Remotely overwhelmed
I bought a new television some years ago.
It’s a good set – a Nordmende 36″ [I think]. It has a grand clear screen and does all the things it’s supposed to do.
Of course this meant I now had two remote controls: one for the television and one for the satellite. I programmed the satellite one to do all the functions of the other which is fine except for one thing – the satellite one won’t switch on the television. No matter. I can handle two remotes.
There are two things that really bugged me about the television. One is the remote control which is a horrible design and very finicky. The other is the sound but I’ll come to that.
Since that purchase I have made two additions to the system. One is a media box which is great for playing music and films that I have borrowed. The only problem with that is that it has its own remote control. So to play music or a film I start off with the TV remote to switch the set on and then use the satellite one and the media one to do the necessaries.
Then we got Netflix. At least this doesn’t have a remote control so I can use the TV one [which has its own Netflix button]. This means I’m back to using the remote I don’t like.
As I mentioned, the sound from the television is unadulterated crap. It’s tinny and even makes something in the set vibrate at certain frequencies. No mater what source I use, be it the satellite, the media box or Netflix, the speakers are the single common factor and therefore annoying.
I just bought a sound bar.
I know nothing about sound bars, never having had one. This was patently obvious when I opened the box – I didn’t know where to put it. It was a lot bigger than I expected and I really should have checked dimensions. Then there was the simple matters of finding a spare socket on one of the numerous multi-socket extensions. That wasn’t easy. Then there was the matter of connecting the bar to the television. Naturally I don’t have a spare HDMI cable but fortunately they provide a fiber optic “wire” [plastic?] and I discovered that the television has an optic socket which I never noticed before.
I balanced the sound bar with one end on a bookcase and the other end on the bed frame and switched on. It worked and it worked well. A lovely sound. Very rich as if I were listening in 3D rather than at the end of a telephone line.
There is only one problem though.
I now have another fucking remote control!
P.S. I defy anyone to find a universal remote that will work all the functions on all the boxes!
Logitech harmony does them all in this house, not cheap though.
I went for a Sony. It’s not one of the pricey ones but it isn’t the cheapest either. If I want good stereo and spectrum I prefer headphones but they tend to be a little anti-social.
Thing is, after Space Aliens (or whatever – maybe dog or grandchild?) have destroyed the remotes (or even just your enemies stealthily flattened the bats), can you control all yer bits by manual prestidigitation?
Like, by pressin da buttons on ’em?
…thought not; single point of failure 😉
I can just about do the basics on the television and satellite using buttons but that’s it. God be with the days of manual tuning, not to mention horizontal and vertical holds!
I agree that numerous controllers are rage inducing items-you can usually find them all except the one you want!
I bouught a tidy segmented stand to put them all in.
I can remember the days of dual standard tv’s-what a bloody nightmare these were-always carrying the damm tv down to the local tv shop-mind you-a good,hearty ‘thump’on the top of the tv usually sorted the problem out!
Hah! I used to work in Pye fault finding on the dual standard sets coming off the production line. One of the common faults was the massive switch in the circuits that switched from 405 to 625 and back.
Woud you believe that on my first day on the job I was taught to detect specific faults depending on which part of the chassis I thumped?
Is there a control for the 405 lines setting for reception in those parts of the county not well-reached by the digital signal?
When we first moved to Wicklow the only channels we could receive were 405, and the only channel that was clear as crystal was HTV. Even RTE was crap as we lived in a signal shadow from the local transmitter.