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In fact I tried to be polite when considering the Harmony remotes as mediocre and not as overpriced crap. The bottom line is that a Harmony One cost 5 time as much as I have paid for my OFA URC-7560 in the year 1999.

The OFA controls has a Home Theather mode, I can program discrete functions and macros, it ensure perfect control. Built quality is excellent, where the Harmony junk breaks down after 10 years / number of controled devices, my 7560 is at least 5 times more durable. And the design ensure that I can press the right button without looking at the remote. But I guess you first have to own a remote before you realize how important this is. A Harmony with it's flimpsy keys won't do.

Best of all: IR compatibility range is 10 KHz-1020KHz and it will also control IRDA devices as the Pace cable STB's in the UK. Battery life: app. two years with 2 cheap AA batteries.

Let's compare the Harmony range :-)

Harmony 520 & 525 - IR range 30KHz-70KHz. Because of this it won't control any devices that have IR modulation below 30 KHz (used by e.g. Blaupunkt, Siemens, Grundig), it can not control High Frequency protocols (B&O, Sony VisionTouch series, Telefunken / Thomson HF protocol, some Kenwood AV receivers use 455 KHz), and no, it will not control IRDA cable boxes. Battery life: 3 Months. But even if the 5xx series would work for your current and future devices, they are still junk because of it's low quality case, shape and keys. Have seen 2$ made in China remote controls with better ergonomics!

The Harmony 6xx series is built so poorly that keys often were off / break down within months. I have to admit not all Harmony's are junk, the 880 and 885 are decent remotes, in fact, if I would never have no experience with well designed & programmed universal remote controls but got a 885 instead, I would probably be quite pleased with this remote.

Ergonomics and built quality are much better then the 5xx and 6xx series and yes, it can control IRDA and the IR range goes up to 455KHz. However, unlike my 7560, it cannot learn High frequency and it fails to control e.g. Sony VisionTouch devices. Or any future AV equipment that will use similar IR protocols. A decent remote, too bad that quite a lot of users have problems with the charger.

Bose isn't dissed because High End equipment by Accuphase or Burmester sound better, but because cheaper entry level equipment by NAD, Cambidge Audio, Yamaha, Denon do. But guess what, my boss has a Bose system and is very pleased with it, he knows how to control his Bose and it plays all his CD's...

The Bose is perfect for him, he is just as heapy with his Bose as you seem to be with your Harmony 880. But I would be extremly unhappy if I had to exchange my 7560 for the H880 / H885 (or my Marantz / T+A for a Bose Lifestyle system). I expect from a new remote that costs £100,- or more that it has at least the same built quality, IR frequency range and ergonomics than a £30 remote control from 1999. The Harmony fails...

Please don't get me wrong, I don't want to insult any Harmony (or Bose) owners who are happy with their equipment, just my answer to the question why Harmony remotes are dissed.