Harmony 655 broken

[Artie Fufkin]

It seems that my Harmony 655 has had enough . It's having trouble updating changes through the website and the screen's showing weird charcters and freezing up. I think it might have been recently dropped .

I paid £99 three years ago for it and would rather not spend that much again on a remote. Unfortunately our local Comet is all out of the £19.99/£14.99 Harmony 688, so it looks like I'll go online for either a 785 at £70, or a 525/555 at around £50.

[hhatkin]

Splash out on a One - you won't regret it

[hornydragon]

Originally Posted by kherm

It seems that my Harmony 655 has had enough . It's having trouble updating changes through the website and the screen's showing weird charcters and freezing up. I think it might have been recently dropped .

I realy feel for you i still have my 655 in the bedroom try a firmware update and reload it may clear it.

[saintalan]

Originally Posted by hhatkin

Splash out on a One - you won't regret it

I admire your enthusiasm on several posts/forums, however I wont be getting any remote without the 4 colour buttons!

Alan

[hhatkin]

Yes, I have been going on a bit I know!
I felt the same way about those buttons but my solution has actually worked out well: copying their functions over to hard buttons at the top of the remote - that superfluous up/down button and its neighbours to the left and right.

[Artie Fufkin]

Originally Posted by hhatkin

Splash out on a One - you won't regret it

I did think about it, but to be honest I don't think the extra features are worth the premium. A 525 will actually do what I need, and that's just what I've ordered from Play at £49.99.

Originally Posted by hornydragon

I realy feel for you i still have my 655 in the bedroom try a firmware update and reload it may clear it.

HD, thanks but I've tried everything today...updates, uninstalling, google search, Harmony support. No good, it's a gonner.

Originally Posted by saintalan

I admire your enthusiasm on several posts/forums, however I wont be getting any remote without the 4 colour buttons!

Alan

I agree, a glaring omission.

[saintalan]

Originally Posted by hhatkin

Yes, I have been going on a bit I know!
I felt the same way about those buttons but my solution has actually worked out well: copying their functions over to hard buttons at the top of the remote - that superfluous up/down button and its neighbours to the left and right.

Hi, I wasn't having a go!

I actually love all this stuff and I dont even mind putting the Vol+ on the CH+ button & Vice versa

I think the main thing with all this technology is how it affects the rest of the family. My wife says "she lives in a technological jungle!!" and sometimes we forget that. With my 555 I have tried to get it to work so that she does not even need to use the HELP button, because I think that is sometimes too technical as well.

To give her a Remote that did not behave like the SKy+ i.e. emphasis on Colour buttons would not be right. I really do think Sky have cracked it with their remote, layout, button size etc.

The 555 keys really are not well thought out and not big enough BUT the Harmony for their price offer a good range. I am actually thinking of getting an 885 because of the fact it has 8 activities, although, once again, it 's key feel does not look the greatest!

Anyway enjoy (& upgrade that HDD!!)

Cheers, Alan

[hhatkin]

No problem - I didn't think you were
I agree about the good qualities of the Sky+ as much as I do about the poor ones of the 555!
The 885 improves on the feel, but still fails on the layout, of the keys, and eight activities on the screen is a squash.
The keys on the One are close to perfect in both aspects, and indeed the lack of colour buttons is the only thing that lets it down - so stupidly by Logi.
If you had a One and copied the colour commands to the buttons I use and then put a dab of paint on each you'd soon find them within a whisper of being as good as the Sky+
About the HDD - you mean the time it takes before it will accept a change of source? I was working on a new one today and it was the same - I think they all are.

[saintalan]

Originally Posted by hhatkin

...If you had a One and copied the colour commands to the buttons I use and then put a dab of paint on each you'd soon find them within a whisper of being as good as the Sky+.

Don't think I hadn't thought of it

About the HDD - you mean the time it takes before it will accept a change of source? I was working on a new one today and it was the same - I think they all are.

I was teasing about you not upgrading to 500gb or more

[hhatkin]

Oh yes, the Sky+ receiver you mean! I took a long look at the detail of how to do it - and decided to give it a miss!
It was the HDD/DVD player/recorder that was taking too long to become functional. I now have a HD (high definition) DVD player -
and it takes even longer

[jimborae]

Apart from the 655 is there another remote in the Harmony range that has the Sky coloured buttons cos for me they are a necessity due to the other half needing them.

[saintalan]

Originally Posted by jimborae

Apart from the 655 is there another remote in the Harmony range that has the Sky coloured buttons cos for me they are a necessity due to the other half needing them.

Most of the UK ones, I think. Look here, but be careful as the UK web site shows the UK models

Certainly, I have the 555. The 785 is similar with a coloured screen.