Logitech Harmony Adapter for PlayStation 3 Review.
"Finally! One remote to rule them all." 2009-05-12
By M. Larsen (Vernon Hills, IL USA)
I have a Logitech Harmony 1000 remote, and I run a Pioneer Elite receiver, a Toshiba HDDVD (ok - not smart), an XBox360, a wireless headset controller, a Pioneer Elite upscaling DVD player, two computers with Zalman IR controls, and a Playstation 3. I could control everything with my Harmony 1000 except the Playstation 3. I tried the Nyko Blu-Wave product, and while I've been extremely happy with most Nyko products, I had tons of problems with it. From not being able to power up/power down, commands executing twice, etc., there were just too many issues to make it worthwhile. Considering that Sony's bluetooth remote was so nice, it made sense to go to 2 remotes.
Well now I'm finally down to one without a sacrifice. This unit has it's own AC power, so it works whether the PS3 is off or on, which is a huge advantage.
The other huge advantage over every other solution is that it contains every single command that the bluetooth remote has (I believe it is 51 in all).
Pros:
-Self-powered via AC adapter
-Works regardless of PS3 being on or off
-Contains all 51 commands, including the PS button
-Doesn't take up a valuable USB port on the PS3
-Commands work in PS2 emulator of original 60gb PS3
-Range via Harmony 1000 is excellent
-No problems with double-commands like Nyko product
-Design matches Playstation 3
-Logitech had all the commands and screens for all of the supported remotes on their website on launch day (nicely done Logitech!!)
Cons:
-Price is a little high (it's 3 times the cost of the Sony bluetooth remote)
-For that money, I would like to have had the option of a rechargeable battery so that an AC adapter wouldn't be needed.
-Unit is small, but it seems like it could be smaller.
-It is still infrared from remote to receiver, so you have to aim it versus bluetooth which is omnidirectional.
Summary: If you want to get down to one remote, this is THE way to do it. If you want to save money, go with the omnidirectional Sony bluetooth remote (don't go third part on that).
"The best solution for PS3/Harmony owners" 2009-05-14
By A. Zaman (State College, PA)
This device is the one PS3 and Harmony remote users have been waiting for. It is very responsive and has all the functionality of the Sony brand PS3 remote (on my Harmony One at least...this may vary depending on which version of the Harmony you have and the number of buttons it has). A few caveats buyers may have about this unit are the price, and the chances are that by now, they already have some kind of solution to controlling the PS3.
$60 seems a bit high at first. The PlayStation 3 Blu Wave Remote and the Sony PlayStation 3 Blu-ray Disc Remote are both considerably less than this device. However, they both have some drawbacks as well. I have both of the above mentioned remotes. The Nyko is a decent solution for universal remote owners as it allows the PS3 to be controlled through any IR remote (it's especially easy with Harmony remotes, as Logitech has the Nyko device available for programming through the Harmony software). The issues with the Blu-Wave are that you can't turn on the PS3 through the remote, it uses up one of your PS3's USB ports, and it also can be a bit glitchy. Often it will stop responding altogether and I'll have to unplug and replug the USB receiver for it before it will work again. The Sony remote works well and the nice part about it is that you don't need a direct line of site between the remote and the PS3 because it connects through bluetooth. However for all of us who have universal remotes, you'll need to keep both your universal and the Sony remote on hand.
If you are like me and absolutely love your Harmony and are borderline OCD and must be able to turn your PS3 on and off through one unit because you can't stand to have multiple remotes out, then this is $60 well spent. The other options that I've seen that allow power control of the PS3 through Harmony remotes are the IR2BTci and the PS3IR-Pro. These devices are a better comparison to the Logitech Harmony Adapter because they add similar functionality. I have not tried either of these devices personally, so I can't comment on how well they work...however, I can say that they are considerably more expensive than $60, if you can even find them for purchase from a reputable vendor (at the time of this writing, the IR2BTci is $150 and the PS3IR-Pro is $100). Also, aesthetically, they don't hold a candle to Logitech's adapter. The Logitech unit has a small form-factor, and also matches the finish of the PS3 perfectly, while these other units seem to be a tad unsightly and slightly bulkier as well. And as for performance, while I can't say how the others perform, I also can't imagine them being able to perform much better than this Logitech Adapter (which seems to be virtually flawless in terms of performance).
