Universal Control

The many-buttoned monstrosity of a remote that came with your cable box isn't close to being universal. If you're lucky, it may turn on the TV, VCR, and DVD player. But can it play CDs or switch from 2-channel stereo to 5.1 Dolby Digital? If you're tired of a coffee table loaded with devices for controlling your home theater, it's time to step up to a truly universal remote.

We tested five gadgets that claim they'll control virtually any home theater component right out of the box, and learn the functions they don't know.

When the RCA Universal Learning Remote Control RCU1010 had trouble switching to Video 1 on my Harman/Kardon receiver, I pointed the original remote at it and pressed a few buttons to teach the RCA the right code.

You can also create macros that record a series of commands and replay them at a touch of a button--so one button can switch to the correct inputs on your TV and receiver while starting up a DVD.

These all-in-one devices aren't built like standard remotes. One For All's Kameleon URC9960 eschews hard buttons in favor of a backlit touchpad with keys that light up and switch off depending on which device you're controlling. Philips' Pronto TSU3000 and RCA's RCU1010 give you even more control over the button layout with touch-screen LCDs that you can reconfigure to suit your needs. Models like the Home Theater Master MX-600 and the Intrigue Technologies Harmony Remote SST-768 use smaller LCDs that allow you to rename a set of buttons.

The Harmony Remote and the Philips Pronto even connect to your PC so that you can download new codes, program your buttons via handy software apps, and put TV listing data on your remote.

Provided you're willing to put in some time teaching your new gadget to behave, you can make controlling your home theater much simpler. But get ready for some sticker shock: Our Editor's Pick, the Harmony Remote SST-768, costs $299. The convenience is worthwhile when you get it working right--but keep the original remotes close by for that moment when you realize you've taught the new device to turn everything on with one button, but you haven't yet told it how to turn anything off.

Michael Gowan