Electronics & Computers Deals here!Logitech Harmony 520
Manufacturer: Logitech Part number: 966191-0403
- More product information:
- Editors' review
- User reviews
- Specifications
- Manufacturer info
- Bottom Line:
- At less than $100, the sleekly designed Logitech Harmony 520 is a relative bargain among PC-programmable remotes--if you don't count the two other nearly identical Harmony models.
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CNET editors' review
Logitech Harmony 520 price range: $59.95 - $64.99
- Reviewed by: David Rudden
- Edited by: David Carnoy
- Reviewed on: 03/20/2006
- Updated on:03/27/2006
- Released on: 11/22/2005
The good: More attractive shape than previous Harmony remotes; strong backlight; choice between device or activity usage; intuitive, Web-based programming; Windows and Mac compatible.
The bad: No rechargeable battery option; numeric keypad buttons are too small and grouped too closely together; Web interface might intimidate nontechie users; two nearly identical Harmony models have more buttons.
The bottom line: At less than $100, the sleekly designed Logitech Harmony 520 is a relative bargain among PC-programmable remotes--if you don't count the two other nearly identical Harmony models.
The Logitech Harmony 520 may be an entry-level Harmony, but it's still one of the sleeker universal remotes around. It measures 8.25 inches long, 2 inches wide, and 0.75 inch at its deepest. It has a slim and straight design, which we prefer to the skinny-in-the-middle-fat-on-the-ends shape used by earlier Harmony remotes. The 520's black-and-silver cosmetics look less garish than the Xbox-themed motif of the Harmony Advanced Universal Remote for Xbox 360 and all but identical to the slightly darker black-and-gray Harmony 550--the two models with which the 520 shares a very similar design and nearly identical functionality).
The Logitech Harmony 520 crams a good number of buttons onto its modest frame, including a complete numeric keypad, a four-way directional pad, and full playback transport controls. The only differences between this remote and the Xbox 360 version are the eight fewer keys on the 520. By comparison, the 360 version has four Xbox 360-specific buttons (X, Y, A, B) that are slipped in below the transport controls and four other buttons (clear, display, title, enter) directly below the numeric keypad. As with that model, the functional highlight of the 520 is the backlit LCD display. Flanked by four programmable keys that you can label differently on separate pages, it allows the Harmony to emulate even the most esoteric buttons as well as engage activities and macros. For the most part, the overall button layout is pleasure to use, but we lamented the somewhat mushy rubber buttons and felt those on the numeric keypad were a bit too tiny and grouped too closely together, which sometimes caused us to misdial our channel changes.
The Harmony 520 uses four AAA batteries. With the energy-sapping neon-blue backlight left on--completely on purpose, we might add--it ran for a little more than a week. While that's an extreme case, it highlights one of the remote's biggest flaws; it really could have benefited from a recharger dock such as the one found on its big brother, the Logitech Harmony 880. Instead, you'll probably want to invest in a set of third-party rechargeable nickel-metal-hydride batteries.
As with all Harmony remotes, you add your devices and set up Activities using either a computer-based or Web-based interface (the remote is both Windows- and Mac-compatible). All Harmony remotes boasts compatibility with more than 100,000 devices, and when we fired up the software and scrolled through the company list, we didn't see any reason to argue that bullet point. The scope can be a bit daunting for beginners, since there are a few dozen component types listed, such as TV, A/V receiver, and DVD player, and hundreds of manufacturers within each one of those. Thankfully, the software is pretty forgiving, and as long as you have the company name and model number, it should be able to cull the commands for your product. That said, if you have a complicated setup, chances are you'll end up calling into Logitech's customer service department for advice. The folks there are good at helping you fix things, though we did run into an issue where we couldn't sync due to a Java error and ended up having to go through the irritation of removing and redoing an activity to update the remote. In other words, the software isn't perfect. On the brighter side, Logitech does offer regular updates for both the remote's firmware and its PC-based software.
All told, we tested roughly 25 components--TVs, A/V receivers, DVD players, video game consoles, cable boxes, and home-stereo systems--and we could not find a remote-enabled product that was not listed or would not work once we uploaded the profile to the remote. It can hold a maximum of 12 devices in its memory, which should be plenty for any one entertainment center.
Along with the ability to control devices individually, the remote includes the Activities function that we liked so much in previous Logitech Harmony remotes. In essence, it allows the 520 to control different components simultaneously, and it works more intuitively than a standard device-centered remote. For example, you can program a Watch DVD activity that turns on your TV, A/V receiver, DVD player, and speaker system; sets them all to the correct channels or inputs; and even starts playing the DVD. While the movie is playing, the controls you designate will "punch through" to the appropriate device: the DVD controls and the numerical keypad to control the DVD, the volume up/down buttons to control the speakers, and the power button to turn the whole thing off in one fell swoop. With a little care, we were able to get all of the important functions incorporated into the activities that we programmed; for those that we missed, we simply toggled back to the Component Control mode.
