There are a lot of components that go into a home theater, from relievers, to sound bars, to projects. And all of these components have their own remotes. Having a different remote for each component of your home theater can become quite cumbersome and over whelming. There is an elegant solution to this though: using a universal remote. A universal remote is a remote that is able to control all of you devices, meaning that you only need one remote for each component of your home theater. To prevent clutter in your home theater, a universal remote is a must. But what kind of universal remote is best? This blog post is here to help you figure out what kind of universal remote you need.
Considering Cost
The first thing that you need to consider is cost. Some of the more sophisticated and technologically advanced universal remotes can become very pricey. They pricey remotes are very good, but you may not need an expesnive remote for your situation. For example, if you do not have a lot of components, a simpler remote can make due. For example, there are a few universal remotes out there that cost less than 30 dollars, but they are very simple. They do not have an LED screen and can only work with a limited number of components. But this is all you need if you do not have more than 5 or so components. If you have more components than this, or if you just want a more technological advanced you will need to spend a bit more money.
LED Display
Next thing you need to consider is if you want your remote to have an LED screen. Having a LED on your remote can be quite beneficial. Why? It helps you to understand exactly what device you are currently connected to and it makes it a lot more intuitive for you to use. Remotes with LED screens also can typically connect to more devices. So if you have a more complicated system having a remote with an LED screen can make controlling your system a whole lot easier.
Touch Screen
A step up from an LED display is having a remote with a touch screen. Touch screens make everything a lot easier because you can just touch the option you want and connect to what ever devices, all with a single touch. Remotes with Touch screens are typically on the more expensive side of universal remotes, but this also means that the remote is capable of connecting to even more devices. Having a universal remote with a touch screen is very beneficial if you have a very complex setup because it can connect to many devices, and the touch screen makes it very intuitive to control and work with each device.
Using Your Smart Devices
Most people always have their smart phones within arms reach, so why not make them act as a remote? To make your phone act as a remote you need a device that is able to convert signals from your phone to infrared signals in order to operate said devices. There are various devices that convert either your phones WiFi or Bluetooth signals into infrared signals. When you purchase these devices it is recommended to spend more money to ensure they are the highest quality and properly convert the signals. Once you have a device that converts to infrared signals, you need to download the corresponding app so you have a remote control graphical interface on your phone.
The biggest thing you need to consider when choosing a universal remote is that it is easy for you to use. A universal remote is supposed to remove clutter from your home and make it easier for you to work all your devices. So if you buy a remote that is too complicated for you to figure out, you just defeated the purpose of getting a new remote. All that matters is that it makes your movie experience easier to set up, thus allowing you to have more enjoyable movie experiences.