Simplify With A Universal Remote Control

Look no further to get the best, least expensive universal remote control!

Admittedly, I am a gadget girl. I enjoy the benefits of good technology & utilizing it to simplify my life. Whether you have an elaborate home theater system or not, there’s no better way to simplify all of your watching & listening devices than with one universal remote. 

Lots of people upgraded their home entertainment equipment while stuck home during the pandemic but our upgrade was out of necessity when our receiver died – a new receiver meant another remote. In addition, a few years ago Verizon changed our cable box. With no way to reprogram our old universal remote, we’ve had to use the cable remote to control the box ever since. 

Our once awesome universal remote was not so awesome anymore. New equipment & old programming technology finally rendered it obsolete. We were now up to 4 remotes (including the Roku, as our family room does not have a Smart TV) & I couldn’t take it anymore. 

Once you go universal, you can’t go back. I was spoiled from using a universal remote for 14 years. So I set out in search an inexpensive, easy to program replacement.

After a few of well-placed texts to techy friends, I barely had to set foot in the rabbit hole (of course I had to do a little research, just to be sure). The Logitech Harmony 665 10-Device Universal Remote was just what I was looking for. This remote could control all of my devices, has a color LED display & cost only $60! Plus, it was readily available (I bought mine at Best Buy).

Universal Easy Programming

The Harmony 665 connects to your computer via a USB plug & the online set up walks you through the programming steps. Since the programming takes place online, the remote is compatible with both Mac & PC.

I found the programming fairly intuitive & the whole process took me about 45 minutes. Honestly, the hardest part was getting the model & serial numbers from the back of my equipment, which you will need to do before you start.

Logitech boasts the Harmony 665 can connect to more than 270,000 devices. These include everything from your A/V equipment to gaming consoles, even your ceiling fan! If you run into trouble while programming, reviewers said Logitech’s live support was amazing.

Helpful Tips

• Can’t get behind your equipment to see the model & serial numbers? Use the camera on your smartphone. Try flipping the camera (so you see yourself) so that you can see what you’re taking a picture of.
• Simplify your life going forward & save all those model & serial numbers. I created a contact for each device with all the relevant info, including when & where we got it. You never know when you’re going to need to access the info again & looking in your contacts is easier than getting behind your equipment.

Looks Good, Feels Good

The Harmony 665 remote has a shapely silhouette that is nicely weighted & feels secure in your hand. I like the color LED display screen & back-lit buttons. My only complaint is the burgundy colored “Activities” buttons at the top of the remote are not back-lit, which makes no sense to me since they are the first ones you use to watch TV or a DVD, for instance. These are the single, multi-function buttons at the top of the remote that perform several functions at once, such as turn on the TV, cable box & receiver.

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The Logitech Harmony 665 10-Device Universal Remote sells for a very agreeable $60 at Best Buy & Amazon, & comes with a one year warranty.

Infrared vs. Radio Frequency

The Harmony 665 is an IR remote, that is, it uses infrared codes emitted to the front your devices. If your equipment is housed in a cabinet & you want point-anywhere convenience, you will have to add an RF (radio frequency) Repeater.

I’ve been considering getting a RF repeater since our A/V equipment is in a cabinet (we’ve been leaving the cabinet door open) but I haven’t pulled the trigger yet. Here are a two RF repeater kits I’ve been considering:

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I’m leaning towards the BAFX IR Remote Control Repeater Kit. I think it’s great deal at $27 on Amazon, where it has a 4.5 rating from over 3,700 reviews. The kit controls up 8 devices & is expandable to control 12!

The Logitech Harmony 665 Universal Remote works great & my family is happy to be back to using one universal remote. It’s easy to use & program & comes at an affordable price, which is what makes it one of my favorite things.

Let me know if you have a universal remote you love & would recommend.