I had separate remotes for AVR, Blu Ray, VHS, 2 TV's, Cable Box, Laptop Computer, 2 Amazon devices, Cassette Player... it was a bit of a nightmare. The AVR and cable box remotes were "universal" types but never did a good job, neither would recognize all of my many different brand and ages of hardware, and when they did "see" a particular device the controls were limited to basic functions.
My AVR and all of the source devices are housed in a rack built through the wall about 3 feet to the side of the TV. I have often experienced annoying line-of-sight issues with the big pile of various remotes I needed to use. From several seating positions in the room the IR signals would be blocked by furniture and I'd have to stand up and point the remotes to get them to control the recessed devices. Sometimes I want a different look and have the TV on a different wall well away from the built-in component rack. Pointing the AVR remote (which also controlled TV volume and source selection) at the TV in that situation didn't work, and when it was pointed at the AVR on a different wall then the left/right up/down 'circle' control changed orientation and became less intuitive to use.
Guests unfamiliar with the setup were often stumped, my settings have been unintentionally changed (grrr) by those simply wanting to change channels, adjust volume, or when (for example) trying to play music from a CD, tuner, i-tunes, turntable, Pandora, cassette, phone, memory stick, Amazon Prime, or the open reel deck. With a complex system like this this it can really, really screw things up when inputs & outputs at the AVR and TV get changed/rerouted. I needed a powerful but simple to operate solution.
Just yesterday I received the Harmony Ultimate. It included a rechargeable hand held remote control, a charger base, an RF/IR/Bluetooth "hub", wall warts for the charger base & hub, 2 external IR transmitters with long cables, a USB cable to connect the remote to a computer (for initial setup purposes only) and an intelligible well written fold open poster instruction sheet. The packaging was very upscale, more like a thick cigar box than the thin cardboard most things come in, I'll keep it against any future need to store or transport.
Before I go into details... I already LOVE LOVE LOVE this thing!
The setup of hardware and software can be done by the average non-tech type. It takes a bit of time and REQUIRES a computer connected to the internet, preferably in the same room as your TV and other hardware. I used a laptop connected to my wireless network and all went smoothly. You will need to be connected to your WIRELESS network (no hard wired ports on the hub) to make any future settings or programming changes. Day to day use does not require the wireless network, someone with a mobile hot spot could do the setup if you don't have wireless internet access.
The remote and the hub work together, both are required for the remote to operate. The hub is the 'brain' that stores your settings and sends the commands to your hardware. The remote is the control interface, it does a very good job of mirroring ALL of my original remotes, but there were a couple small functions that I couldn't easily duplicate. There is a custom setup menu that allows you to assign different functions to the remote buttons, these custom settings will change depending on the device you are controlling. I think I'll be able to program the missing functions if they prove needed. You can also get an app for your Apple or Android device, I put it on my Samsung Galaxy S4 and found it to be extremely useful. The controls look/operate differently in the app then on the remote, and they seem to list ALL native functions by scrolling through different pages... as many as needed for any particular device. I prefer the app for some functions such as switching screen aspects on my TV, using the app I can select the different aspects in any order from a list instead of having to scroll through. This enables me (finally) to make a direct A/B comparison of any two aspects instead of having to see the others first as I scroll through, which previously made such comparisons very difficult.
Most remotes are IR (infrared) types, they utilize IR light and require an unblocked line of sight. Some remotes are RF (Radio Frequency) which can go through walls. THIS version of the Harmony Ultimate Remote is RF, the hub and remote use RF to communicate, I can sit anywhere and point anywhere and it works. The hub and the TWO extra transmitters cover my room very well, all of the IR based hardware responds just like I was pointing the native remote right at it. There is another Harmony Ultimate that does not use RF, it costs less and might be suitable for some users.
Here's the cool part... along with gaining FULL independent control of all your hardware from a single remote, you can also create "activities". Want to watch TV? During the setup you tell the Harmony remote to turn on (for example) your TV, cable box, and AVR. Thereafter, all you have to do is press "Watch TV" in the activities menu on the remote and all the correct hardware will activate. Change your mind? Just press (for example) "Watch a Movie" and the cable box will deactivate, your DVD player will turn on, all the correct inputs will be selected, and the remote will now be controlling the DVD, all with the press of of a single "button". If you want to concurrently operate any of your other devices, you can always switch them on and off and control them from the devices menu without affecting the current "activity". Maybe you want to start the TV at a lower volume than the default selected on the AVR... simply create a new activity that just turns on the TV and cable box without the receiver being activated, have the default volume on the TV set low and you'll be listening through the TV speakers instead of your sound system, you can then name it "TV Low Volume"... or anything else you choose.
