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Logitech Harmony H-659 Advanced Universal Remote Control (Black) | 
 enlarge | Brand: Logitech
Category: CE
List Price: $179.28
Buy Used: $65.00
You Save: $114.28 (64%)
New (5) from $69.99
Avg. Customer Rating:  125 reviews
Color: Black
Media: Electronics
Autographed: No
Memorabilia: No
Shipping Weight (lbs): 3
Dimensions (in): 1.3 x 2.3 x 8.1
MPN: 966179-0403
Model: 966179-0403
UPC: 097855028778
EAN: 0097855028778
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Features:
| • | Easy to use, easy to set-up |
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| Editorial Reviews:
Product Description
The Family Remote. If you want your entire family to be able to use the entertainment system to its fullest, the simple layout and one-touch Activity Buttons makes the 659 the ideal choice. Main Features Manufacturer: LogitechManufacturer Part Number: 966179-0403Manufacturer Website Address: www.logitech.comProduct Type: Universal RemoteWireless Technology: InfraredInterfaces/Ports: 1 x USB (Receiver)Dimensions: 8.1" Height x 2.3" Width x 1.3" DepthWeight: 5.8 oz
Amazon.com Product Description
A good universal remote may control an entire home entertainment system, but more often than not, it also looks like the instrument panel of the space shuttle, with dozens of intimidating and confusing keys. Enter the Logitech Harmony 659 remote, which is not only simple to program and use, but also consolidates a user's preferences for watching TV, viewing movies, or listening to music into three clearly labeled buttons. Simply press the Watch a Movie, Watch TV, or Listen to Music button to activate all the appropriate equipment--including surround sound components--and the remote does the rest. The device will automatically switch to your favorite settings for each component, while offering you a host of customized controls on its interactive LCD screen. It's called Smart State Technology, and it puts you and your family back in control of your home theater system. The remote is an ideal choice for families with kids, though in many cases, it's the grownups that will find the simplicity most appealing. Like many other universals, the remote lets you assign tasks to individual buttons. However, unlike most other remotes, it also lets you create new functions to specifically match your component, such as when controlling multi-angle playback or zoom on a DVD player. To do this, merely connect the Harmony remote to your computer through the USB port, install the included CD software, walk through the Web wizard's step-by-step setup process, and start programming. Once you enter the model numbers of your components and answer a few easy questions about personal preferences, you'll soon be able to control a complex home theater setup without any hassles of frustrations. The Harmony 659 also includes a learning port, which picks up commands from other infrared remote controls to simplify setup even further. And should the setup process ever get too confusing, the remote includes a handy Help button that guides you through common troubleshooting steps--the only remote on the market to do so. The Harmony 659 is compatible with everything from surround sound systems to satellite and digital cable boxes to DVD players. As a further enticement, Logitech includes two free months of TV listings. For the computer setup to work properly, users will need to own USB-equipped computers running Windows 98 SE, 2000, Me, or XP or Macintosh OS X 10.2 or later. What's in the Box
Harmony 659 remote control, software installation CD, USB cable, four AAA batteries, quick-start guide.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 120 more reviews...
 The answer for your A/V challenges spouse and kids! December 19, 2005
59 out of 59 found this review helpful
I'll make this easy - the Harmony Remotes are the most brilliantly designed piece of consumer electronics I have fiddled with in a long, long time. I have a system of slghtly above average complexity - a 60" projection TV, Onkyo Home Theater receiver, Nintendo Gamecube, PC-based MP3 server (home built), and a combo DVD/VCR. The web-based configuration pretty much nailed all the settings, and the wizard is a great example of someone that did their homework when it came to figuring out all the possible "use cases" for my set up. Its probably not going to be perfect, though, unless you are using all very common components; you will probably have to tweak some of the settings. For example, after selecting the model number of my JVC combo VCR/DVD player, the standard functions worked fine, but the navigation between menus on DVDs was flakey and inconsistent - I went on the harmony web site, tweaked the settings by learning the missing commands, and voila - it works perfectly now.
