Logitech Harmony 700 Rechargeable Remote with Color Screen

I held off for years in buying one of these all-in-one remotes because they didn't control my Playstation 3. I felt if I'm going to buy an all-in-one remote, it should do it all. I recently found out about the Logitech Harmony remotes and the PS3 Adapter! Now truly it could control all my devices!I opted for the 700 because I only have 5 components in my system right now (TV, A/V receiver, PS3, DVD, and satellite DVR), but the Harmony 700 allows for 6, so I'm prepared for the future if I add a new component! And I will always be prepared for the future, because even if I replace a piece of equipment, Logitech is always updating their database with the newest A/V equipment! Makes spending $100 on a remote a lot easier knowing it is future-proof. I ran into 1 difficulty with my satellite receiver, but the online instructions on how to reset the remote channel number were very good and worked right away.I'll be honest and say that you can't describe setting up the remote as "simple." It requires a software download, knowing the exact model numbers of all your equipment, and at least a basic knowledge of the inputs on all of your components (for instance, which inputs your DVD player runs into on your A/V receiver, and what input your A/V receiver runs into your TV). If you find technical things difficult, you may need to call the support line for help (thankfully, a few months of free support are included) or get a tech savvy friend to help you. If you would describe yourself as "tech savvy," you shouldn't have too much trouble setting this remote up. The software is pretty well designed and pretty easy to figure out.Once the remote was set up, I absolutely LOVE it! It does exactly what it says it does, controls all your devices simultaneously. You can push one button, "Watch TV," and it will turn on your TV to the right input, your AV receiver, and your satellite/cable DVR device. Watch a DVD? It will turn off your DVR and turn the DVD player on. And very important: It controls the PS3 beautifully! Every PS3 command is available to you! (NOTE: You do need the Harmony PS3 adapter, which is sold separately).It actually does even more than I expected, allowing you to customize every single button to do what you want it to do! The 4 colored PS3 buttons? I set them up to control my DVR when watching TV. I love the flexibility it has. I found using the controls after a while came second nature, as the remote is set up very intuitively. No review on battery life yet, as I have yet to need to recharge, but the rechargeable batteries are included and you can just plug it in when you aren't using it.So the bottom line? It does exactly what it says it does, controls 6 devices, and will turn on (or off) every device you need to do what you want. It's just that easy. The actual setup of the remote can be challenging, but very worth it. If you're looking to control 6 or less devices, this is absolutely the right remote. If you want touchscreen capability, or the ability to control more than 6, I'd definitely recommend looking at the Harmony One.

Ok, so it's a remote but $100!?! Are you kidding me!?! Totally worth it. I have a Samsung Led TV, Apple TV, Onkyo Receiver, PS3 (need adapter), and a DVR controlled by this bad boy, and it all just works fantastically.Setup was a breeze. You simply connect the remote to your computer via the usb cable provide and follow the onscreen instructions; it really couldn't be much easier. Since everything is controlled through a program on your computer and then synced to your remote, you don't have to play the game where you're waiting for lights to flash to know if everything synced correctly. You can add favorite channels with labels and all sorts of goodies via the logitech software. It simply works very well.I suppose you could spend more money and get added features with the Harmony One but the 700 suited my needs nicely, you miles will obviously vary depending on your needs.I can't comment on the battery life at the moment but it seems to be holding up well. I've charged it once since I got it. This is another issue I dislike: there is no battery display to tell you how much juice you have left on the batteries. You'll just get a warning when they're nearly dead to plug it in. Charging takes a few hours. I think more expensive models might have this option but it's not a deal breaker for me because the functionality is essentially the same.One quirk: sometimes when I push the watch tv button (which powers on all components necessary to do this function), some components will be out of sync. For instance, if I push the button perhaps my TV and receiver will turn on and not the DVR. It's sort of an annoyance you likely have to live with but doesn't really happen often. If it does simply push the help button on the remote and it'll take care of everything with a few buttons and on screen instructions, 5 secs. tops. Not too complicated but it would be nice if everything worked perfectly every time. :)So, yea, do you really need to spend $100 on a remote? Probably not. Will it make you look cool in front of the ladies? Not likely. Does it do the dishes? No. Will it make it so you don't have to work with ten million remotes simply to watch a football game? Most definitely. And, I would add, that if you have a technology-challenged partner who never knows how to turn things on because of all the remotes that only you know how to use, purchase this for them as it will make your life much easier.