Harmony 880 won't charge (again).

[Richard King]

Close to a year ago Harmony replaced my approx. 3 year old 880 with a new unit because of the known charging stand problem. I now have the same problem. The replacement remote won't make contact with the charging stand. So, it appears that it is time to (once again) replace it. After my history I think it's time to look at something other than Harmony. Any suggestions? It's a shame because I have really been impressed by Harmony, but, at the cost that they sell for I need something that is reliable, and Harmony has proven to not be that.

[spartanstew]

Man, I thought they fixed that issue with the 880.

Have you called them again this time to see if they'll send a replacement (or new cradle)?

[Stuart Sweet]

I'm coming to the end of my rope with my 880 as well. I can get it to charge now after some vigorous work on the contacts, but the 880's emitter was never as strong as the competition and mine's getting weaker and weaker.

I've been very happy with the remote in general, had it since Father's Day 2005.

I was hoping for the Acoustic Research XSight but that seems to be vaporware.

I really like the Harmony software and may end up with a One, but I don't like the balance or the touchscreen, and they lack dedicated color buttons and a LIST button.

[BubblePuppy]

Close to a year ago Harmony replaced my approx. 3 year old 880 with a new unit because of the known charging stand problem. I now have the same problem. The replacement remote won't make contact with the charging stand. So, it appears that it is time to (once again) replace it. After my history I think it's time to look at something other than Harmony. Any suggestions? It's a shame because I have really been impressed by Harmony, but, at the cost that they sell for I need something that is reliable, and Harmony has proven to not be that.

I have had that same problem with two 880s. I have clean the contacts but that hasn't helped. I have to put a small weight on the remote for it to charge; even then the remote sometimes won't charge.
But give the weight thing a try.

[VandyCWG]

I have the same issue with my 880, the way I solve my problem, in the charging bay, make a tape mound or something that will force the front end of the remote down, and that will work. Anything that will lift the rear up and force the front down will work. Let gravity work for us!

If you want, when I get home, I will take pictures.

[Richard King]

Have you called them again this time to see if they'll send a replacement (or new cradle)?This one is a replacement. I doubt that they would replace a replacement. They pretty much told me so when they sent me this one. :(

But give the weight thing a try.
I think it is making contact, just not registering with the remote that there is contact. I can lean on it and there is no change. I can joggle it in the stand, no change. I can slam it in like I had to do with my first one and still nothing. They should have set it up to charge through the USB connection as an alternative to the stand.

Any other suggestions?

[Richard King]

Anything that will lift the rear up and force the front down will work.
I've tried lifting the back and no response. I can hear the spring loaded contacts responding as they always have when I put it in the stand, but I get no light indication of charging taking place. I think contact is there, just not working.

[Stuart Sweet]

Sounds to me like a short in the cradle or in the contacts.

[Richard King]

I'll have to get out the volt meter and see if anything shows up across the contacts. The light on the stand is on though.

[spartanstew]

This one is a replacement. I doubt that they would replace a replacement. They pretty much told me so when they sent me this one. :(


But they might send you a new cradle (if that's the problem).

[swaff]

I've had my 880 for about 3 years now and never have had a charging problem other than having to make sure it's lined up at the "bottom" of the cradle as opposed to the top. Just luck I guess.

I am having an issue right now with some of the buttons on the left side, specifically the volume up button. I really have to lean on it to get it to work.

Has anyone ever popped on of these open to try to clean the contacts? I'm thinking that might take care of that issue.

Thanks

[steve053]

After 3 years my 880 finally would not charge at all. It was the contacts on the reomte that finally gave out, not the cradle. Harmony would not replace my remote when I called.

I switched to a harmony 6xx (not at home and can't remember the exact number) and am very happy. I miss the large 880 screen and the 880 tilt sensor, but the buttons are so much easier to use and there is a noticible increase in the "strength" of the IR over the 880.

Harmony had a good idea, but the charging cradle was poorly engineered.

[ebaltz]

I think things went downhill after Logitech bought them. I have a 688 with batteries. I use rechargable batteries which I need to charge about once a week or so. The benefit of this is not every having to worry about have a cradle plugged in somewhere all the time or that the built in rechargables will go dead at some point and then you are screwed. In fact I hate built in rechargables on anything and almost refuse to buy anything with them, like razors etc...just put rechargeables in yourself and then you are always good to go, plus if it goes out on you while on vacation or something you can just buy some AAAs. I like the idea of using the USB as a charger though. That seems to make sense, I could plug it into my PS3, computer, Dish box etc... to charge.

[Richard King]

Well, I've been gone for about 6 hours. I just got in and it was sitting in the charger not charging as expected. I picked it up, removed the battery and replaced it (as I had done about four times this morning). I put the remote back in the charger and it immediately started charging with no extra work on my part. I just don't get it, but it seems that all is now well with the world (until the next time).

[sigma1914]

I put a small folded piece of paper in the bottom of the battery to push the battery up in the remote.

[ToBeFrank]

I put a small folded piece of paper in the bottom of the battery to push the battery up in the remote.

Same here. Apparently this is a known problem where the battery is slightly too small. I would get random reboots and other odd things happening before doing this, but haven't had any problems since.

Also, about once every 6 months I clean the contacts of the cradle and the remote with a Q-tip dipped in rubbing alcohol. Even though you can't tell they're dirty just by looking at them, this makes a huge difference.

[dmspen]

I started having the same issue recently. I've taken to wrapping rubber bands around the top of the remote in the cradle. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. I'll have to try that paper in the battery thing.