The preverbal question. Which remote is best for me? LOL- I understand there are some intangibles, but I'd like some experienced users inputs please.

I had an old One for all universal that was maxed out, and impossible for anyone but me to use because of a lack of dedicated labels for key tasks.

I currently have a Comcast DVR cable box, a Panasonic plasma tv, a Yamaha 6.1 amp, a Panasonic DVD-+R, and a Sony CD player. My wife and young kids need to be able to easily watch tv and play DVDs and use all the features of the cable box, including the on demand and dvr. They will watch using TV speakers. Oh, I also have migrated 56 days of music to my computer, and intend on getting some type of a media station shortly, so it would be great if the remote could operate, say Windows Media center (I know one of these are seet up to do so....)

I on the other hand want to do the above, but also easily set tv, dvr, or dvd up to play on TV speakers, or, via the amp in 5.1 (6.1 compatible, but I do not yet have the rear center speaker... yet). The remote should allow me to further customize the experience by changing surround modes on the amp - Dolby dig., movie theater, rock etc. Finally, another important feature is to change the TV mode from Movie to std to sports etc.

How deep can you get in any of these menu systems? I’ve read about 4 layers deep on one of the universals and at 4 lines that only seems to give me 16 dedicated functions per remote? Am I missing something or it 16 per master function...

Backlit is very important, so is feel and ease of use with a single hand. I guess price is also important, or I'd just pop down the $800 for a top of the line, and pay another $350 to have it programmed. Programming is not foreign to me, but it's been 20 years since I did it professionally, so ease of setting up the remote is a factor.

Any and all help is greatly appreciated.

Any harmony will do what you want. Only downside is that you'll need to set up duplicate activities (one with tv speakers, one with A/V speakers). Harmony doesn't use menus - you go from activity to activity with one or two button presses. Each activity is a unique combination of devices, inputs and modes that the harmony will set up automatically. You can also go into Device mode.

I'd recommend a 680 or possibly the 720 since they have sound and picture buttons which give you instant access to a second set of button customizations that are useful for selecting audio and display modes. But other than that any Harmony will control your equipment.