Harmony 785 Universal remote, $99 at Dick Smith

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#329856 13-May-2010 16:19

The logitech/harmony remotes are awesome. Takes a bit of tweaking to get it right, but once there they are easily the most user friendly for anyone. If they are not, it's essentially the fault of the person setting it up, not the user.

The real power for me came from the buttons being reassignable for each activity. If you have 'Watch TV' where it only uses the tv, then the volume buttons work the tv volume. If you have another activity called 'TV through Stereo' or something then the volume buttons can be assigned to the receiver/stereo etc. This means everything can be intuitive and just work how people expect it to. None of that I have to select the stereo device to work the volume and then back to the tv device to change channels that basic universal remotes require.

There are a few provisos though to ensure it all works well. Some will be easy, others annoyingly hard.

a) everything HAS to be in standby off prior to using any activity. This is the only way the remote knows everything is in the right on/off state to start with.

b) if you want to control something that's not ir (or rf on some older models) you need some form of ir to bluetooth etc type adaptor. Harmony do one for the PS3 so if you want to use this with a ps3 buy that one specifically to save the heartache.

c) you have to keep it pointed in the gear direction for the whole startup/shut down sequence, very important, especially for ps3 use.

d) your gear should have discrete input commands to avoid the need for crap sequences etc so you know what input it's looking at.

Apart from that, any harmony remote basically works the same, they just get more additional features as you go up the scale, and build quality really. they have movement sensors that illuminate the buttons, very cool. You have to have an internet connection too, something to consider possibly.

lyonrouge

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#329885 13-May-2010 17:53

thanks for the tips. Last question, if I'm on PS3 and want to change to sky, will it turn everything off and then back on in Sky mode?

wazzageek

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#329891 13-May-2010 18:21

lyonrouge: thanks for the tips. Last question, if I'm on PS3 and want to change to sky, will it turn everything off and then back on in Sky mode?

No - it will "know" that the TV / receiver is already on and not switch it off, then on again.

Note that you can program the remote to not power on/off devices too (so you can have it so that it doesn't switch on and off the sky box - leaving it on all the time)

lyonrouge

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#329900 13-May-2010 19:03

cheers Waz, maybe we could reprogram yours as a test case ;-)

trig42

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#329918 13-May-2010 20:21

My devices don't all have to be off. If you use the remote to switch everything off (ie, press the power button when you go to bed), then the remote thinks everything is off (unless you have told it that you leave certain things on - I tell it to leave MySky on). Next day, when I choose Watch TV, Watch DVD or whatever, it turns on what I need.

If I change activity, it turns off what I don't need, and leaves on what I do. For example if I am watching TV, and want to watch something on my WD HD TV Live, I choose the activity 'Watch WDTV' and it will just switch AV input on my receiver, switch the TV to HDMI2 and switches on the WDTV. Piece of Piss.

The other good feature is the 'Help' feature, if something doesn't switch on or to the right input, it walks through asking if it's going now until it's all OK.

My wife is very non-techie, she loves it, one remote to rule them all.

99 dollars for a 785 is a good deal.

semigeek

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#329950 13-May-2010 22:54

Just a quick question, are there two different 785's? as the one on the DSE site has no coloured buttons (Teletext I presume) and Noel Leeming and other sites have images showing with coloured buttons.

wazzageek

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#329968 13-May-2010 23:31

semigeek: Just a quick question, are there two different 785's? as the one on the DSE site has no coloured buttons (Teletext I presume) and Noel Leeming and other sites have images showing with coloured buttons.

I *think* that's the difference between the 720 and the 785 ...

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smarsden

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#329969 13-May-2010 23:32

As far as I know, all one's sold in NZ have the coloured buttons - I've got two 785's (for two different rooms), both with them. I think the DSE page is just showing a promotional-type Logitech supplied picture, rather than the picture of what they actually sell.

I've got to add that personally I think the Harmony remotes have to be one of the best devices created. Yes, a tad fiddly to set up, and if you don't pay attention to what you're doing it could all go horribly wrong, but once correctly configured it's a dream to use.

The fact that, as mentioned earlier, it 'knows' the state of the devices is excellent, as well as having fully customisable buttons. Also just in case for some reason a signal doesn't get to it's device (e.g. if someone stood in the way), or someone has used a devices original remote rather than the Harmony (in which case the Harmony thinks the TV may be on a different input to what it's actually on, for example), it has a Help button to step you through getting things working properly again, asking you the state of each relevant device for the activity you're trying to use. Brilliant. The simplest solution though is to hide all the original remotes and only leave the Harmony out. The wife uses it without any problems at all, and my setup is fairly complex (although probably not compared to some people on here!).

My main lounge one controls a TV, projector, motorised screen, Sky box, VCR, Blu-ray, HDMI matrix box, and receiver. If starting off watching TV, so only the TV is on, and I then select "BD/DVD on Projector", the TV turns off, the screen comes down, projector turns on, blu-ray player turns on, matrix box turns on, receiver turns on and all signals sent to the relevant devices to make sure they're on the right input (only if they weren't already). Choose "Sky on Projector" and the BD and matrix box turn off, Sky box turns on, and receiver changes to TV/CAB input source. Then choose "Sky on TV", and the screen goes up, projector and receiver turn off, the TV turns on and then goes to the right input to watch Sky (since it was previously on the aerial input when last used). As mentioned earlier the volume control buttons switch between the receiver or TV as required depending on what activity is being used. And those examples only cover a few of the options I've got available. I really can't fault it.

