-
"Functionally stunning. Suffers from poor setup software." on by bmiklosey
Pros: Performs RF-to-IR universal remote functions elegantly.
Cons: Setup software clunky. Many hours to achieve results
Summary: This remote control is the icing on the cake of my new home theater where I have a wall mounted plasma monitor and NO supporting components in view. My cable box, DVD player, and audio receiver are stowed in an adjacent closet and therefore out of the line-of-site of a standard remoted control. In order to achieve this arrangement, IR-to-RF remote control converters were necessary, and ideally with universal remote capabilities. Logitech's Harmony 890 appealed to me based on the USB setup and the dynamic LCD screen. The remote itself is well layed out and is simple to use by anyone in the family. One click will turn on all of the necessary devices, whether it is to watch TV, a DVD, or just music.
In order to realize this goal, it took several hours on my PC with their setup software. I read other reviews that noted this as a negative, but I was confident that I could overcome any of these problems swiftly with my mastery of most application software. The good news is that I became a master of the setup software. However, I wasnt planning on that much time to complete (a full Sunday afternoon). Firmware updgrades sometimes fail, multiple choices are offered in dialogs that do not match the issue at hand, and there is little automated detection between the remote and the software to confirm success. The user must identify this on their own, and sometimes failures occurred.
Bravo to Logitech for an excellent appliance, but please invest in improving your software interface even if it means starting over. -
"Works well both RF and IR" on by cevans11
Pros: Does exactly what I need. AV Components now hidden in closet.
Cons: Once in a while I must hit connect button to re-establish RF communication between remote and RF extender.
Summary: I love this remote. I use it for my 50" plazma and Comcast HDTV cable box with DVR. It provides more functionality than the remote provided by Comcast. The IR is used only for the TV monitor. All other components controlled via RF. I've had only one issue that is on going: Once in a while I must hit connect button to re-establish RF communication between remote and RF extender. The remote did need firmware upgrade out of the box. The process for firmware upgrade was not as easy as it should be.
-
"Should not have made it out of beta testing" on by jacobs.fam
Pros: great idea
Cons: doen't work
Summary: I bought this remote to control my home theater..the first remote did not work right out of the packeage. I returned the product to the store, where I bought and exchanged for a second one. After two weeks, the remote will not work or keep a charge.
Software is buggy, firmware out of date, Logitech support is the weakest I have ever seen. If this were a $40 item rather than a $400.00 item, I would expect this. -
"Finally very pleased with this product" on by vrajku
Pros: Controls hidden equipment perfectly
Cons: Required testing of 2 remotes
Summary: I recently purchased this remote with the RF extender to control all my audio/video equipment placed behind closed doors in another room. The first remote just did not work -after 2 days and several hours with tech support, I had to return the remote to the store. I was very frustrated at this point. But the store very kindly replaced my remote with another one and this was just a piece of cake to setup with minimum of tech support.
I am so very pleased with this remote since it controls all my equipment perfectly. Once it works, it works so well and does whatever I purchased this equipment for. I took a 2 year warrenty though just to be on the safe side -
"Functionality good, ergonomics terrible" on by msahlu
Pros: Comprehensive functionality, activity based remote
Cons: Forget about finger memory with this remote.
Summary: Just got this remote to control a home theater system and some Z-wave light controls. Primary factors that led me to its purchase was the Z-wave compatibility (which apparently won't even be ready for another couple of months or so), the RF capabilities and the activity based control scheme which I'd gotten used to from a previous Harmony remote (659). As always setup was fairly easy to do although Logitech could make significant improvements to their interface and navigation of the config tools. This remote seemed to need more adjustments for time delay than did the 659 but again, this is not too difficult to do.
My biggest problem with this remote (and therefore the reason that I'm going to part with it as soon as a better alternative comes out) is that it's pretty much impossible to accurately use the functions on it without looking at it directly. Buttons next to each other are RIGHT NEXT to each other and are similar in size and shape to the point that they are indistinguishable by feel alone. Navigation cluster is too narrow and the LCD soft keys are so far away from the transport controls (and suffer from the same proximity and likeness problems described above) that it almost makes this a 2 handed operation.
Anyway, I had a suspicion just from looking at the remote that ergonomics were going to be an issue but what I experience was worse than anything I imagined. I'm going to get the Monster MCC AVL300-S when it comes out because it's essentially the same remote with a much more usable form factor. Not as 'sexy' but much more usable from the way it looks.
Logitech Harmony 890 user reviews
