Customer Reviews

Logitech Harmony 890 Advanced Universal Remote Control

5 star:		(251)
4 star:		(159)
3 star:		(56)
2 star:		(41)
1 star:		(116)

 

 

UPDATE: I've just upgraded to the Harmony 1000, and talk about fantastic. Nice, easy to read screen and hard buttons, especially if you need glasses to read. Well worth the added price (since the RF receiver isn't bundled with the 1000).

---

3 years ago, I purchased my first Harmony remote, the 768. At the time, I wrote that it was the best universal remote, bar none. I've since purchased a Harmony 668 for another setup, and have recommended various Harmony remotes to my friends. It was now time for me to update my home system.

Based on the numerous reviews, many over a year old, I was hesitant to give the Harmony 890 a try. I'm glad that I did! With the latest Harmony Software and firmware updates (which are automatically installed the first time you connect your devices), my experience has been excellent. And Amazon's price is outstanding - the same that local "discount" chains are selling the non-RF capable model.

I have had no problems configuring both the 890 remote and RF wireless extender under Mac OS X (Intel and PPC) and Windows XP clients. Clearly this is a different experience from the early adopters who bought this a year ago.

Some background - I'm an electronics geek and audiophile. My system is complex, and with more components (12) than the average home setup. In my opinion, if the Harmony can be configured to control all aspects of my environment, then it should handle any configuration as long as you have the patience to work through Harmony's setup wizards and lack of adequate documentation.

Initial setup is easy - install the Harmony software, connect and register, connect your devices (firmware will be automatically updated) and then specify what components you have, and what activities you want them to be in. If that's all you need to configure, there's not much work.

In my instance, I wanted all aspects to be controlled - changing sound modes on the amplifier depending on input source, switching to the optimal input on the TV monitor, controlling all component functions on the remote. This takes some time, and some learning through the sometimes quirky Harmony wizards. But in time, I was successful.

As I've mentioned in my past review of the 768, one of the real differentiators of the Harmony remotes is their ability to intelligently understand the STATE of various devices, and what commands are needed to establish a setting. For example, they will remember if your TV was last ON or OFF, what input it was set to, etc. For some devices, without separate settings for On/Off, or for selecting inputs, this is a lifesaver. And if the remote ever gets out of sync, you can just hit the Help button and it will prompt you through.

The included RF wireless receiver is great capability, allowing you to control devices in separate rooms without a line-of-sight from the remote to the components. However, I would recommend against using the RF receiver at first. Instead, configure the remote for all of your devices using the IR commands. Then, add the RF receiver and change your inputs. (See my separate review of the Logitech Harmony RF receiver for complete details).

Although the screen isn't very large, it is easy to read, providing 8 selections per screen. I prefer the Harmony 890's use of physical buttons to the touchscreen-only approach of other remotes, which force you to look at the screen each time.

Also a nice touch, the Harmony 890 has a motion sensor that will turn on the backlight when you pick up the remote.


There areas that could be improved:

> The included documentation is almost useless. Logitech attempts to be user friendly but in the process it ends up being so oversimplified it is of little use.

> Some remote commands (for example, the sound mode settings on my Sony receiver) cannot be learned except in "RAW" mode. This is not the standard Learning mode, and I only found it by searching various online forums.

> The Mac OS X client software can sometimes lose "focus", where it will stop responding to the keyboard (for example, for naming a learned command, renaming an activity, etc). It is easily worked around - just quit and restart the Harmony client software.

> The Harmony client software has a resizeable window, but the actual content doesn't adjust to fit the window size. this is annoying when setting up custom button settings.

> Once you add the RF receiver to your configuration, you must always plug it in and update it, even when you make a minor change that shouldn't affect the RF receiver. I'd recommend placing it (and plugging it to a power source) where it is easy to disconnect/reconnect from your system.

> You can only define 16 favorite channels for a TV activity. This would seem to be an easy change for Logitech (the remote itself is not limited to 2-screenfuls of information).

