I suppose it was bound to happen at some point.
If you're a user of the Logitech Harmony universal remote controllers, take note that most models will lose support as the Harmony Remote Software is about to be decommissioned by May 28th, 2025. The software requires access to your account online where profiles are stored.
Initially released back in 2001 by Canadian company Easy Zapper, bought by Logitech in 2004, they stopped production of the hardware in 2021.
Harmony Remote Discontinuation Notice
After careful consideration and more than 10 years of dedicated support, we have made the difficult decision to discontinue service and support for Logitech Harmony Remote Software. As technology continues to evolve, we recognize the challenges in maintaining our services to the standards we strive for. This change will be implemented on May 28, 2025.
As a result of this decision, the Logitech Harmony Remote Software will no longer support account creation or access to existing accounts for reprogramming, modifying, or making configuration changes to remotes. The remotes listed below will continue to function as they are with their current settings, but no updates or reconfigurations will be possible. We understand this decision affects your experience, and we regret any inconvenience caused.
This discontinuation affects the following remotes:
Harmony 510
Harmony 515
Harmony 520
Harmony 522
Harmony 525
Harmony 550
Harmony 555
Harmony 610
Harmony 620
Harmony 628
Harmony 655
Harmony 659
Harmony 660
Harmony 665
Harmony 670
Harmony 675
Harmony 676
Harmony 680
Harmony 688
Harmony 720
Harmony 745
Harmony 748
Harmony 768
Harmony 785
Harmony 810
Harmony 820
Harmony 850
Harmony 880
Harmony 882
Harmony 885
Harmony 890
Harmony 890 Pro
Harmony 892
Harmony 895
Harmony 897
Harmony 900
Harmony 1000
Harmony 1000i
Harmony 1100
Harmony 1100i
Harmony for Xbox 360All other remotes will continue to be supported through the MyHarmony app or the Harmony mobile application.
Thank you for being a valued Harmony customer. We appreciate your understanding and support.
Sincerely,
The Logitech Harmony Team
Note that if you have one of the newer remotes that can be programmed through MyHarmony or the Harmony mobile app, you should still be good after May 28th.
This means that for my devices like the Harmony 1100 pictured above left which I still use regularly, I should make sure to add any final devices / program final changes ASAP! Whatever final changes programmed will be set for the remainder of the remote's useful life (including those background pictures and slideshow images!). My Harmony 700 (middle) is still OK for now.
Going forward, I might purchase something like the SofaBaton X1S (~US$170) as the higher-end alternative. Or the SofaBaton U2 (~US$60) for more basic needs.
Hej Arch, The Sofabaton is pretty much your only alternative. Universal remotes pretty much died with smart tvs and HDMI-CEC. There is also Caavo. https://shop.caavo.com/pages/control_center_universal_remote if you would like to add to your subscription costs!
ReplyDeleteCheers Mike
Thanks for the note Mike.
DeleteYeah, the SofaBaton seems to be the only universal device with some bells and whistles of the Harmony products. That Caavo looks like it's meant for a totally different older demographic!
Will see... I'm tempted to give the SofaBaton and try and see how I like it.
Ah, that's a little sad, but hardly unexpected. I bought a 555 for myself a long time ago, and another one for my father. But my main amp at the time had no standby, requiring a physical press of a power button to start. So it was always somewhat awkward to use together with the Harmony, and eventually I gave up.
ReplyDeleteHey Freddie,
DeleteFor years I had all kinds of programmable learning remotes until around 2007 or so when I settled on the Harmony ones. While the software's pretty old and clunky by today's standards, at least the Harmony Remote Software works. Most of the time I don't depend on the online profiles and just learn the remote codes with the original controller anyways. Worked well recently for the Topping DX9 DAC.
I think it's a shame that they're "closing shop" since the hardware is still pretty good! Wish there was a simple way to still allow these remotes to be manually programmed.
I have a Harmony 650 which, in anticipation of what has been announced, I tried to replace with a Sofabaton X1S. I could not get it to agree with my equipment, in particular managing a certain order of on/off sequences. Returned it for a refund and I can't seem to find anything adequate. Oh well, the more software is included in our equipment, the less control you have over it as an 'owner'. Even technophiles lose sight of that fact.....
ReplyDeleteYup Bellamacchina,
DeleteThat's the issue especially with "cloud" services. If the Harmony software just installed in our computers from the start and we didn't need to log on to download the profile each time, then all we'd have to worry about would be OS incompatibility over time. Alas, since all profiles are retrieved off the cloud, this unfortunate situation. :-(
Unfortunate with the SofaBaton! Will have to look more into how that system works...
I bought the Sofabaton U2 from Amazon last year, and it didn't work for me at all. I could get it to upload the commands for my NVidia shield, but even my LG C1 proved unworkable (wasn't even in the database). As for being able to copy the commands from a standard Apple TV remote which controls my Octo Research DAC 8 Pro, forget it. Would not do it. And needless to say, would not accept work with the Smyth A16 Realiser, or even the Topping A70 Pro headphone amp. So it proved a total dud and was returned for a refund. Also had problems in that it needed to be pointed directly at the device being controlled. IR beam was just too narrow, so definitely not recommended.
