Remotely Experienced

[zoundz]

Thought I'd pass along my recent experience vis-a-vis the HD-100 and it's relatively lame remote. Yes, the new front panel for the HD-100 vastly improved the remote's response, in particular off axis. Nonetheless, as compared to other remotes, it was still a bit lame.

Despite my hesitation concerning the activity based paradigm of the Logitech Harmony remotes, when my friendly local Costco decided to sell the Harmony 620 for about $50, I really had to try it. I have a very messy remote setup with a bunch of satellite receivers and a cable box and a couple of switchers - on and on. This has made for the most cryptic and incomprehensible learning remote setup in the history of learning remotes. And I still had the HD-100 remote separate because I had no more places to learn anything on my Sony RM-VL900.

Turns out that with a bit of piddling around with the clumsy and slow programming software that is required to set up the Harmony remotes (Logitech says the bugs and bullshit are being worked on, but I won't hold my breath), the programming does work adequately and it's relatively straightforward to program in all sorts of "activities" and devices - including the HD-100 and all the input and switcher settings that were necessary to actually see it on my TV.

All of this is preamble to the real point of this missive.

The Harmony 620 (the only one I have tried from their line of remotes) is one absolutely GREAT remote. It has 2 incredibly bright IR leds on the front and it can be seen by damn near every device in the room at just about any angle. It just blasts the room with IR. The HD-100 included. It doesn't matter where it's pointed - up, back, left, right, whatever - all the IR receivers see this thing like no other remote I have ever used. When it plays back a sequence of commands to set up for one of it's activities, it's virtually always a 100% response from every box in the room. I was very pleasantly shocked and surprised by this. Add to this the relatively civilized layout and the very nice button tactiles and you have a very good remote.


Of course, as with all unsolicited testimonials, YMMV