For $134 you get a device that does the same job and offers the same level of convenience as the modern touchscreen remotes that go for several hundreds of dollars. It doesn't concede in terms of connectivity, with over 270,000 compatible device types in total, including Roku, AppleTV, Philips Hue, and others. You can program shortcuts to perform several activities at once, for example, turn on the TV and pick the right channel or select Netflix, etc. And just like with more expensive remotes, you don't have to point at the device directly to turn it on/off, you can even do it from another room.
Through MyHarmoney desktop and mobile apps, you can change what every button of the remote does. Each button has 2 functions (short and long press) that can be configured.
It can reach your TV or audio center even if they're not in sight - behind a wall or a door, for example. This is because it relies on radio frequency instead of IR to transmit signal, so physical objects do not become obstacles.
Although the basic functionality is similar for all universal remotes, if you'd like more features it could be worth paying extra for a more expensive one, such as the Logitech Elite. You can connect it to up to 15 devices at the same time, which is almost twice as many as the Logitech Companion, another very popular (but cheaper) model. The Elite is compatible with Amazon Alexa, so you can alternatively control all your devices with voice commands. The design is more sophisticated as well: the remote has backlit physical keys as well as a touchscreen.
The Harmony Elite is a high-end remote: it offers excellent performance and modern features, but it comes at a very high price. If you're on a budget, you could easily find a remote under $100 that gets the job done.
The remote doesn’t have to be directly pointed at a device to send commands. You can just press “Watch TV” while preparing a meal in the kitchen and it will turn on your amp, satellite box, switch to your favorite TV channel and adjust the volume.
If you own an Amazon smart speaker or Google Home you can connect them to your universal remote and control nearly everything in your home - TVs, music, lights, the AC, etc. - just with your voice. To connect a speaker, follow the guide here.
This Logitech remote provides an amazing user experience. It has an ergonomic shape with soft, pleasant grip. All the buttons are easy to reach with one hand.
If you encounter a problem, finding a solution shouldn’t be too hard. Logitech Harmony Elite has a large user base who post tutorials on Youtube and give advice on forums.
This remote was preprogrammed for using Apple TV and Roku, as well as Xbox One and Windows Media Center. You can access these large and popular platforms with just a push of a button.
If you're having some difficulties with your remote, there is a helpful community on the Inteset forums. They post various tutorials and try helping other users with any problems.
If you want to go beyond simple turn on/off, adjust the volume controls, but combine several functions in one macro, for example, turn all your devices off, it will take a little bit of tinkering and very likely reading the forums.
You can't back up your macros to an app, unlike with many universal remotes, so if something happens to the Inteset and you have to replace, be ready to configure it from scratch.