Logitech Harmony 1100

The frantic hunt around the living room to find the right remote for the TV/DVD/CD player is a familiar scenario of modern life. Wouldn’t things be easier if you could operate all your home-entertainment devices from a single handset? Logitech’s Harmony 1100 universal remote makes that futuristic dream a reality.

Features
The Harmony 1100 lets you control up to 15 different devices through its customisable touchscreen interface. These are organised into simple ‘activities’ such as ‘Watch TV’, ‘Listen to CD’ and ‘Play video game’. Select one and the remote will activate the relevant equipment, while letting you adjust the volume, change channels and browse menus.

Performance
With its big, bright screen and instant response times, the Harmony 1100 is an incredibly slick piece of kit. There’s no repetitive prodding of keys while nothing much happens – the powerful infra-red signal ensures that you’re only ever a second away from your desired entertainment. Less impressive is the battery life, which – as with many touchscreen gadgets – requires regular recharging.

Ease of use
Setting up the Harmony 1100 is a straightforward if laborious process, which requires you to configure each of your entertainment devices manually. Everything is managed through software on your PC and then synchronised with the handset via USB. More than 225,000 products from 5,000 manufacturers are recognised – even our ancient hi-fi.

Value for money
This luxury gadget is aimed at people who own massive plasma tellies and sophisticated sound systems, which is reflected in its steep price. If you can afford high-end home-cinema equipment, then the Harmony 1100 might seem like an attractive investment but, as a casual purchase, it’s prohibitively expensive.

Verdict
The Harmony 1100 is a smart and superbly integrated product that does a brilliant job of integrating multiple remotes. Configuring your devices is a bit of a slog but, once it’s done, all your entertainment is just a touch away – perfect for lazy days and showing off. The price, however, will have most people reaching for the off button.