Logitech Harmony 688 Remote Control [Archive]

fish

11-21-2004, 11:22 PM

Our Marantz home theater remote control is on it's last legs, so it's time to replace it with another universal remote to control our home theater.

I've been looking at the Logitech Harmony 688, and it has garnered some very positive reviews. Does anybody have one of these remotes? Is it as good as cnet says it is? The price is right, compared to a lot of the other remotes with similar capabilities. I really like the idea of being able to plug it into a USB port and program it via a web interface.

kbasa

11-22-2004, 01:26 PM

Our Marantz home theater remote control is on it's last legs, so it's time to replace it with another universal remote to control our home theater.

I've been looking at the Logitech Harmony 688, and it has garnered some very positive reviews. Does anybody have one of these remotes? Is it as good as cnet says it is? The price is right, compared to a lot of the other remotes with similar capabilities. I really like the idea of being able to plug it into a USB port and program it via a web interface.

Oh man. I've got four or five remotes hanging around our living room right now. It'd be nice to plug them all into one nice control. If it handled Tivo, I'd be even happier.

username

11-22-2004, 01:46 PM

have you considered all the options? a quick survey of techbargains (you do look at techbargains (http://www.techbargains.com) each day, don't you?!) shows two decent remotes. one a sony, one a phillips. the phillips will give you lots of flexibility, which can be fun, or a nightmare, depending on nerdy you are. these are good prices for these devices.

Sony RM-AV2100 = ~$60 @ ecost.

Philips TSU500 Pronto NEO Universal Remote $133 @ amazon.

BradfordBenn

11-22-2004, 05:51 PM

I have programmed my iPaq to be my remote.

However a good learning remote like the Logitech might sway me. Of course there is always the esoterica (http://www.lexicon.com/products/overview.asp?ID=5) for $2000 if you really want to go gucci.

fish

11-23-2004, 12:10 AM

I have programmed my iPaq to be my remote.

However a good learning remote like the Logitech might sway me. Of course there is always the esoterica (http://www.lexicon.com/products/overview.asp?ID=5) for $2000 if you really want to go gucci.

It's not just a learning remote. You program it via the web. No codes. No matching IR windows.

And yes kbasa, it handles Tivo. Damn you for planting that seed. :brow

BradfordBenn

11-23-2004, 05:36 PM

Well if it handles TiVo, it is a winner. Fish you must get one. I have two and my wife has one... They ROCK!

fish

11-23-2004, 11:30 PM

Well if it handles TiVo, it is a winner. Fish you must get one. I have two and my wife has one... They ROCK!

It's on its way. :D

BradfordBenn

11-24-2004, 11:58 AM

I was talking abou the TiVo.

CustomSarge

12-02-2004, 02:01 PM

Back in '97 I ran across a C program that uses the serial port of a laptop with a little module. You can teach it any devices' commands. Then build scripts to run commands, or sequences of them, from the keyboard, or as timed events. You then execute whatever script you need at the time. Kinda clunky interface for script writing, but it can do pretty much whatever you can think up. I just wish the laptop I use for it had more keys. Toss an email if you're interested in a "propeller head" solution, I don't remember it costing much. <<<)))