The likelihood is you have more than one remote; in fact, we can hazard a well-educated guess that you have several remotes lurking in the lounge or home cinema space of your home. You may one for the TV, one for the SKY box or Freeview etc., you may have a surround sound system linked to your TV and you will have a remote for that; also hanging around will be remotes of varying sizes for other pieces of TV related products in your home… like the various gaming consoles we have.
We can probably predict with startling accuracy what happens when one of these remotes cannot be found or the dog has chewed it or maybe a small child has decided it is their favourite play thing! In one swoop, the additional features and main menu of the item can no longer be accessed and the household starts the long decent into meltdown.
But, there is a solution - a programmable remote. Some look like space age devices, and there are many different makes and models on the market but they all offer great features and functionality. You can also wave goodbye to several remotes cluttering the coffee table, and use one easy, programmed remote - simplicity in itself.
But, if you want to be really all-in-one, some brands of remotes also control the lighting in a room and, the ultimate in programmed remotes, the curtains too!
Too technical?
Many people worry that one remote doing everything will be too much of a technical challenge but you need not worry. Some companies will not only do we supply the remote, but also programme it too so all you need to do, is point it and press the button.
Cost
Some programmable remotes come with hefty prices tags, hence we have select a few of the best out there on the market today, preferring the value-for-money and unbeatable quality of Logitech. So no matter how technically competent you think you are or are not, there is the perfect programmable remote for you.
What to look for:
Features - as with any technical product you buy today, the most exciting part is leading its long list of functions, in other words what it can (and cannot) do. For example, separate your recorded viewing list or favourite TV channels with specific named lists, ‘his and hers' being a common one. Some features are fun, others are essential. We can talk through all the options on each of the remotes we offer.
Design - remember, practicality does not always mean beauty in the case of electronic gadgets, but we think the remotes we offer are practical and simple to use too. Some remotes are the same size as an ‘ordinary' TV remote, whereas the top of the range programmable remote we offer is larger, like a small tablet size, with easy to read and use screen. The best way to see which you prefer is to hold them, scrolling through options etc. and generally using the remote.
Ease of use - but surely, the biggest criteria on which to base your purchase is how easy it is to use? What you do need to check is how functional and easy you find it. After all, if it is too difficult to work out how to switch the TV on without switching the lights off, something is not quite right…
Steve Bateman has vast experience working within the AV industry and likes to share his experience and knowledge through blogging. You can find Steve on a day to day basis working at Master AV Services.
