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User reviews for the Harmony 1000 from Logitech.
Ratings
Reviews
MSRP (USD)
Average: 3.00/5.00 Median: 3.33/5.00
7
$499.99
The Harmony 1000 is the first color touchscreen remote from Logitech. It features a brilliant 3.5" LCD, RF control of IR equipment, a rechargable lithium ion battery, good selection of hard buttons, USB connection for Internet-based setup, plus the company's propreitary activity-based control for up to 15 devices with Smart State Technology.
The reviewer has used this remote control for 1-2 years.
Review 7 made on Monday March 16, 2009 at 8:23 PM.
Also owned:
SONY - RM-AV3000
Strengths:
Touch screen, harmony activity programming, easier to program than the sony, easy to revise
Weaknesses:
Software for programming cumbersome, H1000 took a long time for firmware to stabalize (2 years), slow perfromance. Hard to get the last 5% of the configuration just the way you want it
Review:
Most points are already covered. I wanted to love this remote, however it falls short and has been not well developed by logitech. Its ok now finally, having taken them a long time to get it decent, but is susperseded by the H1100 model which seems to offer some improvements. Don't by a 1000 at list - not worth it.
BTW my unit does work with the Xantech DinkyLink and CB60 IR repeater just fine - not sure what problems the previos poster had. The H1000 is not a super strong signal - mine is about 6-8 feet from the reciever.
The reviewer has used this remote control for under 1 month.
Review 6 made on Friday January 9, 2009 at 2:02 PM.
Also owned:
Marantz RC5200
Strengths:
None
Weaknesses:
DO NOT BUY THIS POS!!!!!!
What a piece of *&@&! After busting my backside for 12-13 hours trying to get the remote to work with my Xantech Dinkylink, I emailed the wonderfully useless staff at Logitech to be told, "Third pary IR repeaters are not supported. You will have to see if the Harmony will work individually to each device. "
Now keep in mind I already said in my email that it worked when I pointed it right at the devices but not at the IR traget.
Funny how every individual remote that came with the device works fine with Xantech, but the 1000 doen't.
The reviewer has used this remote control for 1-2 years.
Review 5 made on Sunday September 14, 2008 at 7:42 AM.
Also owned:
Logitech 525, Logitech Harmony One
Strengths:
- Looks - Touch screen - Rechargeable battery
Weaknesses:
- Very buggy - Freezes constantly - Very narrow IR beam - Logitech has given up on upgrading the buggy firmware
Review:
I upgraded to this remote after originally owning a 525 which I was very happy with and I've regreted my purchase ever since. According to the Logitech forum (I should of read that forum before purchasing this remote), this remote has the MOST complaints and problems. The firmware is very buggy. I think it must be related to the poorly designed hardware, because Logitech still hasn't managed to get it right. It freezes or semi-freezes every now and again. The remotes buzzes on charging (unless you have your brightness set at 50%). The remote has is narrowest IR beam and will often miss the target. It will miss the target is you have the remote pointing greater than 10-20 degrees away. That makes it completely useless. My wife has refused to use it because it will never turn everything on correctly. Logitech refused to replace my remote because they said they are not allowed to deal with the customer directly in Australia but the shop I've bought is from has closed. I've now replaced this remote with Logitech One. If you are thinking about getting this remote -> DON'T GET IT!!!!! Look for something else. Mine has turned into an expensive paperweight!!!
The reviewer has used this remote control for 3-6 months.
Review 4 made on Friday August 3, 2007 at 11:47 PM.
Also owned:
urc mx-900, mx-850, harmony 890, sony rm-ax line of remotes.
Strengths:
nice form factor easy to use and learn improved: the remote seems to be pretty stable since the old days of horrible unreliability.
Weaknesses:
various buttons still lockup on the remote I still go out of my mind when I have to update this remote: It takes forever! Much longer than URC products. It would be nice to be able to test codes while the unit is connected to the computer. The fact that this remote uses the internet to update means that I cannot install this anywhere where a net connection doesn't exist. Touchpad keys are unreasonably small and should fill up more empty space of the screen. Battery life is unacceptable, however it appears they have improved on energy conservation when the screen switches off after inactivity. Getting everything perfect means lots of tweaking which means lots of updating. Can't logitech have a feature to remove all those annoying message popups upon an update?
