Logitech Harmony Adapter for PlayStation 3 answers a million prayers

For everything going wrong in your life right now, there's at least one beacon of light to keep you, a dutiful PS3 owner, smiling. A long (long!) awaited device has just slipped into the FCC's database, and while details are scant, most of what we need to know is tucked away in the title: Logitech Harmony Adapter for PlayStation 3. For far too long, PS3 owners with IR-based universal remotes have had to rely on clunky IR-to-Bluetooth converters to get the two to communicate, but as soon as the E-R0001 hits the market, all that will change for Harmony owners. As of now, we've got three questions that desperately need answered: 1) when?; 2) how much?; and 3) what Harmony remotes are compatible?

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 19th 2009 6:01PM]

Hallelujah!

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 19th 2009 6:08PM]

Based on the test report, it looks like another "clunky IR-to-Bluetooth converter."

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 19th 2009 10:51PM]

Shit, I don't care if its a "clunky IR-to-bluetooth converter", it's still a friggen miracle! Bout damn time Logitech released something like this. I need one. NOW

[DrXym Posted Mar 20th 2009 8:32AM]

The test report suggests the unit is using 2.4Ghz to talk with the PS3 which probably means the IR receiver unit talks to a dongle that plugs into a USB port. If this is so it seems like it is the worst of all worlds.

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 20th 2009 2:47PM]

Drxym,

The last time I checked Bluetooth was 2.4Ghz

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 20th 2009 12:36AM]

The Nyko BluWave has been available for at least 9 months now. $19.99 on bby.com

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 20th 2009 1:42AM]

Why didn't Sony just enable the CEC function on the HDMI port. Then we would have one remote control for everyhting. Logitech is lucky that Sony is that stupid and creates a market for their remote controls.

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 20th 2009 9:43AM]

clunky adapters, i picked up an IR adapter w/remote for 10 bucks at Circuit city and it works fine with the Harmony 890, mostly likely much cheaper than what they'll be selling this for. I dont use the remote, just the adapter, no larger than a usb thumb drive

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 20th 2009 11:12AM]

I agree with Andy, I'm not interested. Logitech is a little late to the party. I'd much rather see a Harmony IR bluetooth combo remote with sideshow support, instead of another expensive converter to fix a problem that is easily remedied by a $10 Nyko usb dongle. Harmony Vave 100 anyone?

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 20th 2009 11:54AM]

IR2BT is hardly clunky...
http://ir2bt.com/

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 20th 2009 1:31PM]

This thing doesn't answer a million prayers. It answers about six. Sure, at first glance it's what PS3 owners have been clamoring for since the platform came out, but after realizing it's Yet Another Wired Dongle, it doesn't solve anything.

The only people who will be truly happy to see this come out are the shareholders of Logitech. They'll squeal with glee every time a clueless consumeraholic pays $80 for the Harmony-branded adapter instead of the $15 MadCats (or whatever) on the next shelf. "Hey, I've heard of THAT company, it MUST be better!"

It's completely beyond me as to why no accessory company is even TRYING to come up with a BT+IR remote that can emulate the official one. I mean, come on, a typical Harmony remote is $100. The Sony remote is $24 MSRP. Logitech, why don't you just buy the damn Sony remotes AT RETAIL and embed their circuit boards in your remotes? Sell it for $125. Problem solved. And that's the *worst* case arrangement. BT chips are, what, $5 in volume? Throw us a bone already.

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 20th 2009 4:04PM]

My question is; is it physically connected to the ps3 (via the front usb port, which would be ugly as hell) or does it stand alone and accept the IR from the Harmony and then send out BT to the ps3?
I think if it doesn't plug into a usb port on the ps3 then people will love it.