Ok, now you have your activities programmed and you've also programmed your favorite channels (up to 50 of them). Pick up the remote, press any favorite channel icon on the touch display (which turns on when you move the remote, and, the physical buttons become backlit at your preferred intensity... way cool). All the right hardware activates and you even go directly to the selected channel, very slick!
Hurrah... all past remote control issues have been resolved, and my guests can operate things without creating headaches!
The only thing I don't like, and I REALLY don't like it, is the method of programming and organizing your channels. The 'drag & drop function is at best clunky, and, the naming function is lacking and inflexible. Takes 5x longer than it should to program favorite channels. Why such a big flaw on an otherwise excellent device? Because this doesn't affect day-to-day use, and because the rest is SO good, I'm making this a 5 star review.
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Compare with similar items
This Item  Logitech Harmony Ultimate All in One Remote | Recommendations  |  |  |  |  | |
| Price | $189.00 | -5% $207.48 Typical price: $219.00 | $209.00 | $249.00 | $349.99 | $114.24 |
| Delivery | Get it Dec 5 - 9 | — | Get it Dec 12 - 13 | Get it as soon as Monday, Dec 2 | Get it Dec 16 - 17 | Get it Dec 4 - 10 |
| Customer Ratings | ||||||
| Sold By | [AIM USA] | Western Central | Port Hole Renewed | GreenBox26 | BBDirect2u | A-Dub & More |
| compatible devices | Television | Television, Streaming Device | — | Television, Home Theater, Projector, Audio-Video Devices | Television | Television |
| connectivity tech | Infrared | Infrared | Infrared | Infrared | Infrared | Infrared |
| maximum range | 100 feet | 10 meters | 10 meters | — | 100 feet | 100 feet |
| style | New | Ultimate | Universal | — | Logitech Harmony 890 | Universal |
| battery quantity | 1 aa, 1 product specific | 1 lithium polymer, 1 lithium ion, 2 aa, 2 product specific, 2 unknown | 1 lithium ion | — | 1 d, 1 aa, 1 product specific | 4 aaa |
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This product has sustainability features recognized by trusted certifications.
Carbon impact
Carbon emissions from the lifecycle of this product were measured, reduced and offset.
As certified by
This is a great remote! I got this when it was on ...
This is a great remote!I got this when it was on the deal of the day. Overall it is a good upgrade from the Harmony 650, and the MyHarmony software allows you to transfer your settings from an old Logitech remote to this one.Pros:-Nice sleek design.-Touch screen, good dots per inch so could be read with ease.-Ability to change Icons for activities to anything you upload through the software (Like for Kodi on my activity).-App for Android is well designed and allows some modifications to the setup.-Can link to other devices via WiFi (August, Nest, Hnoeywell, Philis Hue).-No need for direct line of sight to control devices.-The software on the PC is very flexible, and once you are past the initial setup you could edit your remote from anywhere without needing it connected to the PC (I changed somethings while on vacation in Egypt!)Cons:-The transfer from the old remote wasn't without bumps and hiccups as the remote froze twice and had to start over and didnt fully transfer.-Half way through the setup the remote notified me it needs to be in the same room with the hub and the devices it will control, so had to abort and start again in a different room.-The play/pause etc buttons are at the very top above the screen, they probably would have been better on the lower half of the remote (this might be more of a habit for me coming from the 650 which had all the buttons below the screen).-Sometimes if you make too many changes on the remote to the layout of buttons and icons it asks to sync with the hub and then ends up deleting all your changes, so need to save every few steps.
Top reviews from other countries
Alberto Cardena
Excelente control remoto para controlar todos tus dispositivos
Reviewed in Mexico on January 24, 2018Robert Duchene
Can be difficult to set up - took several days - has some issues out-of-the-box
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Does a great job behind cabinet doors!
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I recommend that you do not change device names
Reviewed in Canada on December 26, 2017