Audio Systems: Universal remotes, wireless remotes, universal remotes

Question
Is there really such a thing as a truly universal remote? We have a big household with different manufacturers' TVs, VCRs, stereos and now DVD players - Toshiba, RCA, Sony, etc.  Which of the countless wireless remotes can fully control the most number of appliances?
Thanks.

Answer
Dear Chris,

Yes, there *is* such a thing as a "truly universal remote", but like most all-in-one packages, they have drawbacks. Universal remotes "learn" the functions of the components you wish to control either by your entering a manufacturer's code on the keypad or by lining up their infrared beams. You quite literally beam the information from the dedicated remote to the universal remote.

The universal remote will be able to perform virtually all of the *basic* functions of each component. Notice I stress *basic*. This is because universal remotes, because they're universal and have to manage a vast array of different functions for different components, generally don't do everything that the component's dedicated remote is designed to do.

For instance, my Onkyo DVD player can fast forward at different speeds, depending on why I want to do that. A universal remote will have only one fast forward speed. My A/V receiver has sophisticated set-up algorithms for the surround sound speakers, something that a universal remote will not have.

So, I think a universal remote is a nice idea for general items--especially if you want to sit down and watch a DVD and one remote can handle the TV, receiver, and DVD players. But if you want to do something more complicated, you'll find that you'll go back to the dedicated remotes. Indeed, some components' functions are accessed only thru their remotes.

Now, there are some very sophisticated universal remotes (I think Kenwood makes one) that may get you close to replicating all the functions on any dedicated remote, but that's a personal choice. I've got a couple of drawers in the den's coffee table, and that's where all the remotes go when they're not in use. Even though we end up dragging out three (TV, receiver, and DVD player) when we want to watch a DVD, we've found that the hassle factor is minimal.

Hope this is helpful. Good luck. And thanks for choosing allexperts.com!

Kindest regards,

Kevin