As far as PC-programmable universal remotes go, the Logitech Harmony 520 is an impressive bargain, given its $100 price tag. From a design standpoint, it's much better than the majority of the remotes on the market. Its functionality is top-notch as well, and we found its ergonomics to be an improvement over the more expensive Harmony 880. But its two sibling remotes--the Logitech Harmony Advanced Remote for Xbox 360 ($130 list) and the Harmony 550 ($150)--may very well be better deals. Both use a chassis that's nearly identical to the 520 but include more buttons: eight more on the 360 remote and six more on the 550. Those extra buttons can be programmed for innumerable functions (day plus/minus, aspect-ratio toggle, special menus) that can come in handy for power users, and the 360 remote is already widely available for less than $100.
User reviews
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unfinished product
by apguser on December 5, 2005
Pros: works quite well and looks cool
Cons: software very, very poor
Summary: Once again, we see a very usefull, cool looking gadget with extremely badly designed software that comes with it. WHY JAVA??? And if Java, why so poorly written?
Is the ...Summary: Once again, we see a very usefull, cool looking gadget with extremely badly designed software that comes with it. WHY JAVA??? And if Java, why so poorly written?
Is the cross-platform compatibility that important in this case?
The good news is that the remote works great, after several attempts to try to get the setup working and few days of getting used to feel of it. I like having 1 remote on my coffee table instead of 5. The sleek black and silver design with bluish glow fits well today's gadget-filled living room. But the software, that's another story. GUI is very sluggish, lack for coursor keys support for scrolling, "exit" button doesn't work to name only a couple of faults, JRex for viewing pdf user manual? BTW, links in the pdf viewer don't work. Reminds me of PRISMIQ media player, works great but looks ugly (the early 90s external modem look is not in style anymore, guys) and the software absolutely sucks.
Overall, great idea, gets the job done but lacks a decently designed piece of software to come with it.4 out of 5 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Gets the job done, could be better
by bc0203 on December 30, 2005
Pros: slick design, programmable keys/labels, downloadable codes for thousands of devices
Cons: default layouts for several devices not optimized for this remote, occasional slow response times
Summary: I bought this remote to replace the stack of remotes that came with my receiver, cable box, tv and streaming media device.
The included software guided me through setting the ...Summary: I bought this remote to replace the stack of remotes that came with my receiver, cable box, tv and streaming media device.
The included software guided me through setting the remote up to perform specific activities, and as far as that goes, I have little to complain about - it functions as advertised. The problem is the device-specific menus, which are NOT well laid out, can be very frustrating to navigate. I ended up having to manually re-program them, which kind of defeats the purpose of a downloadable codes database.
In short, if you purchase this unit, expect the "activity-based" tasks to work as advertised, but still expect to spend some time re-programming the device-specific buttons and menus to your preferences.3 out of 3 users found this user opinion helpful.
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This Unit Worked Better Than Expected!
by speeder150 on January 17, 2006
Pros: All configuration done on your PC
Cons: None identified
Summary: After a co-worker told me about the simple on line set-up capability, I began researching the various Logitech Harmony remotes prior to accidentally finding this one at my local Sears ...
Summary: After a co-worker told me about the simple on line set-up capability, I began researching the various Logitech Harmony remotes prior to accidentally finding this one at my local Sears store.
This remotes appearance is better than several of the other Logitech remotes I have seen and all of the factory Sony/Denon/Philips/Comcast DVR remotes scattered throughout my family room. The blue back-lighting for all the keys and the LCD display makes the 520 much easier to use in low light conditions.
I was surprised to find the exact match for each of my audio/video component models and had no problem setting up the unit. (I too loaded the new version of the software prior to starting).
I quickly set up 6 Activities and each one worked perfectly the first time. I also particularly like the Device Mode feature. For example, if you select Device then TV, you get 24 pages of key functions on the LCD screen that emulates the factory remote. I have tried 90% of these key mappings and so far they all work
I would recommend this remote based on the ease of set-up, appearance and overall functionality.2 out of 2 users found this user opinion helpful.
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A great remote. Extremely easy to use and setup.
by Mogambo on January 7, 2006
Pros: Extremely easy to use and setup. Looks super cool.
Cons: There appears to be a lag between a button click on the remote and actual action
Summary: I love this remote. Contrary to some of teh other reviews I have read here, I found this remote extremely easy to setup. I installed the software, connected the remote ...
