New fancy remotes make watching TV any easier?
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OK, anyone remember when you had to actually get up to change the TV channel? Well, things have come a long way since then. The latest remotes go far beyond the push of a button, and they’re coming with more and more "smart TVs." Consumer Reports wanted to see whether they actually make watching TV any easier.
You use one from LG like a wand. It moves a cursor on the screen to navigate the menu. But it’s not perfect. The remote makes it harder to navigate the usual TV menu and to perform normal functions such as change the input from the cable box to the antenna. It also has voice recognition. That’s fine for searching the Web but it didn’t work well for regular TV viewing.
A Panasonic TV comes with a traditional remote and one that performs basic tasks such as volume and channel changing and a touchpad for smart-TV functions such as
searching the Web. Though the second remote looks cool, like most remotes that come with TVs it’s not universal, so you can’t control your cable or satellite box.
Samsung also has a set that comes with two remotes. The touchpad one can be used as a universal remote. Plus the Samsung set has gesture and voice controls. But Consumer Reports finds that they make some things more difficult, such as turning up the volume.
So do the newest TV remotes really make watching television easier? They’re really designed to help you navigate apps, do searches, and surf the Web. And from what Consumer Reports has seen, they do it pretty well. But if you’re just trying to catch the latest episode of “Mad Men,” you’re better off with your regular old remote.
More televisions are coming with Internet capability, and that’s where touchpad remotes shine. Consumer Reports says that although those remotes have some kinks to work out, you can expect to see a lot more of them in the future.
You use one from LG like a wand. It moves a cursor on the screen to navigate the menu. But it’s not perfect. The remote makes it harder to navigate the usual TV menu and to perform normal functions such as change the input from the cable box to the antenna. It also has voice recognition. That’s fine for searching the Web but it didn’t work well for regular TV viewing.
A Panasonic TV comes with a traditional remote and one that performs basic tasks such as volume and channel changing and a touchpad for smart-TV functions such as
searching the Web. Though the second remote looks cool, like most remotes that come with TVs it’s not universal, so you can’t control your cable or satellite box.
Samsung also has a set that comes with two remotes. The touchpad one can be used as a universal remote. Plus the Samsung set has gesture and voice controls. But Consumer Reports finds that they make some things more difficult, such as turning up the volume.
So do the newest TV remotes really make watching television easier? They’re really designed to help you navigate apps, do searches, and surf the Web. And from what Consumer Reports has seen, they do it pretty well. But if you’re just trying to catch the latest episode of “Mad Men,” you’re better off with your regular old remote.
More televisions are coming with Internet capability, and that’s where touchpad remotes shine. Consumer Reports says that although those remotes have some kinks to work out, you can expect to see a lot more of them in the future.
iphone app is my remote.
I'm using the Logitech Harmony One, best gift ever! Want to turn on the TV? Push Watch TV, the TV, Amplifier, and cable box turn on, Â switch the the correct inputs, and the volume is controlled by the Amp via remote and channel is changed on the cable box. One button! Seriously buy one of the cheap ones it's totally worth the $50 buck you can find it somewhere online.
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http://www.logitech.com/en-us/remotes
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I don't like these newfangled remote TV controls. I liked being able to get up and change the channel with a resounding CLUNK between channels, and maybe a dose of Tuner Spray from the Radio Shack now and then. I got Casper the friendly ghost out of Bellingham when the weather was right, sometimes a bonus- extra ghosts!
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Our new TV doesn't seem to have any knobs or buttons, you have to kind of caress the side of it and hope you hit the right area. I don't like being that intimate with my TV.
 @Insomniac Dreams That's why it's called "The Boob Tube."Â
I'll stay with my voice controlled remote. It's the only thing in my family that really listens to me and does what I ask.
 @FZR LOL!