Tag: tv remote

Two professional technicians workers installing television on the wall

How to Set Up Your Living Room for Optimal TV Viewing

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Deciding where to put your TV in the living room is an important decision. After all, it will affect your viewing pleasure whether you are watching movies, TV, sports, or playing games. Two factors that determine the best place to install your TV are the size of the television and the TV viewing distance between the TV and the sofa.

The smaller the TV, the closer you will want to be, so you do not have to strain your eyes. Conversely, the larger the TV, the further back the better, so you are not too close to the TV.

TV Stand or Wall Mount?

Once you determine the spacing between the TV and furniture, then you need to decide if you want to put the TV on a TV stand or mount it on the wall. Wall mounting does require installing the appropriate wall mount kit and securing it to the wall by attaching the wall mount into the studs.

Two professional technicians workers installing television on the wall

How High Is Too High?

Make sure you don’t install the TV too high on a stand or the wall, so you are straining your neck looking up when watching TV. If you must place it above a fireplace or higher up on the wall, make sure you can swivel the TV to a downward viewing angle.

Other Considerations

Once you know if you are using a TV stand or wall mounting your TV, remember to take the time to hide all those unsightly cords. There are cord covers and organizers to keep them neat, tidy, and hidden away. Most importantly, make sure you have a TV remote control holder within easy reach of the sofa or your recliner.

To find TV wall mount kits and replacement television remote and universal remote controls, please feel free to browse online at Replacements Remotes or contact us at 855-573-6683 today!

bath tub with tv

Five Trendy TV Wall Mount Design Ideas for Your Home

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If you are thinking about freeing up space on the entertainment center or TV stand, check out these trendy TV wall mount design ideas!

bath tub with TV

  1. Build the mount into the wall. Built-ins are trending right now because you are tapping into the space behind the drywall. Plus, it makes things recessed, so you gain more living space in the room. Just make sure to use an interior wall.
  2. In the bathroom above the bathtub. TV in the bathroom is becoming very popular with homeowners. They can relax in the tub after a long day at work and catch up on their favorite programs. Just make sure to use a water-resistant TV.
  3. Build a “picture” frame around the TV. Framing the TV will make it more decorative when it is not in use, as it will look like a picture of a TV that has been framed.
  4. On top of wood paneled walls. One hot design trend is to use hardwood flooring on the walls as accents or for the entire room.
  5. Built into a bookcase or entertainment center with sliding doors. Sliding doors hide the TV when it is not in use and turn the focus to the other décor in the room.

Don’t forget to upgrade your remote controls to a universal remote for easy control of your wall-mounted TV and connected devices. For help selecting the right remote controls and wall mounts for your TVs, please feel free to contact ReplacementRemotes at 1-855-5-REMOTE (1-855-573-6683) today!

Family watching Television together

Balancing TV Watching in the Family

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Among a family’s entertainment options, TV watching is often at the top of the list. Balancing the diverse options on the family’s TV can seem challenging, with so many choices from recordings on the DVR to streaming movies over the internet or playing games on apps on your smart TV.

Family watching Television together

To help make sure everyone gets to enjoy their favorites and to help prevent fighting over who gets to control the TV remote, we recommend the following tips:

  1. Limit viewing to two hours each evening after dinner.
  2. While watching TV, put away all other electronic devices, including smartphones.
  3. Allow each family member to choose the movie, programs, or games on a different night of the week.
  4. Make the weekend’s family movie nights, complete with popcorn.
  5. Never leave the TV on as background noise.
  6. Use TV watching as a reward for completing homework assignments and chores around the house.
  7. If you allow your children to watch an hour of afternoon kids’ shows, sit down and watch a few episodes with them to make sure they are age appropriate.
  8. Remember to use parental controls to block inappropriate channels.

After watching TV for the evening, shut the TV off and make this quiet time, with no electronic devices to help your kids fall asleep faster and easier. If you need a new remote control for your TV or other entertainment devices, remember to call ReplacementRemotes.com at 1-855-5-REMOTE (1-855-573-6683) for help selecting the right remote for your devices.

Watch TV

How to Control Binge Watching and the Amount of Time You Watch TV

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For many people, especially Millennials, it can be rather tempting to curl up on the couch, grab their TV remote controls, and start binge watching their favorite television series. Binge watching has become the new “in-thing” to catch up on shows without having to wait a week or longer in between episodes.

However, binge watching can ruin a series because it can take away from its original appeal. Most shows have several different levels of storytelling:

  • There can be a story for each episode.
  • There can be a story for that particular season.
  • And, sometimes, there even can be an overall developing story for the entire series!

