TV Remotes?

[Shades]

NHL season is upon us....finally....and my remote has gone on the fritz. No flaming comments about couch potatoes and their remotes please.
My question for the knowledgable among you...can I get a replacement remote that will work on my TV? and where....Future Shop? Do I need to take the old one in to make sure I get a compatable one?
many thanks
Shades....

 

[goodtime]

The source, future shop, Best buy

Especially The source (ex-Radio Shack) carries good selection of universal remote, few were on sale when I was there last week.

As long as your TV is major brand, the instruction manual would give you 2 or 3 numbers to try for that brand. Some have scan function to cycle thru the codes and see which one work with your TV. Or learn by pointing your old remote to new one to pick-up the code.

The more TV/DVD/Cable/Sat/Stereo multi-function remote, price goes up but save from stack of remotes to fish for. Especially helpful if you are undoing her bra with one hand and...

 

[Svend]

Did you try changing the battery?
Yes, you can also go to Future Shop for a universal remote.

 

[Garrett]

NHL season is upon us....finally....and my remote has gone on the fritz. No flaming comments about couch potatoes and their remotes please.
My question for the knowledgable among you...can I get a replacement remote that will work on my TV? and where....Future Shop? Do I need to take the old one in to make sure I get a compatable one?
many thanks
Shades....

You have some options:

o you can usually get an exact replacement. Google the model number.
o you can go high end and get something like a Pronto. You can get it to the point it controls your whole house (lights. heating, girlfriend... ok... maybe not hte girlfriend).
o you can get a harmony. I have yet to try one. They really seem to be growing in popularity for "set it and forget it" convenience. I am going to pick up the 880 this fall.

 

[tboy]

I haven't bought one yet but I have read good things about it (other than it likes batteries) but item #17 on the link below shows a Kameleon LCD remote. It shows only the buttons that directly affect the item selected. ie: only the fast forward, stop, rewind etc for the VCR

http://www.factorydirect.ca/catalog/category_list.php?cat=ELAV

Don't get one of the ones that you have to point your old remote at, I had one of those and if the battery dies, you have to do it all again. This is bad if you existing one doesn't work. Some have a battery backup that holds the memory if the main batteries die, but only for a short time.

 

[goodtime]

Clap on/clap off

If it's just to turn the TV on/off, consider the all important 80's K-tel invention, the Clapper.

 

[Shades]

411 Team Terb

Many thanks for the info and advice team terb...good to know you all are around. One of the nice things about this site.
Very useful to know that you have to re-point remotes when you change batteries, if you get that kind...I would have probably thrown the old one out!


Goodtime; I think I will reserve my clapper for the lava lamp

 

[Cobster]

get the most basic RCA model there is.
know the model of your tv (check back for sticker or metallicaly imprinted text)
dont spend more than $10....you dont have to
i used to work in home theatre at best buy, i never suggested anything else.

 

[Meister]

o you can get a harmony. I have yet to try one. They really seem to be growing in popularity for "set it and forget it" convenience. I am going to pick up the 880 this fall.

I have the Harmony 659 Universal Remote, it's incredible.

If you have more than the TV you want to control (PVR,Cable,DVD,Home Theatre....) you got to go Harmony.

 

[Cobster]

meister how do u find the batter drainage/usage on the harmony?
when they first came out 1 guy at work won his, said it drained them fast, other guy bought it and said the same thing...

 

[Meister]

All the buttons illuminate when you start using it. It also has a blue backlit monochrome LCD screen. It takes 4 AAA batteries. I recharge them about every 2-3 months. It uses more than non-illuminated remotes and unless you are willing to put rechargebles in there it is not worth it.

All the settings are entered on the computer where it downloads all the updated codes from the internet through USB. So, when you buy a new model 2006 DVD player you can get the codes from the net without programming or "learn" mode. Very easy.