WELA electronic SST-688 Remote Control

Pros: Extremely flexible programming. Good price. Good tech support. Perfect for TiVO.
Cons: Closely spaced buttons. Need web site to configure it.

The Harmony brand of universal remote controls pack a lot of functionality in a unit that is competitive with other brands that can cost twice or even three times the money. They have several models, however the two most popular units are the model 688 ...

Pros: -Completely configurable -"Activity" based functionality great concept -CD Jukebox functionality sold me
Cons: -Buttons too small -A heavier build would make it seem more valuable

With skepticism I purchased one of these after reading many online reviews each with varying degree's of product satisfaction. As with many products it's not uncommon to have polar opposite opinions from consumer reviews making decision making more ...

Pros: Mac Compatible. Works with everything. Easy on computer screen programing.
Cons: Navigating the screen is sort cryptic sometimes. Some buttons are small.

This remote made me giggle like a school girl. No I'm not that lame (at least I hope I'm not) but the fact that I can hook this thing up to my Powerbook (Apple Laptop) and see exactly what I'm hooking up and how I'm hooking it up is amazing. Makes you ...

Pros: Combines many remotes into one, Price is reasonable, Backlight function works well.
Cons: Buttons are too small and too close together, Too many buttons on the remote.

I have always been searching for the perfect remote to combine all the functions of my many components. I've tried the HK/MS remote, All in Ones, Sony, etc and none of them ever seemed to do it all. The new 688 sure looked like it would finally do the ...

Pros: Easy programing, Harmony web set up
Cons: Poor quality, bad design

I bought the H688 last week (from Surfremotecontrol.com), tried it this weekend and not too impressed. Sending it back this week. The pictures shown on the Harmony web site appear deceptive(to me anyway), the buttons look much larger than they ...

Pros: web programmable, huge database, will learn commands directly and does great job on tivo!
Cons: hour to set up,longer to tweak, volume and channel buttons too small

This remote Rocks!! At last a remote that does it all! I cant believe the preveious reviewer hated it! Its the best remote I have ever seen but there was a set up learning curve which was pretty painless.... I have a $10k 50" plasma tv... a ...

Pros: Cool silver color and blue backlighting
Cons: Can't handle a four component system.

Well, I thought I was a reasonably intelligent person. I can program a VCR, set up a stereo system, and I build my own computers. However, after about 3 hours of trying, I've given up on getting this remote to control a system consisting of a plasma screen TV, DVD/VCR combo, amplifier, and DVR.

The problems are related to trying to get the remote to turn the various components of the system on. For example to watch a DVD, it has to turn the TV on, turn the DVD player on, change the input to the DVD, leave the amp on, and allow it to control the volume. Although the instructions suggest that this is a simple task - it is not.

The PC based programming system is circuitous and ineffective. The buttons are small. Pressing a button, often gives the same command multiple times, e.g. pressing "7" often results in "777". One can attempt to adjust this buy adjusting the timing - but this only works to a point, and is very time consuming and cumbersome.

I've finally given up on ever getting it to work.

Pros: Works well switching between activities. Web based configuration is great and easy to learn
Cons: The physical design of the remote is a mess

I bought the Harmony 688 a couple of months after buying the 659 due to the former's "Tivo-like" button layout. The 688 works just as well as the 659 when switching between activities like Watching TV or Watching a Movie. The web-based configuration works well also. It's almost magical when in action.

The problem lies in the ergonomics. This remote is extremely annoying to use. The buttons are mushy and CLICK every time they are pressed; they are also laid out in a way to make it virtually impossible to distinguish keys without focusing on the text written on them. The rocker is uncomfortable and the LCD buttons take way too much pressure to activate. As if that's not enough, the Macro keys at the top have background colors which negate the backlighting, making it very difficult to distinguish them in low light.

I love the Harmony software and ability to integrate control for disparate components with great ease. I just wish they would spend some time designing the hardware to be as enjoyable to use as the Tivo remote control.

I would pass on this model and wait for them to learn from the 688's mistakes.

Pros: It is amazingly easy to program and customize
Cons: The buttons at the very top of the remote are too close together

After extensive research, I chose the Harmony 688 to eliminate the annoying problem of juggling four remotes. It was impossible to have anyone else operate the TV when doing something more complicated than simply watching cable. I brought the Harmony home and it was up and running PERFECTLY within ten minutes. All I had to do was logon to their website, enter the model numbers of my devices (some quite old and some very new) and their associated inputs and connect the remote to my computer with the provided USB cable. Those who know my home theater system predicted that this remote would never achieve what I hoped it would and they were wrong and better yet, now admit it! The Harmony has earned the respect of everyone who sees it in action. Now, even the babysitter can operate my TV perfectly. I love this remote!