If you've got three devices or more, you need a Harmony. And for $99 it's almost worth getting a spare, just in case you drop your main one on the floor and break it! :-)

clevedon

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#330005 14-May-2010 07:55

smarsden, we've had a 785 for a couple of years and it controls up to fifteen separate devices, we have two HT rooms and vary rarely both rooms are used at the same time and has worked flawlessly no matter which room you are in, just set it up in the Activities and name them. But now at $99, it's tempting to pick up another one even though one does both rooms, it's maxed out on the fifteen now.

lyonrouge

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#330144 14-May-2010 14:50

well, I've bought one, so once it's charged up we'll start the voyage of discovery.

robbyp

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#330225 14-May-2010 20:50

I've just got one, but I think there is something wrong with the charger. WHen I first put the battery in, it said to put it on teh charger. It did and plugged it in, and it came up with some photos and a message to say it was connected to the dock, then the screen went totally black. There is no way to see if it is charged or not. I pressed a button on it about an hour later and it was still on the charger, and it came up with a screen that said it needed charging and once it finshed I could play a tutorial. I left it for another hour, and that screen was still displaying, and the battery indicator wasn't doing anything, so I pressed another button, and it then came up with a message that it was connected to teh dock and went black. (I think the contacts may be tempremental) It has now been on the charger for about 5 hours and the battery indicator is at 2/3 which is what it was before I put it on the charger. I guess my question is should it be doing anything while it on on the charger or should it just be a black screen, and how do you know if it is charged if the scrreen is black, and how long does it take?
Can find any instructions either on the logitech website, just a quickstart guide, which is next to hopeless.

smarsden

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#330253 14-May-2010 23:37

robbyp: I've just got one, but I think there is something wrong with the charger. WHen I first put the battery in, it said to put it on teh charger. It did and plugged it in, and it came up with some photos and a message to say it was connected to the dock, then the screen went totally black. There is no way to see if it is charged or not. I pressed a button on it about an hour later and it was still on the charger, and it came up with a screen that said it needed charging and once it finshed I could play a tutorial. I left it for another hour, and that screen was still displaying, and the battery indicator wasn't doing anything, so I pressed another button, and it then came up with a message that it was connected to teh dock and went black. (I think the contacts may be tempremental) It has now been on the charger for about 5 hours and the battery indicator is at 2/3 which is what it was before I put it on the charger. I guess my question is should it be doing anything while it on on the charger or should it just be a black screen, and how do you know if it is charged if the scrreen is black, and how long does it take?
Can find any instructions either on the logitech website, just a quickstart guide, which is next to hopeless.

When it's put on the charger, it should cycle through a few photos, and then go completely black. True, there's no way of knowing when it's fully charged, but as long as the contacts on the back are making a good connection with the base, then it should charge okay. I can't recall exactly how long it takes to charge as I tend to leave mine charging over night - something around 2-3 hours rings a bell for a full charge from empty, but I may be wrong. Certainly after 5 hours I would have expected it to be fully charged.

I've only ever had one or two extremely rare times with the contacts on mine not connecting properly. You'd probably know if it was that easily enough as the remote either wouldn't recognise the base at all (so you'd never see the slideshow), or would keep beeping every now and again as it goes through phases of thinking it's on the charger, then not, then on it again, and so on. Usually resolved by giving the contacts a wipe to make sure they're clean, and then sliding it onto the base until it settles in properly and the contacts connect.

robbyp

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#330255 14-May-2010 23:41

smarsden:
robbyp: I've just got one, but I think there is something wrong with the charger. WHen I first put the battery in, it said to put it on teh charger. It did and plugged it in, and it came up with some photos and a message to say it was connected to the dock, then the screen went totally black. There is no way to see if it is charged or not. I pressed a button on it about an hour later and it was still on the charger, and it came up with a screen that said it needed charging and once it finshed I could play a tutorial. I left it for another hour, and that screen was still displaying, and the battery indicator wasn't doing anything, so I pressed another button, and it then came up with a message that it was connected to teh dock and went black. (I think the contacts may be tempremental) It has now been on the charger for about 5 hours and the battery indicator is at 2/3 which is what it was before I put it on the charger. I guess my question is should it be doing anything while it on on the charger or should it just be a black screen, and how do you know if it is charged if the scrreen is black, and how long does it take?
Can find any instructions either on the logitech website, just a quickstart guide, which is next to hopeless.

When it's put on the charger, it should cycle through a few photos, and then go completely black.? True, there's no way of knowing when it's fully charged, but as long as the contacts on the back are making a good connection with the base, then it should charge okay.? I can't recall exactly how long it takes to charge as I tend to leave mine charging over night - something around 2-3 hours rings a bell for a full charge from empty, but I may be wrong.? Certainly after 5 hours I would have expected it to be fully charged.

I've only ever had one or two extremely rare times with the contacts on mine not connecting properly.? You'd probably know if it was that easily enough as the remote either wouldn't recognise the base at all (so you'd never see the slideshow), or would keep beeping every now and again as it goes through phases of thinking it's on the charger, then not, then on it again, and so on.? Usually resolved by giving the contacts a wipe to make sure they're clean, and then sliding it onto the base until it settles in properly and the contacts connect.

Thanks, I have taken it off the dock now and it looks to be charged. At least I know there is nothing wrong with it. I am just used to the iphone charging system, where it shows you the charging progress. Currently adding devices to it now.

richms

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#330394 15-May-2010 15:02

Help is a bit braindead on my 525 - it first asks if the satillite box is on - I cant tell if the TV isnt on the right input which is the usual shortcoming with it.

IR output is great, backlight is too bright and will randomly trigger at night time so I have to leave it face down or it wakes me up when lighting up beside me.

Richard rich.ms

ilovemusic

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#330507 15-May-2010 20:54

You sleep with your Harmony next to you ?

The 785 is a greta buy at $99.

Grab it while you can.

I missed out when DSE had the Harmony One at $199.

Now it's back to $399.

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