Logitech Harmony 650 Remote (Silver)

I struggled with trying to find a universal remote that would work with my home office Onkyo stereo, plus have the buttons that I need for our Cox DVR. I had resorted to just having two remotes because, although the Onkyo remote is pretty good, it lacked the buttons for the DVR guide and recorded shows. And hours spent on the Internet could not produce a reliable code for the Cox DVR remote to control the volume on the Onkyo stereo.I had heard that the Harmony remotes were good, but I had no intentions of paying $70 or more for a universal remote when I can get one at Wal-Mart for $20. However, after purchasing another Onkyo for our main living room, I finally broke down and purchased the Logitech 650 for the living room.The remote is great looking, and it's actually a little slimmer than the Cox DVR remote that we were used to using. I glanced through the manual (not much there), connected the remote to my computer, registered with Logitech, and downloaded the software. So far, pretty painless. I had already gathered the model numbers from the equipment I wanted to program in, so if you do this ahead of time it will let you focus on your remote instead of jumping up and down to go get it. So away I went, adding the devices. The software did a fantastic job of seeing what I put in, and even recognized the newly purchased Roku that Santa delivered for Christmas.One thing to understand is that the remote does two things - it controls an activity, and it controls a device. The device is just that - a device (such as a TV, stereo, etc.). An activity is what you want to do, such as "watch a movie", or "watch TV". You create an activity by picking the devices that are involved, plus the settings that each should be turned to. For instance, if your TV needs to be on Input 1, and your stereo needs to be on Video 1, then you program the remote that way. So when you hit "watch TV", it automatically sets it for you.Although I'm a computer geek, it took a little poking around to get what I needed set up. But the software is not that complicated, so don't be afraid of it. All in all, it was pretty easy to set up. After some final tweaking, I was satisfied that everything worked - including the audio on the Onkyo!What I didn't really "get" is that you should primarily use the remote to control "activities". I was using it to control the "devices". So while I would use the device button to get to my DVR, then my volume wouldn't work until I went back and chose the Onkyo. Sure, the audio worked, but it was a bit frustrating clicking around just to turn the volume up and down! I finally got so frustrated that I started to fill out a return request from Amazon. However, I stopped to do some more research. "Why would they do this?" I thought. I came across a question in the Logitech forum that was similar to my issues. One of the people comments said to use the "Activities" on the remote 95% of the time, and the devices if you need something in particular. When I approached it that way, everything started making since. Using the software, you can actually take an activity and customize every single button on the remote to do what you want on whatever device you want it to - as long as you are using the remote to control an "Activity". And really, there is no reason not to use it that way. With the devices you have selected for the activity, you have a lot of different options for control!Since figuring that out, I have fallen in love with this remote. Even my wife - who was very hesitant with using it - has now commented that even she loves it. Since this controlled my Onkyo stereo (which I struggled with for a long time), I decided to purchase another Harmony remote for my home office. This time, I chose the cheaper Logitech 300. That remote did not have the Activities feature like the 650, and instead relied more on the devices. While it controlled everything I had - including another Onkyo stereo, the Activities on the 650 really do make sense, and make things so much easier. So after 2 days with the Harmony 300, I DID return it to Amazon for a refund. And I turned right around and ordered a second Logitech 650.This time, it took about 15 minutes to have everything up and running properly, including a Western Digital HD TV. Prior to that, I would need to "touch" 3 remotes to use it!The next model higher was quite a bit more expensive, which is why I took a chance on this one (twice). And I'm not sorry I did. I highly recommend this remote!

--- I went through several of these once I got the first one set up properly. They worked well, but are not very durable. I've been using the Harmony One for over a year now and would never go back, plus, had I bought it straight away it would have been cheaper than three of these!*****************************************Original Review of Harmony 650 followsLogitech REALLY SHOULD hire some good, young programmers to clean up their interface and to train their tech "support" staff.After reading numerous other reviews, even though I'm fairly computer literate, I assigned the programming to my son the techie. He says the layout of their programming matrix was strange to navigate, but that once he had figured out exactly what we wanted our components to do as they worked together for various operations it was going along all right.Then he encountered a spot where Logitech had filled space with what was supposed to be "random" code, which would be over-written during the user programming sequence. Trouble is, it wasn't random enough. It inadvertently created a command for a particular (and indispensable) function (note: this apparently applied only to specific combinations of controlled components). When he tried to overwrite it, it wouldn't allow him to do so, because there was already a command there. He called "tech support" in the US and England. They were no help whatsoever.A Google search helped him figure out what had happened (apparently a few other other people have encountered the issue -- it's rare, but vexing, and tech "support" should know of it and be able to help consumers resolve it) and led him to a third party (not Logitech) program which would erase the erroneous code so that he could re-install a clean copy of the firmware. Once that hurdle was cleared, programming was fairly straight-forward, if poorly explained.Now that the unit is up and running, I never want to be without it. Simple one touch start up and shutdown for any function, good ergonomics, and thankfully NO rechargeable battery with cradle. When something glitches (usually because we don't hold the controller where it can "see" all the components, or point it at the system for the requisite several seconds) it guides us painlessly through corrective action.I will forward a copy of this review to Logitech. If they respond, I'll post their response here, too.The product is truly 5-star in every way. The set-up software and tech support are badly flawed. Were they not, this would be an unabashedly gushing, 5 star review.Recommendation:Buy it, you'll love it once you're using it, BUT,1. Set aside at least an hour for programming this thing.2. BEFORE YOU BEGIN, have a complete listing of every component you want to control, by Brand name and Model number.Make a COMPLETE listing of where EVERY setting needs to be for a particular function to occur (for example, to watch a DVD, whichHDMI Port should the TV be set on? Will sound be played through your stereo? If so, which function (in my case, "AUX").3. If you hit a wall, find a neighbor kid who is technically adept and show him this review. Get him some sodas (or, if he's 21and you want to be His Friend Forever, some GOOD beer). Get out of the way while he fixes it, but be available to answer anyquestions he may have.