`
`Logitech Harmony 900 Review | Digital Trends
`
`Product Reviews
`Logitech Harmony 900
`Review
`
`By Michael Brown
`PST
`
`September 14, 2009 5:22PM
`
`https://www.digitaltrends.com/gadget-reviews/logitech-harmony-900-review/
`
`1/18
`
`Roku EX1029
`U.S. Patent No. 9,716,853
`
`
`
`9/17/2019
`
`Logitech Harmony 900 Review | Digital Trends
`
`Logitech Harmony 900
`
`Score Details
`
`“We think the 900's RF features are what really
`make it a better value than the pricier model 1100.”
`
`Touchscreen display; supremely easy to
`program; rechargeable battery; RF feature and
`
`https://www.digitaltrends.com/gadget-reviews/logitech-harmony-900-review/
`
`2/18
`
`
`
`9/17/2019
`
`Logitech Harmony 900 Review | Digital Trends
`
`IR blasters allow you to keep your gear out of
`sight
`
`Expensive; not as sexy as the pricier Harmony
`1100; free telephone tech support limited to 90
`days
`
`Summary
`
`We heaped a fair amount of praise on Logitech’s
`Harmony 1100 universal remote last April. But the
`reality is that while that touchscreen device is
`supremely easy to program and drop-dead sexy
`to boot, it costs as much as the small HDTV or
`entry-level A/V receiver you might use it to
`control.
`
`On the flip side, Logitech’s Harmony 900 has a
`smaller touchscreen, and its bulkier form factor
`renders it something of a wallflower compared to
`its upscale sibling. However, the latter device
`
`https://www.digitaltrends.com/gadget-reviews/logitech-harmony-900-review/
`
`3/18
`
`
`
`9/17/2019
`
`Logitech Harmony 900 Review | Digital Trends
`
`offers the same easy programmability, includes
`robust RF capabilities that are optional on the
`1100 model, and is priced $100 lower, making it a
`much better value overall.
`
`Design
`
`The Harmony 900’s rectangular design and
`physical transport-control buttons and numeric
`keypad make it look much more like a typical
`remote control than the square Harmony 1100. In
`some ways, however, the dedicated buttons
`(which are backlit to render them usable in a
`darkened room) make the 900 just a little more
`intuitive to use. If you’re watching TV and wish to
`change channels, for instance, you don’t need to
`call up a numeric keypad on the touchscreen, you
`just press the buttons.
`
`https://www.digitaltrends.com/gadget-reviews/logitech-harmony-900-review/
`
`4/18
`
`
`
`9/17/2019
`
`Logitech Harmony 900 Review | Digital Trends
`
`But we think the 900’s RF features are what really
`make it a better value than the pricier model 1100.
`In our home theater, all components other than
`the video projector are mounted in a built-in
`entertainment center, hidden behind plywood
`doors that an infrared signal can’t penetrate. We
`use a Niles Audio Remote Control Anywhere kit,
`which consists of an IR receiver that we mounted
`on the outside of the entertainment center and
`five IR emitters for the gear inside the cabinet.
`This works great, but you must be in the room for
`the remote to function.
`
`https://www.digitaltrends.com/gadget-reviews/logitech-harmony-900-review/
`
`5/18
`
`
`
`9/17/2019
`
`Logitech Harmony 900 Review | Digital Trends
`
`IR emitters
`
`The Harmony 900 eliminates this line-of-sight
`requirement with three IR blasters that receive
`commands over a radio frequency. The blasters
`translate the RF commands to infrared streams
`inside the cabinet, so we can control all our gear
`(even if it’s on different shelves) without having to
`be in the same room. Emitters like the ones that
`Niles Audio uses are much smaller and less
`obtrusive than blasters, but Logitech’s solution
`enables you to control more equipment. And if
`the gear is behind a cabinet door anyway, do
`appearances matter all that much?