> The buttons are laid out for appearance not ergonomics. If you have trouble reading without glasses, it may be tough to read the labels on this remote.

Even with these limitations, I still give this a 5-star recommendation, and would recommend it without reservations.


Some tips:
1) Make sure you let the Harmony software update the remote AND the wireless RF receiver to the latest firmware

2) Remove the RF receiver from your initial setup, and configure for IR only. Once you're satisfied with all your settings and configurations, then it is simple to add the wireless RF receiver.

3) Configure the RF receiver to send commands to a specific channel (there are 4 different channels with 2 IR emitters on each wire) to minimize interference and improve performance. But, make sure if you do this that you label the IR emitter wires!

4) Harmony now has a Media Center device profile for the AppleTV. The trick is that you need to assign Volume Up to the Direction Up key, Volume Down to the Direction Down key, and Play to the Select key. When you do, the Harmony can control the AppleTV, even with the RF receiver, properly repeating commands to accelerate through the AppleTV menus. The profile is even smart enough to send the PowerOff sequence (hold down Play for 5 seconds).

5) If a learned command doesn't work, click on the "Custom" button at the bottom of the Learn IR screen, and then try to learn the command in "RAW" mode.

6) If you search the internet for "Harmony Remote icons" you can find several sites where people have gone through the work of creating custom icons for the Favorite Channels. This is something that Logitech should provide themselves, but they don't.

UPDATE: I have changed out the following components Receiver, TV, DVD player, and added an XBox. I had an issue with the craptaculor operation of the cable box ( powering it on and off was difficult due to DVR settings: late night recording ) so I sent an email off to customer support. Two days later (Logitech could have been faster) and the fix was there under devices. Just leave it on all the time. It has codes for things factory remotes don't do!!!! For instance on my Roku Soundbridge 1000 all the Internet Radio stations can be accessed directly and there is a last server command which basically lets me switch between internet radio and PC music with a single button press vs menus and navigating. Essentiall it's made the system more pleasurable to with. I may even buy a spare JIC someone breaks this one!!! Incredible experience!!!

I read all the negative review and became VERY wary of purchasing. I decided due to go with the Harmon due to the price (relatively cheap) and no clear runaway reason to go with another Universal remote to give this one a try. Boy am I glad I did that because it's GREAT once you get it programmed. There are 4 caveats!

#1 The CD included is a travesty wayyyyyyyyyyyy out of date. Don't bother with it just go the the Logitech site and download their software/drivers. It's slow and you need a fast connection because the firmware update is 50mb and you need to update both controller and base station before programming.

#2 IMO you don't need to be that computer savy but Mac users seem to have more issues than PC users I believe that is because Logitech's Mac support is poor.

#3 This is simply a two day process. The remote needs to charge over night before getting started. This is NOT well explained (if at all) in the instructions. The remote can not be powered by the USB connection so it has to be charged. I tried using a different mini-USB cable BAD IDEA!!! Use the included cable.

#4 Updating/reprogramming the remote requires that you update BOTH the base station and the Remote Control. If you're doing a big install be patient don't hide the base station at first and if you can get the programming down with the base as an IR blaster first before using the 4 prs of IR emmitters. getting to the Base that often would be tedious.

After all that why 5 stars? It's perfect after that. Simply perfect and WAYYYY cheaper than a cusom Pronto or Universal Remote (that'll set you back 1k with programming) from some expensive high end shop. My fiance had lost the remote to her television and now we have the remote back (it downloads ALL the remote codes. I don't know what to say to the folks who've struggled with the update process. It may have something to do with having an older PC. My machine is only 2 years old and I recently rebuilt it.

Well that's my experience in a nutshell. My fiance can now use the system, we have 1 remote and everything is hidden. I'm ecstatic.

We recently reviewed this unit on Big Picture Big Sound, and I felt an Amazon review was merited in order to offer an updated/alternative perspective from earlier Amazon reviews. Although we did run into a couple of glitches during configuration, once the model 890 was properly set up, it offers the excellent usability and ergonomics of the Harmony model 880, but with the additional benefit of RF controls so that it can operate devices in other rooms or behind solid cabinets. Plus, the RF feature is very useful for guests and family members, as it can control complex multi-step home theater operations simply, without the remote having to be pointed in any particular direction during the potentially lengthy power-on/input switching process.

