Harmony 659 remote $60 AR

[allisolm]

Link

CompUSA has the Logitech Harmony 659 universal remote for $129.99 less $40 instant savings less $30 mfr MIR.

As far as I am concerned there are no better universal remotes than Harmony. I have the 659 and, aside from the slightly awkward placement of the ff & play buttons I love it.

Setup through your computer, excellent customer support, one button to push in order to watch DVDs, one button to listen to CDs, one button to watch TV, etc. All your home theater equipment controlled from one remote with one button activation.

 

[fatpat268]

Man, I should've picked one up on woot when they were $45 yesterday

 

[allisolm]

Originally posted by: fatpat268
Man, I should've picked one up on woot when they were $45 yesterday

Or at least told the rest of us about it.

 

[F1Fish]

Will any Harmony control 2 TVs and 2 receivers.

 

[Staples]

Yes they will control many many devices. These remote controls are great. I have had a 659 for several years.

 

[kenji4life]

it was a refurb

 

[jimbofoxman]

This should go with my new Sony 60" just fine and my future DVD and Receiver. Thanks for spending my money again guys!

 

[Rage187]

thanks!
needed one for my father in law

 

[javabrak]

Anybody try this with a Xbox 360? Would the Logitech Harmony Xbox 360 Remote be the better choice? It'd save me around $20 if 659 is comparable.

 

[Staples]

This control will work fine with the Xbox 360. The only advantage to the Harmony Xbox remote is the layout is suited for the A,b,x,y buttons.

I use my 659 for the Xbox.

 

[jpr99]

What about the XBox 360 HD DVD player. Can this remote with that?

 

[allisolm]

Originally posted by: jpr99
What about the XBox 360 HD DVD player. Can this remote with that?

"The Harmony Remote has access to the largest online database of devices. This means that it will support all brands of Televisions, Projectors, Monitors, Amplifiers, Stereo Receivers, Audio/Video Switches, Channel Decoders, Cable Boxes, Satellites, Digital Set Top Boxes, Video Recorders, VCRs, PVRs, TV/VCR Combos, DVDs, DVD Recorders, Laserdisc Players, DVD/VCR Combos, CD Players, CD Jukeboxes, Digital Music Servers, Game Consoles, Mini Systems, Computers, Microsoft Windows XP Media Center Edition PC, Laptops, Tape Decks, Light Controllers, Minidisc Players, DATs and more! There is even a specific activity for the Harmony Remote that integrates your Microsoft Windows XP Media Center Edition PC with your entire entertainment system.''

 

[erwin1978]

Can I use that in Windows Media Center to watch TV or any other TV tuner for my PC?

 

[lupi]

I am interested in this, but how does it do for those smaller functions on actual item remotes that most universal remotes don't duplicate. I know my cable dvr/hd box has several like that as well as each of my HD TVs have some different setup type buttons.

 

[Rage187]

Originally posted by: lupi
I am interested in this, but how does it do for those smaller functions on actual item remotes that most universal remotes don't duplicate. I know my cable dvr/hd box has several like that as well as each of my HD TVs have some different setup type buttons.

it's fully programmable.

I use it with my comcast HDDVR and it works great.

If there was a button I was missing, I just said in the programming(done on the computer through a UI) to replicate the function to a button that I wasn't using.

Example

Strech
Pg Up
Pg Down
A
B
C
On Demand

I mapped all the above to buttons that weren't in use while it was set to DVR.

All the usual DVR commands like play,ffwd,rec used the buttons already on the remote for play,ffwd,rec.

 

[Imported]

Does this come with something to control your PC with? Or will I have to buy an external receiver of some sort?

 

[abre]

The Harmony remotes are good for controlling a setup with lots of components, one of which could be a PC. To control your PC with a remote, you'd need an IR receiver on the PC. A good bargain for that is the OEM MCE Remote w USB Receiver. You can pick these up on sale for less than $30. It comes with a remote, which you could use or toss depending on if you buy the Harmony.

The benefit of the Harmony is that you can program "activities". For example, "Watch TV" would know to set the TV to input 2, the stereo to optical 1, the cable box on, etc...at the touch of one button. If you just want to control your PC, the MCE Remote might be good enough. It also has two IR blasters which send IR commands out to do things like change channels on your set top box. It also works under Windows MCE and Linux (MythTV).

I own both and use them in separate rooms. They are both great products.

 

[lupi]

Assuming this one is better than the 550?

 

[abre]

Originally posted by: lupi
Assuming this one is better than the 550?

In terms of functionality, they are probably the same. The only difference is where the buttons are located. I actually have the 676, which looks more like the 659. The 880 is the one to get, but you probably won't find it for $60 and once again the only real difference is the form factor/button layout. Other than where the buttons are located, they are all capable of the same functionality.

 

[HardWired]

I've never owned a remote such as these but in researching them, the big difference as I understand it (and why the much higher cost of the 880) is due to the fact is that it uses RF (radio freq.) as compared to IR (infra-red) on the lower cost models. Actually I think the 880 is a dual unit in that it uses both RF and IR to control devices. The big advantage to RF is the ability to control your components from a different room and through walls. IR alone though is purely line of sight, so you need to be in the same room and usually pointing right at (or in the general direction of) the equipment you're trying to control.

Something to consider...

 

[ric1287]

Originally posted by: HardWired
I've never owned a remote such as these but in researching them, the big difference as I understand it (and why the much higher cost of the 880) is due to the fact is that it uses RF (radio freq.) as compared to IR (infra-red) on the lower cost models. Actually I think the 880 is a dual unit in that it uses both RF and IR to control devices. The big advantage to RF is the ability to control your components from a different room and through walls. IR alone though is purely line of sight, so you need to be in the same room and usually pointing right at (or in the general direction of) the equipment you're trying to control.

Something to consider...

the 890 does rf, the 880 is just a "souped" up version of the 6XX series with a color screen, rechargeable battery cradle, and 2x the price.

 

[Cheapest]

My local CompUSA in SD CA does not except advertize form COMPUSA. They told me they are now own by liquidator and partial COMPUSA therefore all advertize item won't work on the COMPUSA store!


This way the employees from COMPUSA will stay longer instead of sooner!

 

[niji1875]

The remote is useful!in for one.

 

[Rage187]

Originally posted by: Cheapest
My local CompUSA in SD CA does not except advertize form COMPUSA. They told me they are now own by liquidator and partial COMPUSA therefore all advertize item won't work on the COMPUSA store!


This way the employees from COMPUSA will stay longer instead of sooner!

wha?

this hurt my head to read.