Remember when they first started making universal remotes? I’m not talking about the first ones from the mid-eighties for just the TV, VCR, and home theater. I mean the smarter ones that were able to actually learn new commands. It has been about 15 years since the Logitech Harmony, called the Easy Zapper back then, first came out. Since then, it has been the most popular universal remote. The newest model is the Logitech Harmony Elite and we had a chance to test it out.
Logitech Harmony Elite — Universal Remote for Modern Devices
Quite a few things have changed since the Harmony’s first release. No one uses remotes for only their TV or VCR anymore. We now have smart TVs, home thermostats, gaming systems, and smart lights just to name a few. Many of these connected devices can also communicate with each other through services such as IFTTT.
That means you can program an almost endless list of functions with the touch of one button. I’m still playing with it but here are some of the things I have been able to do with the Logitech Harmony Elite. This system comes with a remote with touchscreen, a hub, and apps for Android, iOS, Windows, and Mac.
Logitech Harmony Elite — Beyond On & Off
We found out that we could use the Harmony Elite to control our Philips hue light system. Before, I would have to use an app on my smartphone to turn on or off the lights. That means first finding the phone, entering the access code, firing up the app, and then finally controlling the lights. I was kind of appointed the designated light controller at home since I was the only one who downloaded the app.
After connecting the hue lights to the Harmony, we only have to press one button on the remote to toggle the power. Press it once to turn them on and press and hold to turn them off. Now anyone in the family can do it (not just me)!
The earliest Harmony remotes could control about 15 devices. The Harmony Elite has a database of thousands of devices to control straight out of the box! Even our simple living room fan was on that list. That’s how I came up with the following scenario to keep Speckles (our dog) cool when we’re not home.
I connected the Harmony Elite to IFTTT and created a custom “recipe” (series of commands). I did the same with our smoke alarm detector, which also measures the temperature in our place. When the temperature is more than 75 degrees, it alerts IFTTT. IFTTT then sends a signal to the Harmony Elite to turn on the fan. That way, we don’t have to worry about Speckles when we’re not home. This may sound complicated but it really isn’t.
Does the Harmony Elite still control the TV and other home theater devices? Of course. But, you can do so much more than just turning them on and off. You can also create “activities.” These are several functions pre-programmed into one to take place in sequence. For example, I have an activity for movie night. All I have to do is select the “Watch Netflix” menu item on the remote touchscreen. That will automatically turn on the TV, select Netflix on our Roku streaming device, turn on the home theater, and dim the lights for a real movie theater experience. Easy, right?!
Logitech Harmony Elite — Some Ingenuity Required
We just had one problem. We need to figure out how to control the sound on our home theater system while watching TV. Every time we wanted to change the volume, we had to go to the device menu, select the device, adjust the volume, and then go back to the menu to switch devices to turn the channel. Too many steps! I was able to find a work-around, though, with some out-of-the-box thinking.
First, I had to select the TV and “fix” the volume up, down, and mute buttons. Then I had to point the home theater remote to the Harmony Hub to overwrite the TV’s commands. Don’t worry that you’ll break the remote. There’s an option to reset the commands so nothing is permanently overwritten. This just shows how flexible the Harmony Elite is. Now it works perfectly with no need to switch devices anymore!
It’s amazing how well the Harmony Hub’s infrared signals can reach all the devices in our living room. In case you have a particularly large space or devices are in obscure spots, the Elite Harmony comes with two extenders. These connect to the Hub and, well, extend the signal reach to devices.
Logitech has created another keeper. Everything is well-built and the software has a good design. There is a learning curve but Google is your friend in figuring out how to program some functions. I still have no idea how to assign those colored buttons to different devices. Guess I know what I’ll be researching next. The system is easy to update, too, so we’ll be able to use it for a long time.
The Harmony Elite does come at a hefty price tag ($350) but this baby is capable of so much. In fact, I just found out that I can connect the remote to my laptop using a cable for even more customization. I can’t wait to discover new ways for the Logitech Harmony Elite to make our home even smarter! Learn more about the Harmony Elite here.
Thanks to the generosity of Logitech, one of my readers will win their own Logitech Harmony Elite! Enter below!
I was provided a product for review purposes. All opinions are my own.
160 comments
I would connect my DVD player and daughter’s Xbox One, along with some lighting in the living room and bedrooms and perhaps the kitchen.
I would connect TV, wireless speaker, lights, and stereo.
I’d connect my TV, Wii, and Xbox!
As a harmony 650 owner this would be s significant upgrade. Being able to control my ecobee 3 would be sweet.
I would use the Logitech Harmony Elite to control my TV, DVR, Blu-ray, receiver etc.
I would hookup my TV, Blu-Ray, Fan and thermostat!
My husband would go crazy for this. We have a lot of devices and remotes and this would simplify everything.