It seems like Logitech has definitely improved the set-up operation of the 890 in its latest firmware as our writer had far fewer, less dramatic installation issues than those described by earlier reviewers here.

If you're looking for a simple, family-friendly remote to operate complicated entertainment systems and home theater gear, and particularly if you're comfortable with using a computer for the set-up process, then the Harmony 890 is definitely worth a look. You can read the complete review on Big Picture Big Sound.

This remote was plagued with many problems initially:
- RF receiver lock ups
- remote lock ups
- firmware update procedure flakey
- initial s/w install on PC touchy; if it can't connect to logitech at initial install there is no way to update to a working version
- completely dead out of the box, 100% doorstop
- No documentation/help 890 specific, non-obvious to upgrade from 880

IMO it was barely beta quality as released in Jan. I've had very good response from support however and clearly they're trying to fix this thing. The versions of the firmware at this writing (1.4/1.4) are performing much better and the device is actually useful.

My remaining complaints are intermittent lockups of the remote itself (with new firmware promised 'soon'), and sluggish performance (key presses take a long while to transmit from the RF extender intermittently, as long as 5 seconds sometimes).

I see no good RF alternative; I was forced to RF to combat severe IR noise from a new Samsung LCD TV. Previously I used an 880 and was happy with it, you would expect this is as good as the 880 and it certainly has the potential to be.

Unless you really need RF right now and are willing to spend a few hours getting this working I would not recommend it quite yet. If they continue with their focus and bring it to late beta or release quality before moving on to the next thing it will be a great product.

The Harmony 890 remote (Logitech Harmony 890 Advanced Universal Remote Control)

Reviewer experience level: Electronics hobbiest; considerable experience with both PCs and consumer electronic devices

I've owned this remote since December of 2006. Since then, I've had three major problems with it. In all three cases, tech support was awful.

In the first two instances, efforts to program / update the remote failed because of errors in Logitech's web-based programming utility. The first problem occurred when I tried to program the remote for the first time. I kept getting a Java error mid-way through the programming process. Eventually, after trying every troubleshooting trick I could find on the Logitech website, I called tech support. The initial tech support operator absolutely refused to believe that I wasn't doing something wrong in the programming process, and kept trying to talk me through the process over and over. Finally I was transferred to someone who knew what they were talking about. That person admitted that the problem was due to a programming error on the web site, and suggested that I "try again in a few days." They finally fixed the problem, and I was able to do the obligatory firmware update and program the remote and RF receiver, but having a brand new remote that I couldn't program for several days because of a software error by the manufacturer left me less than impressed. Sadly, that was the easiest of the problems to resolve.

A few months later, in early 2007, I changed TVs and needed to reprogram the remote and receiver. Once again, the programming process bombed, and once again I got to listen to a tech support operator who seemed convinced that I couldn't possibly be seeing the error I was reporting. After spending hours on the phone with tech support over a couple of days - most of it on hold, listening to snippets of classical music and unhelpful "hints" replayed incessantly - I was finally transferred to someone at Level 2 tech support who was able to tell me that I was experiencing a known problem, and that it could only be corrected by (guess what?!) programming changes at the Logitech end. Once again the problem was eventually corrected, but by this time the pattern was established -- try to program the remote, experience a problem in the web-based programming software, call tech support, talk to someone who tries to tell you that you're not doing something properly, be persistent, spend an hour or three on hold, and eventually get to talk to someone who can, sooner or later, fix the problem. That's not, in my opinion, a very good model for product support.

