If you don't like the activities, sell the remote and buy a another brand. You can make the harmony remote work as a non-activity remote, but it's like using a screwdriver as a hammer. They hold their value pretty well. I'd suggest either a programmable Sony remote or if you need more programming power, a MX-500 or another remote in that series.

But give the activity orientation a fair trial. Unless you have a very unusual problems, once you have it set up right it should "just work." Sync problems should be rare and rapidly and easily corrected with the Help function