Summary: I also have a Home Theater Master MX-500 that has been moved into the bedroom, while the Harmony is used for the Home Theater/Living Room. The MX-500 is great, but it has a few weaknesses. It doesn't connect to a computer, so all programming is done through the remote. This means that buttons cannot be moved and only commands either on the original remote or in the HTM database can be programmed. It's also rather large. The Harmony solves both of these issues. When I first started programming and using the Harmony, I was somewhat disappointed, but once I learned how to use the software better and got everything the way I wanted it, I've been very happy with it. The buttons are very well-placed and have a good feel. The remote feels good in your hand. Overall, the hardware could not be much better. The software, however, could be very much improved. The good thing is that you can get things to work the way you want them, but it's not easy. One thing I haven't been able to do is order the devices the way I want them in device mode. That's really the only thing I haven't found a workaround for, and you shouldn't have to use device mode too often, if at all. The remote is set up for activities, so if you want to watch TV, you select the \"Watch TV\" activity. This sets up all your components to the right inputs or whatever else you need to do, such as turn on the lights. There are many other features that I could get in to, but that information can be found elsewhere. The Remotecentral.com forums are an invaluable resource for this remote. As with any remote of this caliber, you're going to spend several hours tweaking it to get it just right, but after that, you won't spend much time programming it until you buy new components. Compared to the MX-500, there are pluses and minuses to both, but I would rate the Harmony slightly better overall than the MX-500 simply because of the computer connectivity. This is an excellent remote and I feel that I will like it even more as I get more familiar with programming it. Although there are improvements that could be made, it's the best remote available in this price range.

Summary: --I received this remote and got it setup for all my components. They were all listed and worked after initial setup. The web/app setup is a little bit counterintuitive at times. However, once playing around with it for a bit, you can find all you need. I did have to \"learn\" a couple less common buttons from the original remote, but that worked well. However, downloading to the remote takes up to 5 minutes each time, so try to set as many settings up as you can before updating the remote.

--The activity modes work great. And if for some reason one of your components did not turn on/off or the input did not get set right (perhaps the remote was blocked), then simply push the help button. It will ask you a few questions to resolve your problem, and it works!

--There is a Picture and Sound menu, so you can change settings on your TV or Receiver without having to leave the current activity you are in. All the commands that appear on the LCD are customizable through the web/app interface.

--The remote fits well in my hand and has two grooves on the back for my fingers. I got the 670 because of the placement of the PVR controls, and they are in a very good location. The channel/volume buttons are well placed as well. The bottom row of numbers can be a little tricky to get to, but I think that is just because I am not quite used to this remote yet.

--I had to call tech support about 1 minor problem, and they were able to get it resolved in a timely manner. Plus it was an American!!

--I am also controlling my X10 home automation (lights, etc) with this remote. I had to order an IR543 that will receive IR signals. This remote has that module in its database, and it works great. I set up an activity to control the lights, and set up actions for specific lights. It works well.

--This is a great remote that I would happily recommend to anyone!!

Summary: I have had both the fancy Sonys - the 3000 and 4000. They took two hands to operate; you had to look at the touch screen to make sure you hit the correct button. This remote I can use with one hand and do not need to look at it any more than I would have to look at any remote. Great for pvr pause/play action - the sony was lousy for that. I did not want the 880 or 890 due to the docking station as another component plugged in and sitting somewhere. I did not want to \"put the remote away\" every day. You can't go wrong with this remote.