A remote control is supposed to be about convenience. So a perfect ‘tech upgrade’ for the home with too many things to control could come in the form of a universal remote.

A universal remote aims to help a home theatre owner, whose coffee table is littered with remote controls and who doesn’t know which buttons to press, by integrating the entire process into one remote. This one unit replaces any number of other control devices, such as television, digital free-to-air and Foxtel, amplifier, DVD player/recorder, PVR etc.

There are different types of universal remotes, including preprogrammed and programmable remotes. The interface and style also differs by remote. Some universal remotes are similar to the ones that usually accompany televisions, complete with rubber buttons, while some have LCD touch screens, or a combination of both.