When you think of a consumer focused remote control which doesn’t require an installer to put in, what comes to mind? A $20 universal remote from Radio Shack? Logitech is hoping you’ll think outside of the box with the recent unveiling of their latest Harmony remote control called the Logitech Harmony 1000 Advanced Universal Remote.
The Harmony 1000 trades in the plethora of buttons and stereotypical remote look for a sleek new industrial style design which consists mainly of an LCD and just a few basic controls. The overall design of the Harmony 1000 is fairly thin and rectangular in shape.
Images Courtesy of Logitech
The 3.5-inch color LCD screen is touch-sensitive, designed to replace the typical buttons common on other universal remotes and even the older Harmony remotes. The Harmony 1000 displays the most important, relevant controls to which device you are operating, according to Logitech. In an example they cited, “when watching TV using a digital video recorder (DVR), people will see on-screen the standard skip forward, skip back, record and pause buttons necessary to controlling a DVR. But when they are listening to CDs, they will see the track controls they need to navigate their music.”
Image Courtesy of Logitech
The Harmony 1000 has nine fixed buttons, such as volume up and down, channel up and down, and a directional navigation pad. The remote initially displays on-screen the activities its owner might commonly engage in, such as watching TV or a movie or playing video games. A selection of that particular choice then brings up the appropriate controls for the necessary device(s).
Speaking of devices, the Harmony 1000 makes use of an online database system to download codes of the more than 175,000 produced by more than 5,000 manufacturers by matching a component’s model number to the characteristics, discrete codes and infrared commands stored on Harmony’s Internet site. These codes are then programmed into the Harmony 1000 automatically through a USB connection.
The Harmony 1000 has two programming options to control your various home entertainment devices. One involves the traditional line-of-site method using standard infrared technology. The other, which works when the remote is used in conjunction with an optional wireless extender, lets a user control multi-room entertainment systems and high-end components hidden behind closed doors.
Other features of the Logitech Harmony 1000 include rechargeable batteries, a stylish charging stand, control of up to 15 separate components, activity based control via tracking the operations of the various components it controls, on screen contextual help for simple troubleshooting and a brushed aluminum surface.
More information on the Logitech Harmony 1000 can be found at Logitech’s Web site.
