Logitech Harmony 1100 RF Touchscreen Remote
Summary
System RequirementsWindows-based computer
Mac
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Package Contents
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Executive Overview
At CES Unveiled yesterday, we got a sneak peek of Logitech's newest touchscreen remote, the Harmony 1100. Of course, we weren't allowed to report about it until today. The new remote differs from the original Harmony 1000 in a number of ways. First, it's black, not two-tone silver. Second, Logitech promises it won't randomly freeze up like the 1000 did (though I'm not sure that's something that was ever actually admitted to...) A
customizable, 3.5-inch full-color touch screen adorns the front and hard buttons are limited to Volume, Channel, Mute, Replay and Navigation controls (less than the 1000). This remote is more configurable than the 1000 in that Logitech is claiming users can do more to customize the LCD screen and arrangement of buttons and controls.
Featuring fully redesigned software, the QVA resolution (320x240) 3.5-inch touch-sensitive screen the new Harmony allows users to select the commands they use most and put those features on the screen. If you love to watch movies, for example, and are always using the Play and Pause buttons, you can tell the Harmony 1100 to make those commands immediately available on the screen once you start your movie.
In addition to the customizable touch screen, the Harmony 1100 offers simple details that also make it easy to use, such as tactile guides, which are located around the touch screen and help position your fingers so that you choose the right command. The brushed-black aluminum top case and soft-touch bottom case make it comfortable to hold. And of course the Harmony 1100 contains a lithium-ion battery and is rechargeable, so you never have to replace the batteries.
The Harmony 1100 is, like the 1000 before it, an RF-capable remote. A Harmony RF Extender (sold separately) lets you control devices that are behind the closed doors of your entertainment cabinet or even in another room (from up to 100 feet).
Logitech uses an Internet-based setup that is improved over prior software and makes getting the Harmony 1100 setup and customized as easy as possible. Fr those of you who have never used Logitech's Harmony remotes, a setup wizard allows you to enter your components’ make and model numbers and then automagically matches that to the characteristics, discrete codes and infrared commands of the more than 225,000 devices from more than 5,000 manufacturers contained in Logitech’s online database. Any devices that aren’t in the database can be quickly added and the remote can learn any IR code, provided you have the original (source) remote.
This looks to be a rather nice (and much-needed) update to their flagship remote control. We're excited to test it out and see how well it performs in one of our reference systems. The Harmony 1100 is expected to be available in the U.S. and Europe beginning in February for a suggested retail price of $499.99.
For more information visit www.logitech.com.
Unless otherwise indicated, this is a preview article for the featured product. A formal review may or may not follow in the future.
Nemo128, post: 509327
Absolutely, I've tried every solution known to Logitech. Countless updating of both devices, setting delays, decreasing repeats to 0, setting it to every value from 0-5. Nothing makes the repeats stop, and it's not all the time. Just most of the time.
And it's not the IR repeating from reflections. The emitters are isolated and you can see the Extender sending out two pulses according to its IR Status LED rather than one pulse. Sometimes it sends one pulse, and the Extender blinks once, sometimes it sends two or three and you see the Emitter blink that many times.
Where did that command come from? Was it in the database or did you learn it yourself?
highfigh, post: 509321
Did you update the extender, too?
Absolutely, I've tried every solution known to Logitech. Countless updating of both devices, setting delays, decreasing repeats to 0, setting it to every value from 0-5. Nothing makes the repeats stop, and it's not all the time. Just most of the time.
And it's not the IR repeating from reflections. The emitters are isolated and you can see the Extender sending out two pulses according to its IR Status LED rather than one pulse. Sometimes it sends one pulse, and the Extender blinks once, sometimes it sends two or three and you see the Emitter blink that many times.
Nemo128, post: 509320
I love Logitech products. Always have, always will.
HOWEVER, my RF Extender is still doubling IR codes it receives a lot of the time. All repeats are set to 0, so that's not the problem. No solution has been found. It's really annoying to try scrolling through media files on the 360 and have it skip over them.
Still, I <3 Logitech. =)
Did you update the extender, too?
HOWEVER, my RF Extender is still doubling IR codes it receives a lot of the time. All repeats are set to 0, so that's not the problem. No solution has been found. It's really annoying to try scrolling through media files on the 360 and have it skip over them.
Still, I <3 Logitech. =)
jinjuku, post: 506985
I was onsite for a customer in late July '08. Installing computers and our management software. They had a nice 50" Panny Plasma, Onkyo 605, Paradigm, Samsung BR player and the Logitech 1000 remote.
I was scheduled there for 3 days and actually finished a day early. The customer said that the AV guy could not get everything working the way they wanted (but very doable). The biggest thing they needed was 2 zone (inside and out). I spent an entire 8 hour day with that thing. Three calls to Logitech. The button response was horrible, the macro programming was horrible. I ended up showing them how to simply punch a few buttons on the receiver to do what they wanted. I most definitely let them know to get their money back on the remote. Logitech was less than forth coming about the performance of the 1000.
Logitech for a whole list of reasons is on my crap list of vendors. Everything from their Web cam software to the 1000 remote. I basically have sworn them off.
I don't want anyone to think I like the company now that Logitech owns it. The communication has been terrible, support is almost non-existent and they act like a typical computer accessory vendor, which they now are because of the Logitech ownership. I'm done selling their remotes. I still have a 676 that works perfectly, too, but it's 5 years old, so I just use it at home. I may add an IR repeater so I can control my ReQuest server from the garage, which is detached, but hardwired to the garage stereo.
However, Zone 2 is easy- learn the commands as a separate receiver and add them to the activities after the initial setup. The commands for most equipment are all discreet, so there's no problem with overlap. Being familiar with their programming helps and I don't know how many you have worked with but I will definitely agree that they should have come up with a more user-friendly concept when it comes to advanced programming. To be fair, URC and Pronto are at least as complex to program, but still different. Some people (like those at Remote Central) complain endlessly when something doesn't program the same way as an MX-850, which is asinine.
I set up the system with a Denon AVR and didn't use Zone 2 for audio because they have a B&K preamp and MC-2300 for the whole house and an Audio Research power amp for the living room, where the KEF 107s are. The only thing I used the Denon Zone 2 for was the 12V trigger assignments, which I did by selecting a separate Z2 source for power amp All On, Mac only, Audio Research only and All Off. Once a Zone 2 device has been added, when you want to map button functions, you would select the button and then Device and command.
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