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Logitech Harmony 620 Universal Remote Control - Refurbished | 
| Brand: Logitech
Category: CE
List Price: $99.95
Buy New: $69.95
as of 9/10/2010 03:56 CDT details
You Save: $30.00 (30%)
New (1) Used (1) from $59.95
Rating:  3 reviews
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.9
Dimensions (in): 12.2 x 5.3 x 2.3
MPN: 996-000084
Model: 620
UPC: 097855062710
EAN: 0097855062710
ASIN: B00336Y8JC
Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours
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| Features:
| • | Controls up to 15 Audio/Video Components | | • | Backlit Keys | | • | Compatible with LCD Flat Panel Monitors | | • | Controls more than 5,000 brands | | • | Manage up to 12 components |
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| Editorial Reviews:
Product Description
* Supports over 5,000 brands and 200,000 devices
* Select your favorite activity right at your fingertips
* Online wizard guides you step-by-step through numerous features
* One-button activity control for added convenience
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| Customer Reviews:
 Okay remote, poor config software and worse customer support April 15, 2010
Andrew M. Somers (California)
2 out of 8 found this review helpful
First the good: the remote works well, and is fairly versatile. It can learn any IR device you have, and the online database of ready to go remotes is huge, so if you have lost your old remote, it is probably in the database for you.
The form factor is easy to hold and press the buttons with one hand. The keys are back lit, and the full color screen is easy to read.
It's rechargeable, and the remote cradle helps you keep track of where you left the remote!
Now the less than good:
A) The setup software leaves MUCH to be desired: UPDATE: Software still is very poor. below is my recent analysis of the poor software:
1) You cannot reorder the devices list - it is created in the order you create devices, and that is the order they appear on the remote. If you have more than 8 devices, then some will be on a second page on the remote screen - while it would be preferable to have certain "hot" devices on that main screen.
2) The database if full of commands that don't exist, and that end up on your list of commands for you to delete - and deleting commands, and moving commands around is tedious - in some cases there are 10 pages of "additional commands" on the remote to page through - and to delete them and reorder these commands is simply annoying.
2b) Database commands frequently don't work, and commands that should stream, don't stream. (I.e. continuous actuation).
3) When you try to create your own device, the software will push a device template on you that may or may not work well.
4) You cannot set "evergreen" commands. For instance, the volume +- should be work the receiver volume REGARDLESS what device is active. You can only make this happen as an "activity", and have to individually program it for each activity.
5) In general, the software is a bit clumsy to use - it's a Java based app, and therefore does not use the drag and drop functionality of the operating system (Windoze or Mac) - and leaves much to be desired.
6) You cannot assign commands to "stream" such that when you hold down a button, the command is continuously sent - this is allowed for volume, but for any other command, you have to pay Logitech $29.00 to set a command to stream.
A well designed application would allow for drag and drop command arrangement, setting evergreen keys (such as making volume and mute affect the receiver at all times), Assigning the order of devices both on the main device menu, and while a specific activity was active.
7) HORRIBLE SUPPORT. Absolutely useless. And if you ask questions on their user forum with even a hint that you may not like a feature, they will delete your account.
At vers 7.7 I'd think it would be a bit more customizable, but they are a long way from an easy to use and highly configurable product.
Here are the principal issues:
1) General cludgyness: the setup is so terribly long, involved and "Fisher-Price" simplified. It is annoying, cumbersome, slow, tedious, and limiting.
Specifically, adding and moving custom buttons, navigating through the "wizards" and trying to find where you have hidden some particular "option" is utterly aggravating. Seriously, you expect us to guess the difference from "Settings" or "Options" ??!?! - how unclear can you get?
"Customize buttons" is on the main activities page for activities, but buried in the "options" or "settings" page for devices. The inconsistency throughout the application is aggravating.
2) LACK OF CONTROL: you have designed the remote to function around "activities", yet they do not provide full control of activities. WHY? In order to have functions of a certain device available in an activity, then you have to add that device TO the activity.
3) CAN'T REORDER DEVICES (in or not in an activity). Okay, so you want us to program the device around activities - but as noted above, even then you do not have accurate control of devices added to an activity.
We need the ability to reorder devices when not in an activity, and reorder them separately if desired for each activity. they way you have it now, the devices move all over the place in seemingly random ways, and when you have more than 8 devices it is INCREDIBLY annoying to hunt and find them in some new location each time.
Random device positions? Yea, great idea. NOT. This is a horrid "feature"!!
4) BAD IR COMMAND DATABASE. Okay, here's a case of quantity does not equal quality. It seems like every user's custom programmed commands get stuck into this database. While this might be an easy way for you to "grow" your database, using the database becomes cumbersome at best. Moreover, many commands are mislabeled, or do not function as expected. It seems that mis-named commands get into the database and never get out.
