Logitech has a solid reputation for its Harmony range of universal remotes, and the new 650 lives up to the brand’s heritage.

At $149.95, the Logitech Harmony 650 is one of the more expensive models in the Harmony line in recent times, but it’s still very affordable when compared to some high-end universal remotes.

The 650 can control up to five devices at once via activity-based commands - such as “Listen to Music” or “Watch TV”. When you execute one of these commands, the remote will switch on all the required devices linked to it.

Unlike some of its cheaper stablemates, the Logitech Harmony 650 boasts a colour LCD screen surrounded by five buttons which you can use to navigate all these commands. The layout of the remote itself is well done, and all the buttons are backlit so you won’t struggle to use it in a darkened room when watching movies.

Like all Logitech universal remotes, the set up process is very straightforward and can be done via either PC or Mac using the online questionnaire - simply choose your devices from the list and describe how you use them. The rest of the process is automated, with the software assigning functions to the default keys (such as pause, etc).

Buy a cheap Logitech universal remote on sale in Australia

By Caroline Warnes

If you’re looking for an ultra-affordable universal remote, for the new Logitech Harmony 300 is the way to go.

At $59.95, the Harmony 300 is Logitech’s most affordable universal remote yet, and is significantly cheaper than its triple figure stablemates.

Of course, with this price tag, you can’t expect to get the comprehensive features of Logitech’s higher-end models (though Logitech markets this remote as being for “people with simpler home-entertainment needs”). What that translates to is control of only four compatible components at once. The Harmony 300 is compatible with more than 225,000 devices from 5000-plus manufacturers. Also missing from the remote is an LCD screen.

One handy feature is the “Watch TV” button. With the press of one button the Harmony 300 will turn on your TV and cable box in seconds. Also handy is the arrangement of the buttons on the remote - they’re grouped by how you use them. The buttons for watching DVD are all together, for example.

Simplicity really is the key when it comes to the Logitech Harmony 300, even when it comes to programming it. You simply connect the remote to your computer via USB, visit the My Harmony website and select the components you want to program. The website does the rest for you.

Buy a cheap Logitech Harmony remote on sale in Australia

By Caroline Warnes

These days many of us have more remotes cluttering out living space than we know what to do with: one for the TV, DVD player, set-top box, stereo… the list goes on.

That’s where universal remotes come in handy - they can be set up so you can control most of your devices from the one remote, rather than switching back and forth.

Logitech has made some of the best universal remotes your money can buy for the last few years, in the form of the Harmony series, and the Logitech Harmony 1100i is the latest addition to the range.

Intended as the successor to the Harmony 1000i, the 1100i keeps a similar design - a two-handed model with a large colour touchscreen to the left and a selection of buttons on the right. However the screen is slightly larger on the newer model (it comes in at 3.5-inches), although the desktop stand has been retained.

Operating the remote is divided into activities, such as “watch TV” or “watch DVD”. When you select that activity the remote communicates with all devices required and fire them up for you.

The 1100i can be synched with a wide range of devices using a PC or Mac, however there are some glaring ommissions when it comes to compatible devices, including most notable the PlayStation 3.

The Logitech Harmony 1100i carries a recommended retail price of $900.

Click here to find offers on Logitech Harmony universal remotes from retailers near you.

By Caroline Warnes

If you have a home theatre system with multiple components, chances are you need a universal remote control.

Universal remote controls can be programmed to control most common devices at the one time, eliminating the need to sort through multiple remote controls for your Foxtel, set-top box, TV and so on.

The Logitech Harmony One is the replacement to the Harmony 785 and is widely considered to be one of the best universal remote controls on the market.

It’s a feature-packed device that retails for well under $400, which might seem expensive if you’re new to universal remotes, but is actually very reasonable when you consider some high-end devices retailer for around the $1000-mark.

It boasts a large and stylish touchscreen, which you use to access all your devices, as well as a charger cradle, where you rest the remote when you’re not using it.

What may take some getting used to is the way you use the remote. Rather than searching through a list of devices in order to operate them, you choose your activity and let the remote do all the work. For example, if you wanted to watch a DVD, you would press the appropriate button and the TV, DVD player and any speakers (for example) would all power up.

While this may not seem that intuitive, for novice users it can actually make using the Logitech Harmony One far easier than other universal remotes.

Click here to find offers on Logitech Harmony universal remotes from retailers near you.

By Caroline Warnes

These days many of us have more remotes than we know what to do with.

Often you can have one for the television, one for the DVD player, one for the games console, one for the set-top box and so on - and keeping track of which remote does what can be difficult, not to mention the clutter can be unsightly.

That’s where universal remotes such as the

Logitech Harmony 525 step in. The 525 is the entry-level member of the Harmony range, and performs the basic functions of a universal remote for minimal cost (it carries a recommended retail price of $99.95).

You can use the remote to control up to 12 of your components (Logitech has a database of nearly 200,000 devices to choose from). The remote syncs with your devices using the included software - this process couldn’t be simpler.

You can then choose scenarios on the LCD screen such as “watch TV” or “watch DVD”. Pressing one of these buttons will then perform the required sequence with your devices, for example if you select “watch DVD” it will turn on your TV to the right channel, turn on your DVD player and your AV receiver and start the disc.

The Logitech Harmony 525 is a fantastic entry-level universal remote that makes your home entertainment as easy as pushing a button.

Click here to find offers on Logitech Harmony remotes near you.

By Caroline Warnes