The latest adventure, and the one that finally prompted me to write a review of (or, more correctly, a warning about) this remote, occurred in September, 2007. The remote began experiencing recharging problems, so I carefully cleaned the contacts on the charger, remote, and battery. The problems persisted, and soon the remote wouldn't recharge at all. After visiting the online troubleshooting guide to check for known problems and advice, I connected the remote to a USB port and found that it would power up. This narrowed the problem down to either a bad battery or a bad charger. So... another call to tech support, another referral to the mysterious and elusive Level 2 support staff, and - after spending almost two hours on hold - I was able to talk with someone who didn't seem at all surprised to hear about a bad charger. Supposedly a new charger will be arriving soon; I'm not sure that I want to know what Logitech's definition of "soon" is.

During the few months that the remote worked properly, it worked very well. The problem is that the software is buggy (to say the least), the hardware is unreliable, and tech support is among the worst I've ever dealt with. The front-line tech support operators seem able to do little more than repeat the information you can find on the Logitech web site and the hold times are ridiculous. If you don't mind recurring problems, and lots of time spent on hold listening to endless repititions of basic user techniques set to classical music, then this might be the remote for you. Otherwise, I'd suggest looking for something - anything - else.

I was a little skeptical, but after reading some online magazine and user reviews, I decided to give this remote a try. Like others have said, it takes time to get the remote set up. I spent the better part of an afternoon setting everything up and testing and changing the settings numerous times. But once it's done, it's a great remote. I would have to say the included instructions did not provide me with too much useful information. Out of the box, you'll need to install the lithium-ion battery in the remote and then charge using the included charger.

I took others' advice and just installed the latest Harmony software from the Logitech site. Upon opening the software (which connects to the internet), you'll have to initially set up a username and password. The remote and wireless rf extender use the same included usb cable to connect to your pc. After signing in and connecting the remote, an online firmware update was found which prompted a download and update of the firmware (same when connecting the wireless rf extender).

When setting up the remote, you are prompted to enter the brand and model number of your components (one by one). If the brand and model is in the online database, the commands will be stored in the remote. I've added 8 components for control so far (Sony Widescreen RPTV; Denon A/V receiver; Denon DVD; Pioneer DVD; Sony DVD Recorder; Scientific Atlanta HD Cable Box; DirecTV HD Receiver; and Sony VHS). I'm currently not using the wireless rf extender (I guess I could have purchased the Harmony 880 instead???). The Sony vhs and dvd recorder were the only components not fully recognized initially. The software prompted me to use the original remotes to send some commands to the Harmony before they were fully added as components. There's also an option if you don't have the original remotes as well as being able to manually specify a remote action.

After adding your components, you'll need to define `activities' such as "watch a dvd" or "listen to a cd," etc. Once you're done adding components and setting the activities and saving them, you'll then need to transfer/update these settings to the remote using the connected usb cable by pressing the `update remote' button on the home page of the remote software.

There is much flexibility in setting what components turn on and also in choosing a setting for the component. For example, when choosing what I defined as my "watch denon dvd" activity, the tv, dvd and a/v receiver turn on; the tv changes to input 7 (dvi) and the receiver changes to its dvd input. This all happens with a press of one button as these were the actions that I defined for this activity in the software setup. If I subsequently press the activity button for "play vcr", the remote turns both the receiver and dvd player off, turns the vcr on and sets the tv input to channel 3. You define and name your activity. Once the activities are set up, the remote is relatively simple to use. In other words, your spouse/family members/friends can actually turn on and use your tv without you having to explain multiple remote controls.

There is also the option of controlling a specific component by pressing the `device' button on the remote. Depending on the component and how the commands were stored in the remote, you can use either or both of the commands displayed in the lcd portion of the remote or the command buttons on the lower part of the remote. There is also a global `off' button that can be used to turn all components off. The remote also seems to be motion activated, e.g., the backlight turns on when you move the remote. Very handy in the dark.

In reviewing this product, I noticed that many of the low ratings were from older reviews. It would seem that Logitech has resolved whatever problems they had in the past. I want to reiterate what some previous people have said: "Don't use the install CD that comes with the remote. Get the updated driver." This will also automatically update your firmware as well. Also, read some of the other lengthy reviews for many useful tips on installation!
Set-up was not near as difficult as some buyers might lead you to believe. It was fairly easy, and once I got the hang of how the customizing works, I have been extremely happy with this remote.

