Bino,
Thanks for the shout.
OK, I think I have it. Pronto is too expensive.
Look at Harmony; except maccrawj does not care for Logitech.
That is my read ATM. Some $$$ and personal bias bashing is going on.
Fine. This I expect here.
At this point I am frightened to do anything.
I will continue with this thread....
Duncan


Bino Gopal wrote:
Duncan, I can't say for sure but there should be no reason to get a Pronto
or anything that expensive; and a lot of maccrawj's complaints seemed to be
about the Pronto specifically (please correct me if I'm wrong), and that's
the old tech; even the 1000 is a bit old now.

Anyway, the Harmony One (~$250; online it was $175 from Amazon and I got
Best Buy to price match that; YMMV) should do everything you need and at
that price point is very attractive.  There are lesser Harmonys out there
that could also work fine too; any of those should do you good.  As Anthony
said, it's easy to set up and you have better things to do than spend time
fiddling with remote codes.  Here's the link to the Harmony One on Amazon
($199 now):

http://www.amazon.com/Logitech-Harmony-Advanced-Universal-Remote/dp/B00119T6
NQ

Read the reviews there; those should give you a good idea of what to expect
too.  HTH.

                                                        BINO


-----Original Message-----
From: hardware-boun...@hardwaregroup.com
[mailto:hardware-boun...@hardwaregroup.com] On Behalf Of DSinc
Sent: Saturday, August 29, 2009 12:50 PM
To: hardware@hardwaregroup.com
Subject: Re: [H] Universal remotes?

OK. Perhaps I misunderstood. Is there some other choice between Pronto and Harmony? Yes, the Pronto is still very pricey to my view...... :)
Duncan


tmse...@rlrnews.com wrote:
No, if your going to spend like that, grab a harmony 1000.  At less then
$500, nothing compares.

Sent via BlackBerry
-----Original Message-----
From: DSinc <dx7...@bellsouth.net>

Date: Sat, 29 Aug 2009 12:17:55 To: <hardware@hardwaregroup.com>
Subject: Re: [H] Universal remotes?


Understand S.A.F. I do not have this worry, but I am living with 6 remotes. Plus I have none of the modern conveniences and media channels that most on this list use. I still have yet to select an AV Rcvr.

I get the impression that there are 2 strong camps here; Logitech Harmony and the older Pronto. Everything else is futz? Am I close?
I do so recall years ago when Pronto was ~$1K. Hope it is cheaper now.

Interesting thread. Thanks,
Duncan


tmse...@rlrnews.com wrote:
Waf trumps everything, I completely agree. Sent via BlackBerry
-----Original Message-----
From: Brian Weeden <brian.wee...@gmail.com>

Date: Sat, 29 Aug 2009 11:01:04 To: <hardware@hardwaregroup.com>
Subject: Re: [H] Universal remotes?


And the spousal value cannot be understated.

---------------------------
Brian Weeden
Technical Advisor
Secure World Foundation <http://www.secureworldfoundation.org>
Montreal Office
+1 (514) 466-2756 Canada
+1 (202) 683-8534 US


On Sat, Aug 29, 2009 at 9:38 AM, Anthony Q. Martin
<amar...@charter.net>wrote:
None of these reasons impacts me in the least little bit.  It took all
of
30 minutes to set my Harmony One up for control my stuff and free me
from
constant remote hell. If I never need something in particular not on the
user-community provided menus I can grab the device remote.  I have
plenty
of better things to do than spent my time fiddling with codes and
macros.

maccrawj wrote:

Suggestion: Run away from Harmony!

When Logitech bought them out they removed all advanced direct access
to
the remotes programming code. End result is you are at their mercy when
it
comes to getting codes that don't exist in their "community support"
database (read: added by other endlusers by ir learning & interpreted
by
logitech) add short of ir learning or calling TS to add a pronto code.

Top ten reasons why Harmony sucks:

10. Not all codes in DB & many don't match their labeled function.

9. No user exposed Pronto Code support, so Code not in DB & no original
remote = frakked, call TS beg them to add by PC.

8. Painstaking PITA "activity based" system vs. simple devices &
macros.
7. No real macro support.

6. Slow as molasses doing batches of commands that starting/stopping
"activities" issue.

5. *one* **online** copy of configured remote, no revisions or backups.

4. Programming "client" is a disguised Gecko web browser, leading to
various issues: 5min "idle" timeout w/o warning, 1990's era HTML
forms/buttons vs. Web 2.0, poor process flow, tedious button/device
management, internet needed to program, etc...

3. Arbitrary limitations on what buttons can be assigned device
functions
like sound + buttons only being usable for display & audio device, not
the
device serving them the signal; this despite being able to assign those
under device mode setup which you loose in activity mode.

2. Zero interest on Logitech's part to address valid user issues with
interface, function, and ability to offline program; A forum base of
volunteer kool-aid drinkers with their finger poised on the ban button
for
dissenters.

1. Expensive "rental" since the programming software is 100% on their
web
server so they can switch to something new when it suits them leaving
support in the dust like they did mkb+mice with itouch/mouseware.

Sound angry? You bet, go read the forums before you drink the kool-aid!
JP1 universals still offer way more flexibility & direct access to
solutions
at a lower price point with open source programming software & strong
community support.  For that matter real Pronto remotes are light years
ahead & in same price range as fancy Harmony's.


To be fair I have the Costco marketed low-end 6xx model, about $50 that
I
am still struggling to like mostly because it has a nice programmable 6
button LCD that my JP1 remote lacks. If the offline programming
capable
hacked open source softwares ever mature or Logitech wakes up, then I'd
recommend it with slight reservation as it still can't have it's
firmware
functionality end-user extended like JP1's can.

Sorry for long post but Logitech irks me on many levels!




Bobby Heid wrote:

Hey,


I'm looking at getting a universal remote.  What do you all like in
the
way
of remotes?


I was looking at the Logitech Harmony SST 659, 690, and 880 models.
Any
suggestions?





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