Land of Oz

Remotes!

What is it with remote control for audio-visual (AV) equipment designers? Do they have no brains what-so-ever? Every remote I have - and I have a bunch have a completely different layout of buttons. A big bunch of busy buttons. There is absolutely no method to the arrangement of those buttons. I have buttons for functions so esoteric I can't even find them in the manual that are right next to buttons I use every time I watch a DVD. Why not put the most common functions on big buttons up towards the top of the remote and leave the least used ones at the bottom. Or how about grouping them by function? Why not put audio channels and subtitles together? And label them so you can read them. It's usually dark in most AV rooms and all the remotes have this teeny-tiny low contrast labeling that can hardly be read in full daylight.

And the remotes themselves - why black and dark grey??? It's hard enough to find a remote when you need it even if it was glowing - but black? They fall on the floor or among the cushions and they're lost forever. I've added some reflective tape to mine that helps a little, but not too much. I really would love to see some dayglow orange remotes that I could find. And why make the buttons light up when you still can't read the labels. How many people take the time to memorize the buttons' functions?

And would it kill you manufacturers to come up with some standards for control codes? Even though all of my remotes seem to have multiple buttons for TV, VCR, DVD, etc. none will work with any others. I have a "universal" TV remote with a VCR, DVD and Audio toggle on it, but not one of the codes they give you to "program" the extras seems to work. Why not make them the same? It's not like I'm going to buy a TV and ask for a refund for the remote because my DVD player already has one. What would it hurt if Sony, Panasonic, Samsung and Pioneer all used the same basic signals for her remotes? I don't know of anyone who has less than three remotes available on their table when they want to watch some TV.

Here's my ideal remote: dayglow orange or yellow with a beeper that goes off when you press the "Where's the hell my remote" button on your TV/VCR/DVD/Stereo. The face will have a backlight that lights up what the buttons do. The most common functions are towards the top and grouped by function. And one remote will handle ALL the various gadgets in my house. Yep - I know, I'll be able to get bacon from my second story window, before a manufacturer would makes something this user-friendly.