`
`https://www.digitaltrends.com/gadget-reviews/logitech-harmony-900-review/
`
`6/18
`
`
`
`9/17/2019
`
`Programmability
`
`Logitech Harmony 900 Review | Digital Trends
`
`The primary attraction of Harmony remote
`controls is the ease with which they can be
`programmed—as long as you have a PC and
`Internet access, that is. If you have a home theater
`PC, a laptop, or some other machine that you can
`use at least temporarily in the same room as the
`components you need to control, that’s all the
`better. Having a computer in the same room
`makes tweaking and troubleshooting much easier.
`
`All you need to do is install the Harmony software
`on your PC, plug the remote into the PC’s USB
`port, and tell the software the brand names and
`model numbers of the devices you need to
`control. Logitech’s software will then download
`the appropriate instructions from the company’s
`massive database and store them in the remote’s
`memory. You can choose brand names from a
`drop-down menu, but you’ll need to know the
`
`https://www.digitaltrends.com/gadget-reviews/logitech-harmony-900-review/
`
`7/18
`
`
`
`9/17/2019
`
`Logitech Harmony 900 Review | Digital Trends
`
`specific model numbers for each piece of gear in
`your entertainment center.
`
`The next step in the installation queries you as to
`which entertainment activities you want to set up,
`based on the devices that you’ve entered in the
`previous step. We downloaded the control codes
`for a ViewSonic N4285 HDTV, an Epson PowerLite
`Cinema 500 video projector, a Samsung BD-
`
`https://www.digitaltrends.com/gadget-reviews/logitech-harmony-900-review/
`
`8/18
`
`
`
`9/17/2019
`
`Logitech Harmony 900 Review | Digital Trends
`
`P1600 Blu-ray player, a Dish Network VIP-622 set-
`top box, and a Yamaha RX-V665 A/V receiver, so
`the software suggested creating “Watch TV,”
`“Watch DVD,” and “Listen to Radio” activities. It
`didn’t recommend creating a “Listen to Music”
`activity, though, perhaps because we didn’t
`indicate that we had a CD player, but we needed
`only to place a checkmark next to “Listen to CD”
`to add it to our list of choices. The installation
`routine even took into account Yamaha’s optional
`iPod dock and advised us that if we had one that
`we’d need to set it up as a separate device.
`
`The next step in the setup process asks which
`devices you use for each activity. Since we
`indicated that we had both a TV and a video
`projector, for instance, the software asked which
`one we typically use to watch television. We took
`the default choice of the TV here, because we
`typically use the projector only when watching
`movies on the Blu-ray player. The next step
`inquired which device we used to control the
`
`https://www.digitaltrends.com/gadget-reviews/logitech-harmony-900-review/
`
`9/18
`
`
`
`9/17/2019
`
`Logitech Harmony 900 Review | Digital Trends
`
`volume (our choices being the TV, the A/V
`receiver, or—oddly enough—the video projector).
`
`The final steps were to configure the inputs and
`outputs on the A/V receiver and the television.
`The software knows which ports are available on
`each device (HDMI 1, HDMI 2, Component Video,
`S/PDIF, etc.), so it’s just a matter of picking the
`right one. We were a little confused nonetheless
`
`https://www.digitaltrends.com/gadget-reviews/logitech-harmony-900-review/
`
`10/18
`
`
`
`9/17/2019
`
`Logitech Harmony 900 Review | Digital Trends
`
`when it came to setting up the Yamaha RX-V665,
`because the A/V receiver uses front-panel “scene”
`buttons for the Blu-ray player, TV, CD, and Radio.
`We resolved that issue easily enough by reviewing
`the receiver’s setup screen to refresh our memory
`as to the inputs and outputs we had mapped to
`each button.
`
`Once you’ve programmed the remote with all the
`devices you wish to control and all the activities
`you’ll be using them for, all you need to do is
`press the Activities button on the remote and
`choose the one you’re interested in. The remote
`powers everything on and the hardwired buttons
`default to the appropriate action. If you select the
`Blu-ray activity, for instance, the transport-control
`buttons will control the player’s pause, play, fast-
`forward, rewind, and chapter-forward/back
`functions. If you select the DVR activity to watch a
`recorded TV program, then those buttons will
`automatically switch over to send commands to
`that device.
