Featured Reviews

This is a weird review. We are looking at an assortment of remote controls. Some may not even look like remote controls, but they are. So for this video, we're not reviewing a product per se, but more of a genre. Let me tell you first how it came about. There are a myriad of iPhone-based remote controls on the market right now. We don't have all of them here, but we've sampled quite a few and we've formed more than a few opinions on the topic. I wanted to do this review because, well, the remote control market is a mess right now. Most companies don't quite get it. And the range of "not getting it" goes from "could use a little work" to "completely clueless". With that said, let's review the types of remotes...

Information on the Sunfire Universal Subwoofer Wireless Kit is very thin right now. But at $80 each for the transmitter and receiver and the ability to pair two receivers with a single transmitter, color us intrigued. We know they are using 2.4Ghz transmission with 16-bit resolution and a 48 khz sampling rate. Sunfire claims 100% signal accuracy up to 25 feet given their digital transmission. Without more information about how many transmitters you can have working in the same room and how they are combating interference, our excitement will have to be subdued. At least until we get our hands on a kit.

The problem with custom install products has, traditionally, been cost. But the ELAN "Killer Combo" of the HR2 remote and HC4 Media Controller is much more than that. It is a home control system and it runs only $1860. That means you'll be controlling not only the volume and channel, but also the lights, heating, security systems, and more. Compete with i-app support, IP interface for control from anywhere with a connection to the Internet, and up to four system support, ELAN looks to make you a customer with this deal. Will it work?

I've presided over many advanced devices in the audio-video world. Peel, a new Silicon Valley company that hit the scene this year with the help for some well-placed venture capital, is aiming to undo even the legacy of Logitech's Harmony - if they continue on the path they're one. Peel has developed an iPhone, iPod, iPad-based remote control system that literally revolutionizes the way you'll want to consume TV. So what makes the Peel special? Simple. It allows you to effortlessly set up your system, and then it organizes your options by genre, presenting you with iconic images of what's on TV and asking you the simple question: "What do you want to watch?". And it doesn't even have to ask the question, really, because it's all right there - in front of you. It's intuitive. In fact, it's stupid-easy. Head-slappingly so, in a way that makes you look around and wonder: Why TV hasn't been this way for the past 5 years?

Remote controls are funny. You don't realize how important they are until you use a really good one... that's not yours... then you get remote envy. It's not pretty. One of the solutions is Universal Remote's RF20. Now there are several things that make this remote stand out, but the most visual thing is that it has a backlit LCD screen that can be customized to control up to 10 different devices. The remote comes pre-programmed to operate virtually all brands of equipment. It can also do macros, which is like having the remote issue a bunch of commands to your gear in a row so that it turns itself on properly and starts playing a DVD, for example. Read on for more...

We'd love to tell you that you could (theoretically) throw away your Denon remote if you have a "Network 11" receiver but that just isn't the case. The app is free and it works over your network (which is cool) but it has only very basic functionality at this time. If you have a AVR-4311CI, AVR-A100, AVR-3311CI, or AVR-991, download it now (update your firmware if it isn't working on the latter two). If you are on the fence about a purchase of one of Denon's newer or older receivers, this shouldn't really sway your decision. Likely as not you'll still be using the remote from time to time.

Philips Pronto previewed its new TSW9500 in-wall control panel. The TSW9500 is the first in-wall solution offered by Pronto and has been designed to utilize the same configurations that have already been created for the TSU9800 and TSU9600. With the TSW9500, integrators now have the option to add a stationary in-wall Pronto control panel to their systems, which is ideal for home control solutions such as AV equipment, lighting, IP-based cameras and shades.

NextGen is shipping their remote Extender Genius, an upgrade over their original Remote Control extender in that it offers all the reliability of our original extender, plus allows for expanded control of up to five same brand components independently. I'd like to think that I came up with teh name, because "GENIUS" is how I described the first Remote Control Extender, for which I have been quoted extensively by the company! The Remote Extender Genius allows you to go from room-to-room and control your components from over 70 feet away.

Hotech's VoiceMe II is a voice-activated and controlled universal remote. At first we thought you'd have to have IR flashers running all around your home but that doesn't seem to be the case with the VoiceMe II. Instead, you put the unit in the room and it blasts the IR signal in multiple directions. The VoiceMe II can be programmed with up to 120 commands and can recognize four different users and claims a greater than 95% accuracy for voice recognition. Up to 10 operations can be activated by a single command. The VoiceMe II has the ability to delay commands as well which is important so that multiple commands to the same device aren't ignored if the device isn't ready. Now if they could get someone that sounds like Majel Barrett-Roddenberry to do the voice....