My poor old "Universal" remote (that costed me the amzing amount of 20$ several years ago) is, unfortunately, deceased. So I had a difficult choice to do, I could:
- buy a new one
- fetch all the thousands remotes that I have in my house
- use a long stick to push the buttons without moving from the chair
After a quick search for a stick long enough I went to the shop and bought a new remote.
I picked the Logitech Harmony.
The bit I really didn't liked about the old remote was the complexity of the programming stage. If you're lucky, the device you want to use is alreadu in the list of the devices that the remote knows, so you only need to program the "id" and that's it, but if you're unlucky the only way out is a very long, very boring session with all the remotes trying to "teach" the new remote all the possible commands from the original remote. And hope that you don't have to replace the battery too soon.
Logitech solve the problem using a huge database on the Internet that is constantly updated (they say) and allow you to program the device simply telling the producer and the device from the database and then loading the configuration in the remote using his software and a usb cable.
If you want, you can "personalize" the remote using the provided software (only for Windows and Mac of course).
Functions
The remote has enough button to confuse a Boeing pilot, more over, a number of "software" buttons are displayed in multiple "pages".
Obviously, you can personalize all the commands and all the buttons.
The keys can lighten up by simply picking the remote up, or by pressing a specific key.
Programming
The provided software allow you to create a "profile" that is stored somewhere on the Logitech system, so you don't need backup or simila. At least, until Logitech decide to keep the profile.
After that, you just pick your devices and load them in your remote. Believe it or not, I managed to find my old stereo, more than 10 years old.
Once programmed the various devices, it is possible to check each key before 'saving' the configuration and eventually repeate or tweak the configuration.
I really appreciated this functionality redefining the "volume" keys, so no matter which device I'm using (besides the stereo) they all control the tv set.
What I don't like
Software only for Windows/Mac... hallo????? Can we begin to have some support for linux?
The software looks waaaaay too much as a web page.
"Backup/Restore". The don't exists, the profile is only on the internet, this also means that you either have internet or you don't program the remote.
What I like
It works.
Davide Bianchi
17/07/2010 08:40
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