Review: Logitech Harmony 700 Universal Remote

by Steven Williamson on 1 June 2010, 12:23 4.0

Tags: Logitech Harmony, Xbox 360, PS3, Logitech (NASDAQ:LOGI)

Quick Link: HEXUS.net/qayjp

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Performance and Conclusion

Performance
The controller works perfectly. I've had no need to trawl through FAQs or press the Help Guide on the remote, everything worked immediately. I can switch between my DVD and Sky Box instantly, switch on and choose tracks on my iPod docking station and start up the Xbox 360 immediately. It basically means I can now put 6 different controllers away in a drawer and only have to worry about losing one remote now. Battery life lasts about a week and you have to recharge, but it's little effort for what is a brilliant remote that switches between inputs perfectly.

Using the Harmony for Games Consoles
Here's where I'm slightly disappointed. The Harmony 700 isn't compatible with Wii because Nintendo's console uses Bluetooth connectivity rather than infrared.It's also not compatible with PS3, that is unless you buy the "Logitech Harmony Adapter for the PlayStation 3," which will knock you back £27. I set up the Xbox 360 on the controller in a matter of minutes and it works flawlessly, but it's a shame I can't set up all of these devices without any fuss. Logitech sent me the Harmony Adaptor so I could test it out and it does work extremely well allowing me to navigate the XMB Cross bar, stream media and watch Blu-Ray movies at the touch of a button, but having to get this extra piece of kit, which instead of being powered through the PS3's USB port takes up an extra plug socket behind my already dangerously overloaded extension lead behind my TV is a bit of a pain.



Conclusion
If you want to make controlling your digital life easier than the Harmony 700 is certainly going to do that for you, with a brilliantly simple to understand set-up process that worked like a dream on first attempt. Being the main gaming reviewer on HEXUS I'm disappointed that due to the lack of Bluetooth support I couldn't set-up all my consoles to work using the remote and had to have the extra piece of kit for PS3. Personally, I would quite like to have set-up more than just six devices as well, but in terms of performance and ease of set-up it's a superb product that I'd highly recommended.






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HEXUS Forums :: 9 Comments

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Posted by MSIC - Tue 01 Jun 2010 13:41
Thanks for the review.
By coincidence my remote for my WD HD TV live packed up this morning, and with no relacement easily available I considered getting something like this.
Richer Sounds are selling the Harmony 515 for £25, and the 525 for £30, so I'm going to pick one up this evening and give it a whirl.
Posted by Steven W - Tue 01 Jun 2010 15:01
MSIC
Thanks for the review.
By coincidence my remote for my WD HD TV live packed up this morning, and with no relacement easily available I considered getting something like this.
Richer Sounds are selling the Harmony 515 for £25, and the 525 for £30, so I'm going to pick one up this evening and give it a whirl.

At that price it sounds like you can't lose.
Posted by MSIC - Tue 01 Jun 2010 19:39
Ok, so 2 hours in, and this is how things are so far:
The remote (the ‘515’ model) is well made, buttons seem good, well laid out, screen is nice in a green-monocrome way (i guess the 700 is better in that regard), but generally it works well. The whole remote also lights up green too, to find buttons in the dark.
It picked up most of the features that i needed straight away on my Western Dig HD TV Live, and I was able to dig down in to the menus (on the software on the PC, using version 7.70) to add a few more (one in particular was the ability to set the Harmony's “OK” button equal to my WD “Enter” button - very useful stuff).

So all good? Well…. yes except for one huuuuuge negative point.
The PC software - not only are you required to ‘log in’ (to the application installed on your computer), but it looks like it is in fact some type of front end browser to a database far, far away.
I.E. I press the ‘settings’ icon on the software, 30 seconds later the screen changes. I press ‘applications’ icon, another 30 seconds later a response. Etc, etc etc.
I'm telling you, it was PAINFUL, and nothing at all to do with my internet connection which remained working fine thanks. The app also logged me out 3 times, which i had to re-log in again each time.

Suffice to say, now that (i hope) the remote is working as I need, I should be a happy bunny, but I really, really dread having to go anywhere near that Harmony Software again.
Posted by jimborae - Tue 01 Jun 2010 20:08
I use an old H655 remote and haven't encountered the software issues before that you seem to have done so could just be a temp problem.

With regard to these newer remotes they really are poor value for money when you compare them against the old ones like mine & yours. Only 6 devices they contol, jesus that immeadiately disqualifies it for me even if the price hadn't. I need at least 8 and my Harmony does 12 or 15 I think.
Posted by Steven W - Tue 01 Jun 2010 20:34
MSIC
Ok, so 2 hours in, and this is how things are so far:
The remote (the ‘515’ model) is well made, buttons seem good, well laid out, screen is nice in a green-monocrome way (i guess the 700 is better in that regard), but generally it works well. The whole remote also lights up green too, to find buttons in the dark.
It picked up most of the features that i needed straight away on my Western Dig HD TV Live, and I was able to dig down in to the menus (on the software on the PC, using version 7.70) to add a few more (one in particular was the ability to set the Harmony's “OK” button equal to my WD “Enter” button - very useful stuff).

So all good? Well…. yes except for one huuuuuge negative point.
The PC software - not only are you required to ‘log in’ (to the application installed on your computer), but it looks like it is in fact some type of front end browser to a database far, far away.
I.E. I press the ‘settings’ icon on the software, 30 seconds later the screen changes. I press ‘applications’ icon, another 30 seconds later a response. Etc, etc etc.
I'm telling you, it was PAINFUL, and nothing at all to do with my internet connection which remained working fine thanks. The app also logged me out 3 times, which i had to re-log in again each time.

Suffice to say, now that (i hope) the remote is working as I need, I should be a happy bunny, but I really, really dread having to go anywhere near that Harmony Software again.

It logs me out of the software all the time and I have to sign in. Think it's the same version

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