Logitech Harmony Remote - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

Logitech Harmony Remote is a line of universal remote controls manufactured and sold by Logitech

Logitech

Logitech International S.A. is a global provider of personal peripherals for computers and other digital platforms headquartered in Romanel-sur-Morges, Switzerland. The company develops and markets products like peripheral devices for PCs, including keyboards, mice, microphones, game controllers...

. The design of remote control interface is oriented toward the activity the user selects (e.g. "Watch TV") instead of the command-based approach typical of early remote controls. The remote control sends individual commands to the system components on the user's behalf to configure them for the activity that the user selects.

The technology used in these remote controls is also used in the Logitech Revue Google TV

Google TV

Google TV is a Smart TV platform from Google. It was announced on May 20, 2010, at Google’s Google I/O event and was co-developed by Google, Intel, Sony and Logitech...

boxes, allowing the Revue to provide control over the entire home entertainment system. According to Logitech, "[A] free app plus your new companion box will give you the same control over your home entertainment system as our most powerful Logitech Harmony remote."

History

The Harmony remote control was originally created in 2001 by Easy Zapper, a Canadian company, and first sold in November 2001. The company later changed its name to Intrigue Technologies and was located in Mississauga, Ontario

Ontario

Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....

, Canada

Canada

Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...

. Computer peripheral manufacturer Logitech acquired it in May 2004 for US$29 million.

Features

All Harmony remotes are set up online and retrieve settings via a computer's USB port.

Each remote has infrared (IR)

Infrared

Infrared light is electromagnetic radiation with a wavelength longer than that of visible light, measured from the nominal edge of visible red light at 0.74 micrometres , and extending conventionally to 300 µm...

learning capability, and can upload information about a new remote to an online device database. Currently there are 5000+ brands of devices supported.

All Harmony remotes support one-touch activity based control, which allows control of multiple devices at once. For example, a home theater setup might include a TV, a digital set top box and a home theater sound system. Pressing the 'Watch TV' activity button on the remote will turn on the TV, turn on digital set top box, turn on the sound system, switch the input of TV to the digital set top box and switch the input of the sound system to the set top box. In addition, the volume buttons would be mapped to the sound system, the channel buttons would be mapped to the digital set to box, and other controls to the most appropriate system component for the activity.

Harmony Remote software

The remote software allows users to update the remote configuration, learn IR commands, and upgrade the remote control's firmware.

Early versions of the remote software were browser based only. Newer versions are Java based, but the software still requires constant internet connectivity to work, as remote control codes are actually downloaded on demand from Logitech, allowing updates to product database and to remote codes and sequences to be easily distributed. This also allows Logitech to survey their market in order to determine products for investigation and research. The Harmony control software is compatible with Windows and Mac OS X; however, the software is unstable and this model is not recommended. A group of developers are currently working on Harmony Remote software for the Linux platform.

On March 31, 2010 Logitech launched a new website called "My Harmony" for setting up remote controls. The new site currently only supports the Harmony 300, 600, 650 and 700, Logitech's four newest remotes.

Current products

Harmony One (US: Jan 2008)
The Harmony One features a color touch screen and is rechargeable. It does not offer any RF capability. A CNET TV review stated that it is one of the best universal remotes on the market today.

Harmony 300 (US: April 2010)
The universal remote has 1 activity support (Watch TV), and control up to 4 devices. The remote supports customizes key with remote features and favorite channels. This remote has no LCD, and like the discontinued 500 series mid-range models, no battery charge pod. Requires two AA batteries.

Harmony 300i

Harmony 600
Support for up to 5 devices. Monochrome display. Requires 2 AA batteries.

Harmony 650
Support for up to 5 devices. Color display. Requires 2 AA batteries.

Harmony 700
Support for up to 6 devices. Color display. Rechargeable AA batteries via USB.

Harmony 900
Harmony 900 has the same ergonomics design as Harmony One. It has additional four color buttons compared to Harmony One and RF supported. The RF technology used by Harmony 900 is not comparable with Harmony 890, 1000, and 1100. The Harmony 900 and 1100 models do not support "sequences" (Logitech parlance for macros).

Harmony 1100 (US: Feb 2009)
Adds QVGA resolution to the touch screen and allows 15 devices to be controlled.

The user interface of the Harmony 1100 is now Flash

Adobe Flash

Adobe Flash is a multimedia platform used to add animation, video, and interactivity to web pages. Flash is frequently used for advertisements, games and flash animations for broadcast...

based vs the Java

Java (programming language)

Java is a programming language originally developed by James Gosling at Sun Microsystems and released in 1995 as a core component of Sun Microsystems' Java platform. The language derives much of its syntax from C and C++ but has a simpler object model and fewer low-level facilities...

based one found in the Harmony 1000.

