Customer Reviews

Logitech Harmony 659 Advanced Universal Remote Control - Refurbished

5 star:		(39)
4 star:		(37)
3 star:		(15)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

First off - I have to admit I'm a geek. But even if you're not, but have some level of comfort with using the classic 'wizard' approach of Windows - then this (or any of the Harmony series) is the remote for you.

Setup is a breeze. Put in the batteries, toss in the CD and follow the step by step directions. Using the 'wizard' based approach (it simply asks you questions about your devices and some specifics around each activity). Harmony does the rest, looking up all your devices automatically. Don't fret if you don't see a particular device. Just specify that it's not listed and put in the brand name (My new Olevia LCD tv wasn't in there). From there it seems to go out and find the data in it's data base (not sure why it doesn't just display it to begin with - but it worked).

You can configure just about anything on this remote. I got it set-up 90% of the way there, just by using the simple wizard. Then I saw a few things I wanted to tweak and was able to do that pretty quickly - without reading any directions. The user interface can be a little intimidating at first - until you get a feel for how the remote works and how Harmony 'thinks' about your devices.

I even got to try out the 'learning' feature because one of my TV functions wasn't in the standard list. You just select that you want to teach it a new command, connect Harmony to your computer and point your old remote at the back of the Harmony remote. Push the button you want to teach it and 'pow' - you've just taught it a new command. You can name it anything you want as well - call it 'Steve' if you want. Like I said, very, VERY configurable.

My wife liked it because I was able to set up the 'soft-keys' exactly the way she wanted them. Oh, and yeah - you could even reprogram every standard key on the remote if you want - even if you wanted to do something wacky like have the '9' key turn off the DVD player or eject a disk. It's scary how configurable this thing is. Oh and if you mess it up somehow, just 'restore defaults' and start over.

The Harmony line is pretty extensive. They have some top of the line units that are well over the $200 mark, but there is a wide range to choose from. Go to the Logitech web-site and compare the models to find the one you want (I got this one - the 659). You can't beat the price of the refurbished unit either. But if you have a DVR then you might want to go with the 670 (which has more native DVR buttons in the center).

Highly recommend this product.

It has less buttons than Logitech's more expensive remotes, so more of the features are in the lcd screen menu. The problem with that is, you have to push the "next" button to get to each page of the features. If you don't pay attention, and pass the item you're looking for, you have to keep pushing through the menus until you get back to the beginning and then start all over again. There is no way to go back once passed. It is nice because you can go on line and set this remote up to work most features on your devices, like sleep modes, that a lot of remotes don't have. It is battery operated, and it goes through batteries faster than any remote I've ever used before, but that's because of all the lcd menus and lights. I replace batteries about monthly. I'd say it's over priced, even at the referb price, but it's a good replacement remote... just not great.

I hesitated before buying this, because I figured I'd be crazy to spend more than $30 or so on a universal remote. But this unit was well worth the cost: setup was finished within ten minutes, and afterwards the remote worked perfectly with my TV, DVD player, receiver, cable box and Playstation 2. It's well-constructed and sturdy, with good button feel and layout. If you're looking for a great universal remote but don't want to lay out the $100+ it takes for most of the Harmony units, get this one - you won't need anything else for a very, very long time.

I'm very happy with this purchase. If you are familiar with Harmony remotes and their capabilities, you won't be disappointed. Refurbished remote came in plain white cardboard box with "Refurbished by Logitech" printed on the outside; includes usb cable, instruction booklet, and installation cd. It looks brand new with no sign of previous use whatsoever. Definitely worth the savings to go with the refurb in my opinion.

I already own a Logitech 670, which is a bit nicer/newer than this one. I needed another one for a different set of equipment in another area of my house, but I couldn't find a good deal on the 670. This one does everything the 670 does, as best I can tell, and I am completely satisfied with it. They are very similar. For the price, it's a fantastic deal! The only reason I give it 4 instead of 5 stars is the software, which is a bit clunky/difficult at times, but managable. As another reviewer said, don't even load the CD that comes with it, load the latest software from the Logitech website.

The real benifit of these remotes is allowing the programming of "activities". For example, I have set up an activity called "Watch DVD", and when I press it, it turns on my TV, the DVD player, and my Receiver, then sets my TV to HDMI Input 1 and my Receiver to Optical 2. The volume control on the remote then works the receiver volume while the play/ff/pause/etc. controls work the DVD player.

Logitech Harmony 659 Advanced Universal Remote Control - Refurbished
I was skeptical about a refurbished product, but trusting in Amazon's return policy I ordered two of these. Have had a Harmony One for my big screen in the living room for about a month and it is fantastic. We needed a cheaper alternative for the kitchen and bedroom TV's. I have tried 4 other remotes, including the learning version of a Sony remote, and an X-10 that is supposed to learn anything (according to their ads) in the kitchen and all would learn the DirecTV satellite receiver, but none could learn the TV, an inexpensive Sylvania 15 inch, LC155SL8P. I came with a really cheap remote that could not learn the satellite receiver, and the DirecTV remote could not learn the TV. I was determined to find one remote that would control both, and have spent weeks, and more than a few bucks trying.

Same old story, called the TV manufacturer, they said they didn't have the remote codes. The ones suggested in the DirecTV setup instructions didn't work, so a call to DirecTV customer service and they said they only guarantee that their remote will work their receiver, not a TV. Tried all the remote websites, and Radio Shack where I bought the TV, and nobody could come up with the correct codes.