ReplyDeleteI owned the top Harmony remote in the 2000's. It had a charging station, and eventually the led display failed, but it was a teriffic unit that controlled everything I had in the AV rig I had at the time. It was much missed. I think it takes a lot to maintain data codes for all the various components which is probably the chief expense for these companies of offering these units. I find all the phone software to be a complete joke, so I'm stuck with my five remotes for the foreseeable future. Sigh.
My Harmony Remote was pretty much a lifesaver for me in terms of convenience. Unforturnately, my TV provider has switched to an android based box, and there isn’t any remote that properly supports it (proprietary user interface, and it isn’t RF based, it’s remote is IP based, I think).
ReplyDeleteI purchased a Skip remote and USB plug, but it doesn’t have the Harmony like support or the vast database of remote programs that simply are downloaded and just work.
I also sort of cloned the Harmony to the Skip, but it only partially works.The Skip people told me the remote and plug would solve my issues, but they basically expect everyone to be a Geek and program the unit to fit their needs. I tried, but there are some functions I just can’t get to work. If my Harmony 665 really stops working in the future, I won’t have a good solution.
First World problems, for sure.
It's impressive how the Harmony remotes served as a reliable all-in-one solution for home entertainment control over the years. Logitech's long-term support and innovation in the smart home space are truly commendable as yu can use this Adobe with convenience support
ReplyDeleteHej Arch, The Sofabaton is pretty much your only alternative. printer support
ReplyDeleteThanks Archimago for the post...dropped in here to see if anything had changes since the shutdown.
ReplyDeleteI had been a very satisfied user of Logitech Harmony Remotes for probably 15 years. They have been the single most useful tech gadget I have introduced into my home that wife and visitors have happily used with few complaints or instruction.
For the last five year or so, I've been looking for a suitable alternative. During that time, my favoured Harmony 525s increasingly broke down, to be replaced by second hand devices that appeared for sale, thus my house TVs were running on a mix of 515, 525, 555 today. In the last year I was fortunate to discover a repair kit from ButtonWorx for my beloved 500 series...and then...LOGITECH PULLED THE PLUG on the config platform - ARRGHHHHH - My collection of ten remotes in various states of function to disfunction became useless overnight, with not even a chance to program a backup device for each room!
Seeing the end also coming for newer models such as the Harmony Touch, Ultimate, Companion & Elite, I tried a few alternatives finally settling on the Sofabaton X1S
Sofabaton have 'nailed it' with the X1S!
Positives
+ This remote perfectly replaces all my Harmony Remotes in every room.
+ All my devices were either available from the Sofabaton database or could be learned from the original remote
+ I could configure all my activities to switch on and present themselves correctly (Something I hadn't managed with the Harmony Elite in my Living Room)
+ I could switch activities and between needed inputs without passing through a power off state (Sorry FLIRC)
+ I could setup activities for all my devices in every room, and test them (I had to move the hub to the right room to test)
Negatives - I can live all of these
- It would be nice to be able to turn off the green power/status light (It’s quite bright at night time in the bedroom)
- I miss the number pad and other buttons that ironically are present on the U2 (eg: STOP & RECORD)
- I had to connect my hub via the IP address every time I opened the app on my iPhone - this seems now to be solved
- I need a delay before switching TV inputs after power on (but not once turned on) Would be great to avoid the delay after the TV is already on.
- Long press only seems to work on the physical remote (not on the iPhone remote)
- Controlling my SONOS device playback controls and volume still needs investigation as I wasn't able to get that working yet
If you're wondering, 'Is Sofabaton the solution to my increasingly 'end of life' Logitech Harmony?'
The answer is YES - for sure. I have now ordered two more X1S to replace my remaining Harmony remotes.
My only concern...that Sofabaton are long term successful and continue to support their devices for as long as Logitech have, or that if and when they get bored of supporting their device, they open source the configuration application and IR library for the community to continue using.
For further info, here are my equipment configurations:
Bedroom Devices
TV: Samsung LE32A336J1D - Used: LE32A456C2D IR codes
Set top Box: Apple TV HD: On HDMI1 - Used Bluetooth - pair hub on the Apple TV
Set top box: Kodi on Odroid N2+: On HDMI2 - Used Microsoft Media Center
Living Room Devices
TV: LG OLED65C9 - Used: OLED65C9AUA IR codes
Amp: Spectral Canton BRA3 - Used: Manually learned and shared
Set top box: Kodi on Odroid N2+ - Used: Microsoft Media Center
Media Streamer: SONOS Port - Used: SONOS Port via wifi setup
Record Player: Pioneer - Used: No remote needed
Cinema Room Devices
TV: Samsung QE82Q6FNA - Used: Alternative Samsung model
Amp: Denon AVR-X2500H - Used: Denon AVR-X2500H IR codes
Set top box: Microsoft XBox One (also for KODI) - Used: XBox One Codes
Set top box: Microsoft XBox 360 - Used: XBox 360S
Media Streamer: SONOS Port - Used: SONOS Port via wifi setup
Note on KODI control: I had been using FLIRC USB devices on all my KODI players, I found these weren't needed as the Microsoft Media Center standard IR controls offered the best experience on Sofabaton via the built in Odroid IR.