TV remote controls Archives - Page 2 of 2

Three Tips for Cord Cutters Who Like Sports

June 18, 2016July 1, 2016 ReplacementRemotes.com

Cord cutting is getting increasingly popular among consumers who want to ditch the expensive and confining plans offered by traditional cable companies. There is one big drawback to cord cutting, however. It often makes finding live sporting events more difficult.

Broadcasters and cable companies pay big premiums for exclusive rights to sporting events, so cord cutters often just can’t bring up the big game with their remotes. For cord cutters, there are a few workarounds, however.

Antenna – If a big game is being televised by one of the major broadcast networks, you may be able to pick it up by buying a traditional antenna and connecting it to your television. Broadcast airwaves are still free and, if there’s an affiliate nearby, you should be able to pick up their signal on an antenna.
Network streaming services – Several networks are jumping on the cord cutting bandwagon by offering their content via streaming service. Find out what network is televising your event and inquire into whether they offer a streaming service.
League streaming services – Some professional sports leagues are getting in on the act by streaming their own events. You’ll have to pick up a subscription to these services, but in many cases they’re less expensive than a traditional cable subscription and offer many extras to consumers.

More than 1.13 million U.S. households cut the cord in 2015, and another million are expected to cut the cord in 2016.

Replacementremotes.com is a provider of new and refurbished TV remote controls for a wide variety of televisions and other electronics. In addition to remotes, 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.

A Cord Cutter’s Guide to the Olympics

June 8, 2016June 23, 2016 ReplacementRemotes.com

Cable cutting is growing ever more popular as the Internet has provided consumers with better and cheaper options than traditional cable. While people who have abandoned traditional cable have lots of great television viewing options, they may find themselves in a bind to watch wall-to-wall coverage of big events like the Olympics.

Cable companies and broadcasters are conspiring to keep the best coverage of big events like the Olympics behind paywalls to push consumers into signing up for their services. NBC has the broadcast rights to the Rio Olympics, which begin on August 5th. While you can pick up some of the games for free via antenna, for the best coverage the network will want you to sign up for a subscription service.

For folks in the U.S. who want to watch the Olympics, but who don’t want to subscribe to a pay service, there is another option. The BBC is broadcasting the event for free in Britain, and by finding ways to get around the company’s geo-blocking mechanisms, you can, too. Getting around geo-blockers can be a challenge, but if you have a tech-savvy friend, it can be done.

Properly Dispose of Old or Broken Remotes Through Recycling

May 25, 2016June 15, 2016 ReplacementRemotes.com

How many times have you opened that junk drawer to find an entire collection of remote controls? Of course, you can’t find the one you need when you lost the original, but don’t take it out on these remotes. They aren’t useless. In fact, there are a couple of different things you can do with them.

Test Them Out

A remote control that did not come with your television may still work with it for minimal purposes. For example, RCA remotes generally turn on and adjust the volume of other RCA televisions. That can be helpful in a pinch.

Take Kids to the Future

While the world is waiting for ray guns to be invented, kids can pretend they already are. They can also pretend they are phones or other two-way communicators with beings from another planet or realm.

Donate to Charity

When times get tough, people are not always able to spend money on things like a replacement remote. Consider donating yours to charity for just such an occasion. You’re helping someone else and cleaning out the clutter while you’re at it.

Let Companies Reuse Them

Recycling has become a hot trend, and many electronics companies are eager to associate their names with it. They are also eager to turn a profit, so using recycled materials is something they take seriously. Consider donating one or all of the broken electronic items in your home to an electronic company near you. You will be keeping these items out of the landfills and, in the long run, you may be helping to reduce the cost of new electronics.

Dual-Sided Televisions, Curved Screens Just the Tip of the TV Tech Iceberg

April 18, 2016April 22, 2016 ReplacementRemotes.com

Just when you thought television technology couldn’t advance any further, new developments are advancing our favorite entertainment medium even further. Dual-sided televisions and curved screen TVs are among the hottest new technologies for the (not-so) small screen.