If you're tired of the spotty performance of the Nyko Blu-Wave or having multiple remotes out (or are simply looking to get your first remote for the PS3 and already own or are planning on getting a Harmony remote), I really can't imagine that you'll have buyer's remorse from spending $60 on this, as it is a really great device.
"Life saver for PS3 owners" 2009-05-13
By THATCH (OHIO)
This device is easy to pair with the PS3. It allows you to control your PS3 with the Harmony remote line. The color scheme and plastic appearance matches perfectly with the PS3. It plugs into a wall outlet instead of a USB port so you keep your PS3 ports open. There are no settings to set on the unit other than the "pair" button which you press when you have the PS3 in bluetooth pair mode.
The instructions were fine, but I'm not one to read instructions much. Please note that if you already have the PS3 as part of one of your activities on the Harmony remote, you must log in to the Logitech remote programming software and DELETE then RE-ADD the PS3. The remote control will never recognize the new adapter until you do the delete & re-add because the re-adding process downloads a new template for the PS3 on the re-add.
"A competitively priced IR to BT converter." 2009-05-16
By K. J. Harbart (Melbourne, FL)
It seems that many people don't research a product before they buy it. There are some complaints about the price of the Logitech Harmony adapter, but the fact remains that this is the lowest priced IR to BT solution available for the PS3. The direct competition ranges in price from ~$70 up to $160. If you're going to talk price, please compare apples to apples. The Nkyo Blu-wave is not even in the same ballpark as an IR to BT converter.
This product, Like the other currently available IR to BT converters, doesn't just give you power on/off control, it makes all 51 commands of the original Sony BT remote available to the user. IR to USB solutions, on the other hand, only give you access to a maximum of 31 commands. Yes, IR to BT costs more, but you gain substantially more from it as well.
The Logitech adapter is perfect for the niche that is was developed for- users who desire a fairly priced IR to BT solution allowing for full control of their PS3 using their Harmony remote. The purpose of a universal remote is to control your entire system, and this adapter adds the PS3, which has become an integral part of many a/v systems, to the mix.
"Works Great" 2009-05-14
By J. White
Just received this unit today and got it setup in about 5 minutes. Everything works great. The only downside I ran into was that once this unit is paired with the PS3 as a remote, my original PS3 bluetooth remote no longer worked. Apparently you cannot have 2 bluetooth remotes paired with the PS3 at the same time. Thats a PS3 problem though and nothing wrong with this wonderful unit. What a welcome addition to Logitechs line.
By M. Larsen (Vernon Hills, IL USA)
I have a Logitech Harmony 1000 remote, and I run a Pioneer Elite receiver, a Toshiba HDDVD (ok - not smart), an XBox360, a wireless headset controller, a Pioneer Elite upscaling DVD player, two computers with Zalman IR controls, and a Playstation 3. I could control everything with my Harmony 1000 except the Playstation 3. I tried the Nyko Blu-Wave product, and while I've been extremely happy with most Nyko products, I had tons of problems with it. From not being able to power up/power down, commands executing twice, etc., there were just too many issues to make it worthwhile. Considering that Sony's bluetooth remote was so nice, it made sense to go to 2 remotes.
Well now I'm finally down to one without a sacrifice. This unit has it's own AC power, so it works whether the PS3 is off or on, which is a huge advantage.
The other huge advantage over every other solution is that it contains every single command that the bluetooth remote has (I believe it is 51 in all).
Pros:
-Self-powered via AC adapter
-Works regardless of PS3 being on or off
-Contains all 51 commands, including the PS button
-Doesn't take up a valuable USB port on the PS3
-Commands work in PS2 emulator of original 60gb PS3
-Range via Harmony 1000 is excellent
-No problems with double-commands like Nyko product
-Design matches Playstation 3
-Logitech had all the commands and screens for all of the supported remotes on their website on launch day (nicely done Logitech!!)
Cons:
-Price is a little high (it's 3 times the cost of the Sony bluetooth remote)
-For that money, I would like to have had the option of a rechargeable battery so that an AC adapter wouldn't be needed.
-Unit is small, but it seems like it could be smaller.
-It is still infrared from remote to receiver, so you have to aim it versus bluetooth which is omnidirectional.
Summary: If you want to get down to one remote, this is THE way to do it. If you want to save money, go with the omnidirectional Sony bluetooth remote (don't go third part on that).
