Finally got a universal remote
For years, I've been accumulating remote controls (turns out the more electronics you buy, the more remotes you end up with). Well, I sure as heck can't stop buying electronics, so I finally decided to buy a nice universal remote.

One of the reasons I had always resisted the concept of a universal remote is the initial setup. I hated the thought of keying in a bunch of remote codes and then having to customize buttons on the remote for specialized functions from things like my TiVo or my receiver.

And then Logitech had to go out and make a remote (well, they really just acquired a company that was already making them) that you can configure with your PC in about 10 minutes and includes a database of just about every electronic device. It even has my Omnifi DMS1 media server.

So I picked up the Logitech Harmony 880 last night after work. It has the aforementioned super-easy web setup, a color LCD screen, a charging station and a really cool motion detection feature that turns on the screen when it "senses" that you picked it up.

Unlike other remotes that use macros to do multiple keystrokes, the 880 uses "activities." I have set up "Watch a DVD," "Watch TiVo," "Watch HDTV," "Listen to MP3s" and "Listen to CDs" so far. So when I press any of these activity buttons, all of my equipment switches to the correct input and all equipment not being used is turned off. It even keeps track of which devices are on, so if you "Watch TiVo" for a while and then select "Watch a DVD," it doesn't send the power command (which would switch it off since it is already on) to the TV.

Part of the reason I bought the remote was to make my home theater easier for Amy to use. However, she still hasn't gotten over the fact that the remote cost $250. I did it for you, baby! I did it for you!