At my new job I've just had my first "experience" with programming and using Harmony remotes.... I've dealt with four different models in many different installs and my opinion is unchanged. Now I'm not here to bash Harmony or battle with the Logitech fans, I just want to here what other professionals feel would be a good alternative remote to the Harmony's in the $150-$350 price range. I've worked with Prontos, Crestron, CQC, Elan, RTI and the URC remotes and am comfortable with programming all their high end products but items in the under $500 price range I'm not so familiar with. All I really need is a cheaper remote that can handle a few macros and has an LCD screen for some customizable buttons. I'm hoping your experiences can lead me to a preferred, Logitech alternative. Thanks

MX-350
it is the bare minimum IMO

MX810 but it has similar wizard based programming.

MX900 or MX850

I'm just amazed that you think there are Harmony fans

Unfortunately my boss is the Harmony fan, I'm guessing he likes them cause their easy to sell.....???? but he's slowly being converted to RTI.

I second the MX-350. I'd add a PCL-300 as well so you can sell some 'systems' and not have to repeat your programming.

Hope your boss likes service calls.

Yah, but if he or you lose money on the programming, or the customer never really likes it because it isn't just right, you've lost that customer.

Ask your boss to program one or two of these. It's not fair for him to foist them onto you. Ask him to walk a mile in your sh#t. I mean shoes.

Excellent.

When I saw the thread title, I almost wrote "anything," but that's not true. One client didn't want to get any other remote, and I read the manual on his Yamaha A/V receiver and programmed the remote to do everything, macros included. The difficulty? Buttons are not labeled properly, as we had to put things on the remote that aren't printed. Does the Logitech wizard force you to do this, too?