Cons: The ergonomics could be improved upon a little. The remote slips and slides around in your hand too easily and many of the buttons are a little small and/or difficult to press without possibly pressing the adjacent button. However, a little practice and user adjustment period solves most of this "uncomfortableness"

Like I said - don't believe the haters. This remote is fantastic, especially considering the price! One short year ago, this type of "through-the-wall" technology was available for around $1000 and to be installed by stereo pros. Now for about 25% of that price you can easily install it yourself!! The cons aren't that big of a deal. A little common sense goes a long way when understanding this product and it's technology. Many people have complained about the lack of instructions. Be sure to look within the programming software for the manual! It's pretty detailed and helpful.

I bought the Harmony 890 from Amazon 1 month ago and I recommend it highly!
The 890 is easy to program with the PC based software. The software uses a wizard to lead you through the setup. All you have to do is to tell the wizard the make and model of a component to be controlled and it automatically knows all of the functions provided by the original component remote and will load all of those functions into the 890. Then the wizard asks you what function you want to use your components for (eg: Watch TV), which components you want to use and then which component to use to perform basic functions (ie: Volume control, change channels, etc.)and that is it.
You could get really fancy and go to specific channels, etc.
I use My Harmony 890 to control 3 TVs, 3 DVD players, 2 Satellite Receivers, 1 VCR and a digital AV receiver that does video switching. I have set it up by function (ie: Watch HD TV, Watch HD DVD, Listen to CDs,Watch Bedroom TV, etc.). It does this almost flawlessly.
The RF transmitter feature of the remote enables you to operate AV equipment from anywhere in the house. It will not operate other RF equipment directly so you have to option them to accept IR signals and then they work as before.
The IR transmitter function of the 890 and the remote transceiver are very
powerful so you don't have to be very precise in pointing.
When you activate the help function on the remote it starts a wizard that asks you simple questions to correct a problem. For instance, if you activate a function and one of the components does not do what it was supposed to do it will ask you questions, correct the problem and remember what it did.
What amazes me the most is that the 890 remembers the status of all of the AV components. Pushing a single OFF button will turn off the components that you were using. In addition, you can be in one function and then switch to another and the 890 will turn off those components not being used anymore and turn on components needed for the new function. If a component is common to both functions (eg: AV Receiver) it will leave it on and make any changes needed to perform the new function. I love this!!
One annoying thing is that when you download new functions or changes to the 890 you must always also update the remote transceiver. This can be a logistical problem if the transceiver is not located close to your PC. This is a minor annoyance for me.
As was mentioned in other reviews, you have to be careful when placing the 890 on it recharging cradle.
I have used a $400+ Pronto remote and this blows it away.
The size is right, the display is in color and easy to read. I have big hands and I have no problem with the buttons on the remote.
Buy it, you'll love it!

The Harmony 890 does what it needs to do - plus offering RF transmit which frees you from line of site operation. Configuration takes some effort, however, and rewards experimentation and some tweaking. Also, the layout of the lower button block isn't great - and takes some learning. Ergonomics, in general, are somewhat flawed.

I had the typical problem: audio visual setup with 6 different components (TV, home theater receiver, Tivo, DVD, VCR, cable box), 6 different remotes and problems with wife, babysitters, and kids using it. What makes the Harmony special is the activity based setup. Initially I thought this was going to be about key scripting - but what it's really about is configuring the remote to control multiple components with one set of keys. For example, while watching TV via Tivo the volume buttons control the stereo's volume while the navigation keys control the Tivo. The "off" button at the top turns off the stereo and the TV - but I was able to configure the cable box and tivo to never turn off. Very nice. I was worried about complexity setting stuff up - and the Harmony took about an hour to install and configure - but then I spent another 90 minutes or so reconfiguring buttons to my taste after test driving the configuration. I was worried about using the Harmony 890 to control a Tivo (I have a Humax 800, a Tivo/DVR combo). The Harmony 890 works fine for the Tivo, and everything else - just be prepared to edit the soft buttons after your test drive the default configs.

