Are Touchscreen Remote Controls Worth The Price?

There’s probably no better way to bring comfort and style to your home theatre set-up than to purchase an LCD universal remote control that will perfectly blend with the set. Today’s remote controls have come in an overwhelming list of types, styles, colors and designs. One of the most innovative types is the touchscreen LCD remote control. But are touchscreen remote controls worth the price?

With the various features that this modern type of remote controls offers, people are guaranteed pure relaxation and convenience as they watch TV. However, compared to the standard types, touchscreen remote controls may come a bit more expensive. Also, their futuristic look makes them a bit more complicated to use.

Let’s take a closer look at the common features that touchscreen remote controls have, and see if they compensate the price you’re willing to pay. Get familiar with the advantages and disadvantages of this type of device.

One of the most identified benefits of using touchscreen remote controls is that they prevent you from having too many buttons to control in one mode. For instance, if you’re set to just watch the TV and not use the DVD player, only the necessary buttons to control the TV are displayed. Meanwhile, the play, rewind, forward or stop buttons that are used to control the DVD player is temporarily hidden. Another benefit is that these remote controls have backlights that provide bright display when it is dark. The backlight fades after seconds of inactivity to save power. One disadvantage, however, is that unlike the standard remotes, touchscreen remote controls require you to look at the screen to ensure you are touching the right part or control.

Below are some other pros and cons that have been observed in many brands of touchscreen remote controls.

  • Some brands of remote controls allow users to control up to 18 devices, cutting back on the clutter of having so many remotes on the table. However, some brands are specific to only one device.
  • The size of the LCD screen also varies from brand to brand. Some screens are large enough for the messages to be seen and read while some are too small that reading the information displayed is a struggle.
  • While some touchscreen remote controls come light and handy, some are too big to carry in one hand.
  • They are responsive with your finger’s slightest touch; although some types may come too sensitive to touch that proper navigation may come as a challenge.
  • While some can be easily programmed without having to consult the manual, some remotes are pretty complicated to program and often come with a poorly-written manual that is hard to understand and follow.

So, are touchscreen remote controls worth the price? It really depends on the brand of LCD remote control you choose. Different brands offer different features, and each of them has its own advantages and disadvantages. The decision lies on you. Choosing the LCD screen remote control that meets your needs and requirements is definitely worth the price.

Logitech Harmony 890 LCD Remote Control Uncovered

Getting rid of the remote clutter in your home is easy with Logitech Harmony 890 LCD. It is capable of replacing up to 15 remote controls and is equipped with features, such as infrared (IR) and radio frequency (RF). But what makes this LCD universal remote control a top choice? Let’s look at the features of Harmony 890 to know what makes it different from the rest of the Harmony series.

  • Combining style and functionality, this programmable LCD remote control is an all-in-one remote. Identical to the Logitech Harmony 880, the 890 LCD screen remote control retains the original dumbbell shape of Harmony remotes. It measures 8.1 inches long and 2.3 inches wide and weighs 5.8 ounces in elegant silvery finish.
  • Featuring 128 x 160-pixel color, the Logitech Harmony 890 LCD remote surpasses the standard screen color capabilities of other Harmony models. This LCD screen displays every function of the LCD monitor remote control it replaces. The large screen provides a space for eight contextual icons which also serve as its buttons. Previous models like Harmony 520 and Harmony 550 however only have six display icons.
  • Having a gadget that can control several home entertainment systems is an advantage. This LCD universal remote control can be hooked up to the computer via its USB connection to integrate up to 15 audio, video and gaming devices. Enjoy music at its best with your hidden components and multi room setup using the Logitech Harmony 890 LCD remote. The radio frequency allows signal to pass through walls and cabinets for your complete control of the audio and video systems of up to 100-foot range.
  • Another good feature of Harmony 890 is that the motion sensor automatically turns on the remote when you pick it up. Like the 880, Harmony 890 features a docking station for charging the lithium-ion battery. This not only saves you money but also lets you properly manage the use of remote by leaving it to its cradle when not in use. You can also let it stay on its cradle and you don’t have to worry about changing batteries anymore.

The drawback to this LCD universal remote control is that it is bit expensive at $350 to $400 compared with the 880, which is available at $130.

Unlike other LCD TV remote control which makes use of soft rubbery buttons, the Harmony 890 remote control buttons are made of hard plastic. Although this is a good thing, some features of this product like the 12-digit keypad and the video transport are however closely spaced to each other which make it difficult to operate by feel alone.

But in general, this Logitech Harmony 890 LCD still has an overall good layout with buttons that are backlit to match your darkened home-theater environment. The context-specific keys like the channel and volume up and down are also nicely elevated on the side and can be customized to perform specific tasks. All in all, it is definitely a great purchase.

 

Color LCD Remote Control – Are They Worth It?

The advent of color LCD remote control in the market has forever changed the face of home entertainment. With a host of modern features, this LCD remote control has undeniably made life easier for home viewers with its user-friendly features that make you feel like you’re totally in control.

Setting Up Phase

It is easy to set up your color LCD remote control such that you can use it control several home entertainment devices with ease. Most popular models come with a built-in library of codes that you can refer to when connecting them with corresponding home devices, whether it be your LCD HDTV, DVD player, or plasma. If you find that the brand of your home device is not readily compatible with your programmable LCD remote control, you can use the setup wizard to set up the device.

The setup wizard will take you through a step-by-step procedure for connecting the device and once you follow the instructions correctly, then you should have no problem controlling the device with your LCD universal remote control.

Testing Setup For Color LCD Remote Control

In order to test whether the LCD screen remote control is efficiently working, you need to run a few tests soon after setting up the device. When performing your test, make sure to point the remote control directly at the device you aim to control. Wait for a few seconds before the appliance responds before you do something else. Avoid pressing onto various button commands too quickly at one time and allow a few seconds interval for the device to accurately respond.

