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Harmony Remote Controls Forum - View Post
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1/22/10 - 8-device universal remote offers full IR code learning, a dozen macros plus a new button layout.
1/22/10 - Two new basic hard buttoned remotes offer an updated design and loads of buttons for DVR users.
1/07/10 - Pair of new universal remotes includes the XTR100 with a 3.5" color touchscreen display.
1/07/10 - New touchscreen remote for television service providers offers 4.3" screen, 2-way WiFi.
1/07/10 - New products include a pair of hybrid remotes; 2-way ZigBee RF processor with IR, RS232 and Ethernet. Updated!
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The following page was printed from RemoteCentral.com:
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659 / 768 Compare and Review
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| Topic: | 659 / 768 Compare and Review This thread has 3 replies. Displaying all posts. |
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| Post 1 made on Friday October 3, 2003 at 16:24 |
wpwj40e Long Time Member |
Joined:
Posts: | September 2003
18 |
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Received my 659 Weds and started playing immediately. Should mention I have the 768 and have had the MX 500 and Pronto.
The remote feels good in the hand and outside of the DVD/VCR buttons at the buttom, most of the buttons were laid out pretty intiutevely. After remapping almost all the buttons on my 768 - I was still hitting the wrong buttons here and there, especially the danged help button right in the middle!.
The buttons stick up a bit and the ones like Picture and Sound are slightly elevated making for an awkward "hit". Not significant and they are used so infrequently as to almost be a non issue.
The backlighting is very cool and was a MUCH needed improvement over my 768. (WHich was NOT one of the ones with backlit keys!) The Help function is also much better now. Does the same stuff, but is not quite as annoying and you do not hit it by accident.
The navigation keys (my main gripe about the 768) are a huge improvement and those that use navigation will really like this. (I had previoulsy remapped the number keys on the 768 to be navigation - which then caused wierd combinations to get back to numbers). The guide/exit keys are a little small and probably should have been switched from their locations. It took me a few hours to not hit the wrong keys as I was mentally mapped to hitting guide on the other side.
The activity features are identical (at least set up that way for me ) to the ones I have on my 768. I like not having to use the scroll wheel to get to them. my kids LOVE this new remote. (I am partially to blame here as I had remapped all the 768 keys for how I like to funtion and it was not intuitive for anyone else but me!) We have many activities and are able to get to them from the extra activities key - which then pulls them up in the LCD screen. Which, BTW, is very easy to read. The only issue being the buttons are a little tiny and "stiff" to hit. Which may resolve itself over time. I was able to program all the stuff I had in my 768 into the 659 without a problem and had it doing all the same functions. there were a few changes - "surf" which is a function of my sat box did not have a dedicated key - I now have it on the LCD screen anytime I am in the 'Watch TV Activity". This has been very useful and I like this layout and functionality over the similar in the 768. (Very MX 500 like - but easier to use and program). I am in the process of moving over functions I had not put on the 768 as I did not want to scroll through menu after menu to get to the pic size or other not oft used functions. Hence would go back to the original remote for those. It is much easier for me to use the 659 for the not-oft used functions than the 768 was.
The range also seems better. (About 5 feet better to be exact)
Setting up the 659, IMHO, is actually trickier than the 768. The 768 was pretty straight forward and then you either used XML or called Harmony:)The 659 has the capability to do much more than is apparent at first glance, but the user manual and walk through provided by the wizard leave a lot to be desired. Once I had talked to Harmony (who were VERY helpful as usual), I was able to figure out some really complex things to set up for adjusting aspect ratio's, inputs, sound fields etc. This was easier to do on the 768. Stringing togther multiple command to get to complex state vairables to automte functions is not available on the 659. there are ways around this - but it is not as easy or as nice as the 768.
All in all, I am pretty pleased with the remote. My kids like it, it does everyting I want it to do, (in my household - the usefulness of" state" and the help button are just key:))
I beleive that it will actually do almost ALL the things(~95%) that I wanted with the 768, with a slightly more ergonomic feel, family friendlier interface, easier to see screen and buttons, as well as better layout.
Therese
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| Post 2 made on Friday October 3, 2003 at 16:30 |
wpwj40e Long Time Member |
Joined:
Posts: | September 2003
18 |
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Just wanted to add some notes re setup. Harmony may have fixed this by the time you read - but be aware. There is a firmware update for the 659. This takes it from 1.9 to 2.1(as I recall). When you do this the "remote" loses its mind. Well of course it just had new firmware;) So you have to immediately do an update (like you had made a change to a config setting etc) and then it will "wake up" again. This is followed by symptons of none of the buttons work, the battery indicator tells you to replace the batteries and then all you get is logon to wwww. harmony.com.
It also affects your USB connection (i tried this on both XP and win 2000) and both had issues with this. In essence you now have to rebbot your computer for the USB connection to recognize the now "dead" remote.
I called Harmony and mentioned that they might want to put a little more explanantion regarding what was going to happen when you did this upgrade. It could be I am the only one that got nervous about having a dead remote and rebooting my PC to fix something that had worked fine 10 minutes before. But thought I would pass it on. All works out well once you update your remote, it is before you do that the above events happen!
Therese
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| Post 3 made on Friday October 3, 2003 at 16:34 |
MikeSRC Loyal Member |
Joined:
Posts: | July 2001
5,725 |
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Thanks for the report Therese, especially the info on the firmware upgrade. I haven't had a chance to program one myself yet, but hopefully I'll get time this weekend to do a little MX-700 comparison. ;-)
Mike
www.SurfRemote.com
1-866-SURFAV1
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www.SurfRemoteControl.comCalibrator and contributing writer, ProjectorReviews.com |
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| Post 4 made on Friday October 3, 2003 at 16:49 |
wpwj40e Long Time Member |
Joined:
Posts: | September 2003
18 |
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Thanks Mike! :)
For getting it to me so quickly and patiently listening to me while I was trying to decide whether to order it or not!
Therese
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