On Thu, 6 Mar 2008 18:31:51 -0000, "Gunther Gloop"
wrote:

Kinda. An Activity based setup allows you to do something like...

Click "WATCH TV".
This might switch on the tv, digital satellite box and amp... so in this
sense it _is_ a macro.
From then on (whilst 'in' that activity), the Volume Up/Down buttons might
relate to the amp, the Channel Up/Down buttons might relate to the satellite
and perhaps you'd use another button to access the tv setup menu. Or
something.
Actually, this is the kind of thing I've set up on every multi-remote I've
ever had, but Harmony seem to think they invented the notion.

To be fair, it is more convenient to do on the Logitech one than any
of the others I've seen. You only set up the functions for each device
once, then you can then construct the "activities" by picking the
device functions from a list to map them onto the buttons in various
different ways.
You can, of course, use the thing in "device" mode too if you want it
to behave like a "normal" universal remote.


Where they fall down (apart from other places) is when you then want to
"WATCH VHS" or "LISTEN TO MUSIC" or some other activity while the other one
is already activated.
Such things usually mess up half a dozen settings/ devices, perhaps
switching on the video, selecting the wrong EXT channel on the TV and
switching to some un-asked for mode on the amp.

The remote keeps track of what it has switched on or off and what mode
it's put everything in, so it should only mess up if one of the
devices misses one of the remote's commands or someone starts pressing
front-panel buttons on the devices. It actually works very well, and
if anything does ever get out of step, you can always just switch to
the device in question and sort it out. Having said that, I tend not
to use the power-switching functions on the activity changes anyway. I
prefer have power buttons on the remote.


Now I know that in an ideal world these niggles can be ironed out (and
Trendy Uncle is no doubt waiting to pounce from his quiet land of
netherworld), but in my experience each ironed niggle begets three others,
like a butterfly in Argentina.

I did end-up doing loads of tweaking, granted. Generally because I
thought of more convenient ways of doing things after using the remote
for a bit. I've never noticed any problems with knock-on effects
though.


Harmonys are nice looking multi-remotes that will allow you to use it with
95% of everything you need to do with it everyday. You might be able to get
100% depending on your perseverence and your particular devices, but I
personally know 3 others who use one (various brands -all do much the same)
and none of them feel 'safe' enough to remove all other remotes from the
room. ...Something I've never had a problem with on the Pronto or the old
marantz.

The Logitech certainly feels safe enough to me. In fact, It can access
functions on some devices that aren't on the original remotes
(worthwhile ones too). All the original remotes have been in the
cupboard since I first set it up. That certainly didn't happen with
the cheaper "one-for-all" type remotes that I've had in the past. Even
my self-confessed technophobe wife says she likes it more than the
original remotes.

The Prontos look very nice, but they ought to for the money. The
Harmony 555 was forty something quid from Amazon just before Christmas
and I haven't been left wishing I'd spent more money.

Cheers,

Colin.