Accessories

E-R0001
The Harmony E-R0001 is an IR to Bluetooth adapter for the PS3.

RF Wireless Extender
The Harmony RF Wireless Extender allows some Harmony remotes, e.g., models 890, 1000 and 1100, to pilot devices using radio frequencies instead of infrared. It allows to pilot devices from farther distances and through some obstacles. The Harmony 1000 is limited to two RF Extenders, while the 1100 can use multiple extenders.

IR Extender System (US: Oct 2009)
The Harmony IR Extender System has a IR blaster and a set of mini blasters. It doesn’t require any programming.

This product is a rebadged Philips

Discontinued products

The Logitech Harmony 500 series.
The Harmony 500 remotes are mid-range remotes that is similar in functionality to the Harmony 659 and 670, but with different button arrangements and a squared-off physical design compared to the hourglass design of the 6xx series. Compared to today's offerings, these remotes offered control of up to 15 devices at an affordable price. The remotes have a back-lit monochrome LCD screen. The 500 series seems to be discontinued entirely.

Harmony for Xbox 360
While it's marketed for the Xbox 360 segment, this remote must be said to be part of the 5xx series. It runs the same software. The Harmony 360 is pre-configured to be used with the Xbox 360

Xbox 360

The Xbox 360 is the second video game console produced by Microsoft and the successor to the Xbox. The Xbox 360 competes with Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...

console, and has special buttons, X, Y, A, B and media center control, correlating with the same as found on native Xbox controllers. It has a back-lit LCD screen and uses four AAA batteries.
The hardware layout is mostly the same as the 550. The extra up/down arrows of the 550 is removed to make room for the colored X, Y, A and B buttons beneath the play and pause rows. This would make it the remote in the 500 series with the most hardware buttons, 54 (counting the four direction arrow keys). It can control up to 12 devices.

Harmony 510/515
The Harmony 510/515 is an entry-level remote that is essentially a replacement to the 500 series and the Xbox 360 version. It has the same number of buttons as the 525 and features colored buttons typical on most satellite boxes. It has a four-button, monochrome LCD display. This remote is software limited to controlling up to five devices. Like its mid-range cousins, the 520 and 550, it has no recharge pod and uses AAA batteries instead. Unlike previous 500 series models, these newer models have been limited to 5 devices in software, yet sell for the same prices.

Difference between 510/515:
The 510 is black while the 515 is silver.

Harmony 520/525
The Harmony 520 is a mid-range remote that is similar in functionality to the Harmony 659 and 670, but with a different button arrangement and a squared-off physical design compared to the hourglass design of the 6xx series. It has a blue back-light and monochrome LCD screen. These 5xx models are equipped with an infrared learning port to learn IR signals of unsupported or unknown devices. By pointing an original remote control at the Harmony's learning port, it is able to copy and reproduce those codes and, in the case of supported devices, it is able to figure out what the remote is used to control and imports that device. They require 4 AAA batteries. A mini USB port is used to connect these to a computer for programming.

Difference between 520/525:
The 525 has 50 buttons, while the 520 has 46. It lacks the red, green, yellow and blue colour buttons commonly used for things like teletext and PVR control. Apparently, the 520 is the American model while the 525 is the European. The 520 and 525 can control up to 12 and 15 devices respectively.

Harmony 550/555
The harmony 550/555 remotes are variants of the 525 remote. Compared to the model 525, the 550 and 555 have two extra buttons, and are made of higher grade materials with different colors. The 550 and 555 models both have a sound and a picture button that changes the button mapping on the remote, allowing for reuse of the same physical buttons for different set of functionality. 52 buttons.

Difference between 550/555:
The 550 and 555 have the same number and placement of buttons, just with different mapping. The 555 have the same color buttons as the 525. The 550 does not, instead it has the following extra functions: Up arrow, Down arrow, A and B buttons. The 555 has orange back-light, the 550 has blue.

Harman/Kardon TC 30
The Harmon/Kardon TC 30 appears to be a redesigned, rebranded Harmony 52x with a cradle and a color LCD. The LCD has eight items compared to the four of the rest of the Harmony 5xx series. Images exist of the TC 30 both with and without the teletext color buttons. This might mean that there's one version based on the 520 and one based on the 525. The key layout is identical to the 52x remotes. It seems to require different software from the Logitech branded remotes - however at the moment you can download this software from Logitech via harmonyremote.com.

