See the press release here:

http://www.logitech.com/index.cfm/news/US/EN,contentid=12896,crid=34

Here's a picture:

http://www.surfremotecontrol.com/graphics/Harmony670_Front.jpg

From what I can gather this does not handle RF. Are the 890 and 1000 the only Harmony remotes that handle RF?

Otherwise nice remote.

Correct. The 890 and 1000 are the only one's the will support the Logitech Harmony Wireless Extender for RF and Zwave control

Nice, but not dice. I'm hopping that Logitech will be announcing other new or improved remotes. The 1000 is a bit too big and the touch screen is a bit of overkill for an IR/RF remote. I'm not a fan of touch screens on a remote as they have the tendency of either not respoding quick enough (latency) or failing to sense that they have been touched completely. The only way I'd justify the touch screen is if the remote also suppored WiFi to control wireless media servers with rich content (album art). It would then also require thumb-wheel l(like an iPod) to navigate the music/video library with confort.

What I wish is for a replacement or a fully supported and enhanced 720. I like the form factor and color screen of the 720, but I'm reluctant to buy it because people are complaining about the motion sensor switch not working, the printed text on the body of the remote rubbing off and the appearance of not being "fully" supported by Logitech. Is this remote being recalled or what?... No one knows. Adding RF and DVR buttons to a remote with the form factor of the 720 would also be welcome addition.

Could anybody tell whats the difference from the 680 im looking at getting one of these this weekend. if theirs no difference i'll just get the 680 because it's cheaper.

I would definitely choose the 670 over the 680. It has improved aesthetics and dedicated page +/- buttons. If this is for your own personal use, the improved graphics and labels on the remote (aesthetics) probably don't matter, though.

Still, it's more of the same. When is Harmony going to get its act together and release a remote with larger-sized, high-quality buttons like MX-900?

I would definitely choose the 670 over the 680. It has improved aesthetics and dedicated page +/- buttons. If this is for your own personal use, the improved graphics and labels on the remote (aesthetics) probably don't matter, though.

Still, it's more of the same. When is Harmony going to get its act together and release a remote with larger-sized, high-quality buttons like MX-900?Maybe never? Since it costs $450.

Maybe never? Since it costs $450. URC has ridiculous markup though. On ebay, it sells closer to $200.

I bet Logitech could mass produce a remote with a MX900-esque button design / feel for less than $2 extra in parts, compared to the 670/680.

I just got a 670 this weekend and it's okay... Does the job. The buttons have a nice feel, even if they are a little small. Support for devices is quite impressive. The software for programming the remote has some quircks that really take time to get used to and figure out.... The automatic stuff doesn't always do the right thing. I ended up changing almost all of the key mappings for the programmed activities. (It's nice that can be done though. :-) ) Overall, programming took too long and the software was very quircky... But I am still happy as the end result does exactly what I wanted.

I just got a 670 this weekend and it's okay... Does the job. The buttons have a nice feel, even if they are a little small. Support for devices is quite impressive. The software for programming the remote has some quircks that really take time to get used to and figure out.... The automatic stuff doesn't always do the right thing. I ended up changing almost all of the key mappings for the programmed activities. (It's nice that can be done though. :-) ) Overall, programming took too long and the software was very quircky... But I am still happy as the end result does exactly what I wanted.

Ditch the software setup and use the web based setup at http://members.harmonyremote.com

Nearly everyone finds it much easier and faster to use,

Ditch the software setup and use the web based setup at http://members.harmonyremote.com

Nearly everyone finds it much easier and faster to use,

Good advice. I checked it out and it does appear to work better and has more options for controlling the various devices. I wonder why they don't expose all of that through the software (which also appears to do much of its work in a web-based way...).

How responsive is this remote? Is there much delay between pressing a button and the action? I am about to throw my 550 out the window because of this sluggishness (discussed elsewhere) that makes it almost unusable for program guide navigation.

For me at least, there's no noticeable delay. Push a button and the command happens immediately.

How responsive is this remote? Is there much delay between pressing a button and the action? I am about to throw my 550 out the window because of this sluggishness (discussed elsewhere) that makes it almost unusable for program guide navigation.

Delays can be adjusted. See the sticky at the top of the page

I've been a happy 680 owner for a few years and it is showing wear. Just noticed the new 670. It looks nice.

