The Logitech Harmony 1000 features a brilliant 3.5” color touch screen that allows for one-touch activity-based control of even the most sophisticated A/V components.  Say goodbye to the wasted time and unnecessary complexity of multiple remotes controlling multiple devices; Logitech's patented Smart State Technology makes it easy! Control your HDTV, adjust aspect ratios, or change sound modes—there are no complicated macros to program.  Just press an on-screen activity icon and Harmony does the rest. The Harmony 1000's sleek shape and brushed aluminum surfaces will look right at home as the centerpiece of your digital living room.  One remote is all you'll need to control even the most complex home entertainment systems.  And when used together with a Harmony RF Wireless Extender (sold separately), you can further reduce clutter by placing your components out of sight.  Since the remote can transmit both infrared and radio frequency commands, you can control equipment inside a cabinet or even in the next room. Selling for US$499, should make it around $799 here in Australia, and at that price it is a very attractive proposition. Will it be as good as the NevoSL? Let's wait and see.

OK here is the blurb: From the leader in wireless control technology comes Nevo: the simple, easy, and interactive way to wirelessly access and connect every device in the home or office. Just touch the device icons and follow the wizards to set your Nevo display to control your TV, stereo, lights, and even air conditioning. Enjoy your digital media anywhere without ever having to touch your PC. Use NevoStudio to create any desired design with extensive button and background galleries. You can even experience fully-customized control screens that are created in NevoStudio, as NevoSL supports all the popular graphic formats. NevoStudio has built-in flexibility that enables modification of the touch screen and the hard keys on NevoSL. This configuration option further enhances the ease-of-use and simplicity of control for any user in the home. To ensure a reliable and seamless control experience, your custom install professional can create one-touch buttons for direct access to all your favorite channels and favorite activities based on room locations and/or user settings.

After many discussions with customers recently who are using the Nevo to control multiroom audio etc, we decided to start testing the unit ourselves to see how well we can get it to do what WE want it to do. Stay tuned for a full report!

This year 101,166 visitors attended the Musikmesse in Frankfurt Germany, International Trade Fair for Musical Instruments, Music Software & Computer Hardware, Sheet Music and Accessories, and Prolight + Sound, International Trade Fair for Event and Communication Technology, Audiovisual Production and Entertainment. And I was one of the lucky people able to attend this years show.

What a blast! Imagine the Sydney Motor show, with three levels. Now image twelve buildings of THAT size, and you have Frankfurt's MusikMesse show. It is simply huge, and it's impossible to see at all in the four days it is open. We managed to see all of the guitar sections, and the pro audio including the Sennheiser and Shure stands. See our special pictorial section to get some idea of what this years show was like. We will add to this blog mention of worthwhile product announcements so stay tuned.