I lost the remote for my air conditioner and I know that the Harmony Elite is capable of controlling it! I’d also use it for my home theater set-up of course.
I would program the TV, Roku player, stereo, fan and lights. Wow…what a super idea. I know my hubby would love this, but honestly, I would really love this too. Thanks for this chance.
TV, Home Theater System, fans
my tv, receiver, projector.
I would program my tv, bluray, usb media player and soundbar. Currently, I am the only person in my 5 person household who knows how to operate the tv. It drives me crazy! I would love to whittle it down to one remote that I could explain to my family!
I would hookup my TV, Blu-Ray and xbox
TV, would need to ask my son what else we could connect
I’d connect it to my television, dvr and stereo.
I’d connect my stereo, Xbox, and TV!
Tv, blu ray player and stereo
i would use this remote for our TV, Cable Box, DVD Player and maybe even the stereo!
I would program the all the TV components of course and I would like to use it to control the ceiling fans and some appliances if possible,
My Tv, my fans, my lights, and probably whatever else my husband decided needed to be on it =)
I would program my TV, Xbox and DVD player.
I would program the xbox, the thermostat, surround sound and dvr.
I would connect my Panasonic TV, my Roku 4, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV (3RD gen) , Chromecast, and Toshiba DVD player.
I WOULD CONNECT IT TO MY DVD PLAYER AS WELL AS MY SON’S LAPTOP 🙂
I would connect the Xbox and Dvd player…I iamgine my labtop as well
I would connect the TV and DVD player
This is awesome!!! I would connect the TV and Xbox, also our speakers (you can do that right?!)! And did you say you can connect a laptop? That’s crazy awesome! 😀
I would add climate control and my wifi onto the remote
I would connect it to my TV and stereo system.
TV, TV dedicated computer, sound system, bluray player
I would connect it to my Xbox.
I would connect our tv and ac
I’d connect my TV, a Blueray player, my cable box, a PlayStation, and my stereo receiver.
I’d connect my TV, DVR, gaming consoles, Blu-ray player, and more!
TV and stereo to start <3
For sure the TV and DVD. This is amazing!
I would love to use the Logitech Harmony Elite to control my TV, Blue ray player and other gaming machines the kids have
I would connect my DVR, TV, thermostat, stereo and blue-ray!
We could hook up our tv and stereo, wow! I love the way you write, thank you!
I would hook this up to our tv and xbox. This looks really neat.
I would connect my TV, and stereo.
I would connect my stero, dvd player, tv, xbox, and projector with that remote so that i could put all those remotes in a box and only have one remote
TV and stereo
I would connect my Wii, home theater & lights
This would be awesome! I would connect my TV, Blue Ray and DVR.
My TV and DVD player.
I would connect my TV and Wii.
I WOULD PROGRAM OUTSIDE LIGHTING, INDOOR LIGHTING, TV AND STEREO
I would connect our TV and Roku for sure, those are used the most.
I would use it for tv, Wii and outdoor lighting.
My smart tv, blu-ray dvd player and the roku if possible
I would use it for the TV, drv, fan, and a/c.
I would program our Amazon Fire, Blueray player, TiVo, PC, stereo and outdoor rock speakers, and Nintendo Wii into a Logitech Harmony Elite universal remote.
I would give it to my tech loving son for his TV, games and thermostat.
I would program our tv, stereo and blu ray system.
Right now we only have TV and DVD, but I am thinking we could add some devices and join the 21st century. (part of my hesitation has been not wanting to learn how to use so many different remotes!)
hookup my TV and Blu-Ray
I would program our TV, Cable Box, and Blueray player!
I’d connect my TV, Wii, and Xbox
I would hook up my thermostat, TV, lights, and coffee maker.
I would use it for my tv, dvd player, and thermostat!
I would for sure connect my tv, dvd player, smartphone, and blue tooth speaker.
I would connect my TV, Wii, Xbox and smart phone
For starters, I’d do my TV and Roku and the BluRay DVD player
This would be amazing to use for the tv and the lights! What a cool product.
I would connect my assisted hearing devices.
my xbox and my tv
I’d connect my TV, Wii, and Xbox!
tv, cable, xbox, soundbar, apple tv
tv, thermostat, dvr, and receiver
id connect my tv the xbox the lights
I would program my home theater + lighting!
I would connect and program my TV to a DVD player
My TV. Blu-Ray Player, and Xbox.
I would definitely hook up blu-ray player, Netflix and Hulu on it
I would love to have this remote in our game room where I not only have a xbox, but a Wii and Netflix too 🙂
I would connect to my tv and dvd player
I would program my stereo and tv and some outdoor lighting.
I would like to connect my TV, roku, xbox one, dvd, and ceiling fan/lights.
I would use it on my Roku, Tv, and PS4.
I’d connect my TV.
I would definitely program the tv, blu ray player and netflix!
