 "OK, but no miracle worker" | 2008-07-22 |
| - Reviewed By User: A2HTVVD57Y2V55 |
| I have had various universal remotes, and this is decent but wont solve all your problems. Plus the light broke after about a year, though they did replace it. Main problem is that the remote still doesnt know what the TV/Reciever/Sattelite is actually set to. So when inevitibly there is some timing issue or a command is missed, its all out of whack. And with IR its going to happen unless you point it at each device every time. Wish it was all RF. Also i still had to program keys on my remote. Critical keys for satellite DVR were not represented, especially the commercial skip |
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 "Frustrating programming" | 2007-06-02 |
| - Reviewed By fvansant |
| Be very careful with the initial programming of this device. If you need to change something later, you're SOL! It's now just sitting in a drawer... |
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 "Great remote, but mine had a memory error. Replaced with the 659." | 2007-04-06 |
| - Reviewed By vesperka |
I spent 6 hours and 37 minutes on the phone (includeds hold time) with Logitech support to figure out the issues I was having with the remote. Finally at one point it would no longer update. They diagnosed it as a bad internal memory and I sent it back to Amazon.
I ended up buying the H659 and have been happy with it, although the extra couple buttons (compared to the 628) are useless for my setup, so I spent an extra $20 more for nothing. To be fair, the time with support mentioned above included helping me getting minor problems worked out with the 659.
I will say this about Logitech support. I called 4 times, once for something minor, and the folks in their Tier 1 support in Las Vegas ALWAYS transferred me to Tier 2 support in Toronto. Vegas knows little and was of no value. Toronto on the other hand has a very polite and very sharp support staff. Omar and Melissa in particular were fantastic. My only complaint is I waited 2, 26, 42, & 51 minutes on hold waiting for Tier 2 to answer. Actually, the 2 minute wait was nothing, but the wait time averaged 30 minutes on hold over my four calls.
I'm now using the H659 and I'm happy with it's performance. I suspect the 628 could have made me just as happy if I had stuck with it. I think the memory issue is isolated so I didn't kill the product with a poor rating. |
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 "Excellent Universal Remote; good value for money" | 2007-04-05 |
| - Reviewed By User: A34G3Y5H64A7YM |
I had it luckly. I bought this remote from Amazon about 10 months ago when it was on sale for $49. What a catch.
So far, the remote has worked very well. It's been able to control multiple devices from Pioneer, Onkyo, Motorola (Comcast), Philips, Sony (including an old mini system) and now my macbook, no less (for Front Row). Setting up the remote can be challenging for the average non techie user. However, I found it extremely easy and was also able to play around with some custom settings. The most useful feature is that if you use just this remote, it remembers the state of all the devices you are using. So if you initially choose to watch TV - using your TV, A/V Receiver & Digital Set top box, and then switch to watching a DVD movie - using your TV, A/V Receiver and DVD player - it knows that your TV and A/V Receiver are already on, and all it does is, switch of the digital set top box, start up the DVD player, and switch inputs on the 'on' devices, as specified by you during setup. During setup, you have options like what device is used to control the volume e.g. TV or A/V Receiver. I have the default activities setup - Watch Movie (DVD), Watch TV (comcast), Listen to Music (CD) and other custom ones including - FM Radio, Satellite Radio (from Comcast), iTunes over Airport Express & Front Row from the MacBook. For the Front Row setup, I had to tell the remote that the MacBook was actually a Mac Mini (no big deal, since the functions of the remote remain the same).
The main thing to know up front is that Logitech expects you to know the model number of every device that you plan to control using this remote. Once you choose the manufacturer of the device, it provides you an example of the what the model number might look like.
Also, you have to make sure that you can point the remote in the general direction of all devices in a given activity. Sometimes you might find that one or more devices did not switch on, or some command did not get executed. The remote has a Help feature which asks you some yes/no questions to troubleshoot the issue; that works fine. The more the number of devices and commands in an activity, the longer you have to point the remote at all the devices since the commands are sent in a sequence. For older devices you might have to slow down the commands, or increase the gap between commands - the remote allows you to do this.
