I'll post this here because you folks will probably sympathize the most.

Just saw this.

http://www.engadget.com/2013/01/23/logitech-q3-earnings-selling-harmony-remotes/

I've loved my Harmony remotes for years, back when they were a small Canadian company. I've gone from 659, 688, 880 to a Harmony One. Some have died (from overuse and kid abuse), just to be replaced by refurbed/used ones on ebay so I could just reprogram them. I even bought an extra Harmony One for $100 in case I ever drop my existing one.

Add this to the fact that my Squeezebox Radio (which I love) is changing support for the 'newer' platforms.

Being an early adopter really sucks.

[RANT OFF]

It doesn't look like the Harmony remotes are going away (yet), it's just up for sale. But this does make me inclined to look at the Universal line-up the next time, which will be soon.

I'm on my 3rd Harmony 1100 remote. And I'm going to be switching from RF to IR with a remote that can program activities. Functionality is more important to me than price.

ugh... my only worry is that their design requires they maintain that website so we can continue to program them.

Another reason I like URC. I'm not reliant on anything but my own brain to get it programmed.

I thought my newest where you program it directly, using it's own LCD screen, would be tricky but I now prefer it this way. Having to plug a remote into a PC, remove it, test, plug it back in to tweak, rinse, repeat multiple times seems redundant now.

I still recommend Harmonys to my less tech savvy friends or family though. Both have thier place so I'm hopeful the Harmonys survive.

What model do you have? I'm finding it difficult to pick one. They all sound about the same when I read about them.

MX-450 and RF BAse Station.(It does IR and RF)

EXACTLY why I want to move to the Harmony One that Ive already purchased.

My brain has enough to do (mindlessly) whistling that song I heard when I was nine.

+1

Jack & I have been URC fans (and advocates) for years. The Harmony remotes are pretty good. The URC remotes take you to a another level with power, features, flexibility and the ability to program macros.

Example, I have a Denon 3808. The Harmony will allow me to add a Denon receiver. With the URC MX-900, I have set up individual devices as follows: Receiver, AM Radio, FM Radio and Internet Radio.

In addition, I have added a device named Speakers. Inside that device I have the individual commands to raise and lower volume by speaker, including the subwoofer. (.5 db increments) For example, front right would be FR+ and FR-. Really simplifies the whole calibration exercise by having the individual commands right there rather than buried in a menu somwhere. Also - I have added SUB+ and SUB- commands to each of these devices - Satellite, BD DVD, AppleTV, PS3, CD and Reg DVD. That way I can adjust the sub on the fly without leaving the device. These examples only scratch the surface for things that the Harmony can't do.

I now have two MX-900s which replaced two MX-850s which replaced two MX-700s...... you get the idea. (Boy, that was dangerously JP-like).

The website Remote Central is an outstanding support resource, including a robust library of discreet commands to use for programming.

Pretty nice to open a piece of software (regularly updated) on your PC and program your remote to the extent the URC allows.

Just sayin'

I do some of this with my Harmony 880

Easy enough to do that with a Harmony. And I if I do it right, I never have to look at a device specific page at all.

Does the URC have something equivalent to Activities now?