Universal Remote Review

Universal remote controls span a staggering price range, from basic models that cost less than $10 to ultra-sophisticated touchscreen LCD remotes that cost more than many A/V components. Some high-end universal remotes even require professional programming and installation. We found lots of places to read reviews of universal remotes, although most tend to concentrate on mid-priced and high-end options. We rank CNet.com as the best destination for reviews, and the site summarizes all of its reports on a helpful landing page. We also liked the coverage we found at Audioholics.com and PC Magazine, while a comparative article in The New York Times is also helpful. User reviews at Amazon.com provide insight into less-expensive remotes. RemoteCentral.com doesn't rate or rank remotes, but has what are easily the most detailed reports that we've seen.

Universal remotes can replace all of the controllers in your home-entertainment setup with one unit. Less expensive remotes use preloaded product codes to identify your A/V equipment. Setup involves finding your components in the list and training the remote to recognize them. These inexpensive universal remotes can control three or four components. Higher-priced remotes can control up to 15 components. Their LCD programming screens and web-based setup make programming easier, experts say. These more expensive remotes are also activity-based, meaning you can order the remote to perform an activity (such as "Watch TV") that usually requires multiple keystrokes -- such as turning on a TV, cable box and receiver -- with just a single button press.

While web-based set-up helps, with it or without it, even experts sometimes get frustrated when they try to program a universal remote to run all of their equipment. "As we all know, programming a universal remote is only slightly less fun than electrocution," writes Adrienne Maxwell at Home Theater magazine.

The Philips Prestigo SRU8015 (*Est. $87) gets some recognition from experts, but programming difficulties make others wonder how it managed to earn recognition as an Innovations Award winner at the 2008 Consumer Electronics Show. "Make no mistake -- this remote is beautiful and the screen is elegant and easy to read," writes Clint DeBoer of Audioholics.com. "I wanted this remote to be great. Unfortunately it seems like nobody at Philips actually test-drove this product before it came to market."

DeBoer finds the same problems with the Prestigo SRU8015 that some consumers at Amazon.com report. If you make a mistake while programming -- even a little mistake, like a typo when you're naming an activity -- you can't edit anything. You must start again from scratch. Because the Prestigo remote can't connect to the Internet, as other remote controls in its price range can, there's no hope for any updates to fix these glitches, reviewers point out. Additionally, while the Prestigo's keypad is nicely backlit, the lighting stays on for only one second after you press a button. "The fact that this remote actually won a 2008 CES Innovations Award gives me concern that the award is anything but prestigious," DeBoer concludes.