Watch TV

Plus, binge watching can be a major letdown after you finish watching all available episodes. Then, you are forced to wait in anticipation for more new episodes, which, sometimes, are not available until a year later!

By altering your binge-watching habits, you can stretch out your favorite programs longer and get more enjoyment out of them.

  • Watch only one but no more than two episodes at a time.
  • Allow a full day to go by before watching another episode (i.e., every other day).
  • Find more than one series you want to catch up on and alternate between them.
  • Limit the amount of time you binge watch programs each day to that of a full-length feature film—so, no more than two-and-a-half hours a day.

By changing your binge-watching habits, you will discover you get more enjoyment out of your favorite programs and look forward to future episodes. For universal and TV remotes and related accessories, call ReplacementRemotes.com at 1-855-5-REMOTE (1-855-573-6683).

get togethers

Spring Gathering Checklist

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There are all sorts of different checklists you can use when planning parties and get-togethers in the springtime, from checklists of things to do, to lists of cleaning chores, to lists of things to check that are functioning correctly, like these following items.

  1. Remote Controls – Whether it is for the TV, sound system, or outdoor projection system, you want to make sure all the remote controls work correctly and get new batteries or a replacement remote if they do not.
  2. Home Entertainment Systems – Make sure the TV, stereo, and other connected devices are working correctly and that there are no wiring errors. Also, to keep guests safe, make sure no wires are left running across the floors and are properly bundled and covered.
  3. Indoor/Outdoor Lighting – Check to verify all lights work and there are no burnt-out bulbs that need to be replaced.
  4. Cooking Appliances/Warmers/Grills – If you are preparing food for your guests, make sure all your appliances, warmers, and grills are ready to go.
  5. Pool/Hot Tub Heaters, Filters, and Pumps – If you have a pool and/or hot tub, confirm the heater is working, the filters are cleaned, and the pumps are cycling correctly.

get togethers

  1. Fire Pits/Patio Heaters – For gas appliances, make sure to have plenty of gas tanks on hand, unless they are directly connected to a gas line. For wood burning heaters, clean them out ahead of time and have plenty of dry hardwood available for burning.

By taking the time to make sure all your items are working correctly, you and your guests will have a great time at your spring party! Please feel free to contact ReplacementRemotes.com at 1-855-5-REMOTE (1-855-573-6683) today for replacement remotes and other related accessories.

Watching television in bed

TV in Bed: Yay or Nay?

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In a country as sharply divided as ours, is there any wonder that there’s even a debate on whether watching television in bed is a blessing or a curse? For some folks, watching television in bed helps them wind down after a busy day. For others, the noise and light disturb their sleep cycle.

Watching television in bed

Before deciding which side of the debate you fall on, consider these pros and cons of watching television in bed:

  • For busy professionals, night time may be their only opportunity to catch up on the news. By tuning into a 24-hour news channel, busy men and women can keep informed.
  • If you work nights, it’s tough to unplug from work and immediately fall asleep. Watching television for an hour or so before falling asleep can help you disconnect from work and soothe yourself to sleep.
  • For some, the brightness of a television screen has a stimulating effect and may keep them up nights. For people wired this way, reading a book before bed may be a superior way to unwind.
  • Watching television in bed can cut into important conversation time with your spouse or significant other. Many couples talk and connect at the end of the day, so tuning into your favorite shows during that time may have your other half feeling left out in the cold.

Whether you decide to watch television in bed or want to shut it off at night, a reliable TV remote control can be a big help. ReplacementRemotes.com offers high-quality universal remotes to the hospitality industry, and also stocks lines of consumer remote controls and other devices.

Perfect TV Positioning

Three Tips for Perfect TV Positioning

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You can always tell when a television just isn’t positioned right. The glare from lights or windows is distracting. You have to crane or tilt your neck to get a good view. You have to either squint to see text on the screen or you’re overwhelmed by how close the screen feels. It’s tough to use the TV remote.

Perfect TV Positioning

Finding just the right spot and positioning for your television isn’t easy. If it were, we’d all be home consultants. For folks struggling to properly set up their television, the following tips can help:

  • One of the biggest decisions you’ll have to make is whether to mount the television on the wall or place it on a TV stand. Wall mounting frees up floor space and is also helpful in homes with active children or pets. If you mount it on the wall, you’ll need to make sure that the television is securely fastened to the wall, and that it’s at an angle and height that is conducive for viewing.
  • If you have a little more room, a TV stand can be a good choice. It’s easier to adjust the height with a stand, and the stand itself can come in handy for storage. If you place the TV on a stand, you’ll want to position it so that it’s at eye level when you’re seated, for optimal viewing.
  • How far away your seating should be from the television is another major concern. In general, the larger the television, the farther away your seating should be for optimal viewing. For 26-inch screens, the optimal distance is around five feet. For 40-inch screens, a seven-foot distance is ideal. And, for 50-inch screens, you’ll need six-and-a-half feet or greater.

