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My recent TV purchase brought my total number of required remote controls to four. Previously my receiver remote could at least turn on my TV and I only needed three. Feeling crowded, I decided to research media center 2005 compatible universal remotes. Since my TV and DVD player are both Philips, I quickly found exactly what I wanted, but it was either never manufactured, or is no longer in production. Even eBay didn't help. Disappointed, I found the Logitech Harmony line of universal remotes to be my next best choice. Unwilling to spend over $100 on a remote, the best bang-for-the-buck turns out to be the Xbox 360 Remote (even though I don't own an Xbox 360). After TigerDirect's instant ground shipping delivered it to my door, I set it up for my TV, DVD and receiver by entering their model numbers. There was no option for "custom built media center" so I picked a random HP media center model for the media center support. I then configured the "xbox buttons" as Guide, Recorded TV, Start and Live TV respectively. Not quite my comforting green windows logo button on my regular remote, but at least the green button did the same thing. I then set up "Activities" like "Watch Recorded TV" which turns on the TV, receiver, and displays my list of recorded TV. After I had everything configured in the interface, I clicked "Update Remote" and waited for over a minute while it uploaded whatever configuration was required. Once it was done, I pressed the "Watch Recorded TV" activity and sure enough everything turned on as expected. It's important to note that during my demonstration to Lisa, none of the activities worked properly, but she did understand the "Devices" button and how to switch between them all, so it passed the fiance test. However, her increasing nerd factor may make her an unsuitable baseline comparison. A review I read mentioned how the channel/volume/directional buttons "click" when pressed, which is slightly annoying. I also had to manually set volume up/down for each device to my receiver volume up/down, but this may have been me missing a configuration option.User Comments for 02-20-2007:
 | Cool but do you still have the 30sec fwd button and 5sec back button? Stavos |
 | Of course! Any buttons that don't map directly are in the menu screen. Fortunately those map directly. AtomicInternet |
 | Screw Harmony, the iconRemote Rocks!
My mom isn’t exactly what I would call technologically gifted (she still needs me to help check her email.) So, when I set out to find a universal remote for her, I wanted something SIMPLE that could handle a few devices. She doesn’t have much of a home theater system, but what she does have is pretty basic – TV, DVD player, and stereo. After a few hours of research on the internet, I finally settled on the Logitech Harmony 550 Universal Remote. Big mistake!
I picked it up at the store and I had to bring my laptop to her place so that I could program all the codes in. It was a little annoying to have to hook it up to the computer, because I kept imagining her changing the batteries and me having to go through the whole process again. Then, right after I finished the set up, she was skeptical because the buttons are so freaking small. Her nails are long and she kept hitting two buttons at once. Plus, although she can read the newspaper fine, she had troubles with the printing on the buttons, because most of them blend into the remote casing.
That wasn’t the only “vision” problem, either. The reason I bought the Harmony is that I liked the idea of macros. It has functions like “Watch TV” and “Watch a DVD” that I thought would make things easier for her. Boy, was I wrong. The buttons worked, but it was hard for her to see the labels, because the LCD screen is pure crap! Logitech has done the same thing that every manufacturer does and made an LCD screen where the black lettering barely stands out from the blue background. I can barely see the thing myself.
So, I tried to teach her how to operate the thing, but she just kept making those subtle “mom” comments like, “I really appreciate it, but I just wish the buttons were bigger” and “Which button do I push to play a DVD again?” I took the hint and told her I would find something else.
Back to the drawing board. The next day I got an email from X10.com that said that they were testing a new remote called the iconRemote. It looked like it would work, so I decided to give it a try. They were only releasing 100 to customers, but I was one of the lucky few. (I had my mom sign up too, so we could both get one.) It does a lot of what the Harmony does, only much better. It solved all my mom’s problems and has some awesome features that we didn’t even know we wanted.
The major issue was solved – my mom can actually see this remote! Call me crazy, but that seems kind of important to me. The iconremote is laid out much better and the buttons are big and easy to see. Plus, the LCD screen is full color, which solved the visibility issue there, too. And, when I say full color, I mean FULL color. It’s like a mini plasma screen!
After I set it to control the TV, DVD player, and Stereo in the living room, I still had plenty of room for my mom’s kitchen and bedroom televisions. She loves this remote so much that she carries it with her all over the house. Plus, the iconRemote has a bunch of other cool features, too . . .
Like the Harmony, the iconRemote has an easy to follow set up Wizard, but the iconRemote never needs to be hooked to a computer. It has every code built in. I even had my mom set it up and she had no problem at all. So, when she changes the batteries, I won’t have to come running back to her place so that she can watch her soap-operas.
Also like the Harmony, the iconRemote has macros, but the iconRemote lets you program them to do whatever you want them to. You’re not limited to 4 preprogrammed macros like “Watch DVD”. I have set up all sorts of different functions for her, which means I don’t get nearly as many “tech-support” phone calls as I used to.
Here is the big difference: It has a feature that lets you pick all of your favorite channels and display their logos (NBC, ESPN, etc.) on the LCD screen. When you want to change channels, you push a button next to the screen and then the channel jumps to whatever logo you pressed. I don’t have to skip through the crappy channels anymore, unless I want to. I programmed all of my mom’s favorites into her remote and she skips from Oxygen to Lifetime to whatever she wants with the corresponding button. I have mine set up for my favorites, and I even have profiles set up for my wife, a kid-safe one set up for our son, and one set up for the babysitter. You can set up to 10 custom profiles, including a HIS and a HERS button right above the display. It’s like a “his and hers remote”!
The iconRemote blows the Harmony out of the water, or, rather, out of the living room! It is easier to set up, to see, and to use. Sorry, Logitech, but next time, maybe you should put some actual thought into your design process like X10 did.
The iconRemote isn’t for sale to the public yet, but there is an email list for updates and info at: www.X10iconRemote.com . It looks like it will be on sale soon.
There i Mykel |
| Good god man, write a book! Sentator Kelley |
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