By A. Zaman (State College, PA)
This device is the one PS3 and Harmony remote users have been waiting for. It is very responsive and has all the functionality of the Sony brand PS3 remote (on my Harmony One at least...this may vary depending on which version of the Harmony you have and the number of buttons it has). A few caveats buyers may have about this unit are the price, and the chances are that by now, they already have some kind of solution to controlling the PS3.
$60 seems a bit high at first. The PlayStation 3 Blu Wave Remote and the Sony PlayStation 3 Blu-ray Disc Remote are both considerably less than this device. However, they both have some drawbacks as well. I have both of the above mentioned remotes. The Nyko is a decent solution for universal remote owners as it allows the PS3 to be controlled through any IR remote (it's especially easy with Harmony remotes, as Logitech has the Nyko device available for programming through the Harmony software). The issues with the Blu-Wave are that you can't turn on the PS3 through the remote, it uses up one of your PS3's USB ports, and it also can be a bit glitchy. Often it will stop responding altogether and I'll have to unplug and replug the USB receiver for it before it will work again. The Sony remote works well and the nice part about it is that you don't need a direct line of site between the remote and the PS3 because it connects through bluetooth. However for all of us who have universal remotes, you'll need to keep both your universal and the Sony remote on hand.
If you are like me and absolutely love your Harmony and are borderline OCD and must be able to turn your PS3 on and off through one unit because you can't stand to have multiple remotes out, then this is $60 well spent. The other options that I've seen that allow power control of the PS3 through Harmony remotes are the IR2BTci and the PS3IR-Pro. These devices are a better comparison to the Logitech Harmony Adapter because they add similar functionality. I have not tried either of these devices personally, so I can't comment on how well they work...however, I can say that they are considerably more expensive than $60, if you can even find them for purchase from a reputable vendor (at the time of this writing, the IR2BTci is $150 and the PS3IR-Pro is $100). Also, aesthetically, they don't hold a candle to Logitech's adapter. The Logitech unit has a small form-factor, and also matches the finish of the PS3 perfectly, while these other units seem to be a tad unsightly and slightly bulkier as well. And as for performance, while I can't say how the others perform, I also can't imagine them being able to perform much better than this Logitech Adapter (which seems to be virtually flawless in terms of performance).
If you're tired of the spotty performance of the Nyko Blu-Wave or having multiple remotes out (or are simply looking to get your first remote for the PS3 and already own or are planning on getting a Harmony remote), I really can't imagine that you'll have buyer's remorse from spending $60 on this, as it is a really great device.
By THATCH (OHIO)
This device is easy to pair with the PS3. It allows you to control your PS3 with the Harmony remote line. The color scheme and plastic appearance matches perfectly with the PS3. It plugs into a wall outlet instead of a USB port so you keep your PS3 ports open. There are no settings to set on the unit other than the "pair" button which you press when you have the PS3 in bluetooth pair mode.
The instructions were fine, but I'm not one to read instructions much. Please note that if you already have the PS3 as part of one of your activities on the Harmony remote, you must log in to the Logitech remote programming software and DELETE then RE-ADD the PS3. The remote control will never recognize the new adapter until you do the delete & re-add because the re-adding process downloads a new template for the PS3 on the re-add.
By K. J. Harbart (Melbourne, FL)
It seems that many people don't research a product before they buy it. There are some complaints about the price of the Logitech Harmony adapter, but the fact remains that this is the lowest priced IR to BT solution available for the PS3. The direct competition ranges in price from ~$70 up to $160. If you're going to talk price, please compare apples to apples. The Nkyo Blu-wave is not even in the same ballpark as an IR to BT converter.
This product, Like the other currently available IR to BT converters, doesn't just give you power on/off control, it makes all 51 commands of the original Sony BT remote available to the user. IR to USB solutions, on the other hand, only give you access to a maximum of 31 commands. Yes, IR to BT costs more, but you gain substantially more from it as well.
The Logitech adapter is perfect for the niche that is was developed for- users who desire a fairly priced IR to BT solution allowing for full control of their PS3 using their Harmony remote. The purpose of a universal remote is to control your entire system, and this adapter adds the PS3, which has become an integral part of many a/v systems, to the mix.
By J. White
Just received this unit today and got it setup in about 5 minutes. Everything works great. The only downside I ran into was that once this unit is paired with the PS3 as a remote, my original PS3 bluetooth remote no longer worked. Apparently you cannot have 2 bluetooth remotes paired with the PS3 at the same time. Thats a PS3 problem though and nothing wrong with this wonderful unit. What a welcome addition to Logitechs line.
