[Ronn.W]

I'm debating whether or not to get a universal remote to replace the however many I've got now. The Harmony 676 looks like the best bang for the buck right now, especially with the $50 rebate for Tivo owners that's going on right now.

I haven't used a univeral remote in years, are these any good? Will they actually control all the devices and keep all the features? I don't want to lose any options by going with a universal remote. That would just make me dig out the original remote, which would make the universal remote a waste of time and money.

Any feedback/experiences welcome.

[drobbins]

I am currently using the Harmony 659 & feel it it one of the best investments for my theater. Not only does it get rid of multiple remotes, it makes the theater user friendly for the rest of the family. Before I had a "cheat sheet" for my family so they could use the theater. I also got many calls at work for instructions.
With the Harmony, they can just press a button for the activity they want. "Watch a Movie" and it turns on the receiver, DVD & projector, then puts them all on the correct settings. The remote is easily programed from their web site and the default buttons and actions are logical. You are also given the option to change or add any function, so you won't loose any of your current functions.
Originally I wondered if the cost of the remote was worth getting rid of the inconvenience of having 5 or 6 remotes laying around. It is definitely worth making the theater easy to use for everyone in the family
Dave

[dpippel]

I replaced my Pronto TSU3000 with the 676 and couldn't be happier with it. It's simple, easy to use, and its ergonomics are much better than the thick-as-a-brick Pronto. There's room for improvement though:

* There's no control for display contrast and the default is a little low for my taste.
* Long text labels sometimes get cropped off by the edge of the display, and there's no font type/size control to correct it.
* Logitech's online configuration tool can be clunky to use.

But these are pretty minor nitpicks. It's a GREAT remote, and for the price you'd pay with that $50 rebate the 676 is a no-brainer. If you have a pretty standard HT (display, receiver or processor, DVD player, cable/satellite tuner, CD player) a Harmony is the best universal remote solution out there IMO.

[Charlie Campisi]

I prefer the button layout of the 680 for dvr use, but otherwise it's the same remote. Great investment. I have both the 659 and 680. Go to the harmony website and take a test drive to confirm it will control all your components. The harmony forum at www.remotecentral.com is a great source for info.

[Jeffrey Johnson]

I bought one for my parents (definitely non-techies) for Christmas, and they couldn't be happier. And I haven't received a single "which channel do I need to turn the TV to to watch a DVD" phone call since. That alone was worth every penny

[Ronn.W]

Thanks for the feedback! I think I'll be picking this up later today.