Total Control

THE BIGGEST

complaint I hear from clients when I’m out in the field doing video display calibration work involves problems with remote control systems. You’d think this would be because they have a stack of them to shuffle through, or they had bought some cheap off-the-rack universal remote at Walmart. On the contrary, the complaints are always about some high-end home automation system. As a happy Logitech Harmony remote control user, I’ve managed to avoid that direction. For the last few years, my remote of choice has been the Harmony Elite, which this review will focus on alongside its new cohort in the custom installation market, the Harmony Pro 2400.

CHOOSE YOUR REMOTE

Logitech’s Harmony line covers a large swath of remote control options with various capabilities and price points. Some are just simple universal IR remotes, while others interact with “hubs” that distribute commands to components via IR, Wi-fi, or Bluetooth. Harmony has a massive database of components that it supports and is constantly adding new products. And its database encompasses not only home theater, but a large array of products in the ever-expanding Smart Home ecosystem.

Both the Elite ($350) and Pro 2400 ($550) use a wand that looks nearly identical aside from the color of the bottom cap. The remote is a lightweight RF design that fits great in the hand and features a fully backlit (adjustable) keypad and small full-color touchscreen with feedback. It also features a tilt sensor so it will activate when you pick it up. The touchscreen can be used to select buttons assigned to it, or as a control

The Elite model (below) controls up to 15 devices via IR, Bluetooth, or TCP/IP. trackpad. Any device or activity can feature pages of commands at your discretion, or you can limit it to only a few essential buttons. The Elite and Pro 2400 versions both include a base station to hold the remote that also keeps it charged and ready for use.

The included hubs are what really sets the two remotes apart. The Elite version features the rather common Harmony Hub you’ll find with many of the company's remote control offerings. It is small, with a pair of IR ports that require adapters to accommodate cables with common 3.5mm connectors, and links to your home network only via Wi-fi. The Pro 2400’s hub is considerably wider, can be wall-mounted, and has six full-size IR ports plus an RF antenna for increased range that can be detached for flexible placement.

Any of the company’s hubs can also be controlled by the Harmony ios/android app.

The app is very intuitive, has engaging graphics, and can be fully customized. It’s also cloudbased, so you can operate your system even when you’re away from home.

ELITE SETUP

Harmony makes it extremely simple to add or remove components, create macros, and manage the operation of just about any home theater system you put together. Adding, deleting, editing, and fine-tuning can be done from the control app, or you can download software for your desktop or laptop computer. I found that the computer app isn’t nearly as intuitive as the mobile one, so I generally stuck with the apps on my phone and tablet. The interface walks you through the addition of components and lets you add activities incorporating them. For example, you can program a “Watch a Movie” activity that turns on your Blu-ray player, A/ V

At a Glance

Easy setup and system integration

Cloud-based control and backup

Controls via IR, TCP/IP, and Bluetooth

Lacks Apple Siri support Pro 2400 limited to custom installation channel

$350

(Harmony Elite),

$550 (Harmony Pro 2400) (510) 795-8500 logitech.com

Harmony’s offerings is having the ability to fully customize the remote control. Obviously, a custom installer will configure the remote for the end-user with the Pro 2400, but I found myself able to fine-tune operation for my specific setup and needs using either system. And that included esoteric functions like assigning the remote’s quartet of color buttons to control the most common aspect ratios on my Stewart Filmscreen variable masking frame. If I didn’t like a default button layout, I could easily change it to whatever I wanted for any device in my system. With secondary hubs installed in different rooms, I

would also have the option to control multiple zones in my home. And since Harmony hubs are network-connected, I could fully control everything from anywhere with my iphone, which made it easy to remotely power on and warm up my theater when I was on my way home.

PERFORMANCE

Once I had everything set up to my liking, using the Pro 2400 was largely the same fantastic experience I’ve had with the Elite for years now. Since you are the one who customizes the remote, using the system quickly becomes extremely intuitive. And because it literally takes only minutes to make changes via the app, anything that doesn’t feel intuitive can be easily adapted.

I didn’t experience a single hiccup with the operation of my equipment during my time with the Harmony remotes. Macros worked without a hitch, even with multiple components carrying out complex tasks, and I found I could even program

Network-connected Harmony remotes permit full control of A/V and smart devices from inside and outside the home.

scripts to launch specific apps from my streaming boxes without having to manually navigate menus! All icons used for devices and macros were beautifully rendered in full color on both the remote’s touchscreen and the Harmony app. And because the Harmony system integrates with a wide range of smart devices like lights, thermostats, security cams, and more, I know I will be covered as I start to move into that world.

CONCLUSION

Home Theaters and media rooms are meant as a way to unwind and enjoy movies, TV, and music free from stress. Having to struggle with operating a system, either via a stack of individual remote controls or a custom system that requires a service call for something as simple as adding a new component seems like the opposite of

that. Harmony’s solutions make things simple by allowing for a fully customized experience that anyone comfortable with using an app on their phone could have up in running in a short amount of time.

The Elite model offers full control for end users with easy setup and endless customization options. And if you want custom installation support, the Pro 2400 delivers that with full remote access so your system integrator can make any changes remotely. I’ve suggested the Harmony Elite to every client who has asked me about remote control systems, and the company’s new Pro 2400 model is yet another fantastic solution that I highly recommend.