Rating: 
Summary: Not for everybody
Review: As of 2004, new models are available that address the issues I raised in this review when I first wrote it. Also, Mac OS X and Safari are now very well supported by this and newer models.==== I heard great things about the original Harmony Remote (SST-748). But I wanted to be able to access more functions. So I bought the SST768 as soon as it became available. The Harmony Remote concept is a unique and clever idea in the world of universal remotes. If you have several A/V components and find yourself operating several remotes just to switch from, say, watching a DVD to listening to FM radio, the Harmony Remote will allow you to switch in an instant, and in a very intuitive way. You program it on your Windows PC or Mac by visiting the harmonyremote web site. If your devices are listed in their data base, it takes a quick hour or so to set up your configuration and download it through a USB connector. The advantages of the Harmony Remote decline if your needs differ from the scenario just mentioned. You can download a TV program guide into the remote, and pick shows in the built-in lighted display window. But to refresh the guide, you connect the remote to your PC or Mac and visit the harmonremote web site at least once every two weeks. I do not find the guide to be as useful as the on-screen guides provided by TiVO and some cable companies. Fortunately, you have the option of omitting the guide from your configuration. If you have a device that is not in their data base, you can teach the Harmony Remote using your old remote. Although they have made this fairly easy to do, the user interface is sometimes confusing. If the device is unlike anything they've seen before, the process can add another hour or more to your setup time. You scroll through choices in the small display by rotating a wheel on the right side of the remote. You indicate your selection by pressing the wheel into the unit. It is not easy to press the wheel without also turning it. Even after considerable practice, I sometimes make an unintended choice. But the main reason the Harmony Remote is not for me is that I don't use my remote controls solely for standard functions like switching activities and changing the channel and the volume. I am always fiddling with special functions like change-format/adjust-video/PIP on my wide-screen TV, PVR functions on my TiVO, and dimming on my room-lighting remote. My choices with a Harmony Remote are to assign unused keys to such functions or to choose from menus in the small display. But the user interface for assigning keys is frustrating, and I often forget what key assignments I chose. The alternative, getting to and scrolling through a long menu in the small display, is a ponderous process. It is easier to grab the original remote that came with the device. The good news is that Harmony is continually improving their software. If basic functions are all you need now, then by the time you crave fancier functions, they might by then have made them easier to access. Alternatively, if you are technically inclined and have days to spare, you can learn TiVO's XML-based programming language, join a message board of like-minded souls, and make this device do almost anything you want. Or do what I do: Keep your original remote controls handy to operate those non-standard functions. In summary, the Harmony Remote model 768 is an easy-to-use product for a basic user in a hurry, and a powerful product for a power user with time on their hands. For people like me who want the flexibility, but don't have the time, it helps out some, but not enough to replace a gaggle of remotes.
Rating: 
Summary: Amazing!
Review: I currently own an entertainment system which is fairly complex and difficult to use. (Particularly for other people) It requires the coordinated management of numerous video streams and multiple components. That is until I purchased the SST768. The online set up guide for this remote is very comprehensive, flexible, and easy to use. I was able to designate all the necessary functions for all my components (even my NAD receiver) via the online set up program. I can now switch between HD television stations, regular digital cable, DVD playback, etc. at the touch of a button. You can also specify favorite stations based upon the cable lineup offered by your local cable company. All this without writing a single macro. Highly recommended!
Rating:
Summary: The one
Review: I don't see it mentioned here but Amazon is NOT an authorized dealer for Harmony remotes. Harmony does not have to honor any warranty if you purchase one of their products through Amazon.com. (This is not a criticism of the remote however. I own this model and it performs quite well) Before purchasing anything through Amazon.com however, I would suggest checking the warranty status with the manufacturer.
Rating: 
Summary: Amazon is NOT an authorized Harmony dealer.
Review: I don't see it mentioned here but Amazon is NOT an authorized dealer for Harmony remotes. Harmony does not have to honor any warranty if you purchase one of their products through Amazon.com. (This is not a criticism of the remote however. I own this model and it performs quite well) Before purchasing anything through Amazon.com however, I would suggest checking the warranty status with the manufacturer.
Rating:
Summary: Highly Recommended
Review: I have a Home theater system comprising a television, cable box, MP3 jukebox, DVD Recorder, ReplayTV PVR and a Audio/Visual receiver. Only two of these are produced by the same manufacturer (Toshiba, Sonic Blue, Panasonic, Sonic Blue and Denon). Two years ago I purchased a Phillips Pronto remote control but I was never able to set aside sufficient time to program it. Even downloading templates from the Internet did not really help. With the Harmony remote control I was able, within half an hour, to configure it so that I no longer need to use any other remote control. I was particularly impressed with the configuration for the PVR which was close to perfect. Two devices were not recognized (the DVD recorder and the Sonic Blue MP3 jukebox). In one case (the DVD Recorder) there was a close analog. Since in the other case there was no close analog I used the learn mode to retrieve IR codes from the existing remote control. This was remarkably easy to do. However, the controller isn't completely perfect. For example, I need to tweak it a little (I don't want to turn off the cable box when everything else is turned off - the PVR cannot then record programs) and I'm not sure how easy that will be. I also find it surprising that MP3 jukeboxes are not included on the list of devices since they are almost as ubiquitous as multiple-CD players. It is probably worth mentioning that I have a broadband internet connection - I am not sure how painless this process would be if, for example, I was using a dial-up connection. These tiny issues take nothing away from the excellence of this unit. I highly recommend it. Now - if I can just get my ReplayTV to work reliably!
