Logitech Harmony Smart Control
AsSiMiLaTeD
Posts: 11,727
I've been using the Harmony remotes since...well since they were still Harmony. I've been through most of the models all the way from the old Harmony remotes through several iterations of the Logitech remotes, for us and helping set up friends and family on them. I've been through shoddy enclosures with seams that don't line up perfectly, cheap hard plastic buttons, buttons that stop functioning after a while, bad software implementations, charging stations that don't charge the remote half the time, batteries that swell up over time, and one remote that basically disintegrated right in our hands. I've not had a single Harmony product that has not had some type of problem somewhere along the way. And yet I keep buying them because, to me, the functionality they offer is worth the frustration.
I'd like a less frustrating product and have looked for one, but have not found a replacement. A year or so ago Logitech came out with the Harmony Link, which was basically just an IR blaster that you control with your smartphone. I bought one and figured it would be just what I wanted, no moving parts for them to screw up just a hockey puck and some software. To be fair, the device itself was actually great and once setup worked very well, I just found that using a smartphone or tablet as a remote control didn't work quite as well as I'd thought - I need physical buttons.
Enter the new Smart Control. This is sorta a blend of their hardware remotes with the Harmony Link and smartphone functionality. It comes with the IR blaster, they call it the Hub, and a remote that communicates with the hub via RF. The concept is clever I think, everything goes through the Hub so that once you get your hub placed you don't have any of the typical line of sight issues, and you can control the Hub with either the included remote or a smartphone or tablet.
There are actually different versions of this, one that includes the Harmony Touch remote (which I hate by the way) and one that includes a simpler remote, I bought the latter. Here's the one I picked up:
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/harmony-smart-control/8574049.p?id=1218879313967&skuId=8574049&st=harmony&cp=1&lp=1
Setup is simple, you plug the Hub in and set it in a spot where it can blast the IR signals to all your device. I was nervous about this at first, not sure if it would work well since my devices are in a vertical stack, but it also comes with a couple extra small blasters that connect to the main unit. I actually ended up NOT needing these, I placed mine in the middle of the rack and it reaches devices below and above just fine, including my TV which sites above the hub with other devices in between. I'm not sure how it works that well, but it does.
Next you go online and this up the same way you have their remotes in the past. If you're like me and are upgrading from a previous model you can import your settings. The great thing here is that it's all online now, no need for their stupid software. Once you get your devices and activities set up online, you set up the remote that came with the Smart Control.
The simple remote has a limited number of buttons, but has most of the normal ones you need like playback control, DVR, Guide, Info, Menu, Exit, a directional pad with select button, volume and channel, numbers, etc. It's not as comprehensive as their previous remotes since it doesn't have the screen you can assign buttons to, but in theory that's what the app is for. In practice though, I have found that I never need to use the smartphone app as I can do everything I need with the physical remote. With the limited number of buttons though Logitech includes an action for a regular press and a long press of each button on the physical remote, a nice touch IMO. There are three activity button on the remote, but I actually have 5 activities that I need, so I can assign the extra two activities to a long press of the activity buttons.
The remote itself is very simple, yet feels better than any remote they've ever made. Even though it's lightweight it feels very durable and solid. There is no backlighting which takes some getting used to, but backlighting introduces extra parts and I have a feeling someone at Logitech said "Let's make a remote that we can't possibly screw up" and this is what they came up with. If you can live without the backlighting this is a great remote.
Finally, if you want to use a smartphone or tablet, you download their app and can customize the screens and buttons as you wish. There's even a gesture screen you can customize. I set all this up on our devices, which took some time, and I've ended up never using it. So my advice is hold off on spending the time there until you think you'll use it.
One more thing, everything syncs wirelessly so you'll need a wifi network to make this thing work. If you don't have a wifi network then don't even bother with this device, it won't work.
Overall, I think it's the best remote control product they've built. I've had zero problems with it, and with the combination of the IR blaster being stationary and an RF remote you don't run into the line of sight and 'lost' command issues you have with the standard IR remotes.
I'd like a less frustrating product and have looked for one, but have not found a replacement. A year or so ago Logitech came out with the Harmony Link, which was basically just an IR blaster that you control with your smartphone. I bought one and figured it would be just what I wanted, no moving parts for them to screw up just a hockey puck and some software. To be fair, the device itself was actually great and once setup worked very well, I just found that using a smartphone or tablet as a remote control didn't work quite as well as I'd thought - I need physical buttons.
Enter the new Smart Control. This is sorta a blend of their hardware remotes with the Harmony Link and smartphone functionality. It comes with the IR blaster, they call it the Hub, and a remote that communicates with the hub via RF. The concept is clever I think, everything goes through the Hub so that once you get your hub placed you don't have any of the typical line of sight issues, and you can control the Hub with either the included remote or a smartphone or tablet.
