# The Perfect Harmony Remote for DIRECTV - and it's not sold here...



## Drew2k (Aug 16, 2006)

Why won't Logitech sell the Harmony remotes with teletext (RGYB) keys here in the United States? These remotes would be perfect for DIRECTV....

Here's one in particular that I would love to have. It's rechargeable, has a color LCD screen, has 6 soft keys, and the color keys are ABOVE the keypad!










It's on the Logitech site, even, but I can only find it on UK or Australian sites.


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## jeffshoaf (Jun 17, 2006)

If Blu-Ray wins the High Def DVD war, maybe they will since the Blu-Ray players use color keys...


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## cygnusloop (Jan 26, 2007)

I think I'll stick with my 880. From the pictures, I don't think I would like the layout. The guide, exit, menu, etc.. keys are too far away from the transport controls. Plus, I am a big fan of the peanut form factor. With 8 soft keys on the 880, there is still four left over on page one after adding the color buttons, and that's enough for me. Besides, I fear change.


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## Drew2k (Aug 16, 2006)

For each U.S. model of the Harmony there's an equivalent remote with the color keys - the model number is just "5" higher. I just don't understand why Logitech hasn't thought to sell them here. As mentioned, Blu-Ray uses color keys, most cable systems do, and DIRECTV does as well. It just makes no sense for Logitech not to sell them here ...

Here's the 525, with the color keys way at the bottom (a useless location, IMHO):










Here's the 895 (the 885 looks just like it) with color keys in the middle or the remote (but they look too tiny):


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## oudabashian (Aug 19, 2007)

jeffshoaf said:


> If Blu-Ray wins the High Def DVD war, maybe they will since the Blu-Ray players use color keys...


Don't hold your breath.


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## hilmar2k (Mar 18, 2007)

I searched for the 885 for a while before I gave up and bought an 880. Newegg.com had the 885 a while back, but they were out of stock once I finally decided to buy a Harmony. I was on the notify list but it was clear I would be waiting a loooong time. I like the 880, but the 885 would have been the perfect remote. Oh well...


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## tooloud10 (Sep 23, 2007)

Drew2k said:


> Why won't Logitech sell the Harmony remotes with teletext (RGYB) keys here in the United States? These remotes would be perfect for DIRECTV....
> 
> Here's one in particular that I would love to have. It's rechargeable, has a color LCD screen, has 6 soft keys, and the color keys are ABOVE the keypad!
> 
> ...


eBay is your friend.


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## Drew2k (Aug 16, 2006)

tooloud10 said:


> eBay is your friend.


:lol: Only if you're willing to buy from overseas sellers, with the lowest price going to a seller who won't take PayPal but wants "bank transfers"!


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## hilmar2k (Mar 18, 2007)

Drew2k said:


> :lol: Only if you're willing to buy from overseas sellers, with the lowest price going to a seller who won't take PayPal but wants "bank transfers"!


My Brother recently bought something on eBay from overseas, and got stuck paying some customs fees at the Post Office. Made the total price way too high for what he bought. That's the reason I never went the eBay route to get a "5" Harmony remote.


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## Drew2k (Aug 16, 2006)

hilmar2k said:


> My Brother recently bought something on eBay from overseas, and got stuck paying some customs fees at the Post Office. Made the total price way too high for what he bought. That's the reason I never went the eBay route to get a "5" Harmony remote.


Like an import fee or something? I never even thought of that!

Just really does make you wonder why Logitech wouldn't expand the teletext remotes into the US market...


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## Ken984 (Jan 1, 2006)

Check out the Harmony for Xbox360 remote, it has the color keys. Saw one at Sears today for $59.


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## Drew2k (Aug 16, 2006)

I've had and given away the Xbox360 remote - I didn't like that the color keys were almost undetectable at night with the backlight on.


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## mx6bfast (Nov 8, 2006)

I think over in the UK they use those color codes a lot. I hear it alot watching soccer games.


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## Peapod (Oct 14, 2006)

Speaking of which, why do they put Activity WAY the heck up there on the 88x series, out of easy reach when Device is in easy reach. Do they really think people use Device more than Activity?


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## Stuart Sweet (Jun 19, 2006)

That looks like the 720, which Costco sold for a while, except with the color keys. 

I agree with my friend Drew, I would love it if Logitech sold the same remotes here as they do in Europe. The color keys are used on a lot of stuff. At least sell it online. 

That being said, I'm still a big fan of the Harmony Remotes.


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## Teronzhul (Sep 21, 2006)

Yeah, its the 720. I have one sitting next to me right now. I just preferred the look of the 720 to that of the 880. Not any other particular reason.


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## donshan (Jun 18, 2007)

Stuart Sweet said:


> That looks like the 720, which Costco sold for a while, except with the color keys.
> 
> I agree with my friend Drew, I would love it if Logitech sold the same remotes here as they do in Europe. The color keys are used on a lot of stuff. At least sell it online.
> 
> That being said, I'm still a big fan of the Harmony Remotes.


