Harmony 890.. a good choice?

[jaguar325]

Can you folks help me out with information/opinions on the Harmony 890?

My wife and I just did a quid pro quo.. she got the fancy LG Tromm washer/dryer, I got the new 46" Sony XBR LCD for the bedroom (and accompanying HR10-250). Since I share the HR10-250 between two rooms, I need to get an extra remote. My wife prefers the ease-of-use and feel of the Tivo peanut since she tends to hold it and FFWD through her programs. Another complaint I have dealt with in the past is that she hates having to fool with the A/V receiver seperately. So, I end up having to double-cable (Tivo, DVD, etc.) so that she can just turn it on and play it through the TV speakers when she wants and I can use the receiver for Dolby Digital when I want. Having macros will improve that situation a lot.

I am probably less worried about ease-of use than she is but domestic harmony is key. Based on the points above, I am looking for a compromise on high-function -and- good ergonomics (the closer to the peanut look and feel, the better). This is why I am leaning away from the touch-screen, programmable LCD types and more toward the Harmony and similar products. Can you provide me any insight on whether the Harmony 890 would be a good choice and does anybody know the definitive difference between the 880 and 890? I see the RF capability on the 890 but can't find much else. I am already wired for IR so not sure how much I want to spend just in case I want RF too. The other thing I can't figure out is what people use the station logos and other graphics for (that are available for download off the web). One thing I am a little leary of is that it does not appear as though you can re-label functions like "Play DVD".. they seem to be more as-is capabilities. FYI: my other components that need to be controlled are mostly Yamaha.

Thanks in advance for your help!

[enovak]

I know this doesn't answer your actual question, but I can't say enough good things about the 880. While it may not be the best remote available (I haven't tried them all) it passed the W.A.T. with flying colors. Ever since getting it I have shut off the sound on the TV and the AV is the only source for sound in both rooms that are hooked up to the HR10-250.

[ProStreet]

I have the 880 and love it. There are soft keys on both sides of the screen and the graphics are to label each button activity. As far as re-labeling the activities buttons, you can change it to what ever you want via there web based program. If you have a graphics program you can even make up your own button labels. You can add any buttons you want and label them how ever you want. I even used some of the graphics saved from XM's web page to label station preset buttons. My wife never would use the surround sound before, but now I have it set so everything goes on and off with one button push. As far as the RF or the 990 I have no knowledge of that. I was shy of the price of the remote, but the performance of this remote makes it well worth it!

[headcase]

I use the 890 with my system, and it totally rocks. Take everything good about the 880, and add the plus of not needing line-of-sight for your controlling your components. With my components neatly tucked away behind the cabinet door, I can literally change the TiVo channels in the next room.

Once you go RF, you'll never go back. No doubt that RF is the future for remote controlls.

[pesos]

RF rules, as does my 890! I love it.

[rlj5242]

When turning on everything in my theater room, the 880 takes 5 to 8 seconds to send out all of the commands. I have to remember to keep the remote porinted in the proper direction during that time. The RF of the 890 eliminates that. Other than that, they are the same remote.

Besides the one in the theater room, I also have one in the living room. Same activities, same button layout, etc but different equipment. My wife doesn't have to remember that she's using DVD player A or B or whatever. They all work the same with the Harmony.

-Robert

[Camelot_One]

I just picked up an 890, to replace my 880, for exactly the reason stated above. I use a Projector, which happens to be the last device to get the off command, and Becky would always forget to keep the 880 pointed at the screen when hitting "off". The result being the projector never got it's stop command and continued running, wasting the expensive bulb.

After 3 weeks with it, I can say there are pros and cons. The RF feature is nice, particularly for solving the line of site issue with multi-device actions. (on and off for an activity) However the 890 is much more of a pain to program, as you have to connect both the remote AND the RF receiver one at a time. Each programming change you makes requires repeating this, which to me is a pain, since the RF receiver gets mounted in the rack.

Previously I used some Terk "leapfrog" RF extenders, purchased for $40 at Circuit City. Aside from the activity on/off feature, I prefer the 880 with Terk's. Not only for price, but also for ease of setup. I had to mess with the advance timing on the 890 to get it to transmit correctly, out of the box everything ran very slowly. And it took me (keeping in mind I run a computer company) the better part of 2 days to get it setup right. The 880 was much much easier.

Aside from the RF and the change of firmware requiring some tweaking (in particular to run the HR10-250 right), and the lighter silver color, the 890 and 880 are the same remote.

[jaguar325]

Thanks for the insights guys, especially the point made about how RF will help with timing on macros! It would be an absolute deal-killer with my wife if she had to worry about pointing the remote at the equipment for anything longer than an instant. Can I ask two points of clarification?

1. What do you mean about the update needed for the HR10-250? I'm OK with figuring out techy stuff but am just curious (before plunking down $300 for a remote) what is involved.

2. I asked on a previous post about being able to control two different DirecTivo boxes and got an affirmative answer about the ability to set different addresses on the Harmony -but- after I do that, are you saying I could revise the words/graphic on the LCD to say, for example; "Old Tivo" on one and "New Tivo" on another (thus converting the Harmony to wife-speak)?

This forum is very useful and I appreciate your help.

[WhyMe]

I have a 880 too and I like it but it does take some getting use to. It takes a pretty small finger to hit the buttons just right and they are way at the bottom. I also bought a 676 that is more like the peanut but once you use the lcd screen on the 880 I gave up the button layout for the lcd....The 676 is laying around if interested.

[rlj5242]

2. I asked on a previous post about being able to control two different DirecTivo boxes and got an affirmative answer about the ability to set different addresses on the Harmony -but- after I do that, are you saying I could revise the words/graphic on the LCD to say, for example; "Old Tivo" on one and "New Tivo" on another (thus converting the Harmony to wife-speak)?
You change it to whatever you want. My activities are "Watch HD Tivo", "Watch SD Tivo", "Watch Panasonic DVD", "Watch Cyberhome DVD", "Listen to XM", etc.

Also, the standard button layout does not include the Clear button that is the bottom, left button on the peanut remote. I added that through one of the Harmony configuration screens. I need to add the slow-motion button now.

-Robert