How do I Choose the Best TV Remote?

Virtually every television set purchased today comes with a remote, and most people won’t have to buy a TV remote. This may be a good thing or an annoying one if people are already hip-deep in remotes for Blu-Ray® players, cable or satellite TV, sound systems, DVD players and/or VCRs. Many solve this issue by buying a universal remote that will control all devices, and there can be several criteria for selecting one.

First, though, make certain one or more remotes aren’t already universal. Cable and satellite companies may issue remotes that will control several devices. The number of different devices controlled may vary with each remote. People can find out if they already possess this, and how many things it works with, or if they can obtain one from their cable or satellite provider. These are often free, frequently very functional, and thus make a good TV remote choice.

When cable/satellite providers don’t have this attractive feature, folks will need to start looking for a universal remote that will control whatever devices they have. Some of these are available at local drug stores, and they might cost as little as $10-20 US Dollars (USD). Generally, the more function a person wants from a remote, the more they’ll pay, and prices could easily exceed $100 USD on fancier remotes purchased at electronics stores. Given this range in price and function, it’s pretty easy for people to find a remote that does exactly what they need it to do, simply by making a trip to an electronics store that has a good selection.

One thing to consider beyond price and functionality is ease of programming. Sometimes, it can be quite difficult to program a TV remote. Moreover, if the batteries die, it may not retain its memory for long and could necessitate reprogramming. Prices paid for easier to program models may be a little higher, but they could be worth it.

Another thing to look at is if the TV remote actually has buttons that address all functions on a device. For instance, can a DVD player skip ahead, be rewound, zoom in, or et cetera? Sometimes when switching to an all in one remote, people lose some of the neat features they have on each device, or they can’t find how to access them in the varying buttons of a universal remote.

Sometimes people are looking for a TV remote because they actually want to replace a broken or lost remote from a TV or have purchased a used TV with a broken remote. Again, a universal remote is a possibility but some require the TV to be on in order to program, and this isn’t always possible. The best advice here is to call the manufacturer of the television set; contact info can be found online for most major manufacturers. They may have access to additional remotes for original sets that are used, which they can sell to customers, or they could have suggestions on what universal remote might work as a replacement.