When I heard about the Logitech Harmony 1100 Universal Remote Control, I have to admit I was skeptical. You see, I had bought a Harmony 1000 when they came out, and it constantly locked up- so much so that I returned it. However it seems Logitech has set things right, and the feedback in the forums is that the Harmony 1100 is everything the 1000 should have been. So much so that the Logitech Harmony 1100 Advanced Universal Remote won the CES 2009 Best of Innovations in Home Entertainment Accessories award. I thought the new remote was worth a second look, and I'm glad I did.

The Harmony 1100 software was rebuilt from the ground up, and still keeps what was compelling about the original. You probably have at least one person in the house who isn't quite good with technology? I know I do, my poor grandmother has a terrible time with all those "new fangled contraptions". I've tried big button remotes- writing out instructions, you name it. It's frustrating for her not to be able to "just make it work", and frustrating for the house to be setting everything up for her time and time again. The Logitech Harmony 1100 Universal Remote Control solves this problem by allowing activity based button creation. For me, the wizard walks me through setup on my components on the computer, all I do is connect the remote via USB and connect to the Logitech database over the Internet. I can then have a simple buttons with things like "Watch Movie" and the remote turns on my TV and DVD player, and can even start it. I can put the LCD buttons where they make the most sense, and hide the ones I don't need. Grandma is still learning, but appears to be much happier having to deal with one "clicker" instead of 3 remotes.

Talking a little about setup and configuration, Logitech is really doing a good job on support for devices. This beast works with more than 225,000 devices from 5,000+ brands — and they keep adding new ones. Of course these are infrared devices only- if you'd like to control RF devices (hello Bose!) you're going to need a Harmony RF extender, sold separately.

I did quite a bit of research on the differences between the Logitech Harmony 1100 Universal Remote Control and the Harmony 1000. On the face of it they appear very similar- even doing a compare on the Logitech website shows the following identical functions and no differences.

• Support for 5,000+ brands and 225,000+ devices
• Backlighted Controls
• Battery Status Indicator
• Color Display
• Guided Online Setup
• Infrared
• Infrared Learning
• Interactive Help
• Multi-Device Control
• Onboard Intelligence
• One-Touch Activity-Based Control
• Rechargeable
• Touch Screen
• USB Connection

Taking my own experience with the 1000 into account, I knew for a fact that the early firmware on the 1000 was flawed. While that appears to be fixed with the later versions, it looks like the software rewrite, now in flash on the Harmony 1100 completely sidestepped that issue and they are very stable. Also, transfers between screens are faster, and up to 32 buttons can be customized in each activity. Finally the transfer speed has increased, the remote receives more "raw" data from the computer and compiles itself. The hardware is different enough, however, that you cannot do an upgrade and go from a Harmony 1000 to a Harmony 1100.

When it comes to controlling IR devices, Harmony has it pretty well nailed. However, if you have RF devices, you're going to need to purchase a Logitech Harmony RF Wireless Extender. Got a PS3 with a bluetooth remote? The Harmony 1100 can't control that, you're going to have to get a gadget that can convert bluetooth to IR. I really can't fault Logitech on that one, why Sony didn't do a simple IR remote for the DVD player is a mystery. One more thing about what the Harmony 1100 won't do- it doesn't support ZWAVE. ZWAVE allows you to control items in a smart home- say your lights. So it would have been a nice addition to a full function remote. Overall I like the Logitech Harmony 1100 Universal Remote Control, and I think Logitech did a good job of overcoming the shortcomings of its predecessor. You can buy one in our store here Logitech Harmony 1100 Universal Remote, or see about picking one up in the auctions, which are listed below.

US Auctions Australian Auctions Austrian Auctions Belgian Auctions Canadian Auctions French Auctions German Auctions Hong Kong Auctions Indian Auctions Irish Auctions Italian Auctions Dutch Auctions Polish Auctions Singapore Auctions Spanish Auctions Swiss Auctions UK Auctions

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Logitech Harmony 1100 Remote RF Wireless Extender    US $325.00

NEW Logitech Harmony 1100 Advanced Universal Remote    US $379.99

Harmony 1100 Advanced Universal Remote Control with 35    US $209.72

Logitech Harmony 1100 LCD Touchscreen Remote NIB    US $272.79

Logitech Harmony 1100 Advanced Universal Remote Sealed    US $364.99

Logitech Harmony 1100 Advanced Universal Remote Control    US $356.95

LOGITECH HARMONY 1100 UNIVERSAL REMOTE 915 000075 NEW    US $524.52

LOGITECH HARMONY 1100 REMOTE CONTROL AND RF EXTENDER    US $449.99

LOGITECH HARMONY 1100 REMOTE CONTROL    US $369.95

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I admit it, I’m an Amazon junkie. I get a lot of what I need off the web, and Amazon is one of the best ecommerce sites out there. I was skeptical when I heard about Amazon Prime and their free trial. Two day shipping free- one day shipping for $3.99. Nope, that’s not a typo, for four bucks you can ship millions of eligible items (items Amazon stocks, as opposed to it’s partners) to your house. Free for a whole month. After that they bill you an ANNUAL fee of $79.
Here’s what Amazon has to say:

Amazon Prime members enjoy the following benefits:
Fast Delivery
• Unlimited Free Two-Day Shipping on millions of items
• Upgrades to One-Day (Overnight) Shipping for just $3.99 per item

Simple Shopping
• No minimum purchase required
• Members-only 1-Click buttons on product pages
• No need to think about shipping charges

Convenient Sharing
• Members can share benefits with up to four family members living in the same household

Free Trial
• Amazon Prime new subscribers are invited to try Amazon Prime free, for one month.
After the Free Trial period, customers will be automatically charged the $79 annual fee unless they choose not to upgrade to regular annual memberships at or before the end of the trial period.

So I signed up for the free month, figured I’d order a few things and then cancel. Well the membership paid for itself when I ordered a big piece of exercise equipment. I paid an additional $4 for next day service, figuring I’d get an email explaining I couldn’t do that. Nope, next day it showed up on my doorstep. Suddenly I was able to expect 2 day delivery for free. I find myself upgrading to next day service quite a bit, it’s just nice to have what I need exactly when I want it. A month goes by, I did some math and my shipping last year was already over what a prime membership costs- so I took the plunge. I’ve been happily ordering for months- if you regularly order from Amazon it’s worth your time to take a close look at Amazon Prime.

The universal remote control is a savior in many households! Those of us that are consistently on the cusp of new technology tend to have significant entertainment systems. With each and every addition to that entertainment system comes a shiny new remote control until the point that you need seven different remote controls to run your television, VCR (do people still use these?), DVD player, receiver, and multiple video game systems. It’s time to simplify! One universal remote control will handle every possible function you need to run your entertainment system.

The reason that a universal remote control is essential in my household is the fact that we lose everything! Prior to purchasing our very own, we would randomly lose track of the receiver controller and then how would we change the volume? Heaven forbid that we need to get up and do it manually! Rather than having to keep track of each device, we are now able to use a single, universal remote control to run everything and we have made changes so that we do not lose this essential piece of our lives!

Another reason you need a universal remote control is to avoid clutter. Nobody wants a stack of remote controls piled high next to their stack of Reader’s Digests from the ‘70’s! A single unit will help keep your home streamlined and clutter free. Once you make this essential purchase, and see just how wonderful life is when it is simplified, perhaps you will also consider recycling those Reader’s Digests!

When you have decided that the time has come for a universal remote control, then you will be thrilled to learn that there are many options available. It is important to choose the one that will work with every piece of your entertainment system as well as allow for growth. Even if you have a Sony television, a JVC VCR, a Panasonic receiver, a Magnavox DVD player, a Sony Playstation 3, a Nintendo Wii, and an Xbox 360, the right universal remote control should work to run each and every one of these different manufacturers’ products. It is nice to be able to have the freedom to purchase your electronics regardless of the manufacturer and have a single device to run them all.

A universal remote control is perfect for simplifying our lives. Anyone that is passionate about their entertainment system knows that there is a lot of time, effort, and money that goes into choosing specific pieces for your home use. You wouldn’t own a million dollar home and then drive around in a used Volkswagen Bus. By the same standards, keeping up with technology means keeping up with the important accessories and tools as well. A universal remote control is going to accomplish all of this!

Eric Taub at Livemint writes:

It is not unusual to be deluged with remotes, given all the boxes hooked up to today's television sets. Owning a DVD player, an old VCR, a cable box, a TiVo, a sound system and perhaps a new Blu-ray player can easily produce half a dozen remotes on the coffee table—or more likely, scattered across the room and lost behind seat cushions and under stacks of magazines. Maybe, you should try a universal remote.
But what universal remotes give in terms of reducing clutter, they often take away with increasing complexity. Simple tasks often take more concentration. Let’s take a look at two new remotes. Read the full story here.

Here's a clever bit of marketing, as part of the Star Trek DVD series, they send you a Universal Remote, shaped like a phaser, complete with sound effects.

Looks like they're a limited edition- If you want one, here's a dynamically updating link that shows any that are up for auction.

US Auctions Australian Auctions Austrian Auctions Belgian Auctions Canadian Auctions French Auctions German Auctions Hong Kong Auctions Indian Auctions Irish Auctions Italian Auctions Dutch Auctions Polish Auctions Singapore Auctions Spanish Auctions Swiss Auctions UK Auctions

Best Match Time: ending soonest Time: newly listed Price: lowest first Price: highest first Price + Shipping: lowest first Price + Shipping: highest first

Star Trek Phaser Universal Remote Control Cable TV VCR    US $19.99

Star Trek TNG Universal Remote Control for TV VCR Cable    US $1.99

STAR TREK ORIGINAL PHASER UNIVERSAL REMOTE CONTROL NEW    US $64.99

Star Trek Phaser Universal Remote Control sold as is    US $20.00