Logitech Reveals Harmony 1100 Remote – RF Capability Added.

Looking for a universal remote that compliments your amazing home theater setup that you brag to all of your friends about? Well, you don’t have bragging rights until you get the new Harmony 1100 remote.

The Harmony 1100 is the successor from Logitech over the Harmony 1000. The device offers a new sleek black, anodized aluminum casing as well as the ability to customize the 3.5 inch touch-screen display with your own buttons for certain conditions and menus. This remote control, or properly put, media control device (MCD), will surely catch the eye of every enthusiast. 

One of the biggest features added in the Harmony 1100 over the 1000 is the support for RF (Radio Frequency) based control instead of the standard IR (Infra-Red) based control. Like the previous 1000 model, and like other Harmony remotes, the Harmony 1100 continues to sync with your computer via USB, utilizing the Harmony remote software, giving users access to an extremely large database to aid in the configuration stages. Even the most oddball devices are in their database. I once purchased a couple of obscure oscillating pole-fans for the summer (which came with remote controls), and they too were in the Harmony remote database. Needless to say, I spent a lot of the summer using my thumb around the house.

The RF capability is a nice addition to the remote, and you can even purchase an RF extender separately from Logitech to boost the range. Some home automation systems come with RF based controls, so if you are one of these people, the Harmony 1100 can be configured to turn on/off your lights, turn up/down the heat or air conditioning... the possibilities are pretty vast here. The RF capability may also attract the modding community, and if it turns out to be possible, there could be custom firmware popping up within a year, although this is just a guess at this point.

Logitech plans to start shipping the device this coming February and their website currently has the MSRP listed at US$499.00 – a little steep, but for someone that would enjoy it, price is not a factor. The Harmony 1100 should also be present at CES where we hope to get some hands-on with it.

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