# Anyone Use Harmony Remotes for DirecTIVO?



## rrbhokies (May 10, 2004)

I'm looking at the Harmony 628 or the 676. The 628 can be had for around $50 and the 676 can be had for about $100. Not sure about the main differences because the website doesn't say much about the 628.

Anyone using either of these remotes, and how well does it work with the DirectTIVOs? Specifically,

1. I'm so used to the peanut remote and the layout of the buttons. How easy is it to get used to the buttons on the Harmony?

2. Can you program 30 second skip with the Harmonys?

3. Are there any other issues/concerns/tips/tricks with the Harmony remotes in relation to using it with the DirectTIVOs

Any advice would be appreciated.


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## Earl Bonovich (Nov 15, 2005)

#1: A LOT of people use the Harmony remotes (See www.tivocommunity.com)

#2: I ended up returning my Harmony because I couldn't get use to the different layout

#3: You can program just about anything with the Harmony

#4: See either www.tivocommunity.com or remotecentral.com


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## ISWIZ (Nov 18, 2005)

I have the 676. It works great on both my DVR's. It takes getting used to but I had already been using a MX500 and switched to the 676. Pulling the programming offline is great, much better than manually coding thought it takes some getting used to. They had a $50 rebate going until April, I'm not sure it's been extended though. When I moved my R15 to the non-primary status and began using my DTivo unit it took about 5 minutes to change over the programs. I run my DVR, AMP,CD changer and DVR all off it and it works fine.

good luck.


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## rrbhokies (May 10, 2004)

ISWIZ said:


> I have the 676. It works great on both my DVR's. It takes getting used to but I had already been using a MX500 and switched to the 676. Pulling the programming offline is great, much better than manually coding thought it takes some getting used to. They had a $50 rebate going until April, I'm not sure it's been extended though. When I moved my R15 to the non-primary status and began using my DTivo unit it took about 5 minutes to change over the programs. I run my DVR, AMP,CD changer and DVR all off it and it works fine.
> 
> good luck.


What about the 30 second skip? Does that work with the Harmony Remotes, and what buttons are used for the skip back and 30 second skip?


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## AlbertZeroK (Jan 28, 2006)

HECK YES!

I love my Harmoney Remotes! I have a HD DVR TIVO and a SD TIVO DVR and both are set up with different remote codes, not problems there. 

But Harmony Remote require some finess to setup and a bit of learning and you'll program it 5 to 10 times to get it all set up right. BUT tech support is good (they have level 1 and level 2, level 2 rocks, level 1 is idiot support).

With the Harmony Remotes, you can program ANY key to do anything and you can learn other remote control codes.

Heck, in our bedroom, you press one key on the remote and the lights turn off (Lutron IR controlled Dimmer), then it turns on the TV, goes through the menus and sets up 30 minute sleep and goto the TIVO menu on the dvr.

One draw back is that you can't program macros into any key you want. But Harmoney Remotes ROCK!


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## Wolffpack (Jul 29, 2003)

What AlvertZeroK says. I've got an 880 controlling a HR10 and a HDVR2 in addition to the DVR, AV Receiver, CD player, VCR and TV. My wife and I actually thought the key layout was very easy to get use to.

Only gotchas are remembering to keep the remote pointed at the devices long enough when switching source devices and as mentioned above the programming. Took a few tries to get it right. But well worth it.


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## Guindalf (Nov 19, 2005)

I have an 880 in the living room controlling a 53" Panny HDTV, an HR10-250, A Centrios DVD Recorder and a Yamaha 5960 receiver. It's great and I can honestly say that I no longer have to keep the other remotes handy "just in case".

I also have a 628 controlling a Vizio 32" LCD, Philips DSR-708 D* TiVo receiver and a Philips 5960 DVD/DIVx player in the bedroom. Only got it a couple of weeks ago and so far, it's working really well (got it from Amazon for $45 with free shipping).


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## Kentstater (Jun 18, 2004)

I use the 628 for my R-10 and a 659 for the 10-250, love them both.
I would not recommend the 659 just because the Play/FF/RWD keys are in a terrible position ergonomically speaking.

I have 30 sec skip on both.


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## sp1dey (Jun 20, 2006)

I have the Harmony 880 (replaced my 659). The 880 has skip and replay buttons just above the fast forward and rewind. The 659 didn't, but I programmed one for one of the buttons on the screen. No idea about the models you mentioned.


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## cheer (Nov 9, 2005)

One more voice...I have a Harmony 680. I have both an SD-DVR80 and an HR10-250 stacked in the cabinet, along with a receiver, a DVD player, an X-Box running XBMC, a Panny plasma, and a remote-controlled Toslink switch. Remote runs all of 'em just great.

After a short time of using it, the button placement is perfectly natural to me.

I don't like a couple of things about the 680 specifically -- esp. the navigation ring around the OK button. But that's specific to the 680. Oh and it handles the multiple-Tivos-using-different-IR-codes scenario just fine.


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## Herdfan (Mar 18, 2006)

I have an 880 and 3 676's. Like the 676's better. The 880 controls 2 Hr10-250's, 1 676 controls an HR10-250 and an R10, 1 controls an HR10-250 and a DVR80 and 1 controls an HDVR2.

