Which Universal Remote to Use?

I've had the Harmony 690,880,890, and 1000.

For me, the 890 is the best allowing RF to IR control and is all inclusive (you need to buy the RF extender to the 1000 for $99)

I would not recommend the Harmony one, it is cute with the touch screen but the screen is to small to be of any value, and it is only IR, unless you want to be tied to line of sight, avoid this, also you'd need to point it at your projector if you have one.

I don't like the MX line as they are much more difficult to program than the Harmony's, and I don't like their design. Harmony also has the largest database of control in the world. When I swap out even a pre/pro, I can reprogram my Harmony's in a few minutes... They are that easy.

AMX is nice, but every-time you change something, you will also be paying for someone else to change the remote, not only is it a PITA, it can get expensive.

I have not worked with the iControl, as for the Philips, the big ones (read expensive) are really nice, also somewhat tedious to program, but a solid remote.

I have the Harmony 890 in my bedroom now and the Harmony One running my main system. My wife definitely likes the 890 better, I like the Harmony One. The 890, as with the 880 has some charging problems with the cradle/remote batter contact design, so it can run out of juice and you have to "jiggle" the remote in the cradle to get the contacts to seat correctly. They are both excellent remotes and very similar.

I have had 3 different Phillips Prontos and didn't really like them. Too hard to program, too expensive, and too big.

I still love the Home Theater Master remotes, and in some ways they are more flexible with programming, but it takes more effort. The Harmony software locks you in a box with some things, it's difficult to write stand alone macro's that don't fit their standard questions given during programming, but it is extreamly simple to use in general.

Good luck.

What ever you do DONT get the Harmony 1000, it was rushed to market very flawed, my dad paid $500 for it and he gave up on it after only a couple days....its terrible.
BTW I programmed it and I have alot of experience with remotes, it just doesnt work the way it should and its a shame as it looked very promising. When in NYC for T.H.E. show last year we ran into a Harmony rep and talked about our issue with the 1000, he shrugged his shoulders and said "get in line"....no kidding!

Wow Chadnliz, glad you mentioned that about the Harmony 1000. I have a friend putting in a multi room system and I was going to use that with the RF extender for the Dining/Kitchen section remote. Now I think I will look at someething else.

thx.

Yeah,

I got the Harmony 1000 for free, and it's barely worth that. Initially Harmony had told me they were going to allow you to customize the screens, but that is never going to happen, they also needed to add an RF to RS 232 controller to it but that too won't ever happen.

I use the 890 for my main rig which is a complicated dual use (movies/music) system and it works very well and I love all the hard buttons, I keep the 1000 in my bedroom which is much simpler a system and it barely is good enough for that. I often have to reboot the 1000, and the IR emitter stinks!