I owuld connect my TV, DVR, XBOX One!
My TV and the PS4!!
I would definitely hook up blu-ray player, Netflix and Hulu.
i would hook up the rook player, blu-ray player, ps4 and surround sound.
I would hookup my TV
I would connect my tv and netflix.
I would hook up to my DVD player and TV.
I would love to use it to turn off all the lights in my home as well as turn on my washer and dryer.
I would definitely hook everything attached to our main tv to it..tv, sound bar, wii, Netflix streaming, dvd player. I have the same problem with everytime we go from one thing to another on it..50 remotes and programming ways. I would also program the computers is possible.
This little device sounds so neat and I’m sure would come in very handy having it. For sure we would definetly attach it to the Xbox and TV’s. Thanks for the opportunity!
I would program my XBox One, Roku, DVD player, and Wii U.
Very cool!!
I would connect my Tv, DVd player and stereo
I would connect my TV and the lights.
I would connect our TV, soundbar, Blu Ray player and stereo!
I would connect my TV, Xbox, and sound bar!!! This would be AWESOME!!
I would connect my TV, Blu Ray player and sound system and direct TV
I would program my tv, blu-ray, wii and xbox.
I’d like to control my thermostat with this.
Thanks for the contest.
Would connect the TV, thermostat, & outside lights.
I would connect the TV, Amazon stick, Blu Ray, Wii and whatever else my husband figures out he can connect it to.
I’d connect our TV, Wii, soundbar, DVD player & lights. 🙂
I have a tv, surround sound, and xbox that I would love to connect to this harmony elite!
So many possibilities electronic could be hook up in logitech harmony elite, I would put my nest, roku, phorus, ps4, and the sound sound.
great giveaway!
TV, sound, blu-ray, roku.
I’d Connect The Tv, Blu- Ray Player, Stereo And Thermostat.
I’d connect our TV & our video player
I’d definitely connect My TV and thermostat.
I’d connect TV, DVD, and WiiU
I would connect the dvd player and Wii to the Logitech Harmony Elite universal remote.
I would connect my entertainment devices in my living room.
I’d connect the wii, ac and tv.
My TV, stereo and VCR.
tv dvd player blu-ray player a/v receiver
With the number of devices in our home, this would be a welcome gadget!
My TV and DVD.
I’m not computer savvy, but this sounds extraordinary. If I won, I would put my television, and if possible, my telephone on it.
How cool is that! I love the movie night idea. I’d use that for sure with my family. We’d all have a netflix night with lots of popcorn.
I would love to get our TV, cable box and Roku all on the same device!
I would program in the TV, Xbox One, and PS4.
I would probably connect the tv, wireless speakers and gaming consoles to start.
I would program out tv, Wii, and Xbox.
I would program our TV, Wii and our air conditioner unit. How awesome would it be to turn my a/c on about a half hour before I get home.
I would link up Roku, Netflix, and our blue ray player.
I would give this to my husband and let him decide. He’s a techie guy and doesn’t want anyone messing with things.
I would use it for the TV and my gaming consoles.
I would program my tv, dvd player, wii and xbox
I would connect my TV and DVD player.
I would connect TV, wireless speaker, lights, and stereo.
I’d connect tv, dad player, and wii
I’d connect my TV and Blu Ray player!
I would program my tv, bluray, and soundbar.
I would program my home theater system.
I would program my TV, DVD player, lights and air conditioner.
I’d definitely program my tv and dvr so I can watch all of my reality shows.
TV and Xbox
I’d mostly use it for a tv and dvr but would add anything else I could if I felt the need.
I would program my tv and my dvd.
I would program in the tv, surround sound, blu-ray player, the xbox, and the playstation.
I would connect the tv, the bluray player, the xbox one and wii u
I would hook up the fan first! then the tv, gaming systems, dvd player, and lights. This is a great idea!
i would put my tv, xbox one and ps3 on it
I have so many electronics I will use it for all of them like the tv, game systems, laptops everything!!
If I could just have one remote for my whole entertainment system I”d be happy
My television, the XBox, our Roku (if we can)! Thanks for the chance to win!
Cool! Lights, sound, thermostat.
I would definitely connect my TV, surround sound, stereo, and Bluray player to this awesome remote!
I would use it for my TV, DVR and Video Game Consoles! My husband can never have this, too much control!! *LOL* 🙂
I would love to win and connect it with my TV, and DVD player
Thank You for the chance
I would program my TV’s, and games
I would program/connect my Roku 4 & WiFi
My TV and my blu ray player
I would program my television and DVD player.
I would connect my roku, blu ray player, and tv.
I would program my Tv, DVD player and roku.
Tell me what devices/activities you would program into a Logitech Harmony Elite universal remote :
TV, cable box, surround sound, etc.
My TV, cabel box, blueray player, and kitchen tv.
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