Having a fully-equipped home theater is a wonderful thing. You’ve got the Blu-Ray player for movies, a couple of game systems, a premium CD player and a cable box all neatly hooked up to your mounted flat panel TV with surrounding TV wall frame. You’re ready to sink back into your favorite reclining chair and enjoy the high-definition sights and sounds… but you can’t seem to find the remote to turn on the Blu-Ray player. It must’ve fallen back behind the TV. After searching for it you come across three complex-looking remotes, but you can’t remember if they are for your TV, CD player and Blu-Ray player or if they are from the previous set up you had in the room before the upgrade. Despite repeated attempts to click on at least one device, the remotes prove unassailable – one is working for the TV, but the others appear to have dead connections. A nice, relaxing evening is then spent on figuring out what the remotes are actually for, and how to turn on your Blu-Ray player without its matching remote.
Sound familiar? With all of the new devices on the market, you’d think convenience would be one of the first things to improve. Without a universal remote, however, you will often find yourself missing out on all the features of your devices. You want to have a home theater that is neat, organized and is your portal to a full HD entertainment experience – the headache of searching for remotes and figuring out which one is which can really detract from an otherwise lovely evening spent in the oasis that should be your home theater.
Universal remotes are a great solution when you find yourself inundated with too many remotes, devices and connections in your home theater. Not all remotes are created equal however, and which one you choose will depend on the devices you own and your entertainment needs.
First on the checklist is functionality. You want a universal remote that does everything you would do with a factory-included remote. If you don’t see yourself adjusting the picture and tweaking the sound every time you sit down, you can opt for a simpler remote: one that controls your devices on the basic level, with a power-on option and not much else. However, if you are the meticulous audiophile who needs to optimize every viewing experience, look for the remote with all the bells and whistles. By remembering what you actually need when shopping for a universal remote, you’ll save yourself money and time in the long run.
Related to the functionality of the remote are the optional functions it offers. You can find a universal remote that will delve deep into the adjustment options of all of your devices, so if you need this level of control, get a remote with many optional functions. Be sure to understand what your devices feature before purchasing the remote, so you don’t end up with a high-end, expensive remote that has many optional features that simply don’t work with your home theater devices.
Depending on your level of experience with tech, or on the experience of those you know will be using the remote, you might want to consider a remote that has larger buttons and a simpler interface. This can be especially good for the elderly or visually impaired. And if you aren’t confident that you’ll be able to tackle the sometimes time-consuming process of programming the remote, look for one that has a list of compatible devices and make sure your brands are listed. Although remotes usually have a manual input option, this is often frustrating and hit-or-miss to the uninitiated.
Universal remotes are a great way to organize and simplify your home theater setup. Be sure to fully assess your needs and the needs of other users before you purchase, and you’ll come home from the electronics store with a powerful device that will make your next evening care-free.
Lauren is a contributing writer for the HD Envy Blog. HD Envy is dedicated to producing a TV wall frame to meet your needs and add unique sophistication to your home theater. The TV wall frame that is right for you can be found in their pre-fabricated models, or you can get a fully customized TV wall frame based on your current décor. With premium engineering and attention to detail, every TV wall frame at HD Envy is a work of art.
Tags: Help, Home Theater, Install, Intel, Remotes
