Mini rant #3 - Our remotes control us...

I've been known to fix a electronic device or two but today this problem had me stumped. In the process it got me thinking about a few things...




It's come to my attention that we have put so much trust in our remote controls, that if something happens to them we're completely lost.

The other day I couldn't find my TV remote and I needed to change the device input. Since I wasn't in the mood to send out search parties I just flipped open the tv cover and fumbled through the menu till I found the option I needed.

Simple enough right? Well here's where the rant begins. Manufacturers have become so dependent on remote controls that they don't even bother to put control options on the device itself. Sure, some high end products still have them but for the most part they are nonexistent. While that doesn't seem like a big problem on the surface, think about what happens when the remote control breaks. You're stuck! You can buy a universal remote, but you can never have all the functionality of the original remote, that is, unless you go completely all out and buy a 150 dollar remote like the ones made by Harmony....

Whats the harm of adding a "menu" button to a blu-ray player? I'm not asking for a entire remote control worth of buttons. Just something that will give me some level of standard control if something unfortunate was to happen to the remote. I had a friend with a DVD/VCR combo player that couldn't even perform a chapter skip without the remote, which in their case was lost for good. Another friend couldn't install a wireless adaptor to their Blu-ray player because they couldn't work the menu without the remote, which was broken due to battery corrosion.

You may never have these issues, but it's definitely something to think about the next time you decide to buy a floor model TV or a player that doesn't come with the manufacturers remote...

But back to the problem at hand...

It's such a pain trying to setup someones blu-ray player when the remote won't work. I'm sitting here racking my brain for options and I'm all out of ideas. The power button works, but nothing else. Guess all that's left is to unplug and plug it back up and... What!?... You gotta be kidding me!... Now the remote works... I still think these devices need more controls... Smh!

Anyway, See you next blog