Tag: TV remotes

TV remotes

Betamax vs. VHS

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Back when TV remotes still made clicking noises when you pushed the buttons, there were these devices many of you might recall called VCRs and Betamax. In November 2015, years after Betamax lost the home viewing device war, Sony finally stopped production of the Betamax tapes, much to the surprise of a large population who wasn’t even aware these tapes were still being made.

Sony’s Baby

Sony came out with the Betamax just a few short years after the VCR was made. Because Sony had such a sound reputation when it came to recording devices and the elements that went along with them, the company assumed that the Betamax would be a success. However, there were two major components that made this reality impossible: cost and functionality.

Recording Times and Price

No one is really sure exactly what drove Sony to create a device that could only record for 60 minutes, when most movies last at least 90 minutes. Perhaps Sony was trying to make an extreme effort to end cable piracy? Or more likely, sell more tapes. Since VHS was less expensive and could record for 120 minutes, it was easy enough for customers to make a choice between the two.

At this time, there are still those who are either so devoted to Sony or so set on not being trendy that they continue to rely on a Betamax for their nostalgic entertainment. For those who chose this path in lieu of Blu-Rays and devices that have present-time remote control codes, let the world have a moment of silence as the dust begins to gather on the production machines for Betamax tapes. Farewell, Betamax: The machine that would change for no man.

The History of HDTV

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HDTV, or High Definition Television, offers a substantially higher resolution than standard television. Though this format originated in Japan in the 1970s, the United States didn’t adopt HDTV until the 1990s, due to a combination of politics as well as technological setbacks. Here is a brief look back at the history of this invention and its arrival in the United States:

  • 1970: Japan’s Broadcasting Corporation, known as NHK, develops a HDTV prototype called MUSE. The system is designed to improve television quality while selling more units, and is nearly an overnight hit.
  • 1980: NHK aims to popularize HDTV worldwide, starting first with the SMPTE (The Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers). SMPTE is pleased to learn that HDTV helps cut film production time in half, and they release a study recommending its use.
  • 1987: The United States’ National Association of Broadcasters invites NHK to present their MUSE system to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). Though intriguing, it’s largely seen as major competition to American television manufacturers. In an act of political tension, the FCC decides to create a new system of HDTV standards just for America, which results in the creation of the Advisory Committee on Advanced Television Service (ACATS).
  • 1993: ACATS creates the “Grand Alliance,” pooling work from several American companies and organizations that created proposals outlining their ideas for new HDTV standards. Participants include AT&T, General Instrument Corporation, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Philips Consumer Electronics, Zenith Electronics, and more.
  • 1996: Using findings collected by the Grand Alliance, the FCC officially sets the standard for HDTV in the United States.
  • 1998: The first HDTV broadcast airs, coinciding with the first HDTV set going on the market.
  • 2006: All analog broadcasting is officially phased out of communications in the United States.

For more information about the technology behind your TV, check our blog each week. Here we share maintenance tips, fascinating facts from history, and articles about the products carried at ReplacementRemotes.com. Our store offers TV remotes for purchase, assorted parts, operating manuals, and more to complete your home entertainment needs. Shop our selection online, or call 1-855-5-REMOTE to place an order.

Turn Your Living Room into a Command Center

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Love the idea of building a home theater, but just don’t have the space? There are many ways to convert your living room into the entertainment center of your dreams without tearing down walls or going over budget. From adding a new set of speakers, to building a storage caddy for TV remotes, here are a few ideas to transform your living room:

  • Build Your Ideal Command Center: Consolidate all home entertainment devices in one common area of the room to save space. Organize your stuff by purchasing a TV stand or build wall shelves that can fit a DVD player, Blu-ray, and other accessories. If you don’t have one already, be sure to invest in a great stereo system to experience cinema-quality sound from the comfort of your home.
  • Sound Proofing: With your sound system finally in use, you’ll need to take measures to limit the way loud sounds carry through the home. Place area rugs on hardwood floors to create insulation, and block sound from traveling through bare walls and windows with tapestries or thick curtains.
  • Update Lighting: Use several light sources to take your living room from daytime to late-night screenings with ease. For example, use track lighting with a dimmer to set the mood during movies. You can also use floor lamps and sconces for added light during those times when the living room is used for other purposes, like curling up with a good book.

With your living room now set up for viewing your favorite movies and TV shows, you’ll be able to enjoy cinema-quality entertainment without leaving the house. For accessories needed to complete your home entertainment needs, shop the products offered by ReplacementRemotes.com. We carry universal remotes for household appliances, operating manuals, and more. View our selection online, or call 1-855-5-REMOTE to place an order.