OK, so why do some people give such seemingly contradictory negative reviews (definitely the minority of reviews)? I have a theory - the Harmony has no idea of what your little kids, guests, or even pets might do to the settings on your AV equipment. The Harmony can only remember the state it left things in. If your 5-year old (or your mother in law) walks up and picks up the TV remote (or goes to the front of the TV) and fiddles with the video inputs, it will throw the Harmony off (the Harmony will think it is set to "S-video" for example, but it might have been changed by your curious 4-year old to "Satellite" or something.)
But this is actually where the Harmony really shines, in my opinon - and shows how brilliant the design is. When things get out of whack, all you have to do it press the "Help" button on the remote, and it will start walking through settings and asking questions in order to determine where the problem is. In over a year of using the Harmony 659, I have yet to encounter a situation where this did not resolve the problem immediately. In fact, I used to get calls at my office from my wife, frantically trying to put in a video for the kids, but not being able to get it to display on the TV (I have it set up to display DVDs via the component connections, but VCR via the S-Video). I'm not kidding, this would happen twice a week - and I would have to walk her through all the settings on the various remotes until things were fixed. With the Harmony, this is no longer an issue - in fact, I have not had a single call in over a year about the A/V setup - that is worth the $100 alone! :-)
I'll provide an example from just this moment - I was programming a new component on the remote while my kids were watching a video. After programming the device, it assumes everything is turned off (which the system was not). My 5-year old picked up the remote, pointed it at the TV, and pushed the "off" button. Nothing happened (because the Harmony thinks things are already off. So, I just picked up the remote, hit the "help" button, and it send a command. The receiver turned off, but not the DVD player. The remote displayed a message that said "Did that fix the problem?" When I selected "No" it then asked if the DVD was off. When I selected "No" it turned it off and then asked "Did that fix the problem?" again. I selected "Yes" and now the remote and the system are back in synch. Very cool
So, the bottom line is that my 5-year old can now walk into the family room, grab the harmony by himself, and push the "watch a movie" button, stick in a video, and he is all set. It used to take assistance from an adult to turn on the TV, turn on the VCR, turn on the receiver, and then set everything to the right input, etc. In fact, my wife said to me recently "I wish you had gotten one of these a long time ago!"
No AV Receiver should be without this device.... January 21, 2005
34 out of 34 found this review helpful
Although I have only owned the Harmony Remote for a very short time and cannot vouch for its longevity, I feel that the great first impression that it produced needed to be shared.
With the proliferation of AV equipment and all of the confusing remote control options, it has become a nightmare to turn on and operate 3 or even 2 devices at one time. Well not any more. Now with this wonderful intelligent Harmony remote, you are in control. The Harmony can control every device you have and it can do it intelligently. It knows and remembers what you have turned on and adapts itself to controlling only the primary functions necessary for the activity that you are presently doing, thereby minimizing the buttons positions that you will need to learn and remember. Watch a DVD and the forward and rewind buttons control the DVD while the volume and mute buttons control your AV receiver. Watch a VHS Tape and the forward and rewind buttons automatically control the VCR. No more having to tell the remote which device you want to control, it knows... This is the first multi unit remote that is not frustrating to use. It is simple, intuitive, and yet very customizable as well. Programming is done with the computer in less than two hours. It is so simple that the manual has very little in the way of instructions. Moreover, if you do run into trouble, the toll free tech support is the best I have come across in a very long time. The wait is less than 5 minutes during peak hours and the people on the other end are very knowledgeable and speak English (they are located in Canada). >
<> Here is why I give the setup procedure a 4 out of 5. The reason is that I did have to call tech support. They told me I needed to download and run a firmware update before my remote would communicate with the PC properly. However, with the technicians guidance it was a simple process. It would be an improvement if the manual that came with the unit had a little more set-up information and screen shots so that one can follow along to see if everything is proceeding normally. Additionally, it would help if the LCD screen on the remote would give some indication when it is communicating with the PC. It would have cut my setup time in half or down to one hour.