Review:
I reviewed this product a while back and since then it appears that logitech has come a long way with updates that address most of the serious problems that prevented me from installing more of these as a CI. I have commented on of the positive changes I've noticed, however some issues still remain.
The reviewer has used this remote control for 1-3 months.
Review 3 made on Monday June 4, 2007 at 1:10 PM.
Also owned:
Harmony 670, 659, 880Pro, 890Pro, 1000
Strengths:
Nice Touch Interface, accurate touch panel, works great when used in conjunction with RF extender(when RF extender works)
Weaknesses:
Remote and RF Extenders do not automatically pair (after power outages, you will need to re-pair devices) On occasion the 1000 will freeze up(waiting for new Firmware versions Very little customization allowed. control screens are pre-designed, and sized, no adjusting of that
Review:
Overall, the remote, in all installations i have done for my customers ended up positive ratings from the customers. The initial setup is fairly simple as long as you know exactly what your customer wants before you start. Best remote for people that do not want a 30+ button remote. Also GREAT for the elderly. Once programmed even technically illiterate customers can run their complex systems easily
The reviewer has used this remote control for under 1 month.
Review 2 made on Sunday March 18, 2007 at 9:37 PM.
Also owned:
Various Pronto models, AMX Panja, Harmony 89n, 890 Pro
Strengths:
Nice touch and feel, light, great touch panel, RF functions well once programmed. Price..
Weaknesses:
Weak, buggy software that is very limited compared to Pronto's. Software tries to be too smart for its own good. Learning is poor at best. Can't be offset by manual edits of remote code. Poor battery life Managing RF extenders is a nightmare.
Review:
I was very excited to get my hands on the H-1000; it is a beautiful and lightweight remote at a great price point. The screen is bright and the touchscreen works well. The battery life is poor at best; off the dock it will last only half a day which is really no issue as it will be docked most of the time anyway. No real issue for normal use.
The remote should serve you well on both on IR and RF if you actually get it programmed.
The issue I have with the remote is to get it to that point of usability, especially when using RF extenders. The software is simply sub-standard. It registers the remote as a network device (TCP/IP) even though it is using USB. This has caused problems to recognize the remote. Once beyond that hurdle, Logitech requires multiple versions if you have different remotes (7.0.2 for the 890Pro, 7.1.4 for the H-1000 and 7.2 for the 890). Imagine that neither remote can be programmed with the other version (for example the H-1000 with 7.2) and unless you have multiple computers, you must uninstall/reinstall the software each time you want to program a different remote.
If you only have one remote, this may not be a problem for you, just be aware. The major hurdle besides the absence of numerous customization options that the Pronto has (custom buttons, button macros) you can simply not test your setup as you can with the Pronto's for example. When using RF, this trial and error can kill countless hours. Here is an example: I use 2 RF extenders for that remote. Since the purpose of these extenders is to control devices hidden in cabinets or in other locations you can assume that the extenders will not be quickly accessible. Yet this is exactly what you need to do.
You can set every device to be controlled via IR or RF (including which extender and extender port). That's great. What is not is that any change made to the programming of the remote requires a complete reprogramming of the remote AND the two extenders. (even if only a single IR command is changed that is not using the extenders. Since the extenders must be unplugged from power and plugged into the USB port of the computer for programming (extenders are powered by a small brick and are hardwired-the power cord can't be removed from the extender), you will undo the setup in your cabinet just for an update. Then you program the extenders, program the remote (an easy 6-8 minutes for 3 devices) and put everything together again to test. If it's not perfect, you will have to rip it all apart again to update the components again. A removable power cord would be great especially as the power outlets are in the back of the cabinet.
Which brings me to another issue; learning codes. In my case, I was setting up a couple of devices that are not as common. A Barco 808s projector with a controller and a Netstreams Musica system. The remote database didn't know the Musica and had non-working database setting for the Barco. It simply didn't work for the Barco and for the Musica (and Apple remote) it had real problems with repeat codes (buttons on the remote that perform different or repeated tasks when held longer)
Since you have to go through the ordeal mentioned above even when changing a single button, this turned out to be very frustrating. I realize that I am ranting here, but programming a Pronto doing the same thing is a breeze and produces better results.