Rating:
Summary: Short Lived Product - Terrible Customer Service
Review: I have had my SST-768 for 11 months. It is my second. The first was defective upon receipt It was replaced by the manufacturer. Now the second has failed, and customer survice at Harmony does not respond to emails or telephone calls. Be carful with this one.
Rating:
Summary: Short Lived Product - Terrible Customer Service
Review: I have had my SST-768 for 11 months. It is my second. The first was defective upon receipt It was replaced by the manufacturer. Now the second has failed, and customer survice at Harmony does not respond to emails or telephone calls. Be carful with this one.
Rating: 
Summary: More trouble than its worth.
Review: I love the concept, but in practice I find that it is not as useful as you'd think. If you are not careful to keep the remote pointed at the 'system' for several seconds after issuing a command all the settings will not be executed. The remote does provide a 'help' function the steps you through the settings to correct the errors. However, this seems to happen so often that I end up using the original remotes anyhow. The remote is also a little too small and I find it difficult to hit all the buttons on the top and the side without dropping it.
Rating:
Summary: More trouble than its worth.
Review: I love the concept, but in practice I find that it is not as useful as you'd think. If you are not careful to keep the remote pointed at the 'system' for several seconds after issuing a command all the settings will not be executed. The remote does provide a 'help' function the steps you through the settings to correct the errors. However, this seems to happen so often that I end up using the original remotes anyhow. The remote is also a little too small and I find it difficult to hit all the buttons on the top and the side without dropping it.
Rating:
Summary: finally - a universal remote that works!
Review: I've owned my share of universal remotes over the years, and in the end none of them have lived up to their promise. My audio/video configuration is "upper end" - a best-of-breed mixture of components from various manufacturers. Based on reviews I'd seen on this remote, I purchased it from Amazon. Like another reviewer mentioned here, the Amazon price is amazing - don't know how, but makes it all the better. Finally, with the Harmony, I have found a remote that is truly universal. I have been able to get rid of all other remotes and replace them with one simple, small device. Basic setup is extremely simple - register and login to the website, enter the make/model of each component, then define the tasks you want to do (eg. watch television, play a video, watch a dvd...). All is done through a series of "Wizards" that prompt you through the process. If you don't know your make/model number, you can press a few buttons on your existing remote, and let the Harmony figure out what you have. What makes this remote different? Several things, in my opinion:
1) Task-based menu structure and context-sensitive buttons Organizes functions into tasks, which consist of the components required, and the ations that will take place. For example, "Watch a DVD" turns on the TV and selects the proper input, turns on the receiver and sets it to DVD mode, turns on the DVD and optionally starts playing. Each task also defines button activities (for example, which buttons control which component), as well as contexts (eg. control mode vs. menu mode vs. number entry). All very intuitive *** AS LONG AS YOU DOWNLOAD THE USER MANUAL FROM THE HARMONY WEBSITE ***. (The printed manual is way to brief, and doesn't discuss the button functions for each mode.) You can easily add additional commands for each/any component to a given action (start/stop). And, you can customize menus and buttons. 2) Internet-based setup wizards and remote control learning
You can easily extend the capabilities of the default tasks by learning any additional remote control functions you might want. In this scenario, the web site prompts you through the process, and the Harmony remote reads the remote control commands, storing them on the web site. 3) Internal state variables
Transparent to the user, this allows the remote to remember the various settings a device was in. For example, what input is the TV currently on? Is the receiver on or off? Was a DVD playing or paused? This provides a significant measure of intelligence to the remote, way beyond what "macros" do. And, if the components get out of sync there is an interactive context-sensitive "Help" button that prompts you through each item (eg. is the TV on? is it displaying the right input? ...) to get things back correctly. 4) XML-based programming for advanced customization
If you have any programming experience, customizing this remote beyond the wizards is a snap. It uses XML tags to embed commands and logic. The Harmony website has a series of detailed documentation on this, although it's not complete in all areas. Tech support for these features is oustanding however, with very quick turnaround to questions. Support from the manufacturer is outstanding: toll-free phone support, as well as email. They are constantly upgrading their website functionality (unlike another observation here, you can re-run the setup wizards as often as you want). And, they support both Windows and MacOSX!
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