Would not trade the Harmony's for any other remote.


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## jdspencer (Nov 8, 2003)

BTW, the 30s skip is not a function of the remote (other than what key to use). You just tell the TiVo how to respond to that key. 

I just ordered the 628 from Amazon ($36.99 - $25 coupon = $11.99). Can't wait for it to get delivered.


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## Wolffpack (Jul 29, 2003)

Now I appreciate my 880 even more. It fell off my chair onto the carpet....yes the carpet. Screen went screwy and it stopped working. Sent it back to Logitech last week (in Canada) and they'll take a look at it. So now I've got my two Tivo peanuts, TV remote, DVD remote and AV receiver remote all back out. What a PITA. I didn't remember it being this bad back when it was this bad. Can't wait for my 880 to come back home.


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## AlbertZeroK (Jan 28, 2006)

Wow, when they replaced a remote for my client, they just send another remote and had me send back the other.


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## rrbhokies (May 10, 2004)

I went ahead and bought the 628 and it's absolutely wonderful!! Thanks for all the advice. I did spend 2 hours programming the thing, and there appears to be a software bug with my Sony 50" LCD (A10 model). When you select Input 1, it sends the code for Input 6. Fortunately, I was able to select the Sony 42" LCD model and that one works fine for what I need.

I replaced the FF and RW buttons to be the skip back and skip forward buttons, and then added the FF and RW to the macro keys. 

I like the layout of the 628. I find everything to be pretty intuitive. Would have liked the play and pause to be placed a little differently, but otherwise, it's a great layout and well suited for the TIVO units.

Even wife complimented me on getting this remote, which if you know wives, means a lot!! It takes something special electronically to get a wife to agree with you that it was sound financial decision to make!!


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## cheer (Nov 9, 2005)

rrbhokies said:


> Even wife complimented me on getting this remote, which if you know wives, means a lot!! It takes something special electronically to get a wife to agree with you that it was sound financial decision to make!!


Sure does. My wife was guardedly good with the plasma purchase, but the Tivo and Harmony both got an enthusiastic response.


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## wipeout (Jul 15, 2003)

My 659 works great with the Direct tivo's.


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## directvfreak (Feb 1, 2006)

Love my Harmony 880! It works wel, with my HD TiVo.


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## jdspencer (Nov 8, 2003)

I got my 628 and after a moderate learning curve I have it programmed for my HDTV, AV receiver, HDTiVo, T60, DSR6000, Dish 301 and Liteon DVD recorder. I wanted to program an LCD button so that I could change the format of the TV. Unfortunately, this button always ended up at the top of the LCD screen. It seems that these assignments go to the top instead of after whatever you have for the primary device. The way around this was to have the remote learn the format command from the TV remote. Then assign it to the LCD button under the primary device. Oh yeah, I had to have it learn all codes for the HDTiVo and DSR6000 since they use different remote addresses. 

I do find the Logitech website for programming to be a bit clunky, but once used to it, it's okay. Too bad that you can't do changes locally with your PC once you've downloaded all device codes.


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## LeeG23 (Dec 16, 2004)

Another vote for harmony - I have a harmony for my HDTivo - it did take a little tweaking to set up, but was pretty easy, and its the best remote I've ever used.



L


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## benjaminmarle (Jun 7, 2002)

Just to let everyone know, Harmony 880 on sale at Dell TODAY ONLY $130.00 plus a $30 mail in rebate.


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## untouchable (Jun 24, 2006)

I've got the 628 with my HR10-250 and it is awesome...I had to program it a few times before I could get the inputs to work right...customized some of the buttons (stop= 30 sec skip record= replay) plus I've got it programmed to my PS2, DVD player, and my surround sound...couldn't be happier with it...I got mine for about $30 a month or so ago.


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## thumperr (Feb 10, 2006)

got an 880, using it with the hr10-250 and a UTV. great remote, but it took hours to program. the logitech interface for programming the remote is not very functional. having to add an additional custom label 1 at a time past 6 is a pain. you also can't controll the order of how the custum buttons appear in an activity.


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## Wolffpack (Jul 29, 2003)

Actually I have an 880 working with a HR10, HDVR2, Yamaha Receiver and Sony DVD and the programming was very easy via Logitech's web site. The only items that took more time was setting the different remote addresses between the Hr10 and HDVR2. But even that wasn't rocket science I just wan'ts reading the directions correctly.....duh!


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## muledoggie (Dec 6, 2004)

I have an 880 controling a HR10-250 and home theater. It works well with the following comments:

The remote that came with 250 is pretty well designed and does a much better job of ergonomically presenting most of the common, useful functions as buttons than *any* universal remote will.

I am not concerned with many of the Tivo functions on the factory remote and am happy to give up unused or marginally used functions for the (FANTASTIC) all-in-one functionality the 880 provides. Goodby to 6 remotes for me.

In any case, I can add any 250 function(s) to the 880 I want with the pre-programmed 880 stuff or via learning.

The 880 rules!

Watch www.techbargains.com for deals. I got mine for about $90.00.

Jeff


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