The biggest thing I noticed is the lack of a 'media' button. I don't use it for programming, but do use it for selecting discs from a 100 disk CD changer. Am I missing something, or did they do away with it?

Ditch the software setup and use the web based setup at http://members.harmonyremote.com

Nearly everyone finds it much easier and faster to use,

Just got a 670!

Can I use the the web based setup without installing the software???

Just got a 670!

Can I use the the web based setup without installing the software???

You still need to install the software to actually update the remote.

The different options are with the programming side. When you install the software it comes with a Java based setup program. You can bypass this and do your programming from the website. When you click "Update remote" it will launch the software to do the actual loading to the remote.

...I am about to throw my 550 out the window because of this sluggishness (discussed elsewhere) that makes it almost unusable for program guide navigation.That's curious because I have the 550 and use it with my TiVo's guide and experience no sluggishness at all.

You still need to install the software to actually update the remote.
....

Thanks. I installed the software, then closed it. Opened a browser and went to the web setup address (http://members.harmonyremote.com) and configured my 670 there.

It took all of 10 minutes and works pretty good, so far. I'll be customizing buttons in the next week or so and see how that goes.

The great thing about the 670 is how it fits in my hand. I don't have to "crawl" up & down it to reach the buttons. And the DVR controls are easy to access and very intuitive.

I've been a happy 680 owner for a few years and it is showing wear. Just noticed the new 670. It looks nice.

The biggest thing I noticed is the lack of a 'media' button. I don't use it for programming, but do use it for selecting discs from a 100 disk CD changer. Am I missing something, or did they do away with it?

For others who may be interested...

I called tech support and they said that although there is no longer a 'media' button, the functionality in regards to DVD/CD changers should be able to be mapped to an LCD function or a different hard button.

I am trying to decide between this 670 and the 880. I am leaning towards the 670 as I don't care much for the 880 LCD screen and the charging station.

My question, does anyone that owns the 670 have an XBOX 360 with the HD DVD addon? I went through the web setup and could not figure out I would control the HD DVD addon using the 670. Not a deal breaker, but I would like to know if it is possible and difficult it is to program.

I have 2 universal remotes now, plus you could consider the remote for my tv and pioneer receiver also universal remotes and I have not been able to get any of them to work well with the DVD or HD DVD drives on the 360 :mad: I am hoping/praying a harmony will make this easier.

A couple of weeks ago, I used the Logitech web site to create an account and to configure a Harmony remote for four devices: Panasonic TH-50PH9UK plasma HDTV, Outlaw Audio 1050 receiver, Dish Network Vip 211, Oppo DV-970HD DVD player. All devices were in the database except for the plasma. I found last year's model, a TH-50PH8UK, in the database. The 8UK is functionally equivalent to a 9UK so I configured with the 8UK.

I ordered the Harmony 670 from Amazon and got it today. I installed the software and it updated itself to 7.0.2.1. I then logged into the Logitech members site and downloaded the configuration I had created several weeks ago.

The only problem I encountered was that on the Watch a Movie activity, the off button would not turn off the Outlaw 1050. I went to the support help pages and found that I needed to increase the inter-device delay for the 1050. After making this setting change in my account on the members web site, I downloaded a new configuration. It works. Total time to set up about 30 minutes.

I am trying to decide between this 670 and the 880. I am leaning towards the 670 as I don't care much for the 880 LCD screen and the charging station.

My question, does anyone that owns the 670 have an XBOX 360 with the HD DVD addon? I went through the web setup and could not figure out I would control the HD DVD addon using the 670. Not a deal breaker, but I would like to know if it is possible and difficult it is to program.

I have 2 universal remotes now, plus you could consider the remote for my tv and pioneer receiver also universal remotes and I have not been able to get any of them to work well with the DVD or HD DVD drives on the 360 :mad: I am hoping/praying a harmony will make this easier.
I have a 880 and it works flawlessly with my 360.

I got the 670 last Thursday. I added my devices and I was up and running in a half hour. I tweaked the buttons and added in more activities. I like the feel of the remote. The small buttons take a little getting used to. I am still trying to train my family on how it works. I have a 50" Vizio plasma, Panasonic 588 DVD player, Onkyo 604 receiver and a Dish 622. This remote is perfect for DVR use. Overall I am very happy with it and I would recommend it.