I was using a 720 which I got at Costco for our HR20 family Rm big HDTV until I saw a post here on dbstalk.com last Spring about using the Xbox-360 which has color keys. I decided to try one, and find HR20 control is MUCH better than using the 720. In addition to having color buttons, the Xbox 360 moves the DVR buttons up just under the LCD making it easier to balance in the hand, and the Xbox 360 DVR buttons are bigger and more widely spaced. One minor problem is the Xbox 360 yellow button is also labeled "Guide". I chose to map "Guide" to this yellow button and put "List" and "Yellow" , "Active" on the LCD.

The Xbox 360 works so well that when we added a second HR20 in the BR I now have two Xbox-360 Harmonys with identical layouts so my wife only has one remote button layout to learn for both systems.

I still think D* should work with Logitech to produce a DirecTV version Harmony that has the exact button arrangement needed for the HR20/21.


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## Maverickster (Sep 20, 2007)

I have an 890, and would kill for an 895 -- even if the only difference is the r/g/b/y buttons. The buttons that are there now on the 890 (the up/down arrows) are (in my setup) assigned to the same functions as the channel up and channel down buttons, so the loss of those two buttons would be irrelevant to me and the addition of the r/g/b/y buttons would be HUGE (and free up 4 of the softkeys)!

If Logitech ever releases this remote in the states, I'll be all over it.

--Mav


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## Drew2k (Aug 16, 2006)

I see a lot of people are in agreement with me, so .... how do we start a grass roots movement to get these sold here?


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## tooloud10 (Sep 23, 2007)

Drew2k said:


> :lol: Only if you're willing to buy from overseas sellers, with the lowest price going to a seller who won't take PayPal but wants "bank transfers"!


That's why you don't buy from the lowest seller.

I've done hundreds of international transactions on eBay with only a handful of problems. Strangely enough, it seems that most foreign eBayers just want a successful transaction, just like you and I.


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## CCDMan (Jul 26, 2007)

Nahh, THE perfect remote is a Pronto Pro (and it IS sold everywhere). It is the incredibly flexible (you use your PC to create your own buttons and configurations) and has not failed once in 5 years. It also has so much IR power compared to other remotes that I am surprised it has not burned a hole in the screen <g>. Yes, Street is about $600 but I can say w/o lying that it is the single best investment I have ever made in A/V equipment. That is saying a lot as I have spent as much as 8X that much on some pieces of equipment.....


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## sNEIRBO (Jul 23, 2006)

The Logitech Xbox 360 remote has color keys too. I haven't set mine up yet for my HR20 so I don't know how well it works.


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## ahintz (Jan 14, 2007)

I've had various Prontos over the years, and they are great remotes. However, what I love about the Harmony remotes is that I get a lot of flexibility, without having to take the time it takes to program a Pronto. Also, the hard keys and form factor make using the remote "feel" better than the mostly touchscreen Prontos.

The Prontos are great remotes, but I have become a big Harmony convert.


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## CCDMan (Jul 26, 2007)

> what I love about the Harmony remotes is that I get a lot of flexibility, without having to take the time it takes to program a Pronto.


I never felt that programming a Pronto was that tough and I would highly recommend the Pronto programming guide that was written by a third party and is available online for about $30 or so. It made programming easier, quicker, and more flexible.

I know some folks like hard buttons and the standard layout but if you program a beep into each button the touch screen is quite easy to use. Plus, there ARE hard buttons (something like 20) for common tasks like channel, volume, etc (although these are also programmable). In fact no one button on the pronto HAS to be used for a particular function (except for the light button).

The new 9400 (just out) has a more conventional layout of the hard buttons as well.


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## badmonkey (Nov 18, 2005)

ahintz said:


> I've had various Prontos over the years, and they are great remotes. However, what I love about the Harmony remotes is that I get a lot of flexibility, without having to take the time it takes to program a Pronto. Also, the hard keys and form factor make using the remote "feel" better than the mostly touchscreen Prontos.
> 
> The Prontos are great remotes, but I have become a big Harmony convert.


+1

I've had a couple of Pronto remotes and the touchscreen is not the best solution for a DVR. Using the transport controls requires looking at the screen as opposed to navigating by feel on the remote. Even the 9400 referenced above does not include hard transport buttons.

As said, they are very capable remotes but, IMO, not the best for a DVR.

Back on topic... I would definitely love to see one of these European models with the color buttons available in the US.


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## barryr (Sep 28, 2006)

i used to love the pronto, until i discovered the harmony. i've used several of both, and now i'm all harmony. the main reason is the feel of the hard buttons.

while the flexibility and tons of downloadable configs were great fun with the pronto, to me there's no comparison if you're a heavy user of skips, advance/replay and other "trick play" features on DVR's, DVD's and VCR's. the lack of click feedback from the pronto touchscreen just leaves too much to be desired.

for the same reason i prefer the harmony 880 over the 1000.



badmonkey said:


> +1
> 
> I've had a couple of Pronto remotes and the touchscreen is not the best solution for a DVR. Using the transport controls requires looking at the screen as opposed to navigating by feel on the remote. Even the 9400 referenced above does not include hard transport buttons.
> 
> ...


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