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Logitech Harmony 890 Advanced Universal Remote Control
Manufacturer Description Imagine… controlling all your devices using only one remote - without a direct line of sight to the components! With the Harmony 890 Remote, you can wirelessly control your home entertainment system while hiding all those unsightly wires and components behind cabinet doors or a wall. Logitech's Harmony 890, an upgrade to the Harmony 880 remote control, uses both radio frequency (RF) and infrared (IR) wireless signals to deliver powerful complete control of your home-entertainment system that may be hidden behind cabinets. With a wireless range of up to 100 feet, the Harmony 890 remote sends RF commands to a wireless receiver, which then blasts infrared signals to the components. The Harmony 890 remote makes universal control for home entertainment and advanced lighting systems simple. Using Your Harmony Remote
Features
System Requirements IBM® or compatible PC
Macintosh® PC
Package Contents
Product Description Imagine controlling all your devices using only one remote - without a direct line of sight to the components! With the Harmony 890 Remote, you can still control your home entertainment while all those unsightly wires and components remain hidden behind cabinet doors or walls. Reader Reviews UPDATE: I've just upgraded to the Harmony 1000, and talk about fantastic. Nice, easy to read screen and hard buttons, especially if you need glasses to read. Well worth the added price (since the RF receiver isn't bundled with the 1000). --- 3 years ago, I purchased my first Harmony remote, the 768. At the time, I wrote that it was the best universal remote, bar none. I've since purchased a Harmony 668 for another setup, and have recommended various Harmony remotes to my friends. It was now time for me to update my home system. Based on the numerous reviews, many over a year old, I was hesitant to give the Harmony 890 a try. I'm glad that I did! With the latest Harmony Software and firmware updates (which are automatically installed the first time you connect your devices), my experience has been excellent. And Amazon's price is outstanding - the same that local "discount" chains are selling the non-RF capable model. I have had no problems configuring both the 890 remote and RF wireless extender under Mac OS X (Intel and PPC) and Windows XP clients. Clearly this is a different experience from the early adopters who bought this a year ago. Some background - I'm an electronics geek and audiophile. My system is complex, and with more components (12) than the average home setup. In my opinion, if the Harmony can be configured to control all aspects of my environment, then it should handle any configuration as long as you have the patience to work through Harmony's setup wizards and lack of adequate documentation. Initial setup is easy - install the Harmony software, connect and register, connect your devices (firmware will be automatically updated) and then specify what components you have, and what activities you want them to be in. If that's all you need to configure, there's not much work. In my instance, I wanted all aspects to be controlled - changing sound modes on the amplifier depending on input source, switching to the optimal input on the TV monitor, controlling all component functions on the remote. This takes some time, and some learning through the sometimes quirky Harmony wizards. But in time, I was successful. As I've mentioned in my past review of the 768, one of the real differentiators of the Harmony remotes is their ability to intelligently understand the STATE of various devices, and what commands are needed to establish a setting. For example, they will remember if your TV was last ON or OFF, what input it was set to, etc. For some devices, without separate settings for On/Off, or for selecting inputs, this is a lifesaver. And if the remote ever gets out of sync, you can just hit the Help button and it will prompt you through. The included RF wireless receiver is great capability, allowing you to control devices in separate rooms without a line-of-sight from the remote to the components. However, I would recommend against using the RF receiver at first. Instead, configure the remote for all of your devices using the IR commands. Then, add the RF receiver and change your inputs. (See my separate review of the Logitech Harmony RF receiver for complete details). Although the screen isn't very large, it is easy to read, providing 8 selections per screen. I prefer the Harmony 890's use of physical buttons to the touchscreen-only approach of other remotes, which force you to look at the screen each time. Also a nice touch, the Harmony 890 has a motion sensor that will turn on the backlight when you pick up the remote. There areas that could be improved:
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