Logitech bows out of the Harmony Universal Remote market (1 Viewer)

[Robert Crawford]

Hey everyone. How is your Harmony doing?

Mine, not so great.
I think mine is a 665.
Just simple taps on the table when I put it down are resetting the remote or turning it off.

Not loving that.
Bought it a couple years ago right when we learned of Logitech dropping the remotes.

Will have this device 2 years in April.

No issues with my three Harmony Elite remotes.

 

[Ronald Epstein]

My Harmony remotes are doing well but I am aware that the day will come when they will just die with no option to buy new ones.

 

[Neil S. Bulk]

My remote is working well, but some of the labels on the more used buttons are wearing off.

 

[edee_em]

No issues with my three Harmony Elite remotes.

I'd be sending them an email, without expectations, but with nothing to lose, why not? Explain your other 3 Logitech remotes are working fine so you are confused by this one. They might send out a replacement. Never know, until you ask.

 

[edee_em]

Hey everyone. How is your Harmony doing?

Mine, not so great.
I think mine is a 665.
Just simple taps on the table when I put it down are resetting the remote or turning it off.

Not loving that.
Bought it a couple years ago right when we learned of Logitech dropping the remotes.

Will have this device 2 years in April.

I would send them an email explaining how your other 3 remotes are working wonderfully so you can't understand what is wrong/happening with this one. They might feel compelled to send out a replacement. Never know until you ask.

 

[Scott Merryfield]

Hey everyone. How is your Harmony doing?

Mine, not so great.
I think mine is a 665.
Just simple taps on the table when I put it down are resetting the remote or turning it off.

Not loving that.
Bought it a couple years ago right when we learned of Logitech dropping the remotes.

Will have this device 2 years in April.

My Harmony 650 is still working fine. I did purchase a 665 as a backup, just in case, but have not needed it as yet.

 

[ManW_TheUncool]

Hey everyone. How is your Harmony doing?

Mine, not so great.
I think mine is a 665.
Just simple taps on the table when I put it down are resetting the remote or turning it off.

Not loving that.
Bought it a couple years ago right when we learned of Logitech dropping the remotes.

Will have this device 2 years in April.

My 665 (bought used ~1.5 year ago) is still working fine (for the most part)... though I suspect the battery contact (on the inner side), which has some corrosion in mine due to unexpected battery leakage, might be an issue -- it may be very sporadically causing something similar to what you're experiencing.

I would doublecheck the battery contacts to make sure they're all good.

_Man_

 

[Johnny Angell]

Also..what happened with that Yio remote?

I googled it and wow, that looks like a great remote and it’s $450 and should come out this year. Love to have it, but that $450 is steep.

 

[Ronald Epstein]

I googled it and wow, that looks like a great remote and it’s $450 and should come out this year. Love to have it, but that $450 is steep.

I just looked at the Kickstarter video as well and was very impressed...

But not $450 impressed (I am taking your word that is the price as I didn't look)

I am surprised Logitech abandoned the remote market. I would have thought that there was a demand for universal remotes within the home that would operate everything. I guess I was wrong about that. I suppose people are fine with having 3-4 different remotes scattered across their coffee tables.

 

[Johnny Angell]

I just looked at the Kickstarter video as well and was very impressed...

But not $450 impressed (I am taking your word that is the price as I didn't look)

I am surprised Logitech abandoned the remote market. I would have thought that there was a demand for universal remotes within the home that would operate everything. I guess I was wrong about that. I suppose people are fine with having 3-4 different remotes scattered across their coffee tables.

On kickstarter I clicked join waitlist, which took me to a page to enter my email for notification when it’s out for retail sale. That’s where I got the price. Maybe that will be the “suggested retail price.”

 

[ManW_TheUncool]

I just looked at the Kickstarter video as well and was very impressed...

But not $450 impressed (I am taking your word that is the price as I didn't look)

I am surprised Logitech abandoned the remote market. I would have thought that there was a demand for universal remotes within the home that would operate everything. I guess I was wrong about that. I suppose people are fine with having 3-4 different remotes scattered across their coffee tables.

I suspect many would actually want a universal remote (of some sort), but may (understandably) find them too daunting to program and/or (fully) understand to be worth it to them... Heck, I am (or was anyway) a software developer/engineer (w/ an extensive, hardcore/traditional background in it), and even I find them rather annoyingly troublesome to program (and fine-tune) to my liking, LOL...