There are actually different versions of this, one that includes the Harmony Touch remote (which I hate by the way) and one that includes a simpler remote, I bought the latter. Here's the one I picked up:
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/harmony-smart-control/8574049.p?id=1218879313967&skuId=8574049&st=harmony&cp=1&lp=1
Setup is simple, you plug the Hub in and set it in a spot where it can blast the IR signals to all your device. I was nervous about this at first, not sure if it would work well since my devices are in a vertical stack, but it also comes with a couple extra small blasters that connect to the main unit. I actually ended up NOT needing these, I placed mine in the middle of the rack and it reaches devices below and above just fine, including my TV which sites above the hub with other devices in between. I'm not sure how it works that well, but it does.
Next you go online and this up the same way you have their remotes in the past. If you're like me and are upgrading from a previous model you can import your settings. The great thing here is that it's all online now, no need for their stupid software. Once you get your devices and activities set up online, you set up the remote that came with the Smart Control.
The simple remote has a limited number of buttons, but has most of the normal ones you need like playback control, DVR, Guide, Info, Menu, Exit, a directional pad with select button, volume and channel, numbers, etc. It's not as comprehensive as their previous remotes since it doesn't have the screen you can assign buttons to, but in theory that's what the app is for. In practice though, I have found that I never need to use the smartphone app as I can do everything I need with the physical remote. With the limited number of buttons though Logitech includes an action for a regular press and a long press of each button on the physical remote, a nice touch IMO. There are three activity button on the remote, but I actually have 5 activities that I need, so I can assign the extra two activities to a long press of the activity buttons.
The remote itself is very simple, yet feels better than any remote they've ever made. Even though it's lightweight it feels very durable and solid. There is no backlighting which takes some getting used to, but backlighting introduces extra parts and I have a feeling someone at Logitech said "Let's make a remote that we can't possibly screw up" and this is what they came up with. If you can live without the backlighting this is a great remote.
Finally, if you want to use a smartphone or tablet, you download their app and can customize the screens and buttons as you wish. There's even a gesture screen you can customize. I set all this up on our devices, which took some time, and I've ended up never using it. So my advice is hold off on spending the time there until you think you'll use it.
One more thing, everything syncs wirelessly so you'll need a wifi network to make this thing work. If you don't have a wifi network then don't even bother with this device, it won't work.
Overall, I think it's the best remote control product they've built. I've had zero problems with it, and with the combination of the IR blaster being stationary and an RF remote you don't run into the line of sight and 'lost' command issues you have with the standard IR remotes.
Post edited by AsSiMiLaTeD on
Comments
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Ooohh...that looks very tempting, and amazon has it for a really good price. I actually have an older harmony that has had parts rattling inside it for years but it keeps on ticking. When it finally bites the dust I will probably pick one of these up. Thanks for the review!Living Room 2.2: Usher BE-718 "tiny dancers"; Dual DIY Dayton audio RSS210HF-4 Subs with Dayton SPA-250 amps; Arcam SA30; Musical Fidelity A308; Sony UBP-x1000es
Game Room 5.1.4: Denon AVR-X4200w; Sony UBP-x700; Definitive Technology Power Monitor 900 mains, CLR-3000 center, StudioMonitor 350 surrounds, ProMonitor 800 atmos x4; Sub - Monoprice Monolith 15in THX Ultra
Bedroom 2.1 Harmon Kardon HK3490; Bluesounds Node N130; Polk RT25i; ACI Titan Subwoofer -
Thanks for the review. Going to have to check these out!
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I have a friend that is renovating his basement, he was talking about running all kinds of low voltage for various things including remotes through his basement. I might tell him to check this out and see how well it works. I have a harmony remote with the mini blasters in my cabinet and it seems to do a good job as long as they stay in place. Thanks for the review.LSi15s, LSiC, LSiFX, LC80F/X, microPro 4000, Pioneer Elite SC-07, XPA-2, XPA-5, PS3
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Although the hub worked quite well and a very good price it would not operate my Pany, So I spoke to Logitech CS and I ended up buying the Logitech Ultimate.
The reason being was that the hub used IR and RF and to get it to work I would have to have one of the blasters next to the Pany which don't work for me as I have all the other equipment in a closet.
And the Ultimate used WIFI, IR and RF.
Now everything works.
But either one is a pleasure to use and as the reviewer stated ( nice review BTW) the hub app works well.
