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Hi,
First, preliminary comments about the SST-659
Initial impressions.
This is the perfect family remote at least for this one. I've gone through the Marantz RC2000 MKII in the old days, as well as a Philips Pronto, but I think the Harmony SST-659 takes the cake in family-friendliness. Control seven devices with two separate displays is a cinch (once you get used to the "Smart State Technology"). Any family member used to a Scientific Atlanta Digital Cable remote control, doesn't even need to be told what to do with the remote - all the buttons are already there - TV guide and all. Button remotes seem to be preferred in the family. And I kept getting complaints about touchscreen remotes or the heavy weight of the old Marantz RC2000 MKII.
Activity Buttons...
They are great for the others who use my equipment. "Watch TV", "Watch a Movie", "Listen to Music" -- controlling all pieces of my equipment without time consuming macro programming. These special use buttons caught my attention for me to research the Harmony SST-659 remote further, as well as its very light weight. You may be familiar with the SST-659 review at RemoteCentral .
Smart State Technology...
I think it really does simplify a lot of things by eliminating most macros, at the expense of making it much more difficult to create a macros when I do actually need them. Hopefully a future SST-style remote will still permit easy creation of special-case macros, for the best of all worlds. The good thing is that there there always seem to be workarounds --- I even figured out how to create pseudo-discrete code for my Toshiba DVD player which only had a power toggle button, so that the Harmony never goes out of sync with my DVD player power state. You just have to think differently to program this remote compared to others. The Harmony remote is smart enough to keep track of which video input you are on, and I was able to do things like multiple button presses to do pseudo-discrete input selection, The Harmony SST was still able to keep track of which input I was on, once I forced my device to consistently power-up on a specific input, and there was only a button on the original remote to cycle through inputs. Harmony's SST architecture remember which devices are OFF and which devices are ON, and which devices are on which input, and realtime generates custom macros. Even if my DVD player was on, the VCR was on the wrong channel, and the cable box was turned off -- pressing the "Watch TV" button on Harmony -- Harmony automatically turns off your DVD player, automatically switch the VCR back to the correct input, and turns on your cable box. And this all happens even if none of your devices have discrete power ON/OFF codes nor discrete INPUT codes!! If anything goes out of sync, Harmony's HELP button automatically fixes things for you in a user friendly way. The LCD screen on the Harmony is very remiscient of cellphone style WAP surfing, asking you things like "Is your TV on? Yes | No" when you press the HELP button -- in order to fix your system for you if the SST-generated "macros" screw up. The infrared emitter on the SST-659 is so powerful (there are 3 high-intensity IR LED's pointing in 3 different directions inside the SST-659!). I could control my WHOLE system from the opposite side of my sofa. My worries of getting out of sync quickly dissappeared -- and with some of my pseudo-discrete improvements that I added, the Harmony will never get out of sync again with 4 out of 7 of my devices, and very unlikely with 5 out of 7 devices. The remaining device (Scientific Atlanta 3100HD box) will only get out of sync of SST if somebody powers it on manually without the remote, or if you cover the LED's of the SST while trying to an activity that turns on/off the cable box. I solved this sole remaining weak link by programming a custom "PowerSync" button that toggles the cable box power state without affecting the SST power state memory, then assigned it to an LCD screen button. (I did a Learn Raw, rather than reusing the power IR code for the Scientific Atlanta box). This will allow me to re-sync the cable box in the rare occasion it gets out of sync with the Harmony Smart State Technology (power state / input state memory). If you study SST programming further (which is completely differet from ProntoEdit or traditional macro programming), you can get really creative with Smart State Technology through some knowledge. For example, it is possible to develop a solution for the SST-659 to do things that you probably didn't think of. For example, you can do an X10 lamp control button that toggles a lamp on/off -- if you wanted to assign a lamp button to the LCD screen while you're watching TV for example so that you can put away that X10 remote away from your coffeetable. You simply add the X10 control as a passthrough device to an Activity, and do some simple custom SST configuring to accomplish adding X10 buttons to your "Watch TV" activity, for example.
Internet Dependency...
Can only be configured by web-based wizard. Arguably both a boon and bane because this remote completely depends on being connected to the Internet! Dependency could be a bane. But it is also a boon because of the near-realtime database of pre-learned devices. Another advantage is that the web wizard is like an always-up-to-date platform-independent configuration software program. (You can configure it on any platform, even Linux, but then you need to switch to a Mac or PC to do the actual connection to the remote for uploading a new config). Internet is not a problem here because this place is full of Internet on a reliable 3 megabit DSL connection at a five-backbone redundant ISP -- and there is Ethernet and Wifi everywhere here in my place.
Quick Internet Config...
In the world of a busy working life, I really do like the quick Internet configuration. It worked great for and a half out of 7 devices. After just 15 minutes of configuring the basic devices, one button OFF that runs amazingly fast, making it seem like all my 5 devices turned off simultaneously -- 0.5 second from first device to last device, for 5 devices, on the one-button OFF. I didn't even need to do any macro programming. However, 1 device is a little more tricky (Projector POWER button), and the last device had to be completely programmed from scratch.
