I'm looking to purchase an 890 or 890PRO, and have looked through the various associated threads as well as the PDF that was posted.

Let me know if I'm understanding this right:

- The 890 and 890Pro must be a primary controller for zwave lighting
- The 890Pro will transmit state data to secondary controllers so macros will run correctly
- The 890Pro can have a location assigned

Sound right?

???: What does the location/multi-room actually buy me if all of my equipment is in one spot? I am asking because I may use the multi-zone capabilities of my receiver.

???: Will either or both the 890 and 890Pro both work in conjunction with a USB controller, if I try to control zwave lighting by those means, as well?

I'm looking to purchase an 890 or 890PRO, and have looked through the various associated threads as well as the PDF that was posted.

Let me know if I'm understanding this right:

- The 890 and 890Pro must be a primary controller for zwave lighting
- The 890Pro will transmit state data to secondary controllers so macros will run correctly
- The 890Pro can have a location assigned

Sound right?

???: What does the location/multi-room actually buy me if all of my equipment is in one spot? I am asking because I may use the multi-zone capabilities of my receiver.

???: Will either or both the 890 and 890Pro both work in conjunction with a USB controller, if I try to control zwave lighting by those means, as well?

I'm not sure about lighting control, because I don't use my 890Pro for that, but I did buy it for the multi-room capability. It's tricky to set it up, but I like it once it is set up properly. To me, since I'm using it as my only universal remote for 3 different zones, I like the fact that the first thing you do is pick a location, then what you want it to do. I find it a lot easier to first answer "where"?, then answer "what"? It also keeps my screens down to one screen per room (each screen can hold 7 activities, plus the change location command), so I don't have to scroll through multiple activity screens.

There are some programming drawbacks - a couple that I'll mention. First, you can't have duplicate activity names, even if they're in different locations. It's easy to get around, though - if you have a "Watch DVD" command in the Den and the Bedroom, you just need to name one "Watch DVD 2" or "Wtch DVD." I still like it better than having to put everything in one zone and use names like "watch DVD up, Watch DVD down..." I think it would get confusing, you would exceed one activity screen and would have to page through your commands, and the descriptors on the screen are limited in the number of characters it displays, so you can't have names like "watch DVD in Den." Again, this is all just my opinion.

The second, and bigger problem I've found, is that the software can be finicky about assigning components to multiple zones. I also have all of my equipment in one location - physical location is actually irrelevant, but sometimes you have components (like AV receivers) that serve multiple zones. Again, there are work arounds for this, the easiest being to just add the component to more than one zone when you set up the software. Be aware, though, that the RF extender is limited to accepting 8 components, so if you start to duplicate components, that can run out fast (you can add another extender). There are ways to add the same piece of equipment to more than one zone, sometimes I've found out that I need help on Harmony's end to do this (keep in mind that phone support ends 60 days after you set up your account), and of course there are a lot of folks here that make great suggestions.

I think the reality is that the 890 Pro is much more than of what I was looking for because of the multi-room capability, but it is harder to program than the 890.

I'm not sure about lighting control, because I don't use my 890Pro for that, but I did buy it for the multi-room capability. It's tricky to set it up, but I like it once it is set up properly. To me, since I'm using it as my only universal remote for 3 different zones, I like the fact that the first thing you do is pick a location, then what you want it to do. I find it a lot easier to first answer "where"?, then answer "what"? It also keeps my screens down to one screen per room (each screen can hold 7 activities, plus the change location command), so I don't have to scroll through multiple activity screens.

There are some programming drawbacks - a couple that I'll mention. First, you can't have duplicate activity names, even if they're in different locations. It's easy to get around, though - if you have a "Watch DVD" command in the Den and the Bedroom, you just need to name one "Watch DVD 2" or "Wtch DVD." I still like it better than having to put everything in one zone and use names like "watch DVD up, Watch DVD down..." I think it would get confusing, you would exceed one activity screen and would have to page through your commands, and the descriptors on the screen are limited in the number of characters it displays, so you can't have names like "watch DVD in Den." Again, this is all just my opinion.

The second, and bigger problem I've found, is that the software can be finicky about assigning components to multiple zones. I also have all of my equipment in one location - physical location is actually irrelevant, but sometimes you have components (like AV receivers) that serve multiple zones. Again, there are work arounds for this, the easiest being to just add the component to more than one zone when you set up the software. Be aware, though, that the RF extender is limited to accepting 8 components, so if you start to duplicate components, that can run out fast (you can add another extender). There are ways to add the same piece of equipment to more than one zone, sometimes I've found out that I need help on Harmony's end to do this (keep in mind that phone support ends 60 days after you set up your account), and of course there are a lot of folks here that make great suggestions.

I think the reality is that the 890 Pro is much more than of what I was looking for because of the multi-room capability, but it is harder to program than the 890.

tjk -- Thanks for your thoughtful reply. So, do I understand that what you're getting out of the Pro is mainly a reduced number of menus for each location you're in? It sounds like the activities still have to be named differently and that you're equipment is all in the same location. Or... are you gaining something from the remote maintaining 'state info', based on location?

Thanks!
Avery

tjk -- Thanks for your thoughtful reply. So, do I understand that what you're getting out of the Pro is mainly a reduced number of menus for each location you're in? It sounds like the activities still have to be named differently and that you're equipment is all in the same location. Or... are you gaining something from the remote maintaining 'state info', based on location?

Thanks!
Avery

I don't think you gain anything from the remote maintaining state info based on location - I actually think that could be a drawback if you have a device used in two different zones. For example, let's say I'm watching a DVD in the basement, and my wife is watching it upstairs. If I switch my basement activity to watch my DVR, I don't want the DVD player to turn off, or else face the wrath of my wife upstairs. So I program the activity to keep the device on when I leave it.

To me, the biggest advantage of the pro is being able to designate different zones. I have 20+ activities, and without that functionality, I'd have to scroll through three activity scenes, and with limited characters, I'd need to come up with creative names for the various duplicate activities (for example, a watch tv activity in 3 different zones). To me, it makes more intuitive sense to first tell the remote where you are, then tell it what you want it to do. That's just me. The inability to use duplicate names is really a non-issue. Wtch TV and Watch TV are both readily understandable - and I'm sure you could come up with 10 different variations that make sense - but if you had to remember which one was for which room, it would get much more complicated.

Physical location of the equipment is irrelevant - it's where you want that equipment to function that matters. So even if all of your equipment is in the basement, you can still "assign" it on the remote to the Den. The RF extender doesn't care about which zone something is assigned to - I've never had the software glitch because I asked the RF extender to control something in my basement zone, and something in my family room. The only issues I encounter are when I have the same piece of equipment working in two different zones - then the programming gets a little trickier, but it's still workable.

Just to add a note, though - I will say that you can now pick up two 890's and not pay much more than you would for an 890 pro (since the rf extender does not come with the 890 pro). If I had to do it over again today, I might just go that route, and have a remote for each zone (sharing a couple of zones with one remote wouldn't be that big a deal).

Just to add a note, though - I will say that you can now pick up two 890's and not pay much more than you would for an 890 pro (since the rf extender does not come with the 890 pro). If I had to do it over again today, I might just go that route, and have a remote for each zone (sharing a couple of zones with one remote wouldn't be that big a deal).
I use a 2 x 890 configuration and it works OK. I actually have both remotes configured identically so that we can just grab any remote. It is a bit of a pain to update two remotes and two extenders but it works.

Thanks for the feedback, tjk and Florida.

Sounds like the 890 (non-Pro) will work just fine for me, and that there is still the option of adding a second 890, as a distinct system, later.

Thanks, again!