_Man_

 

[Neil S. Bulk]

I fear people are relying on HDMI-CEC instead of a good universal remote.

 

[Citizen87645]

I just looked at the Kickstarter video as well and was very impressed...

But not $450 impressed (I am taking your word that is the price as I didn't look)

I am surprised Logitech abandoned the remote market. I would have thought that there was a demand for universal remotes within the home that would operate everything. I guess I was wrong about that. I suppose people are fine with having 3-4 different remotes scattered across their coffee tables.

The main reaction I would hear from guests and friends when they saw my universal remote was how big it was, and them not realizing it was taking the place of several remotes. Even so, I got the impression that the size was daunting to them.

That said, I admit I have long ago abandoned chasing the dragon of finding and fully programming a universal remote, in part because I'm no longer maintaining several components in a system like I used to. The streaming devices have taken over in that respect, and given the infrequency of my watching a physical disc, swapping between a couple different remotes is easier than trying to make a universal do everything.

 

[John Dirk]

I've long used a Samsung tablet for control of my HT. I do have a universal app called Touchsquid which, just like the Harmony line, has been abandoned by its developers but still functions. If/when it stops working I'll probably just revert to the individual control apps for my devices.

 

[Chewbabka]

I fear people are relying on HDMI-CEC instead of a good universal remote.

This, with most people consuming media over streaming sticks or their smarttv, they can just use CEC to control the volume and TV power via their Roku or Apple remote, or just use their smarttv remote.

The market for universal remotes is in home theater people with receivers and BD players, but the market is probably too small for a low-price item like a remote to justify continued maintenance of the backend infrastructure (new codes for new brands and products, etc ). For example, they never bothered to redo the full app for 64-bit MacOS, so as an Apple user, I have an external boot drive with an older OS just to use their crappy app.

I bought a backup 665 when they were discontinued. Fortunately I haven’t had to open it yet.

 

[DaveF]

Also..what happened with that Yio remote?

Kickstarter page says estimated delivery early 2020. Last update was September 2021. Looks like a failed project.

 

[Dennis_H]

I have a couple 700 series and love them. Have a spare put away for when one can't be fixed. I use them on both systems with different equipment and have the exact same button layout for everything for the WAF. Love the physical buttons and the easy layout.
Had a non working button issue and there is a repair kit that made it good as new.
See on Amazon

 

[Scott Merryfield]

I fear people are relying on HDMI-CEC instead of a good universal remote.

CEC works for simpler setups, which most people have. In our bedroom, we have a Samsung 4K display, Comcast cable box, Roku 4K soundbar, and a Sony BD player (which rarely gets used). With CEC, my wife can use the Comcast remote to turn on the TV, change channels, change the volume, etc. I use the Samsung remote to do all that, plus switch to the Roku app on the soundbar and control that app. We just use the Sony remote to control the BD player, but it's probably been over a year since it's been used.

For our South Carolina condo, I use CEC plus this cheap RCA universal remote to control a Vizio 4K display, Polk Audio soundbar and Roku Ultra 4K streaming box. I have another one of the RCA remotes in the bedroom there for another Vizio 4K display and Roku Premiere 4K streaming box.

That RCA remote wouldn't work with my main HT setup, though, that has a display, AVR, two streaming boxes, and three disc players. The Harmony 650 works perfectly.

 

[ManW_TheUncool]

I bought a backup 665 when they were discontinued. Fortunately I haven’t had to open it yet.

Wish I had bought a backup. I might have (access to) an older 650 I can repurpose though -- the 650 should be just enough for me... though not sure I can (readily) restore the programming from my 665 (perhaps minus an obsoleted/unused device or two) to a 650 (like I was able to the other way from 650 to 665).

IF I can still find a 665 for say $50 or so (for that backup), I'd probably jump on that... Hmmm... looks like eBay does still have some in that price range...

_Man_

 

[Dennis_H]

For a cheap universal remote, there is also the Sofabaton U1. Usually $40 - $50 on Amazon. Will control multiple devices. Programable over device app. Does bluetooth also. Have one for outside system with TV, soundbar, and firestick and it controls all of them. Could probably have used firestick remote for that, but they didn't support weird cheapo soundbar.

They have a more expensive unit similar to the harmony hub type, but don't have any experience with that.
See on Amazon