Ok I am wondering what is the best way to consolidate some of my remotes that I have. I just have too many. I have remotes for my HDTV, 360, PS3, HDMI switch, Comcast cable box, FIOS cable box and I plan to be getting a surround sound system so we can add that one to the mix later. Now I know I am stuck with the PS3 remote but I was hoping to get rid of the others. and just use one for them. I was thinking the harmony remote for the 360 and then program it for the others. Is it possible to program the harmony remote for my monoprice HDMI switch? Is there a limit to how many devices you can have on it? Any help would be great. Thanks in advance.

there's a limit of 12 components, so it's more than enough.

I think the Harmony for the 360 is the best option for you. That or the 550; the two are very similar in functionality and it will come down to the color you like and the buttons each has (though the 550 can do 16 components). The 360 harmony has the A/B/X/Y buttons clearly labeled, and I think that may be the better choice for game consoles. With a Nyko Blu-Wave ($10) it'll even control your PS3, with the exception of turning it on.

I have the 550. It controls my 360, PS3, HDTV, HD-DVD player, Onkyo Receiver, cable box, Monoprice HDMI switch, and even a fan. It works flawlessly.

The Harmony will work fine as a traditional universal remote where you switch components in the menu, but it REALLY works well in "Activity" mode where multiple components can be controlled without switching components (for example volume via the receiver, and the 360 via everything else, along with TV specific buttons like Display and Wide Mode.

Imagine turning EVERYTHING (but only the stuff you need) on and setting everything to the right input with ONE button. Want to switch activities (like Xbox to PS3?)...it'll turn off only the correct components and set inputs yet again. Push the power-off button and it'll turn everything that's on OFF. Setup is super-easy, too. It's simple, but there are many customization options deeper in the menu such as latency between button presses (set to 0 to navigate the PS3 XMB for example) and different ways to set how you turn devices on and off. For all devices in an activity (a 360 activity would include the 360, receiver, HDMI switch, and TV) and you can map each button to a specific function on a specific device. There's even custom buttons and labels on the LCD. It even does custom macros for when you power down...for example to turn off the PS3 via the XMB you have to go all the way left and all the way up. No problem...build the commands into the shutdown command set and it'll turn everything off with one button.

Selecting devices is easy as just about everything is in their software (yes, even the monoprice HDMI switch!). For those things not in their database, it can learn the IR commands if you have the original remote (and you can map those commands to any button).

Summary: Buy it. I got my 550 at Best Buy for $79 (list $130). The xbox harmony is $99 but I've seen it for less. Even if I paid full list I would consider it one of my best purchases ever. The world of universal remotes was a messed-up one before Logitech came in. They really hit a home run with the Harmony line.

It does suck down batteries, though. I recommend a set of AAA rechargeables, preferably the low-leakage kind like the Duracell "Pre-Charged", Sanyo Eneloops, or Rayovac Hybrids as they won't lose most of their juice just sitting idle after a month. I get 2-3 months per charge with a set of those.

I got the Xbox360 Harmony myself. I LOVE it!

Good "review" by steven. I would agree with him, a harmony is the way to go.

I'm a big fan of the Harmony 360 remote. Very well done!

Every Harmony I have owned has been an amazing piece of equipment. Every other remote is a flaming pile of crap in comparison.

best purchase ever... on sale for $50 with free shipping.

http://www.amazon.com/Logitech-Harmony-550-Universal-Remote/dp/B000EUGX70?tag=slickdeals

they wont control your PS3 though, ps3 is bluetooth, though you can get an IR receiver, and control everything except on/off

Every Harmony I have owned has been an amazing piece of equipment. Every other remote is a flaming pile of crap in comparison.

My 880 is a plasticy POS. Granted, it's been abused by my toddler, so it's hard to vilify it completely, but it's on it's last legs now after only 18months of use. They are very easy to set up however, and storing your profile online makes it easy to upgrade/replace/expand.

Crap! I was just at Best Buy and had the xbox harmony remote on sale for $79 I was going to buy it but I thought...Nah I will ask you guys first. I should have bought it and then asked and then took it back if I couldn't use it. I should know better than to listen to a blue shirt. lol

From the sounds of the specs the 550 is the better remote and you are really just paying extra for the 360 branding or does it have special 360 functionality that the 550 doesn't? Other than the X,Y,A,B buttons that is.

Any Harmony remote will control your devices. The 360 Harmony remote just has hard buttons for X, Y, A, and B. You can map those keys to any button on another Harmony remote.