I got the remote a week or two ago and I'm pretty happy with it. I wish they had included A, B, and C buttons, as most DVRs and digital cable boxes use these buttons. Well, the ones I've always used have them anyway.. It also would have been nice to have an extra "List" or "DVR" button or something to bring up the DVR menu. I'm using the Menu button for that, so it's alright.

It's just that if they're marketing this as "great for DVRs" or whatever, they should have these extra, standard buttons. Obviously, I could be using the LCD buttons for all this, but it's just annoying to reach up there all the time. I'd rather use the LCD for weirder, non-standard stuff than for the stuff I use every day. Page up and down buttons are great, though, and I'm glad they put those in there.

The playback buttons are weirdly laid out, as well, but they're more accessible than on the other remotes in this price-range, so it'll do. It can be tough to tell which one you're hitting though, because they're all the same size and there's no little "bump" on any of the buttons to tell you which one you're on.

Of course, after all my complaining, I'm still WAY happy with the remote and I'm sure I will use this remote until a better Harmony comes along.

I've always liked mapping the Stop button to the "list" for our Tivo. I did the same thing as you for the main menu, it's just mapped to Menu.

I also like the up and down arrows, which I've mapped to the thumbs up and thumbs down. :)

How much battery life are you guys getting on this remote? When I first got it I was getting about a month and 1/2 that was with glow on every button and 10 sec. I turned glow only on the glow button and down to 5 sec. I ran out of batteries in 2 weeks now. Did I get bum batteries? Going to get some good ones and try again, perhaps something broke when I dropped it...

I got my remote before Christmas and have yet to replace the batteries. I have full glow for 10s.

Got the 670 yesterday. Programming was a snap – getting used to a remote like this for the first time is an adjustment, but one I think will be well worth it. The cursor pad is just way too small. I can’t imagine anyone with really BIG fingers being able to use this remote. I watch TV in a dark environment, but during my break-in period yesterday, the overhead lighting reflected off the keypad making it almost impossible to read each key function. I had to tilt it to various angles to see what was there. This won’t be a problem once I memorize each key location/function, which will be very soon, but for others who aren’t remote savvy or with room lighting, this is a PITA. While watching a recorded DVR show last night, the skip FW/RW stopped functioning, so I had to resort to the Dish 622 remote – that thing is sweet. Being a first time owner of a remote like this requires patience, something I’m not good at, but the upside is so fantastic I’ll give it a week to tweak and then reassess whether the TC-30 or something else might be a better feel for me. The research continues.

The 670 is missing the a-b buttons. These are great for setting up commerical skips. I'll stick with my 676.

The 670 is missing the a-b buttons. These are great for setting up commerical skips. I'll stick with my 676.

I programmed my 670 to have the A-B-C buttons all on the right side screen optionable when the PVR is on. My programmable screen buttons setup for Scientific Atlanta 8300HD is:

Sleep-------C
LiveTV------B
List----------A

List is recorded shows. I use "sleep" a lot. I put the most used buttons lower/closer to the middle of the remote.

On the 8300HD, the pvr fwd/ffwd-rwd/frwd seemed redundant, so I use them for skip forward/skip back.

Is the remote supposed to turn off when not in use? Mine always has something on the display. It seems like a waste of battery power to me.

There's always something on the display, yes.

I haven't had any battery issues in 2 months.

LCD w/o backlight consumes virtually no power vs. transmission of IR commands & the backlight. Shutting off the LCD wouldn't extend battery life any noticeable amount.

Anyone have any idea how to program this thing with discrete input codes, so I can change my Samsung HLP5663w inputs without having to cycle through each input. It takes too long and sometimes the remote messes up, it would be nice for it to be able to change directly to the correct input. I've been looking everywhere and found the codes to my tv, but not sure how to program this remote with them. thanks

Dale

(1) try "device" mode, see if any of the codes there work.
(2) try different model #s of Samsung display that are similar to your set. E.g. different size, or previous year's model, again try the codes provided in device mode.

If (1) & (2) fail, contact Harmony tech support so they can add the codes you found to the DB. There's no way to enter say Pronto hex codes directly through the web interface; Harmony has to do it.

Then go through the wizard, adjust inputs, say you jump directly to inputs & point it to the appropriate codes for each input.

