My distant relative (in two senses of the word) bought a tv second-hand, with no remote. It’s new enough, it certainly takes a remote; the remote was just not with it when she bought it.
I was thinking of getting her a “universal remote” at some cheap electronics store. Will it matter a whole lot that I don’t know the tv model or make? Can I just get a generic blue-stripe one-size-fits-all universal remote, and, when I give it to her later, it and the tv will magically sync up?
Or should I drive the heck and gone up to visit her, take down the tv specifics, and only then take that to an electronics shop to make sure the “universal remote” really will talk to the tv? Are there really obscure, rare, perverse brands of tvs that won’t work with the most typical types of “universal” remotes?
(I’m lazy…and gasoline prices being what they are… And she isn’t technical enough to read the make and model off the back label of a tv set… Yeah, really!)
Universal is not just ‘it works’, the universal remote needs to have that TV’s remote pattern in memory. Over the years I got burn with 2 devices that didn’t work with universal remotes, 1 was a TV, the other a sound bar. Knowing the name brand would be a bit reassuring, if it’s well known then it should not be a problem, but if it’s something like Ho Won’s TV then you may have issues.
Generally you can get a cheap universal remote to change the channels, turn the TV on and off, and Change the volume. For some people, that might be enough, but in general on a newer TV you at least occasionally may need to change the input, the aspect ratio, or other features than many “universal” remotes don’t have buttons for. If you had the original remote you can usually just buy a universal remote with a few “learning” buttons that will hit these features. But since you don’t have the original remote at all, you want a remote that will hit all the features.
That means, either A) contact the company that makes the TV and get a replacement original remote, or B) get a Logitech Harmony remote - they can be had for as little as $30: TigerDirect Sunset
The Logitech harmony remote is different than a standard learning remote because you hook it up to the computer, punch in the devices that you have and it downloads the codes from Logitech. For all but the most esoteric devices they have every function, the weird ones tend to show up on the LCD display which you can page through.
i’ve had good luck with Sony remotes. you can look up your make and model and get a code number to enter to get it to work. if you don’t know the model number then you can still get it to work; it might give you 3 to 6 numbers that work all models from a single maker.
if she can’t read the make and model off the back of the set then you aren’t going to be able to get her to set up the remote. it takes understanding some instructions (often by nonnative English writers).
I have this: http://www1.buyincoins.com/new_en/details/universal-ir-mini-tv-spy-remote-control-keychain-01-product-199.html
About $1, keychain sized, I think it’s the most suitable for TVs you don’t know the brand of, since auto scanning is quite easy (it auto scrolls, you stop it when it’s got the right code. With other universal remotes you may have to keep manually entering codes - 001, 002, 003 etc.) You can also carry it anywhere and er, commandeer TVs in public.
Quality of products on that site is a bit low, though. (but still usable)
A number of years ago, I bought a brand of TV called Konka. Eventually, the remote started wearing out (some of the buttons would only work intermittently) so I started looking for a universal remote. I quickly discovered that most manufacturers of universal remotes had apparently never heard of Konka, and the one that did have Konka listed still didn’t work :mad:. Eventually, I found a website where I could buy a replacement remote.
Every universal remote I’ve ever purchased has an option if none of the listed codes work or the device is unknown; you’ll find it in the setup instructions. It’ll be something like, “If no codes work, punch x, y, and z. Then push FWD and POWER alternately, pointing the remote at the TV, until the power turns off. When the TV turns off, press OK to lock in the code.” Or something along those lines, anyway. It may take 50 or more presses of FWD and POWER to get a result, but eventually, you should find the right code.
Everything said above is correct, but keep in mind that the “correct” code on a generic universal may NOT change the input, or the aspect ratio of the TV (or access the menu). If you want to hook up say, a cable box and a DVD player that could be a huge issue.