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Rival Masters of the Household Universe MOST remote control owners will recognize the tedious stick-shifting that is often required to play a DVD: first, pick up the cable remote and click On. Next, do the same with the remotes for the TV, the DVD player and the stereo, assuming you want full surround sound. Now grab the TV remote and switch to DVD input, then - you're almost there - go back to the DVD remote, navigate through the menu, and hit Play. When it comes to your remotes, who's really in control? Universal devices range from simple, inexpensive models that control basic functions to more complex ones that can be customized. Although the majority of universal remotes marketed today tend toward the latter, it is worth considering whether a cheap, easy-to-set-up remote that simply controls basic TV, cable, VCR and DVD functions will serve your needs. Many people may find that the fairly low-tech, low-glamour, low-cost 4-in-1 Universal Remote Control ($9.99) from RadioShack is a good solution. The 4-in-1 comes programmed with the infrared remote control signals used by about 350 manufacturers. Setup involves an easy to-follow-procedure in which you look up the code associated with your device and punch it in to activate the appropriate signals. If your gadget's code is not listed, you can't use this remote, since it doesn't offer the ability to "learn" from other remotes as most of the more sophisticated universal remotes do. Operating the remote is as straightforward as setting it up. There are four device types listed (TV, VCR, cable and DVD). After clicking on the component you wish to control, you press the button corresponding to the action you wish to perform. Another RadioShack unit, the 6-in-1 Touchscreen Remote Powered by Kameleon ($59.99), is similarly easy to set up but comes with a few more functions. The most significant is the ability to control audio devices like a stereo receiver or a CD player. The 6-in-1 is also able to learn, which is helpful if your device isn't on the list of preprogrammed codes. In another nice touch, the buttons relevant to the device you're controlling are illuminated, which helps narrow down the number of available choices. There is a disadvantage to simplicity. Even though you are no longer juggling a handful of different remotes, common tasks like playing a DVD still require multiple steps. This can quickly become annoying. Wouldn't it be nice if you could just push one button without having to switch control from component to component? The answer is, you can. The solution lies in the creation of what is known as a "macro": a button that, once programmed, automatically performs a series of operations. Those familiar with Microsoft Word's macro tool will recognize the basic steps involved in creating one: press Record, push the buttons you wish to include, press Stop. The sequence is fairly standard across all universal remotes that offer macros. While the RadioShack 6-in-1 is capable of some macro programming, a device with more robust capability is the Philips Pronto TSU3000 ($399.99). The TSU3000 comes with a handful of powerful tools: software (Windows only) that lets you create custom buttons on the L.C.D. touch screen; an optional radio frequency extender to control devices not in line-of-sight view; and a database of more than 500 brands. With a remote like this, which can control components ranging from a personal video recorder (like the TiVo) to a home security camera, what can be done with a macro is limited only by the owner's imagination. But therein lies a drawback: macros are often useful only to the person who has set them up and knows how they work. The baby sitter, say, may pick up the remote but has no idea how to operate it. For those who wish their universal remotes to be more universally usable, one option is the Harmony Remote SST-659 ($199), which its maker, Intrigue Technologies, promotes as an activity-based remote. Rather than controlling individual devices, the Harmony's main buttons control common activities like watching a movie or playing a CD. Since a combination of components often need to work together to carry out these tasks, the creators of the Harmony remote have set up a Web-based database of device codes and their associated activities. Harmony users connect the remote to their computers (PC or Macintosh) with a U.S.B. cable and then go online to answer a series of questions about how they operate their systems. Sample questions include: To watch a DVD, what does your TV need to be tuned to? (Choices include "Channel 3," "Video 1" and similar options.) Once this process is complete, the codes are downloaded from the Web and installed on the remote, which can then execute commands in much the same way that macros do. The big advantage is that as long as they have been correctly entered into the database, the Harmony doesn't have to be programmed by the user. TV listings can also be downloaded onto the remote for a fee of $20 per year (or a one-time charge of $40). Not everyone will want to take part in this gadget arms race. One disadvantage to the Harmony (and many of the other remotes) is the sheer number of buttons: 50 in Harmony's case. Button overload is not only an aesthetic turnoff but an impediment to those whose small motor skills may be limited because of age or a disability. Such users might want to consider Weemote, a line from Fobis Technologies with oversize buttons and limited options that is expressly designed for children and the elderly. Two models are currently available, the Weemote 2 and the Weemote Sr., both $24.95. They are set up and function much as the basic RadioShack remote does but have only nine buttons, all big and mostly varying in shape for those who might rely on tactile memory to navigate the device. Because they lack a full numerical keypad, it is not possible to enter a specific channel that hasn't been programmed as a favorite (up to 10 channels can be preset, although you can reach any channel by scrolling). The company says that most of its users watch only a limited number of channels regularly. The drawback is that the Weemotes only control a TV's power, volume and channel settings (though they will work with cable boxes and personal video recorders that handle those functions). Still another remote-control solution is available for those who carry palmtop organizers. A good place to start is NoviiRemote ($24.99) which enables most Palm or PocketPC hand-helds to be taught, using other remotes, to morph into programmable universal remotes. This fall an alternate version, called NoviiRemote & Guide ($39.99) will be released, which includes customizable listings of your favorite shows (for whatever part of the country you may be visiting). Another coming model, Blaster ($59.99), will include a plug-in card and CD-ROM that contain a fully loaded set of remote codes for thousands of devices, thereby eliminating the need to program each code. The Blaster will also extend the range of the hand-held, though when I tested out the regular NoviiRemote it worked fine up to about 15 feet away. None of those remotes are designed to control a PC, something that might be helpful for those people who store and play music and DVD's on their computers. Enter the Streamzap PC Remote ($39.95), a Windows-only remote that can be used to control programs like PowerPoint or DVD and music-playing software. A thumb-size infrared receiver plugs into the U.S.B. port and feeds the remote's signals into the computer, enabling you to control the PC from the couch. A company called Keyspan makes a similar device, the Digital Media Remote ($39), which works with both Windows and Mac-based computers. No gadget has truly arrived, of course, unless models are
available for more than $1,000. It seems that the universal
remote has come into its own: a high-end version of the Pronto,
the iPronto ($1,699) comes with a 6.4-inch touch screen and
speakers and can provide wireless access to the Internet.
And for those who really want to make a statement, there is
the AMX ViewPoint line of flat-panel remotes, which run as
high as $5,000 and can do everything from display the cover
art of your favorite albums to function as a wireless intercom.
These generally require custom installation and are said to
be all the rage in Hollywood. Now, that's entertainment. |
        
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