Got my remote for Xmas and I am on my 3rd set of batteries. They seem to last 3 weeks. I had mine set at 15sec all buttons glow and chanced to 10sec limited buttons. I think the fact that I have programmed a button to skip 30 seconds for my DVR may be the reason I am going through batteries so quickly. Half the shows we watch are on the DVR and commercial skipping is constant.

I plan to go to radio shack and get a battery charger with rechargable batteries. The quick charge unit goes for $40 with 4 AA and 4 AAA batteries.

I have everything programmed and working on my 670, except I can't get it to select inputs perfectly. If I play 360 (input 9) and turn the system off with the remote and then later hit "watch TV" it won't select input 7. I have tripled check that I have the inputs set up right. Any suggestions?

Does "Help" fix it?
If so, try increasing the Power On Delay for the TV.

Does "Help" fix it?
If so, try increasing the Power On Delay for the TV.

"Help" does fix it, but I shouldn't have to use it every time. I will try the delay suggestion.

"Help" does fix it, but I shouldn't have to use it every time. I will try the delay suggestion.

Haven't had that problem with two different TV's. I would call tech support. Hold times are short and they are very helpful.

For others who may be interested...

I called tech support and they said that although there is no longer a 'media' button, the functionality in regards to DVD/CD changers should be able to be mapped to an LCD function or a different hard button.

I went ahead and bought a 670 after being told what I was told above. Unfortunately, I was apparently given incorrect information.

After trying, I contacted tech support again and went to 2nd level when 1st level could not figure out how to do it. They then went to even higher levels and have now informed me that it isn't supported at all. :mad:

I'm waiting to hear back from them to find out what they are going to do about it.

The 670 is missing the a-b buttons. These are great for setting up commerical skips. I'll stick with my 676.

why would you rather use a-b buttons for commercial skips when the 670 already has commercial skip buttons with the other transport buttons?

but more importantly...
doesn't it seem like logitech is completely missing the "dvr" button on all of its remotes?
if you want to bring up the menu for your recorded show list. i've had to hijack another button or use one of the soft-buttons on the lcd for it. seems kind of silly to me.

I have , Direct Tv HR10-250 (HD TIVO) and a Samsung DLP, {I also have a Yamaha receiver and a Toshiba DVD player}....my question is how many devices do i have?should i set up th eDVD player as a Cd player too? Is my Directv HD Tivo player the set top box?Do i set up the PVR also?

I have , Direct Tv HR10-250 (HD TIVO) and a Samsung DLP, {I also have a Yamaha receiver and a Toshiba DVD player}....my question is how many devices do i have?should i set up th eDVD player as a Cd player too? Is my Directv HD Tivo player the set top box?Do i set up the PVR also?


Just set up each thing once. The HD TIVO is a PVR. The DVD player is just that. You can set up different activities, but you only need each piece of equipment in there once.

For instance, if you set up an activity to 'listen to music' you can have it turn on your dvd player and receiver.

Question:

Is there a way to have certain devices already selected when I use an activity button? For example, if I press 'Watch TV,' the Tivo is already selected as the device I want to control.

I'm using a NAD HTR-2 right now, but not for too much longer. It's not too useful now that I've got a DVR and a Sanyo projector which have too many 'weird' buttons for me to remember how I've mapped them.

I ordered the Harmony 670 from dell.ca yesterday -- they've got them for about $100 off right now. I'll post again later if I've got something to rave or complain about :)

Question about the 670. MIne should be in tomorrow and it may be a few days before I get a chance to set it up. In the mean time I have a question or two.

What is the difference in an Activity and a Macro?

If I set up an activity/macro to watch a dvd that would turn on the tv and turn on the dvd player, what would happen if the tv is already on? Would it just turn the dvd player on or would it turn the tv off and then the dvd player on?
Probably a dumb question but i wasn't sure.

An activity is really just another name for a macro. Harmony often uses discrete on/off commands when available, but if not, its "Smart State" technology "remembers" if it's already turned a device on (like the TV), so pushing the "Watch DVD" activity will not turn the TV off.

thanks for the quick reply.
Do you (or anyone else) know if there's a good guide to what I would need to turn off/on/dim lights, etc.?
i also have a fan that already has a remote. Can I just teach the harmony to do all of it's functions?

I've had a 550 for 7 months and yesterday I returned it for the 670 and glad I did.

