Logitech Harmony 659 LCD Remote Control: Simplification In One Slightly Expensive Package
Written: Dec 24 '07 (Updated Dec 31 '07)
Product Rating:
Pros: Easy to use, easy to configure, controls everything from one remote
Cons: Batteries don't last very long, a bit pricey
The Bottom Line: Anyone with more than two or three components in their system will benefit from the functionality and ease of use of the Logitech Harmony 659 LCD Remote Control.
noangels's Full Review: Logitech Harmony® 659 LCD Remote Control
The home entertainment system in my fiance’s apartment is a mess. With so many components, we dread going behind them to add anything new. The wires are a disaster, despite several attempts to organize them. Controlling the components has been no less of a hassle. Even with universal remotes, we always needed other remotes around to control most features, other than powering the components and changing channels.
When I discovered the Logitech Harmony 659 LCD Remote Control, I was thrilled at the notion that there could be some order in the living room. I purchased it in November 2005 as one of my fiance’s birthday presents.
How It Works
This remote is supposed to replace all other your remotes in your household. It is compatible with most audio, video, and gaming components, and can be used to control each device individually. Short-cut buttons, like “Watch TV” or “Watch DVD,” allow you to program specific components to be controlled in certain instances. For example, “Watch TV” could power and control your television, audio receiver, and cable box.
The remote is very easy to use. Everything is self explanatory; with information on the LCD screen or on the buttons. Besides the addition of the short-cut buttons and a few other buttons that are specific to this remote, most are what you would expect to see on any other remote control; stop, pause, play, channel up, channel down, volume up, volume down, etc. Once programmed, the “Watch TV” button will allow you to watch television. The remote powers all of the necessary components and adjusts the controls. In our case, this button powers the television, the TIVO, and the Yamaha Audio Receiver. The volume buttons control the audio receiver’s volume, the channel buttons allow us to change channels on the cable box through the TIVO, and the arrows allow us to navigate the TIVO’s menus. When we choose “Watch DVD,” the remote switches the audio receiver to the “DVD” audio channel, adjusts the TV channel to 4, and allows the arrows and playback buttons to control the DVD player.
The Logitech Harmony 659 LCD Remote Control always acts with the assumption that the last action taken was the ones taken by the remote. Turning the television on manually may result in the television turning off, rather than staying on. The remote allows you to correct this by clicking the “Help” button. You’ll go through a step by step process in which the remote diagnoses the problem and corrects it by asking some simply questions, such as “Is the TV on channel 3?”
We have had two minor compatibility issues, one of which is not necessarily the fault of the remote. My fiance’s Philips HDTV does not allow you to jump from channel to channel using numbers on a remote. Channel navigation must be accomplished through the “Channel Up” and “Channel Down” buttons on most remotes. This presents a bit of a problem for the Logitech Harmony 659 LCD Remote Control occasionally. When switching from “Watch DVD” to “Watch TV,” which requires a switch from channel 4 back to channel 3, the remote sometimes misses the correct channel. It usually ends up two channels before where it needs to be. This can be corrected by using the “’Help” button as described before, or by going directly through the menu for that specific device and pressing “Channel Up.” The other compatibility issue is that this remote doesn’t control every feature on the TIVO. Occasionally we need to whip out our old TIVO remote to perform certain functions, including a manual reboot.
This remote has sufficient range to work properly from anywhere in our living room and the adjacent hallway. The actual product information states that it has a range of up to 40 feet.
Configuring the Remote
With the use of the included 5-pin USB cable (or any other one you have laying around), your computer, and the intuitive software, you can configure your remote to work with any of your components. An internet connection is required for the software to connect and locate the information for your devices. You will need to know each of your components model numbers to add each. At present time, we have this remote set to control two televisions, two DVD players, an audio receiver, an XBOX 360, and a TIVO. This remote can be set to control multiple entertainment centers, but only one can be associated with the short-cut buttons. The maximum number of devices you can configure to the remote is fifteen. The short-cut buttons are all programmed within the same interface. Programming is a tedious process, but certainly not difficult. We were able to program it without consulting the manual. I think anyone with a modicum of knowledge of computers will have no problem with configuring the remote.
Design
The Logitech Harmony 659 LCD Remote Control is a rather large universal remote; 6.1” H x 2.1” W x 1.3” D. It was 4.5 ounces. With its ergonomic design, I find the remote to be very comfortable to hold. My fiance actually feels the shape is poorly designed. This difference of opinion could be attributed to the difference in size of our hands.
The remote has a sleek look to it, with smooth curves and a small LCD screen centered in top of the remote. The screen is not a color screen, which may present a problem for far-sighted users. There isn’t much contrast between the background and writing, even when lit. My fiance and I are both near-sighted and have no problems viewing the screen. Both the LCD screen and the keypad brightly light up blue when in use or when the “Glow” button is pressed. The “Glow” button was intelligently designed; to help you locate it when in the dark, the button is the only one with a rubbery finish rather than the smooth finish of the other keys. This coating seems to have helped protect it, since there has been no fading, discoloration, or dirt collection as my other remotes have experienced.
The buttons are sufficiently large for both my fiance and I to use with no difficultly. The keypad is intuitively designed, so anyone with previous experience with remote controls will have no problem with this one.
Durability
My fiance has dropped this remote numerous times on the hard wood floor, from different heights (the couch arm, his lap, his hand while standing). The remote withstood much of the abuse, though a year after he received it, a small portion in the center of the LCD went out. The accident that was responsible involved the remote going flying off the couch when my not-so-careful fiance knocked it off of the arm of the couch. It still works, though, even after two years. A subsequent drop resulted in, what sounds like, a piece of plastic breaking off from the remote’s interior. Now when the remote is vigorously shaken, a rattling noise is audible. I may consider purchasing a new Harmony remote if my fiance manages to break anything else on it. I wonder if they make a padded model…
Battery Life
The Logitech Harmony 659 LCD Remote Control powers off of 4 AAA batteries that are said to last five months. The remote is always powered and between powering the screen and the illumination, we have experienced a shorter battery life with Alkaline batteries than stated. Usually we get about three to four months out of each set of batteries. We’re planning buying lithium batteries next time the batteries die, hoping to squeeze a few more months out of them.
Price
I purchased this remote in Best Buy for $99.99. It was definitely a good value considering how much it simplified the control of our mess of an entertainment system.
Overall Recommendation
The Logitech Harmony 659 LCD Remote Control simplified the usage of our home entertainment system. Now, even my fiance’s mother, who is clueless about technology and has long complained about not being able to “get the TV to work,” can watch television. I highly recommend this remote control to anyone looking for this kind of all-in-one functionality.
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