 Poor documentation and nonexistent support! June 20, 2005
7 out of 16 found this review helpful
I had read a lot of good things about Harmony remotes. (...) Unfortunately, after using it for a few days, I have to say this remote is not worth my time.
The initial software installation took more than 2 hours of troubleshooting. I consider myself very knowledgeable with computers since I'm an IT professional and have been working with technology for more than 5 years. In all fairness, it could be my firewall or router that was preventing the remote from contacting the server. But, my complaint is the documentation or the website doesn't really tell you much what to do in this case. So, I had to try installing and uninstalling on multiple PCs and had to keep tweaking firewall and browser settings to get the software to install.
After installation, the remote identified all my devices easily and the wizard guided me through activity setup. Only problem is the activity buttons would not work properly. Every time, the TV or the receiver would go to the wrong input. Funny thing is, the help button on the remote easily identifies the problems fixes them. But, I had to keep using the help button to fix the problems every time I tried using the remote.
Finally I gave up and contacted Harmony/Logitech Tech support. Even though the web site says somebody is supposed to get back to me within one business day, but it has been three business days and I have not heard anything from them.
No product is perfect. And it's difficult to make a remote work with every possible combination of hardware. But, the poor job with documentation and the apathy of the tech support team are forcing me to return this remote.
 A dichotomy... September 21, 2005
6 out of 13 found this review helpful
**See edit at end**
This remote has turned out to be a true dichotomy. On the one hand it does (mostly) perform as advertised and offers remarkable control over just about anything you throw at it; on the other hand, it's flaky, doesn't always work properly, and just plain takes too long to configure.
My setup is pretty typical: a five year old 36" Sony WEGA TV, a five year old Panasonic VCR, and a one year old DirecTV brand satellite receiver plugged into the TVs video1 input. Nothing very fancy.
After downloading the most recent installation software and upgrading the unit's firmware, I had no trouble establishing a connection between the remote and Logitech's Harmony website. That's when the fun began. I've reconfigured the device list and activities several times, and have wasted at least three or four hours adjusting and downloading different configurations. I haven't called Logitech yet, but the e-mail support I received was very slow (three days) and virtually worthless. I love gadgets and computers and have been around the block a time or two so operator error is not the issue.
Sometimes, and for no apparent reason, the remote will turn everything on just perfectly-set the correct inputs and channels, etc., and an hour later it will, for example, fail to set the correct Video 1 input on the TV. And not turn off the TV. And most irritating of all, the remote won't control the TV's volume and Logitech has not offered a solution. The remote does not seem to be defective-just unreliable.
When it works, it's great. One press of a button and everything magically turns on and off.
Also, the design, number of, and location of the buttons is less than ideal. It's actually pretty bad in this regard. The remote itself is too small for its own good. The buttons all look pretty much the same, and there is no way to "feel" the difference, unlike other remotes I've owned. Had it been designed with ease of use in mind, it would have been at least half again as large.
I can't, in all honesty, recommend this remote, and am frankly surprised at the number of glowingly positive reviews.
**EDIT**
Well, it's been over a year since I bought and started using this remote. My overall opinion hasn't changed. It's too small and too complicated. However, I now more fully appreciate how useful it is at turning everything on with the touch of one button. But that's THE ONLY time I use it: to turn everything, on and then to turn everything off. I still find its other features virtually unusable.
 If only it had a charging cradle January 3, 2007
6 out of 12 found this review helpful
This would have probably been the coolest thing our living room had ever seen if we had ever been able to use it with regularity. Everything about it works well, and I spent the better part of an hour when we first got it "teaching" it how to tune our various devices. Unfortunately, this remote went through batteries faster than any piece of electronics I've ever owned. At least once a week, we would pick it up to find that it appeared to be on, but didn't have enough juice to send an adequate signal to one or more of our devices. The cost of the remote was hard to justify to my wife, and the cost and hassle of constantly replacing batteries was worse. We've since gone back to our regular TiVo remote and a remote for the DVD player, and we don't miss the 659 at all.
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