I would describe the 550 as the "Paris Hilton of Remotes". Comes from a good family, looks very good, but once I got to know it better it really started to drive me crazy. The button size and layout was such that I never did get comfortable with making selections without first looking to make sure I was on the right button. In the end, the volume down began to stick on me and Circuit C gave me a store credit which I used toward a 670 (rebate this week on the 670 is $60 so it will end up costing me less. Also, kudos to CC for this no questions asked transaction).

My initial impression of the 670 is great. It feels good to hold, for the most part the buttons are well placed and have a solid feel. And of course it controls everything in my system perfectly, just like the 550 did.

My biggest concern in making the switch turned out to be a very pleasant surprise. I just knew I would have to go through an entire new setup with the 670, but the Logitech software allowed me to transfer all the settings I had for the 550 to the 670 with only one button needing to be re-mapped. The "Prev" button didn't do anything so I just went back into the software and mapped it correctly. The change over took about 20 minutes including this fix.

I can find only two things I need to tweak. First, since the 670 doesn't have a DVR button (still don't know why Logitech left this one out) I have a soft button mapped to "PVR" but will be looking to see if there is a better hard button to use. Second, the "Sound" and "Pic" buttons currently serve no useful purpose for me. Unless someone can tell me their real purpose I'm likely to use one as the "DVR" button. Suggestions?

Setup: Panasonic 42" plasma, Dish VIP622, Yamaha Receiver, Samsung DVD

Hey guys, I'm trying to help out my coworker who owns one of these but doesn't know much about how to setup. I'm not familiar with the Harmonys (don't shoot me, I'm a URC guy). Can the 670 do "punch thrus"? Or rather, maybe it's a button mapping issue. What he's trying to accomplish is when selecting "watch cable", the macro sets the tv to the right input, turns on cable box, turns on receiver, sets receiver to right input. All that works fine. Where the catch is that he needs the channel buttons to control the dvr/cable box, but the volume controls to change the receiver. Is that possible with the Harmony 670? Thanks in advance!

... Where the catch is that he needs the channel buttons to control the dvr/cable box, but the volume controls to change the receiver. Is that possible with the Harmony 670? ...
Easy! He just needs to set up that activity so that sound is set up as coming from the receiver. This is basic Harmony activity use 101.

P.S. Isn't that like making a Mercedes mechanic work on an Acura?! Some URC owners seem to think Harmony remotes are straight from the devil's own workshop!

I kinda thought it could do that, but had no idea how. Hey, I'm not gonna insult the Harmony remotes. They are just two different trains of logic, and my mind works like URC, so I understand them better. . .I bought a low-end Harmony at Sam's Club for my elderly mom a couple of years ago and spent hours trying to get it to work correctly--it now sits in a drawer unused. . .hmm. . .maybe I should put that remote on ebay!?!?

P.S. I drive an Acura. . . :)

Hey guys,
I see that Amazon has this remote for 77.00 but other retailers such as BB have it at 149.99. There has got to be a catch to the amazon price, right?? Also, if I am planning on controlling my xbox 360 with this remote, would it be better to get the Harmny xbox 360 remote? Thanks in advance.

Hey guys,
I see that Amazon has this remote for 77.00 but other retailers such as BB have it at 149.99. There has got to be a catch to the amazon price, right?? Also, if I am planning on controlling my xbox 360 with this remote, would it be better to get the Harmny xbox 360 remote? Thanks in advance.
There is no catch. Amazon prices are consistently lower than Best Buy. BB are just selling it for MSRP, no discount.

The basic functions of both remotes will be identical since they use the same software for programing. The Xbox remote (also available on amazon for $85) has a very different design, which you may or may not prefer, and some dedicated buttons for the X-box. It might be worth the $8 for those just for ease of use.

I just purchased the 676 and it programmed rather easily and works like a charm. My question is, how do I program a second dvd player? I didn't see anything that allowed me to do that. I have a Panasonic multi-disk player I want to add. Thanks for any help.

Keith

... My question is, how do I program a second dvd player? I didn't see anything that allowed me to do that. ...
You have to add the extra device and then create a second activity using the second DVD player and name it appropriately. Activity 1 will turn on your single disc player, with the appropriate input/output/sound settings, activity 2 will turn on your multi-disc player with the appropriate input/output/sound settings (including any extra "soft" buttons that might be needed for changing disc etc.).