Check all the keys for your individual home entertainment devices to assess the difference in button and command setup. You can use the device’s original remote to better understand this using your LCD screen remote control.

Organizing Your Home Entertainment System

With basically new and more advanced home entertainment devices being introduced in the market on a periodic basis, it can undeniably lead to multiple devices filling up your home theater. One of the major issues that cause clutter around your house is identifying the remote control systems that control the corresponding device. And if you do find a remote control, it can often get confusing as to which remote control device controls which home entertainment appliance.

The innovation of a universal LCD remote control will therefore enable you to overcome this dilemma. The use of a single remote control for replacement of different control system for all your home theater appliances will no doubt make your life more organized.

Benefits of Current LCD TV Remote Control

Apart from the ability to organize home theater clutter, you can enjoy some other benefits with the use of LCD universal remote control:

  • With support from up to 5,000 different brands, compatibility should not be a problem with this programmable LCD remote control.
  • Since you have replaced all of your other remote controls with only a single controller, you will immensely reduce your battery usage to save money and the environment, as well.
  • Aside from introducing a host of features to provide support on using your home devices, color LCD remote control was also designed with ease of use in mind. Thus, you need not be technologically-adept just to be able to figure out how to use this remote control system and its features.

Logitech Harmony 1000 Remote Control Review: A Guide for LCD Remote Control Buyers

Logitech is one of the world’s largest manufacturers of high-end devices, such as computer keyboards, speakers and headphones. The company is also known for its wide selection of sleek and cool remote controls. One of them is the Logitech Harmony 1000 remote control. Tagged as Logitech’s first tablet-style LCD remote control, here’s a Logitech Harmony 1000 remote control review that will help you better understand this unit’s interesting features and capabilities.

Physical Attributes. This uniquely-styled remote control is 4.2″ x 5.5″ x 0.7″ in size and is very light at 6.8 oz. Meanwhile, the LCD screen’s size is 2.1″x2.75″ or 3.45″ diagonal, as large as the screen of a regular digital camera, and is large enough for users to see and read the information displayed.

Touchscreen LCD Display. This unit comes with a touchscreen LCD display that is brightly visible not just in the dark but in all other lighting conditions. Also, the screen is responsive to your fingers’ lightest touch and responds easily and accurately, whether you’re tapping it hard or caressing the screen with your fingers.
Price. The unit may come expensive at the price of around $499. However, this remote control is packed with exciting and cool features, from a responsive touchscreen LCD to the screen’s customizable settings.

Computer Compatibility. Harmony 1000 is compatible with both PC and Mac computers. It comes with a USB cable so you can connect the device to your internet-connected computer. Using the cable, you can install the latest software for this specific model of Harmony remote control.

Home Equipment Compatibility. This ingenious device can control up to 15 devices, helping you reduce remote control clutter on your living room table. Depending on your needs, you can program the unit to control your audio and video equipment, as well as your DVR and gaming equipment. It also features home automation, allowing you to control your home security system and your heating and cooling system.

Backlight. The backlight is one of the coolest features of Harmony 1000. After seconds of inactivity, the backlight fades away to save battery power. But with your fingers’ lightest touch, it immediately responds and wakes from its sleeping state. This feature is made possible by the power sensor that automatically turns on the backlight. You won’t have to press any button to turn the unit on and start working.

Must Have Features for Your LCD Universal Remote Control

Universal remote controls have come a long way. From the hard-to-manage buttons of regular remote controls, today’s generation ranges from non-touchscreen to touchscreen remote control. And with the endless list of LCD universal remote control that varies in design, features and style, finding the best one may come as a daunting task. To help you with your search, below are the must have features for your LCD universal remote control that you may want to consider.

  1. Consider the size of the LCD screen. Since the screen is where the controls are, it’s best that you choose a unit with a large screen so you can easily read the controls and the information being displayed. Unlike the regular or standard type of remotes, you would constantly need to look at the LCD screen to ensure that you are pressing the right controls.
  2. Consider the color that the screen displays. While there are still remotes that feature black-and-white LCD screens, it is always better that you choose a remote that comes with a colored screen. A color LCD remote control looks cool and is more pleasing to the eyes.
  3. Check the capacity of the remote control. You’re probably choosing the universal remote control because you want to reduce remote clutter on your table. If this is the case, you might as well choose universal remotes that can control all the devices that are available. While there are universal remote controls that you can use both for your audio and video equipment, there are also those that can control up to 18 more devices.
  4. Choose a unit that can be programmed with macros. Most universal remote controls, if not all, allow you to set your own commands, and program them in just one button or control. This nifty feature is sure to provide you convenience and ease in use.
  5. Ensure that the backlight is bright enough for you to read the information on the screen when it’s dark. There are some units that don’t illuminate the screen well, making it hard for the users to see what’s on the screen. Make sure your unit is equipped with a bright backlight.
  6. You may also want to consider the power source of the remote control. It is better that you choose a unit that uses rechargeable than disposable batteries. This way, you’re saving yourself from the cost that comes with constantly changing and buying new sets of batteries.
  7. Since LCD universal remote controls are a bit more complicated compared to the regular ones, make sure that the kit is packed with an easy to read and understand manual. Programming your remote will be easier if you have a manual that clearly describes the step-by-step process of doing it. Make sure that the kit also comes with the list of universal remote control codes as these are essential during the set up.

With a feature-packed LCD universal remote control, you’ll surely get the best home entertainment system. Consider these must-have features for your LCD universal remote control and you’re sure to have not just fun, but convenient and stylish home theatre system as well.