Works well, looks nice

After buying a new flatscreen TV then hooking up our game console, DVD player, VCR, and stereo system, we had 5 remote controls to deal with. Even our modest setup required remembering how our devices are interconnected then using 2 or 3 remote controls just to be able to watch TV.

Among the Logitech Harmony universal remote controls, we chose the simplest, the 520. The 520 has the fewest buttons, which means there is less potential for confusion when using it and the device itself is less bulky than Logitech's other offerings. The remote control has a sleek silver and black case. The buttons give acceptable tactile feedback. The display and keypad have a pleasing blue glow, making it easy to find buttons in the dark. The whole thing fits comfortably in one hand, letting you operate it conveniently with your thumb.

The method for setting up the remote control is brilliant: use a huge database of information about the remote controls of thousands of consumer electronic devices. Logitech makes this database available to you for free on its web page. All you have to do is connect your remote control to your home computer with an included USB cable, then use your web browser to access Logitech's website. The easy-to-use pages to guide you through the steps needed to program the remote control. When you are done, the included software transfers the updated information to your remote control.

Pretty much every facet of the remote control is customizable. You can use the website to add, remove, and tweak the devices that your remote control knows about. You can also customize your remote control's buttons and "teach" it new commands from existing remote controls.

Setting up on our Macintosh computer was pretty easy. A small foldout brochure asks you to replace the batteries in the remote control with a fresh set (included!), install the remote control's software on your computer, then go to the Logitech web page. Our only problem: the remote control software does not start your web browser automatically. Nor does the brochure tell you which web page to go to. We finally figured out that www.harmonyremote.com is the right page. After that stumbling block, everything else worked fine.

After about 30 minutes of setting up and tweaking on the web page, we put our USB cable away and closed our browser. Our remote control was ready to use. And using it is simple thanks to the menus on its LCD screen. There are three kinds of menus, each with a dedicated button: Activities, Devices, and Help.

The Activities menu is the simplest. Typical choices include "Watch a DVD," "Listen to a CD," and "Record on the VCR". Making a choice is a lot like using a bank's ATM: just press the button next to the screen menu. The remote control does the rest, making sure each device is properly set up. For example, while watching broadcast TV through our VCR, choosing "Watch a DVD" on the remote tells the remote to turn off the VCR, select Component 1 input on the TV, and turn on the DVD player. Of course, the other buttons on the remote control, such as the number pad and directional buttons, work as expected to control the devices that are currently being used.

Pressing the Devices button first presents a list of devices that your remote control knows about. After choosing a device, you are given a list of menus adapted to that specific device. The other buttons on the remote also control the device you've selected.

Press the Help button when a device is not set up as you expected. The remote control then shows a series of yes/no questions to help you resolve the problem. For example, if you were to choose the "Listen to a CD" activity then promptly cover the remote control before it finishes its activity, some devices might not end up being properly set up. The Help menus figure out the problem and fix it. All you have to do is point the remote control to your devices then make simple yes/no choices until you are able to listen to your music.

We are quite satisfied with this universal remote control. It succeeds at doing something complicated in a simple, straightforward way. And it does this without introducing any unpleasant surprises. It just works, and it works well, which not many people can say about their other electronic gadgets.

Update: A year after we activated the remote control, one of the activity buttons would no longer work. I called Logitech's technical support line to look into getting a replacement or repair under warranty. The call took about 45 minutes, of which 30 minutes were spent on hold. But service was otherwise excellent: we received a new remote control by courier within 2 days!

Also, Logitech has improved the connection software since last year. The connection software includes its own web browser. So there's no need to start two applications, web browser and connection application, to update your remote control. There is still some user interface clunkiness, but the connection software is simpler to use now.