Harmony 610
The Harmony 610 is functionally identical to the Harmony 670 and Harmony 620, but comes in black with a silver face panel. The 610 can control a maximum of 5 devices.

Harmony 620;
The Harmony 620 is functionally identical to the Harmony 670, but comes in black instead of silver/black. The 670 can control up to 15 devices, where the 620 can only control 12 devices.

Harmony 659;

The Harmony 659 is another mid-range universal remote that offers most of the functionality in the Harmony line. It has a monochrome LCD screen.

Harmony 670

The Harmony 670 is a mid-range universal remote that offers most of the functionality in the Harmony line. The 670 has a monochrome LCD screen and puts DVR functions in the middle of the remote. Logitech has discontinued this product.

Harmony 680

The Harmony 680 is a mid-range, computer programmable universal remote. The 680 has a back lit monochrome LCD screen, and Media PC specific
buttons. Unlike many newer Harmony remotes, the 680 is able to control up to 15 devices.

Harmony 688

The Harmony 688 was (no longer produced) a mid-range, computer programmable universal remote. The H688 has a monochrome LCD screen and is back lit by an Electro Luminescent sheet (blue in color).
Harmony 720
The Harmony 720 was initially offered exclusively through Costco

Costco

Costco Wholesale Corporation is the largest membership warehouse club chain in the United States. it is the third largest retailer in the United States, where it originated, and the ninth largest in the world...

in 2006 and featured a color screen and backlit keys. It was designed as an inexpensive competitor to the earlier Harmony 880, with few differences, except for the ergonomic design and key layout. It is now available through other vendors, but remains unlisted on Logitech's product page.

The harmony 720 remote is closely related to the 500 series, as it has a square shape and a layout akin to those remotes. When compared to the 525, you will find the same buttons above the LCD. The 720 has a colour LCD with six buttons/activities instead of four. The eight play/stop etc. buttons have been moved to the lower part. The Mute and Prev buttons have been moved and in their place, there are extra up and down buttons - same as on the 550. Compared to the 500 series, the glow button has been removed. These remotes do not have the Sound and Picture buttons to change key mappings, like the 550/555 remotes does. Lacking red, green, yellow and blue colour buttons, the 720 has 49 buttons. It can control up to 12 devices.

Harmony 768
Harmony 785
The harmony 785 is nearly identical to the 720. While the 720 has 49 buttons, the 785 has 53. The extra buttons are the red, green, yellow and blue colour buttons commonly used for things like teletext and PVR control. These are located above the number buttons, which are placed further down compared to the 720. Another difference from the 720 is that the 785 can control up to 15 devices.

Harmony 880/885
The Harmony 880 was the first Harmony with a color LCD screen and a rechargeable battery. The Harmony 885 remote has extra buttons as mentioned below. The 885 replaces up and down keys with four color keys used for Teletext and, more recently, by some set-top boxes.

There was a short-lived 880Pro that had the picture and sound buttons. This remote did not feature multi-room/multi-controller support like the 890Pro.

{Yet to Add}: Difference between 880/885:
The 885 has the red, green, yellow and blue colour buttons commonly used for things like teletext and PVR control. These four buttons occupy the same space where the 880 has two selection buttons (up arrow, down arrow).

Harmony 890/895
The Harmony 890/895 is the same as the 880/885, but it adds radio frequency

Radio frequency

Radio frequency is a rate of oscillation in the range of about 3 kHz to 300 GHz, which corresponds to the frequency of radio waves, and the alternating currents which carry radio signals...

(RF) capability, enabling the remote to control devices even without line-of-sight to and from different rooms, up to a range of 30 meters. This remote control cannot control proprietary RF devices, but it can control special Z-Wave

Z-Wave

Z-Wave is a proprietary wireless communications protocol designed for home automation, specifically to remote control applications in residential and light commercial environments...

RF devices, as well as IR devices without line-of-sight via the RF extender.

The 890Pro adds multi-room and multi-controller support, as well as a different color scheme. (Primary and secondary remotes can be set up that work with the same wireless extender) It also adds two buttons — picture and sound — that allow for quick access to picture- and sound-related commands. It is not listed on the Logitech Web site and is sold through custom installation companies. The 890Pro is not shipped with the RF extender.

{Yet to Add}: Difference between 890/895:

Harmony 1000
The Harmony 1000 has customizable touch screen commands, sounds and a rechargeable battery, and allows control up to 15 devices. It is also compatible with the RF extender. A maximum of two extenders can be configured within the software.

External links

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.