You have to add the extra device and then create a second activity using the second DVD player and name it appropriately. Activity 1 will turn on your single disc player, with the appropriate input/output/sound settings, activity 2 will turn on your multi-disc player with the appropriate input/output/sound settings (including any extra "soft" buttons that might be needed for changing disc etc.).

Thanks for the help. I got it working. Now if it would just pass the aspect command to my plasma properly 4 times to get it set for SD signals. I have an e-mail into them. It would not work for me.

Thanks again!

Keith

I have a question abound the Pic and Sound buttons, and their modes.

When in Pic mode, I assume the LCD screen will reflect the TV's LCD buttons. But, will the hard buttons be mapped to the TV or the Activity? For example, if I'm watching a DVD, and I press the 'Pic' button and then the 'Menu' button, will the DVD return to the main menu, or will it pull up the setup menu for my TV?

I have a question abound the Pic and Sound buttons, and their modes.

When in Pic mode, I assume the LCD screen will reflect the TV's LCD buttons. But, will the hard buttons be mapped to the TV or the Activity? For example, if I'm watching a DVD, and I press the 'Pic' button and then the 'Menu' button, will the DVD return to the main menu, or will it pull up the setup menu for my TV?

In the past it would actually do BOTH. But an update a few months back fixed this, and it should now only send out the 'menu' command for the TV, not teh activity.

I am considering the 670 but wondered if it can accomodate my audio usage.

I would like to be able to turn my external speakers on and off independently of the "activity".

For example, while watching TV I would like a button which toggles between TV speaker and external speakers. Thus the remote would

1. Mute the TV
2. Turn on the AVR
3. Set the AVR input to the CURRENT device (this is the hard part) ie the TV in this case but the same button should work for any device.

I am considering the 670 but wondered if it can accomodate my audio usage.
...
For example, while watching TV I would like a button which toggles between TV speaker and external speakers. Thus the remote would

1. Mute the TV
2. Turn on the AVR
3. Set the AVR input to the CURRENT device (this is the hard part) ie the TV in this case but the same button should work for any device.
The best way to do this might just be to create two distinct TV activities:

- One using TV speakers only.
- One using TV muted and AVR speakers.

I think it should be quite straightforward. You would then just switch from one TV activity to the other and steps 1-3 would happen just as you described.

Here's another solution that works for me. My "Watch TV" activity turns on my satellite receiver, TV, and AVR and of course makes all the needed input changes. Since I NEVER use the "Channel Up/Down" button to change channels (I always use either the satellite receiver guide or directly change using the number buttons) I simply mapped the 670 "Channel Up/Down" to the AVR's volume control.

This way when I'm "Watching TV" in can use the TV volume and then if later I find I'm watching something in HD/5.1 I mute the TV using the "Mute" button on the 670, then just increase the volume on the AVR using the "Channel Up/Down" button. I've also mapped the "Enter" button on the 670 to "Mute" the AVR.

This makes it easy to go back and forth between TV and AVR volume without having to create a new activity. Works for me, but my wife somehow still gets confused.

...
This makes it easy to go back and forth between TV and AVR volume without having to create a new activity. Works for me, but my wife somehow still gets confused.
I think you were pushing it a bit, hoping for a high WAF on that one! It reminds me of pre-Harmony universal remote experiences, where the none of the hard buttons did what they were expected to, and nobody but the programmer could remember what that was anyway ... I'm not sure I would recommend it! Cute though!

Kex, your right about the WAF on my setup. In fact I've been thinking about changing it such that the Vol button always adjust the the TV and the Channel Up/Down always adjust the AVR volume. It would be easy to do and that way she doesn't have to think out which button controls the volume. Either way it seems to make more since to me than making a new activity just to change the way the volume works.

Anyway, it's my setup and I'm sticking to it :)

... In fact I've been thinking about changing it such that the Vol button always adjust the the TV and the Channel Up/Down always adjust the AVR volume. It would be easy to do and that way she doesn't have to think out which button controls the volume. Either way it seems to make more since to me than making a new activity just to change the way the volume works.

Anyway, it's my setup and I'm sticking to it :)
This may be a silly question, but why don't you just use soft buttons next to the LCD screen? Maybe that would mean "paging" to another screen?