The RF feature also works very well. I love not having to point the remote any particular direction to make it work.

The downsides are:
1) the layout of the navigation buttons (pause, play, fast forward, rewind etc...) the block at the bottom, don't fall easily to the thumb and are not layed out in a logical and ergonomic way. They should be arranged in a circle like the cursor keys above (the Tivo remote has the dual circle layout - and it's superior). With time you get used to it, but I'd hope a state of the art remote would get this basic design aspect right.

2) The cradle is persnickety about charging. You have to really jam the unit down to make it stick to the contacts and start charging. This is pretty inexcusable. One of these days I'm gonna get my dremel and grind off plastic in strategic areas to fix this - but I shouldn't have to.

3) The buttons around the top oval - volume up/down, channel up/down and all the soft keys (user programmable buttons) are very thin and hard to learn and use by touch alone. Clearly form rather than function were design priorities.

Bottom line, this unit works and some nice luxury features. I love that visitors and technically challenged family can turn on the whole thing to watch tv with a single button push and turn it off with a single click of the silver top button.

Follow-up 4 months later:
With time I've grown more and more fond of this remote. The charging issue went away. After a few insertions and removals the remote finds the charging contacts just fine (no Dremel required). The key arrangement in the bottom block isn't optimal, but we've all gotten used to it. (By all I mean my wife, kids, babysitters etc... - everyone can use the complicated AV system with just a brief orientation (except for the tiny 4 year old girl who can't read the Tivo screens)). Bottom line, once you configure the Harmony 890 your AV system is just much much easier to use on a daily basis. It is definitely worth the investment in time and effort up front.

Follow up 2: 8 months out the unit stopped charging. The screen shows a red battery indicator for a moment and then goes black. It only intermittently lights up when pressed hard against the charging base. On-line advice is to shove some paper on top of the battery so the cover holds it down harder (didn't help). I ordered a new battery on Ebay (info on battery types is hard to find - but I saw on an rsa feed that the Nokia BLB-2 works). I post after I've received it and we'll see if it works.

Follow up 3: Watch out about the Nokia BLB-2 batteries. They come in two amperages (both have same form factor and 3.7 voltage): 720mAn & 920. Only the 920 will work in the Harmony 890. I found a source on Ebay that sells two of the right kind with a charger. It was a little pricey, but it worked. For some reason, the Harmony will not properly charge on the cradle any more, but I'm able to use the external charger and swap between the two batteries successfully. I'm addicted to my Harmony 890 - but I wish the battery/charger cradle issue were better.

After realizing that I cannot function efficiently with 7 remotes, I decided I needed a good all in one remote that was fully functional but as cheap as possible. I almost passed this one up because of all the bad reviews and ratings. After looking at all the other remotes out there, I thought that this one was the most aesthetically pleasing, provided full functional support for everything and best priced. I still held off because some of the reviews were awful, but finally I got fed up with switching remotes and just bought it. I could not be happier. The set-up is easy (I am tech savvy, but the set-up was so easy that even if I weren't it would not have been much trouble) and I had no problems connecting it to my MacBook Pro. I heeded the warnings in the reviews and downloaded the most current software from Logitech. I have had no problems and this remote controls my TV, Fan, Roomba, Home theater, HDMI switch box, lights and Xbox. The only gripe I have is that it doesn't control the PS3 (unless you use the PS2 RF/USB receiver that came with the difficult-to-find PS2 DVD remote, then it will work but poorly), which is Sony's fault for making it only bluetooth compatible. This remote comes with an IR extender, which can add functionality for up to 8 other devices. I don't use it, but it's a nice touch for those that do want IR capability. It also will control products behind cabinets and glass via signal relay wires.

If you don't read my verbose review, that's cool. The bottom line is: This remote is easy to set-up with the most current software and provides FULL functional support for all of your products. It currently replaces 7 remotes in my apartment and I am sure it will control more if I need it to in the future. One caveat, it does not work with PS3.