The EASIEST remote control...Ever!
Press "Watch TV" when you want to watch TV programs & it does the rest!
There are a lot of buttons you have to push and a lot of things to remember when you are trying to turn on your home theater. Then you can have dozens of remotes or even one confusing Universal remote control. I know many people who have had to call their spouse to find out what to do just to watch the evening News! An activity-based remote control really has been the answer to these troubled souls.
I have recommended the Harmony One remote control to family, friends and readers for years. Even the most confused spouse or techno-phobe friend can easily watch TV, movies even switch to listen to their Apple TV in surround sound.
The 1-2-3
The Harmony One Remote will control all of your home theater components so all you have to do is press one button and everything will be ready for you.
Here's what you do (once someone has set up the Harmony Remote):
1. Decide what you want to do: Watch TV? Listen to the radio on your AV receiver? Watch a movie on your DVD/Blu-ray Disc Player? Look at photos? etc. (you should have asked the person setting it up to name the activities you like to do on your home theater in a way that you can recognize it ).
2. Press the touch screen where that activity is listed. If you don't see the activity you want--press the right arrow next to the touch screen display on the remote. Then press the touchscreen once you find your actiivity.
3. Wait a moment for all of the components and TV to come on and switch to the right input sources (to the inputs where your device is connected on your TV and/or AV receiver).
4. Put in a DVD/Blu-ray disc if needed. OR Use the Guide button to bring up your onscreen TV programming guide or punch in the channel or use the number buttons to get to the channel you want.
5. If you don't see what you want press the help button. Read the questions on the screen and press the area below "yes" or "no" for your answer. Keep answering questions until you see and hear what you wanted to do (i.e., the TV is on and the AV receiver is on and you see and hear the TV show.) When everything is okay, answer the question "Is everything working correctly now?" with "yes."
6. The volume and channel buttons, and the play, pause, record, etc. buttons will work now and there may be controls on the screen to work your cable or satellite box, TiVo (or other DVR) or whatever other device you are using.
7. Press the "power" button on the upper left of the remote to turn your system off.
TIP: Don't manually turn on or off your devices or you will have to hit the "help" button all the time.
EXPLANATION:
Universal remote controls, the kind that can work your whole home theater system (i.e., TV, AV receiver, DVD, cable box, etc.), have been even more confusing to use than having a dozen remotes on your coffee table. But the Harmony One changes all of that.
The Harmony One by Logitech is an "activity based" remote control--that is, you press a single button that says "Watch TV," or "Watch a Movie, " or "Watch a Movie with Surround Sound," or "Listen to iPod," to turn on all the components for that activity. In this case, the button is an area on the touch screen.
Point the Harmony One at your home theater system and press the activity "button". Your TV, and the devices being used for that activity are turned on, switched to the right inputs and voila! You are watching a movie with surround sound. Or you are listening to internet radio on your AV reciever. Or you are watching a TV show with the sound coming from the TV. And you didn't have to figure it out. You just press one button that describes the activity you want to do...and you are watching or listening to what you want.
You may be thinking, "That's great, but technology never works like it's supposed to. What do I do if it doesn't work?" With the Harmony One it's never a problem. If you've pressed an activity and you aren't seeing and hearing what you should, use the "help" button. Pressing the help button will bring up questions like "is the TV on?" and "is the AV receiver on the DVR input." Look at the device in question to be sure it is on, and look at the display to see what input it is on. Answer the questions by pressing the button next to "yes" or "no," and the Harmony One will fix the problem.
The Harmony One is relatively easy to set up. Connect it to your computer using the included USB cable. Install the software, and it takes you to a program that connects online. It asks you questions like "Do you listen to your AV receiver when you watch TV (or listen to your TV?)" and asks you if all the other devices (like your DVD player) should be turned off. If you still get intimidated by having to answer which input each device is on, simply have a tech-savvy friend or partner set it up for you. After set up , you don't have to do anything to program the remote until you need to add or change your TV or devices. Note: On occasion you may need to tweak the remote settings during the initial setup, if that happens, ask a friend or try contacting Logitech/Harmony. Their support is very good. After the remote is set up the rest is simple!
There are many actiivty-based remotes on the market (including many made by Logitech), so why do I specifically recommend the Harmony One? My friends and I have tried most of the activity-based remotes that are available. The Harmony One is the first that will respond immediately to button presses (it's call "latency" when it takes a nanosecond to respond). This is of huge importance. When there is lag time between when you press a button and when a TV or the home theater reacts, it's confusing and frustrating. When there is lag, you find that it takes an extra second to pause a TV show (you never get to the exact place you want in the show) or you find yourself pressing the button more than once and messing everything up. This is not a problem with the Harmony One as it seems to immediately control your home theater TV and devices.
Another feature I like about the Harmony One is that it has a rechargeable battery, so you need only put it in its cradle from time to time to recharge it. Also, it has backlit buttons to make it easy to read in the dark. Different shaped buttons make it easy to feel which button you are using without looking. Plus it has a big, colorful, customizable touch screen.
And yes, I know it seems extravagant to spend between $150 and $250 for a remote control, but there will be no other piece of equipment that you will appreciate more. What good is a home theater if you can't even turn it on and watch what you want?
When it comes to home theaters, there is nothing better than feeling confident that you can simply sit down and press a button to watch or listen to what you want.
P.S. The Harmony One remote is even easier to use than many of the custom remote controls out there.
P.P.S. Are you the one setting up the Harmony One remote? Go here for tips.
P.P.P..S. - I am not compensated for the endorsement of this, or any other remote control.
