Calm Your Remote Control Chaos
This post was originally published in the July 1, 2015 edition of the Southwest Journal, a Southwest Minneapolis community newspaper.#####I was recently looking at the remote controls around my entertainment center and realized I have six separate remotes!Count them up, how many do you have? One for the TV, another for the DVD, Blu-Ray, or VCR(?!), another for the stereo. Cable box? Apple TV or Android TV? It is easy to accumulate remote controls. Over time, we learn to use our systems, but what about visitors or even spouses? (Children generally don't have problems figuring out remotes. Somehow, they always seem to easily figure out how to access their shows.)
Fortunately, there are options to bring order to remote control chaos.
A first step is to look at your current remotes. Many will allow you to program in another device. For example, your DVD remote may also control basic TV functions. In this case, you can stow away your TV remote.But simply reducing the remote clutter by one or two may not cut it. To really simplify and streamline things, universal remote controls can be a big help.
Universal remotes are capable of being programmed (or taught) to control almost all your devices.
Universal remotes offer the ability to use the most common features from all of your remotes in a single controller. This means you can stick with one remote, rather than four or more. While this option can cut down on remote control clutter, you still can’t quite get rid of your old remotes, as you'll need them for some of the more advanced features that the remotes can offer such as system settings or things like picture-in-picture.Universal remote controls come in a wide range of prices from around $10 to hundreds of dollars.The less expensive ones (under $50) are quite straightforward: power, volume, channel selection, keypad, input selection, and some other common features. You can program them by typing in number codes on the keypad based on the device manufacturer of your components. The process takes a bit of time to load in proper codes, and it often takes attempting more than one code per device before you find one that works. If you add a new device at a later time, it may be difficult to reorder your devices if you want to match input numbers or have a specific order for tracking devices. Operation is very straightforward. Since the basic features are provided, it is not difficult to understand which buttons do what; it does take a little bit of time to get used to ensuring you are on the input (device) that you wish to control.The pricier (over $50 to hundreds of dollars) universal remote control options allow for online programming. This makes setup much easier. With online programming, you can choose your device, and the appropriate codes are added to the remote control. You can also generally reorder your devices without having to reprogram them all. Other features more common in the pricier remotes include: QWERTY keyboards, LCD screens, touchscreens, and radio frequency (RF) or bluetooth connectivity to devices.
Determining the right solution to fit your needs doesn't have to be complicated. Below are a few general guidelines.
If you just need to combine a TV and say a DVD player, first see if one of your two current remotes will allow for basic programming. If not, an entry-level universal remote should cover your needs.However, if you have a TV, DVD/Blu-Ray player, and a home theater audio system, consider getting a pricier universal remote. The $60 range can get a great remote, and I see little reason to jump into the $100 plus range unless you need some of the advanced features like bluetooth or the ability to control with your phone.Paul Burnstein is a tech handyman and digital dad who lives in Kingfield. As the founder of Gadget Guy MN, Paul focuses on optimizing personal and business use of technology. Contact him via www.gadgetguymn.com or email paul@gadgetguymn.com.