Creating custom configs...
I said I had to do one device from scratch. I did a button-to-button teaching session for one custom device -- a remote specifically for a HTPC. A little more time consuming (but not by much) than a standard learning universal remote to create a custom device for SST-659, but vastly outweighed by virtually perfect pre-configuration for 5 out of 7 devices. My Internet connection is high speed, so the button learning only took about 1-2 seconds longer than what I would have done with a Marantz RC2000 MKII in the old days of button-to-button teaching. But finally, I managed to program a custom computer remote into the SST-659, so that I can control my HTPC like a DVD player too, or my regular DVD player. The computer remote is a StreamZap, and there was actually a device already in the Harmony database for it, but it was poorly programmed, which meant I had to do this all over again from scratch. The SST-659 had a really difficult time learning the StreamZap codes, even in "Learn Raw" mode. During teaching, I had to press the StreamZap buttons at the precisely right duration (very briefly, but not too briefly, and never holding down the button.). Too briefly or too long, the button wouldn't work. Distance and stability of the remote away from the learning sensor seemed to be pretty important. This was a big pain, but I finally created a better StreamZap config than Harmony's default StreamZap config. (Note: I use IRMAN and Girder to accept the StreamZap codes, rather than using StreamZap's receiver, since I wanted more HTPC remote-control flexibility)
Summarized Recap...
It is a huge time-saver in being able to seamlessly mix and match preconfigured devices massively more quickly than stitching together multiple Pronto .ccf files or button-by-button learning. One can truly can five home theater devices with working macro-style buttons running in as little as 15 to 20 minutes of unpacking the remote! However, there is the potential to crash into a wall of difficult configuration if your device is not found in the Harmony Internet database or if one of your home theater devices behaves very erratically. Ironically, power users who have never used a Pronto will probably find it easier to learn the Smart State Technology method -- it is so dramatically different from traditional unviersal remotes. The HELP button on the Harmony Remote manages to fix a home theater most of the time, simply by asking the remote control user simple Yes/No questions -- you no longer need to have to explain to a family member what to do if a cable box messes up during a macro.
Conclusion...
You have probably read this review this far if you're not scared away by the strict requirement of Internet or tolerating a completely different approach to programmable universal remotes. Anybody who needs a universal remote control, and prefers a hard-button remote, needs to give the SST-659 a serious look too. Multiply this advice a gigantic order of magnitude, if you have a family that prefers your complex home theater behave like one single TV set -- buy the SST-659 via overnight FedEx and your family will thank you later. Even Grandma.
First, preliminary comments about the SST-659
Initial impressions.
This is the perfect family remote at least for this one. I've gone through the Marantz RC2000 MKII in the old days, as well as a Philips Pronto, but I think the Harmony SST-659 takes the cake in family-friendliness. Control seven devices with two separate displays is a cinch (once you get used to the "Smart State Technology"). Any family member used to a Scientific Atlanta Digital Cable remote control, doesn't even need to be told what to do with the remote - all the buttons are already there - TV guide and all. Button remotes seem to be preferred in the family. And I kept getting complaints about touchscreen remotes or the heavy weight of the old Marantz RC2000 MKII.
Activity Buttons...
They are great for the others who use my equipment. "Watch TV", "Watch a Movie", "Listen to Music" -- controlling all pieces of my equipment without time consuming macro programming. These special use buttons caught my attention for me to research the Harmony SST-659 remote further, as well as its very light weight. You may be familiar with the SST-659 review at RemoteCentral .
Smart State Technology...
I think it really does simplify a lot of things by eliminating most macros, at the expense of making it much more difficult to create a macros when I do actually need them. Hopefully a future SST-style remote will still permit easy creation of special-case macros, for the best of all worlds. The good thing is that there there always seem to be workarounds --- I even figured out how to create pseudo-discrete code for my Toshiba DVD player which only had a power toggle button, so that the Harmony never goes out of sync with my DVD player power state. You just have to think differently to program this remote compared to others. The Harmony remote is smart enough to keep track of which video input you are on, and I was able to do things like multiple button presses to do pseudo-discrete input selection, The Harmony SST was still able to keep track of which input I was on, once I forced my device to consistently power-up on a specific input, and there was only a button on the original remote to cycle through inputs. Harmony's SST architecture remember which devices are OFF and which devices are ON, and which devices are on which input, and realtime generates custom macros. Even if my DVD player was on, the VCR was on the wrong channel, and the cable box was turned off -- pressing the "Watch TV" button on Harmony -- Harmony automatically turns off your DVD player, automatically switch the VCR back to the correct input, and turns on your cable box. And this all happens even if none of your devices have discrete power ON/OFF codes nor discrete INPUT codes!! If anything goes out of sync, Harmony's HELP button automatically fixes things for you in a user friendly way. The LCD screen on the Harmony is very remiscient of cellphone style WAP surfing, asking you things like "Is your TV on? Yes | No" when you press the HELP button -- in order to fix your system for you if the SST-generated "macros" screw up. The infrared emitter on the SST-659 is so powerful (there are 3 high-intensity IR LED's pointing in 3 different directions inside the SST-659!). I could control my WHOLE system from the opposite side of my sofa. My worries of getting out of sync quickly dissappeared -- and with some of my pseudo-discrete improvements that I added, the Harmony will never get out of sync again with 4 out of 7 of my devices, and very unlikely with 5 out of 7 devices. The remaining device (Scientific Atlanta 3100HD box) will only get out of sync of SST if somebody powers it on manually without the remote, or if you cover the LED's of the SST while trying to an activity that turns on/off the cable box. I solved this sole remaining weak link by programming a custom "PowerSync" button that toggles the cable box power state without affecting the SST power state memory, then assigned it to an LCD screen button. (I did a Learn Raw, rather than reusing the power IR code for the Scientific Atlanta box). This will allow me to re-sync the cable box in the rare occasion it gets out of sync with the Harmony Smart State Technology (power state / input state memory). If you study SST programming further (which is completely differet from ProntoEdit or traditional macro programming), you can get really creative with Smart State Technology through some knowledge. For example, it is possible to develop a solution for the SST-659 to do things that you probably didn't think of. For example, you can do an X10 lamp control button that toggles a lamp on/off -- if you wanted to assign a lamp button to the LCD screen while you're watching TV for example so that you can put away that X10 remote away from your coffeetable. You simply add the X10 control as a passthrough device to an Activity, and do some simple custom SST configuring to accomplish adding X10 buttons to your "Watch TV" activity, for example.
