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Universal Remote Controls
When I was looking for an additional TV remote control for our Panasonic 32” LCD TV (TC-32LX14), I found information for my needs and wants and that may be useful to people with different needs and wants.
(The part number for the remote control that comes with the TV is N2QAYB000321.)
My needs for a remote control for this TV are basic.
• Power ON-OFF button.
• Volume control.
• Mute button.
• Previous-channel button.
• Number buttons to enter channel numbers.
• OK (or Enter) button to click after the channel number is entered so that the new channel appears instantly – you don’t have to wait 3 seconds if there is no OK button to press.
This is also necessary so that if the wrong channel number is entered, one can press OK button, then instantly enter the correct channel number.
(summarized 2-19-2010)
R6 Learning Remote Control for 6-devices by Universal Remote Control, Inc.
The model number is “R6” or sometimes referred to as “URC-R6” or “AVEX-R6.”
The R6 remote has 6 macro buttons (each button can have up to 20 steps).
Per Amazon users, the memory of the R6 holds a total of about 40 macro steps.
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The R6 remote can control TVs, cable boxes, satellite receivers,
DVRs (digital video recorders), VCRs (video cassette recorders) and
DVDs.
It can also control Apple iPods, some media PC systems (Dell, Gateway, HP, Keyspan, Sony, Toshiba and WinBook), gaming system controls (Microsoft Xbox and Sony PS2) and lighting controls (Lite-Touch, Lutron, X-10 and XanTech).
Before buying the R6 remote, you may download the owner's manual from the Universal Remote Control, Inc. website to see all the equipment that the R6 remote can control.
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The R6 remote has Backlit device buttons.
The R6 remote has 4 buttons for favorites channels.
This remote is cheaper than the company’s WR7 universal remote control for 7-device below.
The batteries can be removed for months and the R6 will not lose your settings.
List price per Amazon: $19.99
Through Amazon, it is eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on eligible orders totaling over $25.
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
This remote has the learning mode. It was fairly easy to setup the remote that way I needed it to work with the Panasonic 32” TV.
It cost more than the RCA RCR451 multi-brand remote control (described later in this article), but was lot easier to setup.
Per an Amazon 5-star review by Kimolaoha (Maryland) on November 27, 2009:
“Works with Comcast DTA Box (Pace DC50X)”
“The Comcast/Pace DTA uses a newer IR ‘xmp’ protocol that many learning remotes will not recognize…”
Per an Amazon 5-star review by "Tester" (Maryland) on December 11, 2009, he, basically, was able to combine the remote control functions from two remote controls to one remote control to simplify things for his elderly parents. So now the R6 remote controls both the volume and power on-off function on their Sony TV (volume) and channel selection on their new Comcast's digital transport adapter “DTA.”
An Amazon 5-star review by “Law School or Bust ‘JS’” (The Show Me State) on March 15, 2009 states that the R6 did many things more expensive remotes (he has a few of them) are suppose to do but don’t.
(summarized 2-19-2010)
Click on the name of the universal remote control to purchase the
R6 Learning Remote Control through Amazon.
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WR7 Learning Remote Control
for 7-devices by Universal Remote Control, Inc.
The WR7 multi-brand remote control seems to have all the features of the company’s R6 remote control plus more.
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The WR7 remote has 13 macro buttons (each button can have up to 20 steps).
The WR7 remote has twice the memory of the R6 – per Amazon users it hold a total of about 80 macro steps.
The WR7 remote can control TVs, cable boxes, satellite receivers,
DVRs (digital video recorders), VCRs (video cassette recorders) and
DVDs.
It can also control Apple iPods, some media PC systems (Dell, Gateway, HP, Keyspan, Sony, Toshiba and WinBook), gaming system controls (Microsoft Xbox and Sony PS2) and lighting controls (Lite-Touch, Lutron, X-10 and XanTech).
Before buying the WR7 remote, you may download the owner's manual from the Universal Remote Control, Inc. website to see all the equipment that the WR7 remote can control.
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The batteries can be removed for months and the WR7 will not lose your settings.
List price per Amazon: $34.99
Through Amazon, it is eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on eligible orders totaling over $25.
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
(summarized 2-19-2010)
Click on the name of the remote control to purchase the
WR7 Learning Remote Control
through Amazon.
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RCA RCR451 Universal remote control
$7.99 (plus shipping) through one seller on Amazon.
This remote is cheaper than the “R6 Universal Remote” and the “WR7 Universal Remote” by Universal Remote Control, Inc. highlighted above.
This remote meets all my needs, but setting it up for our Panasonic 32’ TV was not quick.
Unfortunately, the note on the battery cover stated to go to www.rca.com/codefinder , but the codes for “TV” item didn’t work – the TV may be too new for those codes.
I followed the instructions to manually find the code, but it was very tedious.
Below is the instructions to program the RCA RCR451 remote control
for the Panasonic 32” LCD TV (TC-32LX14).
1. Manually, turn on the TV.
2. Hold the ON-OFF button and the TV button for a second or two.
3. The light will blink about 2 times.
4. Then Again hold the ON-OFF button and the TV button for a second or two.
5. The light should remain On.
6. Point the remote AWAY from the TV so as not to have the infrared light hit the sensor on the TV.
Also, best not to point to any reflective surface like shiny metal so that the infrared light doesn’t reflect off of it and hit the sensor on the TV.
7. Momentarily, press the ON-OFF button.
8. The light should turn off for a moment.
9. Again, momentarily, press the ON-OFF button.
10. The light should turn off for a moment.
11. Repeat steps 9 and 10 for “about 140 times.”
Note 1: Pointing the remote at the TV around the 9th time will turn off the TV.
The remote will work for all the functions I need, but the Enter function is not available to quickly change the channel after the channel number is pressed.
Note 2: The total amount of codes is about 200. So you may try for up to about 200 times or until the light blinks 4 times to see if there is a better code for the TV.
12. After about the 140th time, POINT THE REMOTE at the TV sensor.
13. Repeat steps 9 and 10 about 16 more times.
14. About the 156th time, the TV should turn off.
15. After the TV turns off, press the STOP button to save the code.
16. Hopefully, all the functions that you need will now work.
If you don’t get all the functions that you want, you may try codes from around the 157th and the 200th or until the light on the remote blinks four times.
(summarized 2-19-2010)
Click on the name of the remote control to purchase the
RCA RCR451 Universal remote control
through Amazon.
Sony RM-EZ4 Universal Remote Control
This Sony RM-EZ4 remote (has no learning capability) can be used on our Panasonic TV.
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This Sony RM-EZ4 remote works well EXCEPT you must
press the channel then wait about 3 seconds
for the TV to show the next channel.
Since there is no Enter function to instantly go to the next channel, I'm not, currently, using this remote.
This Sony seems to “always” work from the distances
I typically use it for – for other remotes I’ve used at the same distances, many times their buttons must be pressed more than one time to get the function to work.
(summarized 2-19-2010)
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Click on the name of the remote control to purchase the
Sony RM-EZ4 Universal Remote Control
through Amazon.
Currently, I try to avoid GE (General Electric) products
because of some issues.
(summarized 2-19-2010)
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