So, you have a brand new universal remote control. These are very convenient devices as they can be used to control a plethora of media components. With the right universal remote control, you can control your TV, the cable box, a Blu Ray player, and more, all with a single remote.
The clear advantage is that you only need a single remote for all of your devices. However, connecting everything and getting started is not as easy as just unpacking the remote.
You need to configure the remote and set it up properly so that it works with your respective devices. How you can configure a universal remote control is what we are discuss.
Configuring a Universal Remote Control
Configuring a universal remote control is not particularly difficult, but there are a few key steps which you will need to follow to make it all come together. Let’s go over a simple step-by-step tutorial on how to configure a universal remote control to work with all of your favorite media viewing devices.
- The first step is to ensure that the universal remote you have purchased is compatible with the specific devices you want to control with it. This usually comes down to the brand name. For instance, Sony universal remotes should be compatible with Sony devices.
- Take your new universal remote control and insert the batteries into it. On a side note, once the universal remote control has been configured or programmed, in some models, removing the batteries may cause it to revert back to its factory settings. It’s a good idea to research if this will happen with your specific remote.
- You also want to read the manual for your universal remote, as it will describe what sorts of devices and how many of them are compatible with that specific remote. In all reality, this is probably something you should research before making a purchase.
- Now that you know which of your devices are compatible with the universal remote control, it’s time to turn on the first device, which in this case should be the TV. It can be any device, but starting with the TV is a good idea.
- The packaging of your remote will provide you with detailed instructions for programming, but every remote will come with a setup mode. You need to enter the setup mode for your specific remote. Keep in mind that some can be configured using nothing but the TV screen, while others may actually require computer software. This comes down to which remote you have. Most models should have a button that says “setup.”
- Now you will need to program the code for your device into the remote, to allow it to connect seamlessly. The code for your TV or other device may be listed in the manual for the remote control, or you may have to go online to find the code for the specific TV, Blu Ray player, or other device you wish to connect. This will take the form of a numeric code, and once entered, it should take a few seconds to register, followed by some sort of confirmation. Keep in mind that there are some universal remote controls which can learn, which means that you may be able to simply point the remote at a TV, and they should connect.
- At this point, you should now be able to use the universal remote for your television. Now you can repeat the process for other devices. A high end universal remote control should come with various buttons, such as TV, DVD, and other similar buttons, maybe Blu Ray too. Now you can go about connecting other compatible devices as you see fit.
If you are having issues with your universal remote, such as that it is not connecting to your TV or other devices, you may have to do a bit of troubleshooting.
If it does not work right away, keep trying because these things can be a little finicky. That said, be sure that the remote in question is compatible with your devices.
Conclusion
There you have it — how to configure a universal remote control to work with all of your devices. Remember that universal remote controls need to be of the same brand name as the devices being controlled.
Therefore, if you plan on using a single remote to control your whole media setup, you will need to ensure that all the components are from the same brand name. Other than that, if you have a fairly high-end remote, you should have no problems configuring it to work with multiple devices at once.