Internet Dependency...
Can only be configured by web-based wizard. Arguably both a boon and bane because this remote completely depends on being connected to the Internet! Dependency could be a bane. But it is also a boon because of the near-realtime database of pre-learned devices. Another advantage is that the web wizard is like an always-up-to-date platform-independent configuration software program. (You can configure it on any platform, even Linux, but then you need to switch to a Mac or PC to do the actual connection to the remote for uploading a new config). Internet is not a problem here because this place is full of Internet on a reliable 3 megabit DSL connection at a five-backbone redundant ISP -- and there is Ethernet and Wifi everywhere here in my place.
Quick Internet Config...
In the world of a busy working life, I really do like the quick Internet configuration. It worked great for and a half out of 7 devices. After just 15 minutes of configuring the basic devices, one button OFF that runs amazingly fast, making it seem like all my 5 devices turned off simultaneously -- 0.5 second from first device to last device, for 5 devices, on the one-button OFF. I didn't even need to do any macro programming. However, 1 device is a little more tricky (Projector POWER button), and the last device had to be completely programmed from scratch.
Creating custom configs...
I said I had to do one device from scratch. I did a button-to-button teaching session for one custom device -- a remote specifically for a HTPC. A little more time consuming (but not by much) than a standard learning universal remote to create a custom device for SST-659, but vastly outweighed by virtually perfect pre-configuration for 5 out of 7 devices. My Internet connection is high speed, so the button learning only took about 1-2 seconds longer than what I would have done with a Marantz RC2000 MKII in the old days of button-to-button teaching. But finally, I managed to program a custom computer remote into the SST-659, so that I can control my HTPC like a DVD player too, or my regular DVD player. The computer remote is a StreamZap, and there was actually a device already in the Harmony database for it, but it was poorly programmed, which meant I had to do this all over again from scratch. The SST-659 had a really difficult time learning the StreamZap codes, even in "Learn Raw" mode. During teaching, I had to press the StreamZap buttons at the precisely right duration (very briefly, but not too briefly, and never holding down the button.). Too briefly or too long, the button wouldn't work. Distance and stability of the remote away from the learning sensor seemed to be pretty important. This was a big pain, but I finally created a better StreamZap config than Harmony's default StreamZap config. (Note: I use IRMAN and Girder to accept the StreamZap codes, rather than using StreamZap's receiver, since I wanted more HTPC remote-control flexibility)
Summarized Recap...
It is a huge time-saver in being able to seamlessly mix and match preconfigured devices massively more quickly than stitching together multiple Pronto .ccf files or button-by-button learning. One can truly can five home theater devices with working macro-style buttons running in as little as 15 to 20 minutes of unpacking the remote! However, there is the potential to crash into a wall of difficult configuration if your device is not found in the Harmony Internet database or if one of your home theater devices behaves very erratically. Ironically, power users who have never used a Pronto will probably find it easier to learn the Smart State Technology method -- it is so dramatically different from traditional unviersal remotes. The HELP button on the Harmony Remote manages to fix a home theater most of the time, simply by asking the remote control user simple Yes/No questions -- you no longer need to have to explain to a family member what to do if a cable box messes up during a macro.
Conclusion...
You have probably read this review this far if you're not scared away by the strict requirement of Internet or tolerating a completely different approach to programmable universal remotes. Anybody who needs a universal remote control, and prefers a hard-button remote, needs to give the SST-659 a serious look too. Multiply this advice a gigantic order of magnitude, if you have a family that prefers your complex home theater behave like one single TV set -- buy the SST-659 via overnight FedEx and your family will thank you later. Even Grandma.