Your method makes sense in that the buttons are always availble. My suggestion makes sense in that it may be a "cleaner" approach, but the user would have to press two buttons (activities followed by the appropriate TV activity button) to get there. There may also be screen "paging" issues if there are more activities set up than the screen can display on the first page of soft buttons.

OK, so the short answer is: No it can't do that.

I guess I need a remote with macro capability and access to the concept of "current device" available in the macro language. Any suggestions for such a remote?

LesMoss, I guess in the strictest of "toggle" no...I know of no way you can program one button on the 670 that would take you from TV to AVR speakers. Of course, even it you could (or find a remote that does) wouldn't you still have to adjust the volume as you go back and forth? Don't know about your system, but for me the volume levels are different enough between my TV and AVR that if I could toggle I would still have to make an adjustment.

With my method, all I do is mute the TV and turn up the volume on the AVR...or visa versa. I don't know, but that seems pretty simple to me.

Here's what I'd do:

Turn the AVR on for each activity.
Relearn the volume up and down button to control the volume for both TV and AVR.
When you enter each activity, send 'Mute' to the AVR.
When you leave each activity, send 'Mute' to the AVR.
Create an LCD button that sends 'Mute' to the AVR and 'Mute' to the TV.

The button will then toggle between which device is muted, and the volume control will work for both devices. This assumes you can leave your AVR on for each activity, and that changing the volume won't throw either device out of 'Mute' mode.

Alternatively, you can just fork over the $700 for the MX-950, since it's the only other way to get the functionality you want (variables). Have fun programming it, too!

OK, so the short answer is: No it can't do that.

I guess I need a remote with macro capability and access to the concept of "current device" available in the macro language. Any suggestions for such a remote?
I thought the short answer was "yes", not "no", but you have to accept that any Harmony is an activity based remote. Duplicating the activity for either type of use is not hard to do. Even if you get a macro based remote, where you can program macros to each button as you choose, you will still have issues such as "does that make any sense to anyone else but me?" and "how many hard buttons are available for those functions once I have already programmed in the essentials?". Using activities to get what you want only implies one extra button push: the "activities" button, to enable access to the activities menu. That did not seem like a deal killer to me.

If you go another route, you may run into much more tricky issues, especially for other users if you are not the only person involved.

Thanks to all for the ideas. I guess the multiple activity approach may be OK. My intial reaction was the 10 activities (5x2) would create a multipage menu which would not be very easy to use. Same number of key strokes as I use now - although on a single remote.

I guess I should just get one of these things and try it out.

...
I guess I should just get one of these things and try it out.
If you want it local, avoid BB and CC except for special deals (or you'll be paying rent on the store). You could try Costco if you are a member. They sell the 720 (6 LCD colour screen activity buttons and a rechargeable lithium-ion battery) at $120 (frequently out of stock though). They won't give you any hassle if you want to give it back. I think Sears may also carry it, but not for that price.

Otherwise, the 880 has eight activity buttons per screen and is currently about $130 from amazon.com, including shipping, but obviously not so easy to return ... and not for free. Costco pricing on the 880 is not that great, unless it has changed since I last noticed.

The 670 you first mentioned is only $85 from amazon.com, but you'll have the same return issues. I don't know about local store pricing.

OK, I got a 670. After a struggle with poor usability of the software and an error in the database from my AVR, it now works with all my devices. But, there is still a problem with using my cable box with and without AVR even though I have 2 different activities. The problem is that when watching with AVR on, the sound also goes to the TV and the TV is not muted. I can't see how to tell the remote that it needs to mute the TV speaker in this activity.

I know I can create a TV mute button for the activity, but that is not WAF friendly. Seems like a common problem that Hormony would do automatically or at least provide a check box.

This should help you out.

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=904113

rveras, thanks for that. I will try it.

Do you know how to customize the Pic and Sound menus. The default setup seem pretty useless in my case.

This should help you out.

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=904113
Using macros might be tempting, but I think you need to resolve your setup issues first (it should be fairly straightforward). It sounds like your activities are not quite set up correctly. If you are not sure how to tweak it, give c/s a call and they will probably sort it out for you.

If you start throwing personalized macro sequences at it already, for a simple issue such as this, you might be inviting further troubles in the future when you want to fix something and your macros may become part of the problem.