`
`https://www.digitaltrends.com/gadget-reviews/logitech-harmony-900-review/
`
`11/18
`
`
`
`9/17/2019
`
`Conclusion
`
`Logitech Harmony 900 Review | Digital Trends
`
`As easy as the Harmony remotes are to program,
`we have encountered situations where we could
`not configure one ourselves to control a device
`exactly the way we wanted. That’s where
`Logitech’s excellent telephone tech support
`comes into play. These knowledgeable folks can
`not only help walk you through a problem, they
`can prepare a fix that you can download and
`verify while you’re on the phone. Free telephone
`tech support, however, is available for only 90
`days after purchase: Beyond that, you’ll have to
`pay a fee, consult the user manual, or peruse
`Logitech’s online troubleshooting guide and
`community forums. Like the overall package, such
`luxury comes at a cost, but – assuming you’re in
`the market for a high-end home theater remote –
`one that’s well worth paying for those who put
`power and convenience first.
`
`Pros:
`
`https://www.digitaltrends.com/gadget-reviews/logitech-harmony-900-review/
`
`12/18
`
`
`
`9/17/2019
`
`Logitech Harmony 900 Review | Digital Trends
`
`Controls everything
`
`RF capability and IR blasters included
`
`Easy to program
`
`Beautiful touchscreen
`
`Great tech support
`
`Cons:
`
`Telephone tech support limited to 90 days
`
`Harmony Adapter ($59.99) required to
`control a PlayStation 3
`
`SHOW MORE
`
`https://www.digitaltrends.com/gadget-reviews/logitech-harmony-900-review/
`
`13/18
`
`
`
`9/17/2019
`
`Logitech Harmony 900 Review | Digital Trends
`
`Upgrade your lifestyle
`
`Digital Trends helps readers keep tabs on the fast-
`paced world of tech with all the latest news, fun
`product reviews, insightful editorials, and one-of-a-
`kind sneak peeks.
`
`Digital Trends may earn a commission when you
`buy through links on our site.
`
`Copyright ©2019 Designtechnica Corporation. All
`rights reserved.
`
`https://www.digitaltrends.com/gadget-reviews/logitech-harmony-900-review/
`
`14/18
`
`
`
`9/17/2019
`
`Logitech Harmony 900 Review | Digital Trends
`
`Add Us To Your Social Channels
`
`https://www.digitaltrends.com/gadget-reviews/logitech-harmony-900-review/
`
`15/18
`
`iPhone app on the App Store
`
`Android app on Google Play
`
`
`
`9/17/2019
`
`Logitech Harmony 900 Review | Digital Trends
`
`Subscribe
`
`Must Reads
`
`Best Movies on Netflix
`
`Best Shows on Netflix
`
` Best Shows on Hulu
`
`Best Movies on Hulu
`
`Best Shows on Amazon Prime
`
`Best Movies on Amazon Prime
`
`https://www.digitaltrends.com/gadget-reviews/logitech-harmony-900-review/
`
`16/18
`
`
`
`9/17/2019
`
`Logitech Harmony 900 Review | Digital Trends
`
`Best iPhone Games
`
` Best Android Games
`
`Everything You Need to Know About 5G
`
`Popular Downloads
`
`Download Fortnite
`
` Download Skype
`
`Download Winrar
`
`Download Netflix for Android
`
`Download Spotify for Android
`
`Download PC games
`
`Downloads for Windows
`
`Downloads for Mac
`
`Downloads for Android
`
`https://www.digitaltrends.com/gadget-reviews/logitech-harmony-900-review/
`
`17/18
`
`
`
`9/17/2019
`
`Who We Are
`
`Logitech Harmony 900 Review | Digital Trends
`
`About
`
` Contact Us
`
` Privacy Policy
`
`Terms of Use
`
` Corrections
`
` Careers
`
`DT Español
`
` The Manual
`
` Podcasts
`
`Giveaways
`
` Advertise with Us
`
`https://www.digitaltrends.com/gadget-reviews/logitech-harmony-900-review/
`
`18/18
`
`