Absolute Harmony
Jul. 3rd, 2008 03:22 pm...no, this isn't a vodka ad.
I've said it before and I'll say it again: my Logitech Harmony remote makes me so happy.
We have a TV, AV Receiver, DVD player, CD player, hacked-together laptop media centre PC, Nintendo Wii, and Roomba robot vacuum* in our house. Each has its own remote. But they are all controlled through the Harmony (updated minutes ago for the new Wii**), and their official remotes are in a box downstairs (except the Wii controllers).
The only frustration is my old-fashioned TV. Built when dinosaurs still walked the earth, it only displays 480i -- though it does that well -- and has only 1 input each of Component, Composite, and S-Video. 2 Composite if I sacrifice the S-Video. I managed to get all the devices working together in an appropriate way, but it took a diagram to do it. Though I secretly loved it.
Of course now I want a new home theatre setup*** and a new TV. Remind me again when money will start growing on trees? I seem to recall my parents telling me something about that when I was younger, but I wasn't paying close attention at the time...
* the Roomba has control buttons right on the case, but they don't seem to be working correctly any more. So the only way to vacuum now is with the remote: Device -> Next -> Home Appliance -> Max [as in maximum cleaning]. Then it putters around until out of power or out of dirt.
** technically, the Wii is not controlled by the Harmony because it uses Bluetooth. But all the other devices are controlled appropriately so that I can then shift to the Wii-mote and immediately use the thing, no input-selection or nothin'.
*** though what we have can hardly be called that since the rear speakers are still collecting dust downstairs instead of collecting cat hair in the living room. I need to drill holes in the floor to place them and haven't cared enough to do it yet.
I've said it before and I'll say it again: my Logitech Harmony remote makes me so happy.
We have a TV, AV Receiver, DVD player, CD player, hacked-together laptop media centre PC, Nintendo Wii, and Roomba robot vacuum* in our house. Each has its own remote. But they are all controlled through the Harmony (updated minutes ago for the new Wii**), and their official remotes are in a box downstairs (except the Wii controllers).
The only frustration is my old-fashioned TV. Built when dinosaurs still walked the earth, it only displays 480i -- though it does that well -- and has only 1 input each of Component, Composite, and S-Video. 2 Composite if I sacrifice the S-Video. I managed to get all the devices working together in an appropriate way, but it took a diagram to do it. Though I secretly loved it.
Of course now I want a new home theatre setup*** and a new TV. Remind me again when money will start growing on trees? I seem to recall my parents telling me something about that when I was younger, but I wasn't paying close attention at the time...
* the Roomba has control buttons right on the case, but they don't seem to be working correctly any more. So the only way to vacuum now is with the remote: Device -> Next -> Home Appliance -> Max [as in maximum cleaning]. Then it putters around until out of power or out of dirt.
** technically, the Wii is not controlled by the Harmony because it uses Bluetooth. But all the other devices are controlled appropriately so that I can then shift to the Wii-mote and immediately use the thing, no input-selection or nothin'.
*** though what we have can hardly be called that since the rear speakers are still collecting dust downstairs instead of collecting cat hair in the living room. I need to drill holes in the floor to place them and haven't cared enough to do it yet.