Logitech Harmony 720 | Advanced Universal Remote Review

If you're home theater system is anything like mine, you're probably always adding components. Sure, it all starts off so simple: a television, receiver, DVD player and speakers, and that's all you'll ever need. Yeah right. Before you know it there are new speakers, cable receivers, DVR systems, video games and who knows what else - all added to one home theater system. Of course, this is all well and good, until you look down on the coffee table and see the 15 remote controls you need to use in order to enjoy all of these electronics. That's what led me to writing this Logitech Harmony 720 Remote control review. The Breaking Point

One day, I decided to play our Xbox 360, which I hadn't really messed with since we added a new receiver to our home theater. So I grabbed one remote changed the input, like I thought I was supposed to, then grabbed a second remote and switched a setting on that, and before you know it, I could hear my game starting, but the video was nowhere to be seen. I was already frustrated and decided to go back to watching TV, but couldn't reverse my steps in the right order to get my show back on, and finally had a meltdown. After calming down for a few, and taking my time, I did get my show back on and it was no big deal. But, I had finally reached the breaking point with all of these remotes and decided to get serious about finding a universal remote that could really take care of business. We bought a cheap one at the local electronics store, but you had to be a computer engineer and remember 50 steps to switch from one type of viewing or listening to another. I wasn't about to play that game again, so I did some serious research and found some very cool remotes out there that all promised to be easy to use. After reading about ten Logitech Harmony 720 Advanced Universal Remote reviews, I decided that it was the model I needed to simplify my at-home entertainment. Easy Set Up The real test of any new piece of electronics, and let's face it remotes are high-tech stuff these days, is the set up. If it takes me hours to set something up the way I want to use it, I will almost surely give the product a low grade. The Logitech Harmony 720 Remote was so simple to set up, that I thought I must have been missing something. The remote comes with simple to use software that walks you through the entire process. I was done inputting all of our components in less than an hour, and then it was time for the real test - would this remote be able to seamlessly control everything without driving me completely bonkers? It Passed the Test I uneasily approached the home theater and not knowing what to expect, hit the power option for the television, and to my surprise the TV came on. Okay, this was a baby step, but you have to start off small. I ultimately tested every component, both audio and video, switched channels, cranked up the volume, muted the volume, played a few Xbox 360 games, did virtually everything I wanted to, and the remote worked with me every step of the way. I do have to say that the button layout and appearance on the Logitech Harmony 720 makes it easy to do exactly what you want without a decoder ring, and there's even a 'Help' button that offers real help, in case I do get stuck on something. Logitech Harmony 720 Specifications Now I know that some people are going to want every technical detail available about the Logitech Harmony 720, so here are a few of the major technical specs to satisfy all the tech-lovers out there: 1.  One-Touch Activity Control choose Watch a DVD and the Harmony will power on your TV, DVD, stereo      receiver,   set all the inputs and even press play. How's that for service? 2.  Simple for Everyone to use - there's even a handy HELP button for emergencies. 3.  Easy to Set Up - The Harmony set-up wizard takes care of set up, with only minimal input from the user. 4.  Connected - Just connect your remote to your computer, answer a few questions about your home theater set up and      you are on your way. 5.  Comes with remote control and easy-to-use charging cradle Pros 1.  The Logitech Harmony 720 is built on advanced technology, but you don't have to pay $1,000 to get it. Compared      to many other remotes out there, this really is an advanced universal remote, but it is very affordable. 2.  Easy Set Up. I've had remotes where I spent days doing set up, pointing at devices and entering codes, and that is      very frustrating. The simplified software set up makes this remote a must-have. 3.  Customization is a Breeze. You can easily label activities, channel lists, etc..., and you can add your own custom      labels, so that they all make perfect sense to you and your family. Cons 1.  The charging cradle seems a bit flimsy, but it works great. This is more of a personal take on the construction. I just      wish that it was a bit sturdier looking and feeling. 2.  The buttons are smaller than on some remotes, so it takes a week or so of using the Logitech Harmony 720        Advanced Universal Remote Review to get used to them.

What Customers are Saying While putting together this Advanced Universal Remote review, I found lots of great customer feedback. One reviewer said this remote is a, "Powerful, Versatile, Easy-to-Use ... finally an "All-in-One" Solution." Similar statements abound online. There are nearly 90 reviews that I found, and the overwhelming majority of them were very positive and gave the Logitech Harmony 720 Advanced Universal Remote a 4 or 5 star rating out of 5 possible stars. In closing, I found the Harmony 720 to be easy to set up, easy to use and fully capable of handling a large home entertainment system with ease. You can finally put away all of those remotes and settle for one, integrated, easy to set up remote control, when you buy the Logitech Harmony 720 Advanced Universal Remote.