Worse, for use users, there is no way to permanently edit the database to suit our particular device. In other words, we'd like to be able to make our own localized version of a particular device and customize the entire command list - this would not affect your main database, just our remote. This way, everytime we went to adjust the programming of our remote, we wouldn't have to scroll through the hundreds of useless commands that do not apply to our device.
5) IR COMMAND LEARNING LIMITATIONS. Yes, you can learn new commands. But you have little control over those commands.
For instance, on original remotes, some commands will "stream" a commands when you hold a button down. With harmony, you seem to be able to do that only with volume. A serious deficiency.
The only way to get the remote to stream commands is to PAY customer service ($29.00 as of this writing) to set a command to stream - after spending hundreds on a remote, this is ludicrous. There should be an option to stream any command, but again, tis is left out of the software.
6) CAN'T SAVE SETUPS. Right, so we make a mistake, but after we re-configure, there is no way to "get back" to a previous programmed state.
7) MUST BE ONLINE. If order to program your remote, you must be online, and you cannot work offline to program or configure the remote. Why? why should I have to be online for a learning remote? You should allow for offline configuration, learning, saving, etc.
SUMMARY OF FEATURES THAT ARE NEEDED:
For the config software: Put all settings for a device in ONE place, under ONE menu. Stop spreading config pages all over the place.
Consistency: Chose one term, "settings" OR "options" and stick with it. Put related settings in the same relative place throughout the application.
Allow for direct settings controls instead of cumbersome wizards.
Allow devices in activities to NO CHANGE STATE when entering that activity.
Allow device reordering, both outside of activities, and in each activity.
Allow deleting IR commands for a device.
Allow "stream" commands (like volume) but for any command (selection choice).
Be able to "save as" setups, to store previous configurations.
Be able to work offline.
Final comment:
Seriously, it's 2010 - these things should be self evident. It seems instead that Logitech hired programmers that got fired from Microsoft. Poor implementation, and other much more feature rich remotes out there - I am sorry i made this purchase, and I refuse to ever buy another Logitech product. My encounters with the utterly abysmal tech support have left me less than satisfied.
 Harmony Remotes - Spouse approved February 14, 2010
R. Hoffman (USA)
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
I bought a 670 remote for my wife last year with the hopes it would simplify the multimedia center I had pieced together. I was regularly getting calls where I had to walk her through the 4 remotes it took to operate a TV, DVD, DVR and audio system. The 670 has more than made up for the cost. Now my wife presses WATCH TV and the remote does the rest. WATCH a MOVIE sets up the TV, DVD and surround system. I even added an older PC (remote does not operate the PC) which allows me to surf on the big screen. The 670 sets the TV and sound system for the PC input. I simplified the living room system when we set up a multimedia room and moved the 670 there. I now have to go hunting for the remote as my wife prefers it to the one that came with the DVR. Yes, I will be getting another Logitech Harmony. The remote is programmed via a PC program. You first set up the devices you will be controlling, so you will need model numbers. The software accesses a web based database and installs the correct controls. Then you set up activities (watch TV, Watch a Movie etc). The software walks you through a series of questions that set up the activity. Initial setup does take some time to get perfect. I went through about 10 iterations before my wife and I were happy with all controls. Changes are simple, though so getting it right the first time is not a big deal. I set one up for my sister also, and she also really appreciates the convenience. What I have not figured out, is the advantages of the much higher priced Logitech remotes. This one does everything I need for it to do.
 Troubling Setup with Sony Bravia TV February 11, 2010
R. Floyd (Simpsonville, SC United States)
I consider myself at least semi- tech savvy. However, I'm having great difficulty getting this remote to work properly with my Sony Bravia KDL46s5100 TV. The problem is the input selection. The controller simply will NOT put the TV on the correct input when I select an activity such as DVD, Gaming, DVR, etc. I believe the controller gets confused by the fact that inputs on the TV are NOT selectable if they have no signal (*update: turns out I can change this in my TV's options).
If I find a way to reliably use this controller, the rating will go up. So far, though, I'm out of luck. I've exhausted the troubleshooting described in the controller's software and I have spent several hours on Google trying to find an answer.
If you have any advice for me, please share. So far, though, I heavily regret buying this controller.
Other than this (HUGE) problem, the remote looks very sharp. Ergonomic, nicely weighted, backlit . . . no complaints other than the fact Sony and Logitech seem to not get along.
edit: Ok, I found a work-a-round to my problem regarding the input selection. There are some "hidden" controller functions that will force my tv to go directly to a given input instead of scrolling through a list. This is much more reliable. It troubles me that I pretty much discovered this on my own after hours and hours of tinkering. I don't know why the way I set this controller up to work properly has to be a "hidden secret" and not something covered in the controller setup software or troubleshooting guides. Nice controller (after you get it working). Setup could be a little easier. I love the freedom from my previous mess of 4 controllers, but don't expect the "breeze" of a setup logitech promises. A week later and I still need some further tweaks to my DVR functions.
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