Logitech Harmony 510 review

All told, we tested several components--TVs, AV receivers, DVD players, video game consoles, cable boxes, and home-stereo systems--and we couldn't find a remote-enabled product that was not listed or would not work once we uploaded the profile to the remote. Again, the big drawback here is the 5-device limit. If you've already got a quintet of gear--say, a TV, DVR, DVD recorder, Xbox 360, and Apple TV--you're out of luck if you want to add a Blu-ray player (or anything else) to the mix.

Along with the ability to control devices individually, the remote includes the Activities function that we liked so much in previous Logitech Harmony remotes. In essence, it allows the Harmony 510 to control different components simultaneously, and it works more intuitively than a standard device-centered remote. For example, you can program a Watch DVD activity that turns on your TV, AV receiver, DVD player, and speaker system; sets them all to the correct channels or inputs; and even starts playing the DVD. While the movie is playing, the controls you designate will punch through to the appropriate device: the DVD controls and the numerical keypad to control the DVD, the volume up/down buttons to control the speakers, and the power button to turn the whole thing off in one fell swoop. With a little care, we were able to get all of the important functions incorporated into the activities that we programmed; for those that we missed, we simply toggled back to the Component Control mode.

If something goes awry--say, the DVD player didn't power up--just hit the Help button, and the remote will take you through the activity step-by-step, and usually identify the problem. If a specific problem persists, you'll probably want to aim the remote a bit more specifically, or add in some delays to the various control sequences (when programming it with the software).

As far as PC-programmable universal remotes go, the Logitech Harmony 510 would've been a compelling universal remote--if not for the existence of the two nearly identical doppelgangers. Skip the 510, and go for the 550 (or, for Xbox 360 owners, the Xbox remote) instead. Either one delivers everything that the 510 does at a nearly identical price, but with the ability to control more devices.

Editors' Note: This review is based on the Logitech Harmony 550 review originally written by former Assistant Editor David Rudden.