LG recently debuted an 111-inch dual-sided television. The device consists of three 65-inch Ultra HD OLED screens and lets viewers watch content on either side of the television at the same time. While it’s not likely to end up in many living rooms, this set will make a great display piece in public areas or could come in handy at gaming events.

Curved screen televisions have been around for a few years now, but they recently found their stride in the market. Curved screens work better with the natural contours of the eye, providing an improved viewing experience. Viewers report seeing a wider field of view, better perception of depth, and improved contrast when watching curved screen televisions. Samsung has made a major push in marketing these televisions in recent months.

Dual-sided televisions and curved screen sets aren’t the only new innovations coming down the pipe for television. Consumers can expect more virtual reality and 3-D options in the near future, as well as more convenient options for accessing online content from their television sets.

A Brief History of Cable Television

April 8, 2016April 8, 2016 ReplacementRemotes.com

Cable television has a long history and a bright future ahead of it, as it innovates to compete in a more consumer-focused digital environment. While much has been said about “cable cutters,” the truth is that millions of consumers will continue to use their remote controls to access cable services for years to come.

Cable may have a longer history than you think. The earliest cable ventures had their start in the late 1940s when the very first cable services provided content from the broadcast networks to communities in Oregon, Arkansas, and Pennsylvania.

The next few decades saw cable slowly grow as demand for the service increased incrementally. Eventually, cable proliferation became great enough to make cable TV networks feasible in the 1970s.

Cable television services truly came of age in the 1980s, when conditions were ripe for an explosion of channels and services. Technology, infrastructure, and costs were all at optimal levels to promote the widespread adoption of cable television service by consumers. By 1998, there were more than 170 networks providing content to millions of subscribers in the U.S.

In the late 90s and the new century, cable companies branched out to provide the infrastructure needed to provide quality Internet access to consumers. Today, cable companies have hundreds of millions of subscribers and now offer countless entertainment choices via DVR, OnDemand, and other options. Cable companies are now leading the way in establishing Wi-Fi networks.

Twitch Grows from Humble Roots to Juggernaut

March 18, 2016March 23, 2016 ReplacementRemotes.com

The livestreaming platform Twitch.tv grew from a spinoff of a general interest video streaming site to an Internet colossus, becoming the fourth largest source of peak Internet traffic in 2014. The platform allows convenient, easy access to video game-related content streamed by individual players, who are increasingly abandoning traditional television and using their game and TV remote controls to check out Twitch.

Visitors to Twitch can watch livestream videos of users playing or talking about videogames and can also interact with them via chat. Commonly viewed content on the site includes e-sports tournaments, gaming talk shows, and personal streams from players.

Twitch started as a content category of justin.tv, an Internet site that allowed anyone to broadcast video online. The video game category quickly became the most popular category, and justin.tv was eventually shut down to allow its founders to focus on Twitch.

A few fast facts about Twitch:

Twitch was recently acquired by Amazon for $970 million.
About 76 percent of users are between ages 18 and 49.
About 68 percent now watch less television to focus on game entertainment online.
About 58 percent of Twitch users spend 20 hours or more on the site.

Twitch is expected to continue to grow, as demand for gaming entertainment continues its exponential increase.

Replacementremotes.com is a provider of new and refurbished remote controls for a wide variety of televisions and other electronics. In addition to remotes, 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.

PlayStation Vue Adding Channels, Cutting Prices

March 18, 2016March 23, 2016 ReplacementRemotes.com

PlayStation Vue is set to upend how we watch television, allowing access to many sources traditionally only available with a cable television subscription. The new model could be as revolutionary for the industry as the introduction of the remote control.

PlayStation is adding channels to its line up and chopping prices on its Internet-delivered TV packages as it continues to ramp up its services. Sony just added ESPN and various Disney networks to its lineup.

With regard to its price decreases, Sony officials say the price cut along with the addition of new channels is helping to build upon strong momentum the Internet-delivered service already has.