In short, this remote is handicapped by poor software and should only serve you well with simple configurations and commonly used consumer electronics. It is not very usable for advanced setups.
The reviewer has used this remote control for under 1 month.
Review 1 made on Saturday March 17, 2007 at 11:59 AM.
Also owned:
logitech 890
Strengths:
beautiful graphics, intuitive interface, easy to learn once programmed correctly, good intermediate customizability, price for performance, IR/RF capability with assignable IR ports
Weaknesses:
program software has some issues, touchscreen buttons placed too closely together, lacks advanced customizability found in similarly classed remotes
Review:
I am a fairly new A/V contractor and chose this as my first mid to high end remote based off the recommendations of several other individuals in the audio/video field. I installed a Harmony 890 very recently and was met with numerous issues that ultimately resulted in 5+ hours of programming and tech support. I never did get the RF extender to work. I was not pleased when the support tech admitted that the 890 had a reputation for being "buggy." It's not an easy thing to explain to a client why you're scratching your head calling customer support and completing the same tasks over and over again and not getting anywhere. Part of that however, was due to the fact that his internet connection was slow. Also, since he purchased all the equipment before hiring me to do the install, I was pretty much left to fit all the crappy stuff he bought together. Ultimately we decided to toss some of the existing components and buy some new equipment. The harmony 890 was on my list of highly recommended items to discard based on the poor reviews it received, but we ultimately decided to give it a-go. Anyhow, without further ado, the review on the 1000.
The Harmony 1000 model differed significantly from the 890 from a programming standpoint. Although the core programming methods remained the same, the software was updated significantly over the 890 to effectively prevent users from becomming lost in a sea of programming hell. The newer software makes one feel like they are being directed as opposed to being thrust into the middle of the program without a life raft or any direction whatsoever.
Unfortunately, I believe there are some software related errors as the USB LAN LINK tends to become unstable, going from "this device is working correctly" to disappearing entirely from the Network settings window. I cannot understand why a network needed to be setup to make data transfers possible. Why the 1000 is not setup as a simple plug and play storage device is beyond me. It is also possible that data transfer issues are coming from the 1000 since its not uncommon for the remote software updater to come back with a "no response from the device." This is liable to drive anyone crazy since the connection is just not consistent. It almost seems to be a matter of luck when and if the remote's software gets updated.
Before I begin to sing the 1000's praises I have one more nagging gripe. Setting up the RF is one hell of a chore, even in light of the easier programming software. After 20 minutes of messing around with settings, updating both the extender and the remote, using the remote's own help button, restarting the computer to restart the LAN by USB connections (which by the way are supposed to be plug and play), and setting up the RF network (mind you I am a personal computer tech to everyone I know and am very, very familiar with the antics of the common PC), I was able to get the RF feature to work. Unfortunately, trying to add an IR only device after the RF network started to work properly resulted in the RF network completely failing. I am currently trying to do the whole "remove and add" process for the RF extender, but a seemingly simple process has turned into a nightmare on account of the data transfer issue.
All programming headaches aside, I found the remote's interface extremely intuitive. Custom installers looking to offer easy demos to clients will be extremely pleased. I was also impressed by the bang-for-the-buck factor. For approximately 400 dollars you get a touchscreen with gorgeous graphics, all the necessary hard buttons without going overboard and cluttering up the remote with heaps of ugly buttons, a very tastefully designed housing with a subtle blue glowing backlight, and what appears to be brushed aluminum outter casing. Remote comes with a craddle to charge the battery and hotdamn will you need it since the 1000 sucks battery power like my dodge ram sucks gas.
Setting up activities is a no brainer. Programming to WATCH A DVD or WATCH TV and setting up all the power and input buttons properly is no problem at all. Customizing each activity or device to learn a button from the original remote is no hassle either. Renaming buttons and activities is simple. I really like the layouts of each screen as well although some of the touchscreen buttons do seem unnessesarily close to each other, even when there is plenty of screen space to distance them from each other a little more.
I believe that if logitech can fix the software updating issues and the rf network connectivity problems they would truly have a superior remote on their hands. While I am a bit pissed that the programming is such a friggin' headache, I feel good knowing that once everything is in place, my clients will be pleased with how easy it is to use the 1000.