Harmony Universal Remote Controls: Ideal for DVR and TiVo

Are you tired of the mess of remote controls in your living room and never being able to find the right now? Have you lost your Tivo or DVR remote control? Take heart! There are many products out there that act of a universal remote control and allow you to be able to program in your Tivo or DVR and being using it right away. As an added bonus, these devices also will control your television, sound system, Blu-ray player, and many other components in your living room.

My favorite is the Logitech series, especially the Logitech Harmony 1000 remote control. You never have to replace its batteries because it is rechargeable. It has a large touch screen LCD monitor that is a touch interface allowing you to tap buttons for what you want to do rather than remember what button you have assigned to what. It updates automatically for new kinds of electronic devices to control by simply plugging in the device to your computer. There are two draw backs however. First it is heavy, weighing in at 5 pounds. Second, it retails for $499.99. Shop around (for example at Amazon.com) for a better deal. I have found it from a reputable dealer for as low at a) $311.

A more more Logitech series controller is Harmony 880 Advanced Universal Remote at $249.99. It has a similar touch screen as its larger cousin but only weighs about 5 ounces. It also has a charging station so batteries are never a problem. It is compatible with over 175,000 devices. You can customize several of the buttons to perform the actions you want and the large LCD, while not as large as the 1000, is still bright and functional.

Lastly, there is the budget model that supports TiVO. The Harmony 670 Advanced Universal remote is missing the colorful LCD screen but maintains the same level of compatibility with the devices that the other two Harmony's support. Easy buttons across the top allow you to easily choose which function you want to perform, but it TiVo, TV, DVD, or listen to the stereo. The one costs about $149.00 retail.

All the Harmony's come with free support and Harmony's expectation that you will be completely satisfied. You can also find out if your particular TiVo or DVR works with a particular Harmony device by checking out their compatibility wizard Logitech's remote control setup site. Also, sure to shop around because all the remotes you can find for less than retail online.

Amazon.com, http://www.amazon.com/Logitech-Harmony-Advanced-Universal-Remote/dp/B000II6YEA

Logitech Website, www.logitech.com