If you want full control of your PS3 using a universal remote then you need to get an IR to BT converter. Check out this thread for options http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=1016741

If you just want basic control for movie playback then the $10 Nyko dongle will work.

I also like the 360 Harmony because the color of the Xbox buttons matches the Time Warner cable box's colored buttons. Like the above poster said, initial setup is easy, but be ready to spend a lot of time tweaking custom buttons and such to your specific tastes.

Question for the people who have one, can you help me with this: I have the numbered buttons set to Xbox360 mappings when I'm using my 360, but they don't work when I want to select a specific chapter of a DVD. Does the 360 not allow chapter selection in the middle of the movie, or do I have something setup wrong?

I'll ditto the Harmony. I don't have the 360 remote, but just mapped the X, Y, B, A buttons to the screen (and Square, Triangle, Circle, X for my PS3). It works great and controls my entire theater (TV, DTV DVR, Receiver, XBOX, PS3).

I also have the Nyko thing for my PS3 ($10) and that let's me control the PS3 (other than power on/off). You can get the more expensive ($50ish) IR2BT thingy that will let you power it on off though as well.

Anyways, I would highly recommend a Harmony remote. I had a hard time justifying spending $250 on the remote I got, but once I had it in my hands, it was the best $250 I ever spent. Even my severely technically challenged mother in law can operate my home theater now. Want to watch a movie? Just press the "movie" button and everything powers on and switches to the right inputs. Want to watch TV? Just one button press. Couldn't be easier to operate.

Also, the setup is pretty easy. You just plug it into your computer, tell it what devices you have, then you set up your activities (such as "Watch Movie") and tell it what devices that activity uses (for Watching a Movie, it would be my PS3, TV, and Receiver) and what inputs everything needs to be on. If you need to, map some custom keys around, and press the "Update Remote" button and it does the rest. I believe it took less than 1/2 hour to get my entire remote programmed and functioning correctly with the buttons mapped the way I wanted to.

+1 on the Harmony.

Never been happier with a remote. This thing is so easy, my parents can even figure it out.

I love that you program it on your computer vs the "learning" remotes I've had in the past.

To reiterate what the others have said a harmony will do what you want. I have a 550 to control my 360, it's cheaper than the 360 version by 30 most of the time and it looks more like a decent remote vs a console remote.

Either one will be fine, the 360 version has the face buttons but I believe it is missing a few others... I would check for some reviews comparing the two on cnet, I believe those are pretty good.

I think the 5xx series do look the best. The higher models are more plasticky and just look less sturdy to me. I also don't like thier button layouts. The 6-series just look plain cheap. The 8-series have more features, but I don't like the button layout.

There is a 530, but it lacks too many buttons IMO. The 550 was just about perfect. It looks classy and feels nice with a rubber-y back and nice glossy front. The 360 version is the most comparable to the 550...really color and buttons is what it comes down to and I don't think either is the wrong choice. I think the 360 actually has 2 more buttons than the 550, as the A/B/X/Y replace an up and down button that are on the 550.

One other nice thing...all the buttons are lit on the 550 and I think on the xbox version, too.

Another +1 for Harmony 550. Best $50.00 I ever spent. Hard to say that with a straight face considering its a remote control, but definitely glad I made the purchase.

I love my Harmony One remote, and you can control the 360 with it.

I have the Harmon-Kardon badged Harmony remote and love it, and it controls the Xbox just fine. It comes with a charging cradle and has a color display, plus 8 user buttons.

+1 on the 360 Harmony, easy to program, easy to use, reliable.

Well I ordered both. I will check them out and the one I don't like I will give to my aunt cuz she needs one and her bday is next month. Thanks again for all your help.

Logitech makes some ok remotes if you're on a strict budget and you want all of your components sitting in front of the tv. If you spend a little extra for RF control, you can put your equipment somewhere that it's not such an eyesore. Plus you don't have to point and shoot anymore.

Okay, I absolutely love my Harmony remote (first a 659, and now an 880) but the build quality isn't really where I'd like it to be. After about a year with the 659 certain buttons stopped working without mashing them down. The same has happened in about the same time with my 880. This is after normal use. I'm not going to say I've never dropped them or anything, but quite frankly, its a remote, I'm not going to baby it or anything. That being said, never more than falling two feet really, so I don't think it should do that.

I'm sure I'll be picking up another Harmony in the near future (but definitely not the hideous looking Harmony 1000).

Logitech makes some ok remotes if you're on a strict budget and you want all of your components sitting in front of the tv. If you spend a little extra for RF control, you can put your equipment somewhere that it's not such an eyesore. Plus you don't have to point and shoot anymore.

Thanks...I will keep that in mind.