THE UNIVERSAL REMOTE CONTROL

For years, perhaps over a decade, I have struggled with my remote control situation. Each component has its own remote control. I even needed a remote control, separate from all the rest, to switch over to watch a DVD and in the past, to play video games. At any given time, I had upwards from 4 remote controls, sitting on my bed side table collecting dust and crumbs of stuff.

I took a big plunge yesterday and invested in my first Universal Remote Control. I struggled with the price tag, but figured if I could get the bugger to work, my life would be better. Simpler. Easier.

I inserted the batteries and unfolded, fold after fold after fold of the instruction manual and sat on my bed with it open like a big road map. It was daunting.

There were codes about codes. Codes for different components, made in different countries, with different languages. Codes for different companies, in different countries. There were codes about things I never thought code-worthy. I got out my highlighter and my sharp-ee marker and read the road map start to finish. I made notes about codes and highlighted the notes in color and component specific colors.

I am not the type of person to read the instructions. I much prefer to figure it out along the way; but in this instance, if I didn't get it correct out of the gate, I wasn't going to try again.

I punched in numbers and symbols and the appropriate codes. I followed the directions for each component and made sure I didn't punch in anything that wasn't required.

You can imagine my surprise and jubilant joy when I tested my coding and every single thing turned on and functioned with functions I didn't think were possible!

I placed all 5 of my old remote controls in my drawer last night. I slid into bed and turned on the cable box, my TV, my DVD and my speakers all at once. I bounced between the US Open, surround-sound and Old School on DVD. I played with the volume, the contrast, and the bass. AWESOME!