Last but not least, a feature I have not yet used is the learning capabilities of this remote. Should you have a device that is not in Logitech's database, you can always teach the remote different functions using the device's original remote and a step by step walkthrough using the Logitech Harmony Software.
I'm thrilled with this remote and would recommend this to anyone. |
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| "Waste of Money" | 2007-03-29 |
| - Reviewed By User: AO3FA8BI8ZRVK |
Want a harmony remote? SKIP THIS ONE. Pay extra. All this one does is turn on your TV, DVD player, and audio device. Then you have to put this remote down and pick up your TV, DVD player, and audio device remotes to get to half of the things you want to get to. Sure, this remote could change the screen aspect, if I dug through the LCD menu for 5 or 6 screens. Then I could dig through the LCD menu for 5 or 6 more screens to play the things saved on my DVR. 5 or 6 more LCD screens later I could set my tuner to the DVD inputs. Half the time I hit "Watch DVD" one of the 3 devices didn't turn on, so I'd hit "Watch DVD" again, at which time the third device would turn on, but then my TV would turn off.
Assuming you do get everything turned on and get the movie playing, you can fast forward, rewind, pause, play and all that fun stuff.... except for skipping to the next chapter or going back to the previous chapter. This really is a cheap harmony remote, and it shows.
My '3' key also was really warm all the time and I went through batteries like crazy. 100% sure that my remote was defective though.
I have friends with harmony remotes, but they have the more expensive $200+ models which have all the extra buttons I wanted. If you're getting a remote, spend a few (hundred) extra $. |
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| "Good Remote" | 2007-03-07 |
| - Reviewed By User: A3HB4HUJZ3I3J4 |
This is a good remote. I didn't find the set-up too hard, although it was a little more involved than I expected. The macro functions are outstanding: one button turns on all the right gear.
The battery life is really the only con I see with this remote. I change the batteries every 2 or 3 months it seems, which isn't that big of a deal, just kind of a hassle. |
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| "Better than 3 remotes but still has issues" | 2007-03-04 |
| - Reviewed By User: ALVNO4W0KU5V3 |
This remote is much better than using the 3 remotes I had to use and it is awesome that it determines what components to turn on and shut off but it still has 2 issues.
#1 Battery Life Sucks (2 months max)
#2 It often does not turn my speakers on, even after making adjustments in the options. To remedy this I must cycle through the help screen and then it will work.
i wonder if I upgrade to a better remote if I will still have issues like these 2.
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| "Amazon shipped returned, defective item" | 2007-01-18 |
| - Reviewed By User: A1XZP35201HCK0 |
| Found out from Logitech that item was previously bought from Amazon then resold by Amazon shortly afterward. Logitech only honors warrenty to original owners. Item was represented as NEW. BUYER BEWARE. |
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| "Excellent Remote" | 2007-01-12 |
| - Reviewed By mikeabear |
I picked this up on a reccomendation from a friend and it surpassed my expectations. Setting up and programming it requires a computer, and if you are not familiar with using your computer it may be a little tricky or confuing, but I found it very simple to set up. All of my components were available to program, anad every component is now on the remote, and it controls every function for every device. I have one from 5 remotes to one.
One of the great features is that you can simply press one button to watch TV or a DVD, and every component will turin on - sound, video, DVD - and they will all switch to the proper setting to watch TV or a DVD. It makes things extremely easy, and I love this remote. |
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| "Best remote I've used" | 2006-09-14 |
| - Reviewed By jordan_brown |
[ This is almost the same as my 676 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.
"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 628, mostly for comparison with other Harmony models:
- The Glow button has a different feel than the other buttons, making it easier to find in the dark. It should be *more* distinctive, but is better than the 676.
- 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 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.
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Expedited Available