Finally, after having such good luck with a new Harmony One, but not wanting to spend $250 for a remote to control a TV that cost less than that, I ordered the refurbished Harmony 659. It may be refurbished, but looks brand new.

It shipped with dated software, so I did not even bother to install it. Instead I went to the Logitech website and downloaded the latest version. That just took a few minutes; then I registered, and started programming the remote. The hardest part was finding the model numbers of all components, which have to be entered, along with how they are connected. Once I had that, it just took a few minutes going thru a few computer screens and answering the questions correctly, and I was all done.

The remotes worked perfectly on the first try. I give Logitech, and their Harmony 659 remote my highest recommendation. And the refurbished price is great, too.

I was skeptical about purchasing this remote. Would it be to difficult to set up? Would it be functional with my system? Would it be a good value? Could it live up to the hype of what others have said about it? The answers are NO, YES, YES & YES. Out of the box the unit looked brand new. Setup was fairly simple but I had to make some modifications on the fly, but no major problems. If you are unfamiliar with the Harmony and wonder how it works, it's unique because it controls functions and not single units. No longer use 1 button for TV, 1 for receiver, etc. If you want to watch TV, it will control the TV, cable box and receiver, all under 1 activity. The same for HD DVD, and with the Ryko Blu Wave remote, it will control the PS3 as well. It will even control my first generation JVC CD changer purchased in 1989.

However, it's not perfect. The lighted keys are a blueish tint and is difficult for me to read, and there are a bunch of 'em too. The LCD screen is not color like some other models, but the same blue color. Finally, it took me several attempts to get the keys programmed correctly, but I still got it right the second time through.

All in all, I'm very pleased with this purchase. The negatives I've found should not be enough to distract a buyer from making this purchase. This unit is a great addition to any home theater, and at the entry level price, an apprehensive buyer has nothing to worry about. Now about that upgrade to the color screen model...

I have three different Harmony remotes -- I'm a big fan. In fact, I pre-ordered this remote when I read an article about its upcoming release, because I was so excited about the prospect of a universal remote that actually worked. This remote has lived up to its promise.

First, as I indicated above, I'm a big fan of Harmony Remotes. You can program them to do everything that any of your devices' IR remotes can do. In general, the dedicated buttons on the remote are enough to handle the tasks that you do 90% of the time. Less frequently used functions can be configured to appear on the LCD screen, which displays 4 (or 6 - it's configurable) items at a time, and can scroll. For really seldom-used functions, everything that the device's remote can do is accessible in "Device" mode.

I have never had any trouble with the website's programming applets. Some folks hate them, but I'm not one of them. There have been occasions where I have had to try a configuration, and go back to tweak it, because it wasn't working exactly the way I wanted it to. I would rather do this on my computer, using the website's huge database of devices and IR codes, than to try to program it manually, the way I used to have to do with older universal remotes.

I also do not have the problems that some other folks complain about where the device state gets out of sync. I always program my devices using what they call "discrete codes", where there's a different command for "On" and "Off", instead fo a single "Toggle Power" command, and different commands for TV input selection. I never have to try to find the discrete code settings, even if they're not provided by the device's original remote, because Logitech's online device database already has all of the discrete codes for all of my devices stored and ready for me to use.

The Harmony 659, in particular, is a solid performer. The button layout is a little bit odd, in that the transport controls (Play, Stop, Pause, Rewinde, etc.) are all located all the way on the bottom. This can be a little awkward, but ithasn't really caused me too many problems. Also, they are laid out such that I don't have to think about which button is where - the button I'm looking for is always right where I think it ought to be, even though it's a bit of a reach for my thumb. This model does not have all of the buttons that are available in some of the more expensive models (when I was trying to use this for a DVR, I missed the "Skip Fwd" and "Skip Bkwd" buttons), but where I'm using it right now, it has all of the dedicated buttons I need.

Overall, this is a solid remote, at the inexpensive end of the awesome Harmony line. I've recommended Harmony remotes to everyone who's faced remote problems. If your usage patterns require additional buttons that aren't provided on this model, there's almost certainly a model that has those buttons. For the room where we use this remote, it works great.

I really liked this remote but it would'nt control my Dish Network 622 DVR. Everything else worked like a campion though. So unfortunately I had to send it back.

Forget the all in one remotes you have seen before. This one is the real deal. The 659 is on the low end of the Harmony line but it uses the same software to set it up, just less buttons on the remote itself. This means a bit more menu hunting on the LCD if you have a complex home theater. I must say I have loved this remote, up until a couple of months ago the only down side I could find was how quick it would go through batteries (4 AAA) But you could probably extend that if you were willing to turn off the back light option.
Over the past couple of years the remote has withstood a lot of use and abuse (I have a toddler) and recently several buttons have either stopped working altogether or only work intermittently. Luckily there is a work around for most buttons but now I am a bit wary of shelling out this much money again (though I got a deal on my first one.) It has been out several years but the price has never really dropped. I may have to though as I don't know if I can go through the "turn the tv on, switch to input 1, switch remotes, turn the receiver on, switch to dvd input, turn the dvd player on and now use this remote for volume and this one to push play" with my wife and child again. It was just one button on the 659, guess we are spoiled now.