I am talking about Logitech Harmony remotes. Even my wife can control our TV with one of these. If you have more than just rabbit ears hooked up to your TV, you will enjoy having a Harmony remote.
One of these remotes can replace all remotes in one room. We use the Harmony One remote (pictured above). The magic of Harmony remotes are how they are organized into activities. Once programmed you simply push, for example, "watch tv" and it turns on the tv, satellite receiver, audio receiver and tunes them all to the correct input. Then the channel and menu buttons control the satellite, the volume buttons control the receiver, and the power button turns everything back off, all on one remote. While in the "play Xbox 360" activity, the same buttons will now control the TV, receiver and Xbox. Nobody ever regrets purchasing a Harmony.
As an example, we have the following devices:
-TV
-audio receiver
-satellite receiver
-Xbox 360
-Wii
-media PC
Activities programmed into our Harmony are:
-Watch Satellite TV
-Use Xbox 360
-Use media PC
-Watch Broadcast TV
-Use Wii
-Use front input
-Listen to radio
The Wii and PC don't have infrared ports, so they have to be turned on and controlled their normal way. We still don't have to remember their inputs and we do use the remote to control the volume.
Programming is done using the included Logitech software and an internet connection. Devices you have are selected and the software goes through a wizard to help you set up the activities. This will be the last time you (or your frustrated spouse) have to remember which inputs are required on your TV and receiver, and the other remotes can be put away. Any button on the remote can be customized to send any signal to whichever device is appropriate, but the software wizard will create activities that are fully functional automatically. "Soft buttons" are located next to the screen so it can be programmed to display the name of those buttons, which can include multiple pages to control any and all functions desired.
New electronics generally have more control options than are even available on your included remote. For example, our TV remote has a "next input" button, but the Harmony remote has the ability to switch it directly to any input it wants, from whatever input it is on. It will switch it from "TV" straight to "HDMI2," for example, if the activity you choose requires that. Also, if the TV is already on the remote will send "power on" and the tv won't do anything. An older TV will not function perfectly with the Harmony remote, and the below compatibility website will tell you this. If your TV can be mounted on a wall, it is probably Harmony ready. The Harmony remote uses the infrared receivers your devices already have. An infrared repeater can be used if all your devices aren't in the same location in your room (not required).
Click below to use the website Logitech created to show you how compatible your devices are before you buy a Harmony remote: (this is the same device list you will use to program the remote.)
Look up your compatibility:
myremotesetup.com
Do yourself a favor and click below to treat yourself a Harmony remote, for $40-$90 less than retail. Sometimes a lower end, fully functional Harmony is available for $35, I'll keep an eye out. The Harmony remotes without a screen do not function like this article has described, they cannot be programmed with activities.
Harmony 650- Color screen, $59.49
Harmony 700- rechargeable with a USB cable $78.33
Harmony One- Touch screen, rechargeable with a USB cable or included cradle $156.52
Infrared repeater (not required) $34.95
