Universal Remote Controls - How to use them

We used to have this problem at home: four clickers cluttering the coffee table, none within arm's length. I know, it's a first-world problem but one with a quick solution: a universal remote control. It's one little remote control that can pretend to be any of those remotes on your couch or table.

Here's how it works: the universal remote control needs to learn which devices you have. (You'll typically need to know the make and model of each device connected to your home theater) After that, you train it to understand each activity you might use.

For example, one of my activities is called "BT Music," short for Bluetooth Music, and the universal remote turns my TV off, cranks up the sound bar and prepares it to receive bluetooth music from my phone or iPad. Another is called "Watch TV" and the remote sets my TV to display TV, sends the TV audio to my sound bar, and turns on the subwoofer. The universal remote is first pretending to be my TV remote. After it sends all the TV commands, it pretends to be the Sound Bar remote and sends all those commands.

In practice, it's easier than it sounds, which is the goal!

More coming this week on which to choose and how to make them work for you!