What’s the Best Universal Remote?

Our "AVS Recommends" series overwhelmingly gave that nod to Logitech's Harmony One, but there are many other solid ones out there.



The One—it was a played a central role in the sci-fi, techie new-classic “The Matrix,” so it’s only fitting that it plays the central role in your classic home theater setup too. When you want to fire up “The Matrix” and other movies on your big screen, the knowledgeable crowd at AVS Forum recommends The One—as in the Logitech Harmony One universal remote control as our “AVS Recommends” poll winner this week.

The AVSers should know, too, as they as a whole put together killer home theaters, and not your everyday 50-inch plasma and HTIB surround-sound system. They’ve got a plethora of electronics, audio and video to sync together and control with one easy device, and the Harmony One was far and away their recommendation.

The Harmony One garnered more than a third of the 150-plus recommendations in the open-ended voting. And that wasn’t the only universal remote from Logitech that users liked (including the runner-up and third-place vote getters)—a few other models earned their way into this week’s slideshow.

For Top 8 Universal Remote Controls, check out
[Link: electronichouse.com]

Copyright Electronic House

rotflmao.....

The most advanced remote on the list (tsu-9400) is 6 of 8...! ....and the #1 isn't even RF capable.

This is a testament to the knowledge of the AVS die hard. Good thing this list wasn't entitled "most useful HT piece" as I'm sure the votes would have gone towards bibs for their drool catching abilities.

oye' vay

what a coinkeydink that harmony (and c'mon the 880??) has all top 3 spots! lol

sorry dude, but i'm so sick of you're "articles" that are nothing but BS advertisements!

...(can't believe I'm doing this again, but)

In his defense Stealth, this was actually a poll done at AVS.
(damn... can't believe I just admitting to surfing AVS again...lol)

I remember the banner popping up. I think I voted for the 980. Not that the 980 is the best remote going, but I think they worded the poll question differently than simply "Best Universal".

actually prior to my edit, i noted this is yet another reason why i've never signed up over there, and mentioned what a joker cmckenney was for even posting this here.... what do we care what idiots think? then it occured to me its probably just BS anyway... what are the chances Harmonies take the top 3 even amongst dough heads? whatever.

lol....

I've adopted AVS as another avenue for passing on goodwill. Kinda like what I do here for the Harmony forum.

:)

If it weren't for the political garbage from Mr.Stanley and if RC had a forum for HT construction, I'd most likely never step foot over there.

Next time try polling Remote Central. You know, the site about universal remotes?

I don't know if this is sad or funny. Most of the people over there probably have never used anything but a Harmony.

TSU7500 is a decent remote, but the MX-3000 is much better.

And how the heck does the MX-980 not make that list? Yet two complete pieces of junk (Harmony 880 and 890) place within the top 3.

What a joke.

but why get the blind to lead the blind?


I would consider it real big. When I first joined AVS it was "elitist" and "these people like talking tech more then watching movies". The issue is that AVS started not caring and wanted to grow. Now it is "I bought a 27" Vizio TV, it is the best and nothing more is needed" Then you get idiots who read the garbage, do the same (it is cheaper, so must be better) and so the whole site is how XYZ is the best. You get a bit of it here as well (little fanboys who must believe what they bought is the best) but it is no where near as bad. There it is a bunch of people that think that just because they bought that one thing it is the best. In my opinion (it is over a year since I have been there) it is extremely easy that newbs go "what is the best XYZ?" and all you have are fanboys saying it is ZYX and then they buy it and start posting "XYZ is the best" when they have never used anything else and don't even know (except that they bough ZYX) why it is "better"

For the record... I voted the 980

...and I've used and owned X & Z.

;)

Noted. Busted again :-)

If it makes you feel better we replaced 8 Harmony Ones with mx980's. They didn't want the Harmony's anymore for many reasons...we took them and used them as baseballs with an aluminum bat...good clean fun to relieve some stress.

Dang, wish I'd thought of that. I'd go buy a bat just for the fun, or hell, I'll just use a shovel.

This remote is #1 in the category of "DIYer who lacks any kind of knowledge in design or functionality in the type of Home Theater system that requires no RF or any special specific requests".

Of course I probably get 1-2 customers a year that meet the above requirements, but hey, maybe I am the minority. Where was that poll done - in another dimension?

In the $250 price range the MX-450 is a nice option and you can add RF if you need it.. now or down the road.

The guy voting for harmony is the guy who is watching bestbuy.com for a price drop on Vizio LCD's.

Nicely put Stamp, I also like the 450...

I'd like to think that all the people who voted for the harmony, would change their mind in a heartbeat if they actually saw a head-to-head comparison with the others on the list...

But when someone is just shopping for the lowest price, with what they believe is the highest funcionality, you cannot get let down too far, since you are already at the rock bottom with price.

Amazing, the number one remote on the list would'nt work correctly if my cat passed in front of the remote during a macro sequence. Classic!

Consumers have no idea what thier choices are. Big Box and online price cutters tell people that a 60" TV should cost $1000.00 and the Harmony One is the best remote in the world.

I know people who think they have surround sound with 4 in-ceiling speakers and a stereo receiver...because the sound surrounds them :). I know people who have HD DirecTV receivers with tube TV's.. they tell me how amazing the HD channels look.

Every time i walk in a building downtown and someone sees my tools or products im bringing into the elevator i get into an A/V conversation. I spend 30 minutes trying to explain what i do then another 30 minutes doing pro bono home theater consulting. Here are a few questions i get asked all the time...

"Is Vizio a good TV"
"How many watts is enough watts"
"Is LCD better than plasma"
"How much would you charge to install Bose"
"Crestron? Whats that?"

This is what i hear after i tell people what "GOOD" actually costs...
"Must be nice"
"Who would spend that on a TV"

When some people are met with a head to head comparison they cant justify it in thier minds.. "how could they spend twice as much on the same size TV or a couple hundred dollars extra for an RF base station".

$1000 plasmas these days look pretty darn good and a $1000 HTIB blows people away when they come from a world of listening to the stereo speakers in the TV. So now you got a guy whos spent $2000 and has a pretty decent system. Add a harmony in the mix and hes got the ultimate home theater as far as he and everyone he knows is concerned. People learn to live with things like the cat interupting the macro because they dont know what an RF remote is.