I just added an Insignia NS-DXA1-APT digital TV converter to my setup to keep my DVR playing nice after Feb. The device was listed and added OK but I can't get the remote to default the hard buttons to the Insignia in my "Record TV" activity. In device mode, everything works and I did find the page where you can select what is controlled by the hard buttons and dutifully changed the important ones, twice, but it doesn't seem to take. Somehow the default for the hard buttons was my DVDR.
No faults show when I update the remote.

Suggestions?

You may be confusing device mode with activity mode. Each device and each activity has it's own customized buttons. Make sure you go into the Activity and customize the buttons there.

I was in activity mode, 2X, but it does not seem to take. This will be the 7th device I've set up to use w/ 6 activities under my belt. Should I delete the current activity and start again?

If you go into the Activity setup and customize buttons - do the new buttons show up? Try adding the commands to the soft buttons (LCD) so you can see if they're updated or not and test them. Also make sure you're using the correct commands - sometimes 2 or more commands have similar labels and it's easy to get them confused.

If they're not showing up in the activity, make sure you're in the right activity (again, easy to confuse with that many). If all else fails, delete the activity and start over.

OK, I now have control of the STB w/ the hard buttons I want. Software needed to be upgraded according to Logitec but my old version was 7.5.10 and the new one is 7.5. Go figure.
Even w/ the new SW, I had to enter all the button assignments 3 times for all of them to take and then got a surprise. First time, I got half of the number buttons but not the channel up/ down. Second time I got all numeric keys, still no up/ down. Third time all numeric and channel up/ down were OK but now power control didn't work anymore (surprise!). Fourth time and "teaching" the power command from the OEM remote (was OK previously using power toggle) and I got what I need initially. W/ the hard keys each time I went back to customize buttons for the activity, the keys were blank but I had definitely set them to STB and the required function in the last round of programming. They just kind of populated gradually. No idea about the power toggle issue.

Once set, I like my remote but this is typical of my programming experience since I started with it. (Modern laptop, DSL, no connect errors, AV and firewalls off). Logitec should be able to do better.

I just read the "Why pros diss Harmony" thread and the lost time on installs was a valid point if my experience is any indication. About 40 minutes for a 3 minute job (my initial setup was faster!). The rest of the thread was pretty sketchy (Why would anyone think we believe a $150 remote would/ should answer your door for you, route video feeds and automatically shut doors you left open? Who are these people and how did they get so out of touch with the real world?)

akirby, your patience is astounding w/ us newbies, thank you for trying to help here.
I have another simple question but it's best in another thread,

Your problems are not typical. When the updates don't show up on the remote - are they still in the software or do they disappear there, too?

After each "update" that didn't fully take, some commands were missing in the customize activity screen when I went back. I'd fully populate them and then try again. As I said, they were eventually all there and I had no USB errors or anything during any of the updates. The updates do take a long time 3-4 minutes, best estimate.

Seeing only some missing gave me the hint to just keep trying.
Should I delete and reload the software or is something else suspect?

That says that all of the updates weren't being applied in the software to begin with. Are you sure you were saving all of the changes each time? If you are then reinstalling the software might be a good idea. Might have also been a network problem.

Create a new activity just to test and try making updates. Then delete it when you're finished testing. If it works now I wouldn't worry about it.