When your home theater is crammed with an assortment of devices, each with its own remote control, it is easy to confuse one from the other. Aside from the clutter that the litter of black controls will do to your living room, the multiple buttons are bound to go through that confusion and frustration stages before you can figure out which button controls what function of which specific device. Universal remote controls are thus made to somehow help you through the nuances of controlling your gadgets from your couch. In looking for that one universal remote control to rule them all, you might be surprised to find several choices being sold in the market. These learning remotes also have their own features and quirks, so for you to navigate through these and pick the best one for your home theatre systems, here are the guidelines:
1. Size and handling – This remote control will get a lot of touch time with your hand so you might as well go for the one that fits the size of your palm. Compact sized remotes are attracting many buyers not only for their looks but for how easy they are on the hands.
2. Number of devices accommodated – The capacity of the remote to hold several code lists will determine how many of your other remote controls you can ditch. Many buyers are satisfied with being able to program five devices’ worth of codes in the universal remote and that should include their TV, speakers, DVD player and a couple other media devices. Others need more than that. If you have less electronics in your home, then you can opt for those with a more limited capacity and at a lesser price.
3. Special Features – The nifty little adds-on built into your remote may not be that important for it to function as such, but they are always nice to have. At night, when most movies are watched in dim rooms, you will appreciate the backlight on each button for you to see what you are punching. Beeps to alert you that the command has been received can cut down on the worrying on whether or not the device will respond.
4. Easy Programming – Last but definitely the most important of all, you must be able to figure out on your own how to program the codes into the universal remote with little or no assistance from the company’s customer service.
Source: http://audiointegratedamplifier1.blogspot.com/2010/08/compact-size-mini-6-device-smart.html