When it was available, the Harmony Elite, at the top end, cost around $250, and let you control everything you would want, and has a little touchscreen at the top that makes it easy to switch between watching, say, cable TV to your Fire TV stick to your gaming console. Below that was the Harmony Companion, which originally sold for around $149. Logitech's Harmony remotes were pretty much the only game in town, and work well, but now that they've been discontinued, you'll have to look elsewhere unless you can get them at a discount. If you've gotten this far, you know by now that truly good universal remotes aren't that common. Still, universal remotes can prove handy, especially if you have older components. This technology allows the remote that comes with your TV to control more devices itself, which obviates the need for a third-party universal remote. Universal remotes have become less popular in recent years, as HDMI and CEC (Consumer Electronics Control) have been more widely adopted by TV makers. Let's say you want to watch a show on your Roku device: You simply press a single button on your universal remote, and it will turn on your Roku streaming stick, turn on your TV and set it to the correct input, and turn on your soundbar or A/V receiver to the right settings. More importantly, the best universal remotes can be programmed to control multiple devices at once. What is a universal remote?īroadly defined, a universal remote is a device that can control all of your home entertainment devices - your TV, soundbar, streaming device, cable box, A/V receiver, and so on. We also like that it has a physical number pad-something the Harmony Elite lacks-so it's easier to jump to specific channels on your cable box. However, the Companion lacks of a screen of any kind, so you’ll have to designate physical buttons to enable Watch TV mode, for instance. The Companion comes with the Harmony Hub, so you can not only hide all your AV components, but also let you use Alexa and Google Assistant to control your TV and more. Similar to the Harmony Elite, the Harmony Companion can also control smart-home devices in addition to your entertainment center. Read our full Logitech Harmony 665 review. However, the Harmony 665 works via infrared (IR) only, so you can’t hide any of your entertainment center’s components, and this remote can’t be used to control smart-home devices. The Harmony 665 can be paired with up to 10 devices, and you can program up to 23 of your favorite channels on the remote, too. The Logitech Harmony 665 has a small display (which is not a touchscreen) with buttons arrayed around it, letting you quickly access activities, favorite channels and more. Read our full Logitech Harmony Elite review. It's one of the best Google Home compatible devices, too. It can be connected with Amazon Alexa, so that you can issue Harmony Elite commands using nothing but your voice. It also works with several smart-home devices, including Philips Hue lights and the Ecobee SmartThermostat. The Harmony Elite works in conjunction with the Harmony Hub (included), enabling you to hide electronics in a cabinet. You can also create custom buttons, such as Watch a Movie, to automatically turn all your devices to the right settings. In addition to physical buttons, it has a color touch screen from which you can quickly select a favorite channel. Logitech’s Harmony Elite, can control up to 15 devices at once. If you can find them at a reasonable price, it might be worth picking one up. However, the company is still supporting its remotes for the time being. Logitech decided to discontinue making universal remotes, which is a shame, because it made the best universal remotes around. Read our full Function101 Button Remote for Apple TV review Discontinued universal remotes But, at $39, it's a worthwhile tradeoff - until Apple designs something better. However, the Function101 remote does not have a Siri button, so you can't use Apple's voice assistant to look up shows or enter passwords. And, its larger size actually makes it more comfortable to hold. The Function101 remote may not look as sleek as the Apple TV remote, but it's a heckuva lot easier to use. It prizes form over functionality, which with its minimalist design, is a real pain. Let's face it: The worst thing about the Apple TV is its remote.
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