I just wanted to list them out in one thread so newbies (like myself) can at least know what models are available and what they look like. Average street prices are online only.



Feel free to correct me and add to the thread. I'll try and update this post with newer posts and corrections.

I've borrowed images liberally from other posts & sites (credit goes to them) and I hope folks don't mind.

Newbies... ALL the Harmony remotes are pretty much fully customizable by using Logitech-Harmony's website to setup your remote. You will also be able to program almost all the keys, barring a few ones like Picture, Sound, Device, Next, More Activities & Glow. 15-20 minutes will get you up and running!

Website: www.HarmonyRemote.com

Support: FAQ

Phone: (866)291-1505

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SST-659: Some say, with the best hard keys ever. Pre-Logitech product. This is the one that started it all with individual Activities buttons at the top of the remote! ($75)

Notable: Its location of Transport keys way at the bottom. No Previous/Next keys. Also supposed to have triple IR emitters instead of the usual two (thanks Martin) giving it good range.

Harmony 628: Similar to the 659. Moves the Transport keys up near the cursor pad. ($50)

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Harmony 676  & 680 - These introduced the circular cursor pad replacing the four way arrows on the 659. Both the 676 & 680 are essentially the same with different key layouts. ($90 to $120)

676: is geared towards the living room crowd, has three user changeable face-plates and colorful activity hard-buttons on top and transport keys in a more visible area. They also have hard "A" & "B" keys that many cable-boxes/DVR's remote controls have. Softer, rubber keys are different from the 659/680.

680: is geared towards the Microsoft Media Center PC's, has a nice green Media button and related keys in the row above the circular cursor pad. Hard keys similar but, claimed by many to be, inferior to the 659.

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Harmony 688: This one changed the layout drastically from the 659. ($120)

Notable: It has 4 colored Activity hard-buttons compared to 3 on the 659, 676 & 680. Most of the keys are bunched together, many people claim, making it difficult to operate it by touch only.

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Harmony 880 - Logitech's first remote with a color screen, rechargeable batteries and a charging cradle. Tilt control lights up the remote when picked up. ($180)

Notable: It removes the individual Activity hard-buttons found on the previous remotes and relegates them to the colorful LCD screen. That screen is not a touch-screen. It has 8 screen-buttons (4 on each side) compared to the 6 on previous models. You can move forward & backward on the screen, whereas the previous models only had a Next button. Users claim some niggling issues concerning battery life, cradle and one less IR emitter compared to the 659.

Harmony 890: Adds RF capability. ($300)

Harmony 880 Pro & 890 Pro: Available from custom installers. It only adds the Picture & Sound buttons. Some people say, so the custom installer can make a couple of extra bucks. :-D

For comparison, five together -- the 880, 688, 680, 676 659.

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Harmony 520 & 550: Another redesign. More traditional looking, and a tad longer than an average remote. ($100)

Notable: No individual Activities hard-buttons. Just a single Activities hard-button working with the text based LCD screen. With 4 screen-buttons, the newer screen is better than the one used in previous models (659 thru 680).

The 550 comes in a darker color, replaces the Mute & Previous buttons with Page Up/Down. Adds & Moves the Mute/Previous buttons below the Volume & Channel buttons. Also adds the Picture, Sound, A, B buttons in an extra row below the keypad. Keys are softer (like the 676) and a tad shallower compared to the 520.

Harmony XBOX 360: Similar to the 550, but in XBOX 360 white casing and green lcd-color. Colored A, B, X, Y keys like a XBOX controller instead of the Page Up/Down keys. ($90)

Harman/Kardon TC-30: Similar to the 520, but with 880's color screen and 8 screen-buttons. Comes with re-chargeable batteries and cradle. ($200)

Monster MCC AV-100: This one is just plain weird! Transformers anyone? :-D Comes with re-chargeable batteries and cradle.($200)

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Harmony 720: Similar to the 550 but adds the 880's color screen. Tilt control lights up (time is user defineable) the remote when picked up. ($180)

Notable: Squarish cursor pad. Retro look. 6 screen-buttons like the 6xx series but, doesn't have the Picture, Sound, A, B keys from the bottom row of the 550. No Glow button.

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Harmony 785: For our British friends. Has an extra row of buttons for Teletext and such.

Notable: Seems models ending in xx5 are for the British line-up. So far 655, 675, 525, 555, 785, 885, 895.

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Harmony 1000: Harmony's first touchscreen with zWave. ($450).

Notable: 3.5" touch-screen, sleek metal finish, Activities, RF extender support and zWave (a wireless home automation standard that can be used to control lights, door locks, window shades, and appliances.) Harmony heaven! MX-3000 killer?

Edited for grammar and such.

Excellent work!

Here's another Harman Kardon TC30 photo:

And another Harmony 676 photo, showing the different color faceplates installed:

Awesome!!!!!

Incredible work, this is great! For the IR emitters, the basic number is two and the 659 had three.

I like the "theme" on the 880 in the first post... was this just a pre-release mock up?

Josh

Great summary!

I've used most of these in my home, and personally, I prefer the 680 button layout, combined with the 890 RF features. The 680 has the perfect design for TiVo lovers.

Here's hoping Harmony is listening... ;)

The 675

Can this thread be made into a sticky?

I have a 676 and have had problems with the button contacts. There seemed to be a film build-up on the black part of the keypad that makes contact with the printed circuit.

I was just wondering....Are there differences in the way the 659, 676, and 680
keys make contact?

Well, there are some more europeans:

525


555 (different from 550 as of the orange light btw.)


895


The difference is always mostly the 4 color buttons for tele text.

The Harman Kardon TC30 model I bought in the UK yesterday has the four colour telext buttons in the same position as the 555 (picture above). I was very relieved, since the image on the website where I bought the remote showed no coloured buttons.

BTW, these buttons are used for lots of things apart from teletext. The Sky satellite service for example often has menus on screen saying things like press Green for personal planner, Red for HD channels, Yellow for delete and do on. In fact teletext is the one thing I do *not* use them for!

Bump

Hi everyone. Thanks to nmo for the pics. I had an MX-500 for about 3 1/2 years along with an IR-Clone and I really liked it, but due to an unfortunate accident, I now need another universal remote.

I have tried a 659 and, although I love the Harmony concept, I'm not wild about the key layout. I especially don't like the transport keys at the bottom and the lack of |<< and >>| hard keys.

I was also considering the 676, 680, or even splurging for the 880, but I loved the hard keys on the MX-500 so much I might have to get another one of those. Have any of you owned an MX-500 previously who could share your thoughts on which Harmony would have the most similar "feel" to the MX-500?

Steve -

I upgraded from the 659 to an 880 some time ago, and have never looked back. The 880 will give you the dedicated keys you wished for above, plus you can always map them to the LCD display (or the Up/Down arrows right below the 4-way pad) if desired.

I agree that the bottom-mtd transport keys makes it awkward on the 659, but then the 880 has the 0-9 keys low. But I get around that by programming my most-watched channels to the LCD scree, complete with the channel icons!

Maybe your local Costco carries the 880 so you can "test drive" it with a full return policy if it doesn't fit your needs...

Good luck!

BTW, nmo - awesome posting, best Harmony thread I've come across! Thanks for all the time and research to make this thread...