Cheers
Roger -
Nice review Danny,
What Logitech is finally doing is bringing the features and standards of the higher end RTi remotes to the consumer market. I have been using RTi for over 5 years because all though Logitech made a good consumer product there were always some dead end or feature that didn't work with something do to its flexibility in custom programming.2-channel: Modwright KWI-200 Integrated, Dynaudio C1-II Signatures
Desktop rig: LSi7, Polk 110sub, Dayens Ampino amp, W4S DAC/pre, Sonos, JRiver
Gear on standby: Melody 101 tube pre, Unison Research Simply Italy Integrated
Gone to new homes: (Matt Polk's)Threshold Stasis SA12e monoblocks, Pass XA30.5 amp, Usher MD2 speakers, Dynaudio C4 platinum speakers, Modwright LS100 (voltz), Simaudio 780D DAC
erat interfectorem cesar et **** dictatorem dicere a -
nice review. In my mind, I think I would like a Universal to handle all the common/frequently used functions of my other device remotes, but your note about how you don't even use the app just the simple remote got me thinking whether I'd even use one of the fancier URC's to its full potential, and whether it would even be practical, or have me reaching for the OE remote anyway.I disabled signatures.
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nice review. In my mind, I think I would like a Universal to handle all the common/frequently used functions of my other device remotes, but your note about how you don't even use the app just the simple remote got me thinking whether I'd even use one of the fancier URC's to its full potential, and whether it would even be practical, or have me reaching for the OE remote anyway.
The older Harmony One's customizable functions built into the LCD are honestly a HUGE selling feature for me. I can quickly and easily navigate to any function I need to tweak across all my devices while still using them."....not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted." William Bruce Cameron, Informal Sociology: A Casual Introduction to Sociological Thinking (1963) -
EndersShadow wrote: »The older Harmony One's customizable functions built into the LCD are honestly a HUGE selling feature for me. I can quickly and easily navigate to any function I need to tweak across all my devices while still using them.
+1 on the Harmony One, I have the one for our upstairs rig and it is a very good remote.
Cheers
Roger -
Bump....
Hopefully @AsSiMiLaTeD see's this, but for anyone else.
I know a guy buying one from the Monoprice deal so I've got a question for you. From what I see the hub needs to be close to all the equipment that is IR correct? How would that work in a closed entertainment center? Could you just stack the hub on top of the gear, do you need it to be on line an endtable pointing at it, etc."....not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted." William Bruce Cameron, Informal Sociology: A Casual Introduction to Sociological Thinking (1963) -
I use a tablet that takes any ir remote codes and lets you assign the button. Works great and costs less than $100.
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Although the hub worked quite well and a very good price it would not operate my Pany, So I spoke to Logitech CS and I ended up buying the Logitech Ultimate.
The reason being was that the hub used IR and RF and to get it to work I would have to have one of the blasters next to the Pany which don't work for me as I have all the other equipment in a closet.
And the Ultimate used WIFI, IR and RF.
Now everything works.
But either one is a pleasure to use and as the reviewer stated ( nice review BTW) the hub app works well.
Cheers
Roger
I use the ultimate as well. I got one for 98bucks open box from visions. I only use the hub, set off to the side of my room out of sight. It controls everything wonderfully. I had the harmony 1100 and was garbage. And the harmony one was awesome, but the battery sucked. The battery in the ultimate lasts weeks.2 channel:
Bryston 4B3, Bryston BDA3, Cary SLP05, Shanling CDT1000SE with parts conneXion level 2 mods, Nottingham analogue ace space 294, soundsmith Carmen MKii, Zu DL103 MKii, Ortofon MC 20 MKii, Dynavector XX2 MKii, Rogue Audio Ares, Core power technologies balanced power conditioner, Akiko Corelli power conditioner with Akiko Audio HQ power cable, Nordost heimdall 2, Frey 2, interconnects, speaker and power cables, Focal Electra 1028 BE 2, Auralic Aries Femto, Black diamond racing cones, ingress audio level 1 roller blocks, JL Audio E110 with Auralic subdude, Primacoustics room treatments.
Theater:
Focal Aria 926,905,CC900, SVS PB ultra x2. Pioneer Elite SC85, Oppo BDP93, Panamax M5400PM, Minix neox6, Nordost Blue heaven LS power cables. -
Try out roomie remote on iOS. Connects to your IP devices, IR, rs232, and relays.
You can even set it up with IFTTT, Luton , Sonos, wemo, nest, ip cameras, and anything you can think of. You can even open your MacBook desktop in it.
You can make macros or open entire remotes.
The app is 10 bucks and the IR package is 80. The hardware is under 100 bucks per unit.B&W CM9Classé Sigma