ReplacementRemotes.com sells new and refurbished TV remote controls for a wide variety of televisions and other electronic devices. The company also provides TV stands, accessories, replacement product manuals, lights, and other accessories. The company also operates a repair service for remotes and other devices. To learn more, contact 1-877-671-7173.

Planning a Holiday Party

Tips for Planning a Holiday Party (Part I)

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With the holiday season starting, getting organized and prepared for your holiday party requires careful planning and execution. The last thing you want is for guests to start arriving on the day or evening of the event and have you still trying to get things completed.

Planning a Holiday Party

ReplacementRemotes.com is pleased to offer planning tips and suggestions in part one of this two-part blog segment to help start planning your party and ensure it is a success!

  1. Decide on a date and time for your party. Most people start planning a month or two in advance.
  2. Pick a holiday theme. Some people like to have guests dress up formally, while others want to keep things casual, or even have guests arrive in their pajamas, like for a Christmas Eve party.
  3. Make a guest list.
  4. Send out invitations and request an RSVP so you know how many people to expect.
  5. Set a spending limit for your guests if you are doing a gift exchange.
  6. Plan your holiday menu. Remember to take into consideration food allergies and have at least a few vegetarian options.
  7. Put up your decorations.
  8. Create a music or video playlist.
  9. Verify at least a week in advance that all remote controls and entertainment center devices are working correctly.
  10. Send out reminders to guests two weeks and one week before the party.

In the next blog segment, we will discuss tips to finalize your party and prepare for your guests’ arrival. If you need universal or TV remote controls to replace nonworking ones, feel free to contact ReplacementRemotes.com at 1-855-5-REMOTE (1-855-573-6683).

Successful Movie Night

How to Host a Successful Movie Night

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One of the biggest mistakes people make, when hosting a moving night, is inviting friends over and just “winging it” after they arrive. You casually visit while your guests peruse through your movie collection and attempt to try to come to a consensus on what everyone will watch. Taking this approach results in wasted time, disagreements, and potentially unhappy guests.

Successful Movie Night

To ensure everyone has a great time at your movie night, use these tips:

  1. Select the movie yourself to avoid disagreements between your friends. It is okay to get their input about the genre or if there are any recent releases everyone is interested in seeing, but, in the end, you need to decide what is best for the group.
  2. Set a date and time for the movie night. You can create a group event on Facebook to invite people and help them remember when it is.
  3. Inspect your home entertainment center ahead of time. Make sure all wires are plugged in and the surround sound is configured for the type of movie you will watch. Also, remember to verify all of your remotes are working and do not need new batteries.
  4. Stock up on popcorn, candy, and soft drinks. If you plan on having a large group, consider asking everyone to bring something to share.
  5. Enjoy the movie!

If you are unable to locate a remote control or want to simplify your entertainment system setup with a universal remote, contact ReplacementRemotes.com at 1-855-5-REMOTE (1-855-573-6683) today!

Remotes Away from Your Pets

How to Keep Your Remotes Away from Your Pets

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You go to reach for the TV remote and discover it has somehow disappeared from its normal spot on the end table or sofa. You quickly notice small pieces of plastic leading away from the living room and follow the trail, only to discover the remains of the remote sitting next to your pet’s bedding. This is a common scenario if you have dogs.

Remotes Away from Your Pets

For cat owners, on the other hand, it can require having to move furniture to get to a remote control the cat batted up under the sofa or under an end table. Either way, you need to protect your remotes from being lost or destroyed by your pets, using these tips:

  1. Place remotes where pets cannot reach them when they are not being used and whenever you leave the room.
  2. If you catch your pet with the remote, take it away from them, but do not punish them. Rather, give them a toy to play with, instead, and reinforce positive behaviors with treats and praises whenever they play with the toy. Positive reinforcement is easier to learn and retain than negative reinforcement.
  3. For dogs, give them chew toys that are hard, like the plastic on the remote control. If all your dog has are soft toys, their teeth are not being stimulated as they should be, and they will reach for your remote control.

In the event your pet has destroyed, broken, or lost your remote, you can get a new one from ReplacementRemotes.com. Call 1-855-5-REMOTE (1-855-573-6683) or browse our website today!