rey]

Mine last about a week and yes the battery is replaceable

 

[NutFlush920]

Just ordered the Harmony 880 remote for $89.95 shipped and the PS3 adapter for $58.54 shipped. Total purchase was $148.49 for both. Went with eBay. Thanks for all the help. Can't wait to get it and begin playing with it.

Plus the wife was happy she got to use her ebates account to get almost $3 back. Not a big deal but +1 point for wife approval.

 

[jcrandall]

I use just an old Harmony 520, very basic, but works great. Have it run a projector, stereo, PS3, two HR20s, a bell box, component switch, and if I remember right, even the antenna rotor

 

[jtwex]

Mine last about a week and yes the battery is replaceable

About as easy as replacing our favorite teams players!

 

[ramimac]

I like my 550 it has a couple extra buttons at the bottom for my DVR.

That is the one dedicated buttons that these remotes are missing. but yes the 360 remote ooks very interesting as well

I have to change the batteries ever 3 to 4 months

 

[Rey]

I like my 550 it has a couple extra buttons at the bottom for my DVR.

That is the one dedicated buttons that these remotes are missing. but yes the 360 remote ooks very interesting as well

I have to change the batteries ever 3 to 4 months

but the 550 isn't rechargeable right? the 880 is rechargeable and the battery lasts about a week due to the color screen. my old 670 also lasted a few months but it was a simpler remote.

 

[jcrandall]

I have to change the batteries ever 3 to 4 months

My 520 is about like that, every 3 months or so.

 

[cybok0]

I have a harmony 520, I love it.

 

[jtwex]

Wish the RF feature worked on these; It would be fun creating macros that didn't require line of sight for your DVR. Until that gets worked out (if ever) will stick with my NFL remotes; The Bears & the Cards.

 

[Rey]

Wish the RF feature worked on these; It would be fun creating macros that didn't require line of sight for your DVR. Until that gets worked out (if ever) will stick with my NFL remotes; The Bears & the Cards.

BOOOOO!!!!

 

[wildbill129]

I have had the 880 and now the Harmony One. (dropped my 880 one to many times...) Love(d) them both. I bought my mom an 880 and my in-laws an 880. Neither are tech savvy. They love them too. Makes everything very easy. At Christmas time the 880 was at Costco for $89.00.

 

[sonydude1966]

My 880 volume up button stopped working after about a year (the warranty period). It appears this happens to a small amount of people where some of the most used buttons stop working. Logitech won't even talk to you if you're outside the warranty period, even though I think this is a defect in the hardware.

I just purchased a Harmony One, and paid $22 for a 3 year squaretrade warranty, so if anything happens, they will fix it or refund the purchase price. I have a second 880 that has been working great for over 1 year (knock on wood).

I love the Harmony's, as long as they keep working like they should. I think the 880's design was a little cramped in the number buttons. The Harmony One is much better, and more expensive ($200). But it replaced 5 remotes.