Summary: I love this remote. Contrary to some of teh other reviews I have read here, I found this remote extremely easy to setup. I installed the software, connected the remote to my computer via the USB port.
I then enterred the brand and model information for each product in my home theater system and other products too.
The software was amazing. It looked at what I had and proposed macros that I would most likely need. The macros were accurate. Clearly it could not decide which DVD to play on my carrousel (sp?)but that is minor. Once I accepted all the changes, the remote was programmed within seconds.
I was actually shocked by the ease of use. I was expecting a very complex process, but instead, in under 10 minutes, my remote was programmed and functional.
While the buttons on the remote handle only very basic functionality, all advanced features of each device can be controlled via the LCD monitor and 4 buttons around it. Takes a little getting used, BUT, what I love about this is that the remote has very few buttons.
Most universal remotes offer so many buttons that they are virtually impossibel to use.
So, in conclusion, contrary to most reviews here, I think Logitech got this product right. Oh! and it looks cool.2 out of 2 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Great Remote - It Does What It Says It Will
by nscave on December 22, 2005
Pros: It runs all your equipment activities with one button as advertised. Easy to edit or change your setting on the internet.
Cons: The small display can be difficult to read, the number buttons are very tiny, and it may miss some features on some TVs.
Summary: I found it only handled some TV models basic functions. If you needed to get to the TV's setting for colour, etc. you needed to have the original remote, ...
Summary: I found it only handled some TV models basic functions. If you needed to get to the TV's setting for colour, etc. you needed to have the original remote, or go through a long procedure for learning those functions. And in most cases you would again need the original remote to do that. Keep in mind that I am using it to control one complete home theatre system, and another separate TV in another room.
To get a good manual with full instructions, especially on the learning capabilities, you have to search a bit on their web site to find the pdf version. It is not easily found when first setting up the remote during the anxious moments.
It's main purpose is to control a home theatre system by pushing one function button. It does a good job at this once a little tweaking is done. For example if you press "Watch TV", it turns on all associated equipment to do that. Since our large screen TV is only used as a monitor, I did have to customize the setup a bit so that it does not select the input - because it is always on the proper input anyway. By sending the signal to select the proper input, when that input was already properly selected from the last use, caused the tv to do other things sometimes.
Pressing "Watch A Movie" powered up all equipment to do that, as did "Listen To Music". Pressing "Off" turns all equipment off from any of the selected function activities.
Overall this is a fine remote, I like it a lot. It is not perfect. On the other hand, I have used a number of programable remotes. Second best was a plain twenty dollar one for all six. This one now sits at the top of the list despite a little required tweaking as listed above.2 out of 2 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Drove me nuts.
by speedoman1999 on February 3, 2007
Pros: Nice looking remote
Cons: Doesn't do what it's supposed to do.
Summary: First, any item this small should not take more than an hour to set up. After 8 hours I'd had enough and will be sending it back for a ...
Summary: First, any item this small should not take more than an hour to set up. After 8 hours I'd had enough and will be sending it back for a refund.
Input selection doesn't work. I couldn't get the remote to select the DVD (Component) or VCR (AV1) settings, which are essential in such an operation. Many emails to Logitech Help were ignored. Online tutorial asks questions that don't relate to the problem, and doesn't provide solutions. The Help button on the remote is another useless feature. The learning feature is fine in theory, but even when you set up certain functions, they don't work.
What I also don't understand is why high ratings are given to this product by some who'd had significant problems with it. For an item that promises so much yet delivers so little I have no hesitation in giving it 1/102 out of 3 users found this user opinion helpful.
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impossible setup
by rembadog on May 28, 2008
Pros: looks nice in the pakaging
Cons: too many to list
Summary: I was so looking forward to a simple easy to use web based remote. the Logitech 520 was like a nightmare. after 2 hours of fiddling with settings i threw ...
Summary: I was so looking forward to a simple easy to use web based remote. the Logitech 520 was like a nightmare. after 2 hours of fiddling with settings i threw my hands up in the air and packed it up to return to the store. HIGHLY DISAPPOINTED. normally I've had great luck with logitech products but this is the biggest POS. Maybe in a simple system it might be fine, but in a home theater setup forget it.
1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Could be better
by thibodix on March 30, 2008
Pros: Does what they say it will do
Cons: Display is difficult to read - no contrast
Summary: Everything comes together at the display. The PC software is fine, the size is fine. When it comes to reading the display the blue on blue is just not quickly ...
Summary: Everything comes together at the display. The PC software is fine, the size is fine. When it comes to reading the display the blue on blue is just not quickly readable. The size of the display while small is large enough, but the different shades of blue make it difficult so you memorize what the sequences are if you plan to adjust a component, such aspect ratio on your TV or manage your sat. receiver's menus.