Sony recently cut prices for the three PlayStation Vue plans by $10 each. The 60-channel Access package now costs $39.99 per month. The 75-channel Core package now costs $44.99, and the 100-channel Elite service now costs $54.99.

PlayStation Vue launched last March. It’s not the only Internet-delivered service. Competitors include Dish Network’s Sling TV, and the soon-to-launch DirecTV Now. The television service should help make the top-selling PlayStation 4 console even more popular, as it enables the device to be the go-to for providing both gaming and viewing entertainment.

Four Top Apps For The Apple TV

December 2, 2015December 2, 2015 ReplacementRemotes.com

The Apple TV can turn your boring flat screen into a fun, interactive media center, not only providing you access to great TV shows and movies, but also to games and other content. Apple recently launched an app store for the Apple TV, and sales are strong as more Apple TV users realize the entertainment possibilities a click of their Apple TV remote can provide.

Curious about what the Apple TV can do for you? Consider these popular Apple TV apps:

Netflix – If you’re going to have an Apple TV, you have to have Netflix. The popular subscription service gives users access to countless television shows and movies, including classic and obscure titles hard to find anywhere else.
Hulu – Much like Netflix, this service provides users with access to tons of television shows and movies. One great thing about Hulu is that it provides access to many currently airing shows, unlike Netflix, which typically is a season or two behind current shows. Best of all, they now offer a commercial-free subscription plan.
Words Galore – Want to get your game on? A great word puzzle game will help keep your mind sharp. In this game, players must find words inside a scramble of letters.
7 Minute TV Workout – Access a quick workout anytime from your Apple TV. This fast workout will get your heart pounding and help you find a quick and convenient way to get your daily exercise done on busy days.

Explore these and other great apps for the Apple TV to get the most out of this dynamic device.

Replacementremotes.com sells new and refurbished TV remote control devices for a wide variety of electronic devices. In addition to remotes, the company also provides TV stands, accessories, replacement product manuals, lights and much more. The company also operates a repair service for certain devices. To learn more, contact 1-877-671-7173.

Rechargeable vs. Disposable Batteries

October 18, 2015October 20, 2015 ReplacementRemotes.com

From powering TV remote controls to energizing garage door openers, disposable batteries still have many uses in our increasingly modern world. Still, it can be a hassle when batteries run out of power. If you’re tired of buying new sets of batteries to keep important appliances in working order, you may want to consider switching to rechargeables. Not only will rechargeable batteries keep you from going to the store, they’re also less expensive in the long run.

Compare the pros and cons of both batteries below and determine which works better for your family.

Disposable Batteries

Disposables are widely available and often inexpensive, making them the most popular choice for consumers. Though they can be made from many different types of metal, from carbon to alkaline, these days lithium batteries are preferred for their long-lasting power. The benefit of using disposables is that they last twice as long as rechargeable batteries before they need to be charged, which makes them ideal for low-drain devices such as smoke detectors. A major con, however, is their effect on the environment. Since disposable batteries need to be thrown out fairly often, there’s a higher chance they’ll wind up in landfills where their toxic and corrosive chemicals can leach into the earth.

Rechargeable Batteries

Most consumers buy two sets of rechargeables in order to cycle the batteries. When you add in the device needed to charge them, rechargeables can seem a lot more expensive up front. However, they more than pay for themselves over time as they can be reused over and over for years.

Better yet, according to a study done in Europe, rechargeables have 28 times less impact on global warming when compared to disposable batteries.¹ When consumers buy fewer batteries, fewer have to be produced. This can significantly cut down on emissions related to manufacturing and product transportation. Plus, fewer disposable batteries being purchased will also reduce the number that wind up in landfills.

Depending on your preference, both disposable and rechargeable batteries work in a number of household devices, including universal TV remotes from ReplacementRemotes.com. We offer a range of products to satisfy your home audio and video needs, including remote controls, operating manuals, code booklets, TV stands, wall mounts, cables, and more. To place an order, call 1-855-5-REMOTE.

Source: 1. http://www.remanufacturing.org.uk/pdf/story/1p85.pdf