OK, I got a 670. After a struggle with poor usability of the software and an error in the database from my AVR, it now works with all my devices. But, there is still a problem with using my cable box with and without AVR even though I have 2 different activities. The problem is that when watching with AVR on, the sound also goes to the TV and the TV is not muted. I can't see how to tell the remote that it needs to mute the TV speaker in this activity.

I know I can create a TV mute button for the activity, but that is not WAF friendly. Seems like a common problem that Hormony would do automatically or at least provide a check box.

Re-run the activity setup wizard and when it finishes select "Yes, but I want to add more control". You will get a screen where you can add commands to the activity start and end sequences. Add the "Mute" command to both the start and end sequence so the TV mutes when the activity starts, and un-mutes when the activity ends.

Do you know how to customize the Pic and Sound menus. The default setup seem pretty useless in my case.

On the button customization screen for each device and activity, you can select "Picture" or "Sound" from the drop down menu at the top.

Thanks for the help czzer. Thats what I needed. Glad you are following this thread from Adelaide.

I checked out the new Sequences (macro) feature. Its pretty limited. A max of 5 commands. Many menus take more than 5 down arrows to get to the entry you want. Also, the commands are restricted to those that are already in the activity. So it can't be used turn my AVR on/off.

Anyway, I'm keeping the 670 - but just barely :(

I just got a 670 and am having trouble getting activities to properly select the appropriate input on several devices . . . the AV receiver and the HDTV.

Using Help solves it, but I have to do it every time.

Pushing the activity button a second time also solves the problem.

In the software, it seems to want me to mess with the timing and delays . . . and thats where I am stupid. Should I be increasing delays or shortening them? It's a real pain to do this by trial and error. And, yes, the activities are properly set up for the correct input.

Can anybody help?

You will need to increase the appropriate delay...probably the Inter Device Delay or the Power On Delay.

Increase one of them to a large amount (eg 5000ms) to see which delay(s) are causing the problem. You can then decrease them to a reliable figure.

Is there a way to change the activity list under the "More Activities" button? I just want to change the order in which the devices are listed.

Thanks all -

hi all, everything seems to be working fine except there is nothing for the pvr button? What button works for all of you?

I use a programmable "soft button" for the DVR listings of my Motorola DCH-3416. You can set those up in the 'additional buttons' tab of the 'customize buttons' for your activity.

If you mean that you can't find the right action in the dropdown boxes for the DVR listings, you could learn that command -- I needed to learn the 30 second skip button for my DVR.

i tried that and and told the software LOL that i wanted to learn a button from the dish remote and it said it didnt support it? what am i doing wrong/ Can i do this without being connected to the usb and computer?

I've only had the 670 for a short time and only have learned a command twice. I did it from that 'customize buttons' area and I did indeed need to have the remote connected to the computer in order to do it. Logitech's support is supposed to be really good for these products, so if you can't get it to work right giving them a call is probably a good next step.

Cindy, I have the same setup as you, vip622 and a 670. In my "Watch TV" activity I did the following for customized buttons:

Button #1. "Dish Home" 622 Command = DishHome
#2. "DVR" 622 Command = PVR
#3 "Aspect" 622 Command = Aspect
#4 "Live TV" 622 Command = View

With the Harmony software at the Activities screen click the Customize Buttons under the Watch TV activity. On the next screen click the Additional Buttons tab and just name a button under the "Label" column, choose VIP 622 under device, and pick the appropriate command. Click "Done", connect the 627 to your computer and let the software download the changes.

Hope this helps.

hi, i tried to customize and do this with the buttons E and plus. I didnt want to change my number buttons as some people still use them to change channels. Can you customize the buttons to the left and right of the lcd screen and if so what are they called on the software?

Can you customize the buttons to the left and right of the lcd screen and if so what are they called on the software?

Yes, those are the ones I'm taking about. To program them follow the directions on my previous post. Activities, Watch TV, click "Customize Buttons", then the "Additional Buttons" tab. Here's where you can name a button anything you want, like "DVR", select VIP622 as the device, and in the case of DVR you would select "PVR" from the drop down list in the Command column.

Thanks so much Jgurley, i got it.. i was pressing learn command when done instead of just "done".. that was why it didnt' work. don't i feel stupid lol..
cindy

i have the Xbox 360 set up under the "music" activity button. hooked up through HDMI. my set is below.

half the time it does not turn the 360 on. but sometimes it does work. makes no sense to me. anyone have a similar problem? i'm pointed directly center of my unit.