The Best Universal Remote Controls

You just got home made, a sandwich, grabbed a soda and sat down in your comfy armchair, all settled in to watch a movie. You grab for the television remote you turn the T.V. on. Deciding you'd rather watch cable programming then a DVD, you reach for the cable remote only to realize the remote isn't there, It's been lost again. If you have ever experienced this then you know. The more modern your home theater system gets, the more remotes you need. You never seem to be able to find the right one when you need it. The solution to this dilemma is to get a universal remote. Heck get two and hide one for yourself so the family can't lose it for you while your hard at work.

With so many universal remotes available today, you may think finding the one for you to be a seemingly daunting task and consuming too much of your efforts. However it doesn't have to be. First think to yourself what is it you want this remote to do? How many devices do you have? Does the remote support your manufacturers? Unless you have a real rare brand of television most of the televisions use the same frequencies to transmit and receive remote communications. What this means to you is most universal remotes will work for every device you have. Selecting the right one to work with all your devices is as easy as checking the item selection buttons. If you have a Television, Cable box, Blue ray player, HD DVD player, surround sound tuner and 6 disc cd changer you will need a remote with all these device selections.

The best universal remotes come with a large selection of features like macros, on screen displays, touch pads and built in software. These remotes can control anything you could think of owning. They can give you current information by connecting to your home network. Listing things such as stock prices, current weather patterns, and more. These remotes can bring up album cover art for the songs your listening to and reviews on the movie you just turned on. Who needs all that though? More expensive doesn't always mean better. For most people all you need is a nice universal remote that can replace the 8 single device remotes you have lying around and never seem to be able to find.

My personal favorite in universal remote is the the iPhone's accessory, which is called the L5 Remote. This device ensures that you will never have to look for your remote again unless you lose your phone often. This remote will always be right at hand in your pocket, right alongside your phone and is capable of controlling every device you own. With software macros to control multiple devices at once this is a full featured remote you can't lose. Buy one for the whole family if you are on a family share cell plan. This is a reasonably priced device running around $50.

Another favorite of mine is the GE RM25001 Universal Learning 8-Device Remote Control with EL Backlighting. This remote remembers even between battery changes what devices where programmed to it. With control of up to 8 devices it should be sufficient to control every device you own. The best thing is this remote has a sleek design and runs for around $20 brand new.

Just to give you one last idea before you set off in search of your perfect remote. Another favorite of mine is the DIGITAL R50. This remote makes it easy for your whole family to enjoy the home entertainment system. Capable of controlling up to 18 components, this remote features a built in LCD. Programing your controller is as easy as 1. open wizard, 2. answer questions, 3. begin controlling your devices. This controller may be a bit expensive but it has features which well compensate you for the added expenses at $80 it's got some bang for your buck.