Logtech Introduces Harmony 670

If you’ve been reading my site awhile, it should come as no surprise that I’m a big fan of Logitech’s Harmony remotes. They do initially require some time to configure and tweak to your liking, but the time you’ll save down the road makes it worthwhile. I didn’t particularly care for the button layout of the 659, so moving the VCR controls midway up the 670 is an improvement. Though, like most Harmony’s, the layout is still non-standard. I am interested in checking out the updated desktop application (which I assume will work with other models, such as my 880) and will report back. If you’re in the market for a low-end model, I’d probably suggest the 550 instead of the $150 670 — it costs less and, in my opinion, looks better if you can deal with the somewhat mushy keys.

Logitech writes: Logitech today introduced the mid-range Harmony 670 advanced universal remote, which builds on the features of the company’s popular Harmony 659 remote, with enhancements that make controlling today’s complex home-entertainment systems even easier. The new remote features improved one-touch activity buttons and a button layout optimized to control digital video recorders (DVRs) such as TiVo. It’s also the company’s first remote to include the new Harmony 7.0 software, which makes setting up the remote and fine-tuning it on the PC easier than ever. The new Harmony software reduces the Internet setup process to four easy steps. An intuitive wizard guides people through this online setup, using easy-to-understand language, offering tips and providing easy access to help menus along the way. The setup includes the automated download of infrared codes from the world’s largest online audio/visual control database, featuring information about more than 175,000 devices from more than 5,000 manufacturers.