1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Alot of work and basically useless
by wheatonview on February 8, 2008
Pros: There are no pros on this piece of crap
Cons: too confusing, time consuming, doesnt do what it promises
Summary: I bought this thing as anyone else would like to, simply to clear my coffee table of mutiple remotes. Not the case here, I still have to use each and ...
Summary: I bought this thing as anyone else would like to, simply to clear my coffee table of mutiple remotes. Not the case here, I still have to use each and every one and now i have this one as an additional remote. I programed 4 components, tv, dvd, direct tv and stereo. The remote works on all , however, it does not work every aspect of each component as promised. Took 3 hours to program, the blue screen makes it hard to see anything, the remote itself is confusing to work, therefore, it will take a couple of mins to find the component you are looking to use, by that time you can reach for the original remote, I will assume all models of the logitech remotes are similar. I am returning mine, and getting a $7.00 universal remote, key in the codes myself and it will probalby take minutes to get it operational. Don't buy this product, it will make you frustrated to the point you want to throw it.
1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Few niggles, but overall - Brilliant!
by jaydee on December 28, 2006
Pros: Dead easy to use (once configured); Intuitive software; Clever help function; Plenty of buttons; Works!
Cons: Flimsy construction; Complex to configure; Slow sync.
Summary: I was highly dubious as to whether this would end up being a worthwhile purchase or a huge failure, but overall I am hugely impressed.
Setup took me a total ...Summary: I was highly dubious as to whether this would end up being a worthwhile purchase or a huge failure, but overall I am hugely impressed.
Setup took me a total of about 3 hours (maybe more) as I configured each device and activity so that it functioned perfectly with my system. This is not to say it never worked - after the first sync (and automatic setup) it controlled my system without a problem, but it ended up getting confused often. I had to refine the programming so that it controlled everything precisely and didnt confuse itself.
The online software is very easy to use and is quite intuitive, hence it was not difficult to setup. The only difficult part was knowing what I needed the remote to do, so if you dont know your AV setup inside out then dont even attempt to set this up.
All configured, the remote is now a joy to use. Point, hold, and it just works. Brilliant. Difficult tasks are now ridiculously simple.
The only thing to remember is that you MUST keep the remote pointed at the system, as delays are incorporated between signals. If you dont keep it pointed, signals will be lost and the remote will *think* your devices are on but they wont be. Any other activity will now fail. Thankfully the help function clears up any problems without a fuss.
My major concern was whether the remote would be able to keep track of which devices are 'on' and which are 'off', and how it would cycle through inputs. Turns out the software has built in codes for each task - i.e. separate commands for on/off, and separate commands for each input. Logitech have obviously obtained codes direct from the manufacturer instead of just duplicating the standard remote. This means it always turns the devices on (wont accidentally toggle them off) and always gets to the right input (doesnt scroll past it, it goes directly to it). Very clever.
If you're planning to buy this remote to simplify things for a non-tech oriented person, then by all means this will work, but by no means can you expect them to set it up. The process is easy, but the knowledge is hard. This, and the flimsy construction (the remote is nowhere near high-quality, it twists and creaks and feels far cheaper than it actually is) are the only things holding me back from giving this a full 10.
I should have bought this long ago.1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.
Specifications
- Manufacturer: Logitech
- Part number: 966191-0403
- Description: Control your entire Home Entertainment system with the touch of a single button! Simply select an activity (e.g., "Watch TV", "Play a videogame", etc.) and your Harmony remote will send the right commands so you don't have to juggle remotes or remember a sequence of buttons. The Internet-based setup is a breeze. An intuitive setup wizard will walk you through the steps to get the Harmony remote to work with your systems. The online database contains all the information of 2, 500 manufacturers and over 80, 000 models of components. The Harmony 520 makes Home Entertainment accessible to the whole family.
General
- Device Type Universal remote control
Remote Control
- Connectivity Technology Infrared
- Supported Device Qty 12
- Supported Devices TV, DVR, VCR, DVD player, Audio system
- Input Device Keypad
- Features Learning, LCD display, Back-lit buttons
- Display LCD display
Connections
- Connector Type 1 x USB
System Requirements
- Operating System MS Windows 98, MS Windows ME, MS Windows XP, MS Windows 2000, Apple Mac OS X 10.2 or later
- Min Hard Drive Space 10 MB
Miscellaneous
- Cables Included 1 x USB cable
Power
- Battery 4 x Standard battery - AAA type
- Included Qty 4
Manufacturer info
- Logitech
- Manufacturer profile
- Browse Logitech products on Shopper.com
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- Website: http://www.logitech.com/
- Address:
6505 Kaiser Dr., Fremont, CA 94555
