Brewology

So like a week or two before the 360 even came out I started seeing this Logitech remote for it at stores like best buy with a price tag of $130. I thought how can they possibly be selling a REMOTE for that kind of money. However being a lover of gadretry of all kinds I would look at it every time my gf and I were at the store christmas shopping (which was a lot). Logitechs harmony line of universal remotes are well known by audio/videophiles and normaly start at no less than $250 and go well into the thousands. Well I decided I would like to own one but wouldnt spend that kind of money on it nor would I allow my gf to buy it for me forchristmas.



An early IGN impressions review of the Logitech Harmony 360 Remote Control
http://gear.ign.com/articles/667/667740p1.html

Anyway, on an Xbox/360 forum a few days ago someone posted that an online computer store called Computers4Sure (a new division of office max that just started) had it for $92.95 instead of the normal Retail price of $129.99. Not only that, but there is a $30 mail in rebate if you own a 360. So it came to $62.95, that's more than half the suggested retail price. I spent the whole morning and half the afternoon debating whether or not to order it then at about 4:00 PM I decided to call the 1-800 number and order it. It was waiting for me at my front door when I arrived home from work the following day (I did their free "saver" shipping.

So what does it do? Basically you connect it to your computer via the included USB cable, and program will open asking you a series of questions like: "What brand television do you own, what make or model your television or console, or DVD player is and then you tell them how they are connected. It asks what Aux input number you need to be on in order to play your console, DVD player, etc, and if you have it hooked up to a stereo system it asks you what input the amp needs to be switched to. Now I can pick up one single remote and push one button and my TV turns on, then switches to input #4 while my xbox 360 suddenly turns on and my reciever turns on and correct input is automatically selected. Now I can sit back relax and........ Press the off button and then power everything back on again!!!!

Oh and by the way, the buttons are backlit and glow green when you press the handy "glow button" The remote also glows when you put your hand above it to pick it up after it being unused for a while. They have a database of over 100,000 infrared devices and so they work on just about everything. Computers, PS2's, airconditioners with remotes, you get the point. Anyway I am thougherly enjoying my great new toy and the old lady is happy because the coffee table now has only one remote instead of five on it. For $60 I could buy a crappy game for the 360 that I wont play (I must have all 2 of the the only "good" ones) or I have a futuristic looking remote which glowes green, has an LCD screen, that will help me dominate the world or at least turn on all the components of my entertainment system correctly at once. Well, since you won't be seeing any decent games until march hold off on buying gun or tony hawk and pick one of these up instead. For $63 they're definately worth it. They feel really cool to hold too. Here is the link:

http://www.computers4sure.com/product.asp?productID=3854939&info=Tech#tabs




Oh and the rebate is attached to the package. No, tax, free shipping, got it the next day, its all that and a chicken wing.

hey can it be used as a controller for the xbox 360, just like the ps2 dvd remote can be used as a controller for the ps2?

You can with the directional thingie but I don't see why anyone would want to. The 360 controllers are so nice and comfortable.

lol nintendo think its a good idea to have a dvd remote as the controler because... a dvd remote is the nintendo revolution controller.

Anyway is the xbox 360 controller the same as the new xbox controllers because i live in australia and the xbox 360 isnt out till march (sux ay)

They are very similar to the "S-controllers" with two additional shoulder buttons replacing the black and white buttons. The shape is slightly different and fit in your hands better.

well with the nintendo controller, if you put it sideways, it's kind of like a nes controller - i think that's what they were shooting for....

plus there are ports so you can use the gamecube controllers or the wavebird on the revolution and nintendo has stated that there will be a traditional controller for it as well so it really isn't as much as an issue as nintendo haters would like for you to believe.
Back on topic, I set the remote up to power on and off my PS2 as well.

the olny reason for backward compatibleity with controllers is for the old games you can download, the revoultion games use the revoultion controller, the gamcube c-stick is gay anyway

I wouldn't mind being able to use S-controllers on my 360 instead of having to buy additional 360 controllers though.

Tell me it has a sleep timer button on it! If it does, I may be buying one.

Also, what are the qualifications for getting the rebate? Own a 360? How do you prove it, because I have a 360.

yes, I was also concerned about how you prove it, because I won, and am concerned about whether I can get the rebate or not.

You prove you own a 360 by photocopying the barcode on the box. I just sat the box on my scanner and printed it out.

By the way, here is another article that just came out for the remote. They had a short thing on engadget about it today too. This reviewer liked it and they usually reviews more high end stuff.
http://www.krunker.com/2006/01/16/logitech-harmony-advanced-universal-remote-for-xbox-360/