How to Find Your Favorite Songs from TV

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If you’ve struggled in the past to find the name of a song on your favorite episode of Scandal, or asked everyone you know to identify the artist singing in Verizon’s latest spot, you can now rest easy. These days, there are many resources available to find out the details of your favorite songs from TV:

  • Shazam: Shazam offers revolutionary song-identification technology for a range of smart devices. The company’s apps can “listen” to a song to identify its “audio fingerprint,” and then match the fingerprint to a database of several million songs. The user is provided with full track information, including artist name, song title, album, link to download the song or watch the video, and more.
  • TuneFind: Whereas Shazam can analyze music on the radio, in commercials, at stores, and beyond, TuneFind only allows users to locate the titles of songs used in TV shows and movies. To find songs, users must search the database on TuneFind.com. The benefit of using TuneFind is that your hunt for a song doesn’t have to be in real-time, which is how Shazam’s “listening” feature works.
  • AdTunes: Love a song in the new iPhone commercial but can’t figure out who the artist is? AdTunes is a forum-based site listing commonly heard songs from commercials, movie trailers, and more. Users can locate their favorite songs by posting questions to a robust community of music lovers. Forums are organized by source to make it easy to tell if another user already asked about the song that’s been stuck in your head for days.

Check back here each week for more helpful hints to make the most of your TV viewing experience. On our blog, we share fun facts about your favorite television shows, maintenance tips, and articles about the products carried at ReplacementRemotes.com. Our store offers TV remotes for purchase, parts, operating manuals, and more to complete all your home entertainment needs. Shop our selection online, or call 1-855-5-REMOTE to place an order.

New Features of Updated Apple TV

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The updated Apple TV is making use of some of the features that many Apple users already love, like having Siri help find information for them. One of the best parts of the upgraded version is that the TV remote isn’t the only device that can connect wirelessly to the box.

Bring on the Bluetooth

Bluetooth users will be happy to hear that the new Apple TV supports Bluetooth so that they can connect new devices to it. For instance, when parents get tired of hearing the video game blasting, those Bluetooth headphones are going to come in pretty handy. On the other hand, when the parents aren’t home, why not connect a wireless speaker and turn the room into a virtual reality zone?

Night Mode

Speaking of volume, Night Mode is a new feature that is going to put an end to late night frustrations. When the rest of the house is trying to sleep, but you want to watch a movie, Night Mode lets you turn down the background noise so you can still hear what’s being said, but you aren’t overwhelming the house with the background sounds.

Accessibility

Apple TV takes accessibility to a whole other level with the ability to reduce motion, and add audio descriptions and bold text, as well as being able to increase the contrast. All of these features come together to make viewing easier for those who struggle with it.

Siri

As convenient as a remote control may be, the potential benefits of Siri are what will really set Apple TV apart from the competition. For now, you can do basic things with Siri, but Apple is constantly looking at ways to upgrade the software technology, now that the updated Apple TV has completely revamped hardware.

Save Money by Building Your Own Custom Entertainment Center

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The entertainment center is a focal point in most homes, as it houses all of our favorite electronic devices, like the TV, Blu-ray player, home theater system, and video game consoles. Finding the perfect entertainment center for your devices is sometimes challenging. Many prefab entertainment centers offer basic designs or lack the features and storage you require. Rather than invest money into a prefab design, why not consider building your own entertainment center?

Building an entertainment center requires plywood, wood glue, wood screws, and stain or paint in your favorite color. The costs for these materials are a fraction of the cost of a prefab entertainment center. In addition, you are free to choose from a variety of different woods if you want something besides plywood—such as bamboo.

You will also need a circular saw, tape measure, drill, various drill bits, screwdrivers, and paint brushes to apply the stain or paint. Before you visit your local home improvement center, you need to create a rough drawing of how you want your finished entertainment center to appear. Consider the following questions:

  • How large will the overall entertainment center be?
  • How many shelves do you need?
  • Do you want to add storage drawers for TV remotes, game controllers, and other items?
  • What size do individual spaces on the shelves need to be?
  • Do you want an open back or an enclosed back?
  • Do you only need to store devices, or also have space for your TV?

Answering these questions will assist you in making out your shopping list of what you need to purchase. If you need design ideas, there are several great sources of inspiration online from DIY sites. If you want to mount your TV to the wall and free up space on your custom built entertainment center, call Replacement Remotes at 1-855-5-REMOTE (1-855-573-6683) for wall mounts, as well as universal and individual replacement remote controls.

How to Care for Your Flat Screen TV (and Remote)

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A flat screen TV can be a big investment, and most people plan on keeping theirs for years to come. In order for that new TV to work as long as you want it to, however, it’s important to follow good cleaning and care procedures. While most TVs and TV remotes will last a good long while, it is possible for cleaning mistakes or bad maintenance practices to damage your flat screen, compromising its performance.

To get the longest possible performance out of your TV and accessories, remember to follow these tips:

  • Turn off and unplug the TV before cleaning – When you clean your TV, it’s important that it be turned off and cooled down before you start. If a flat screen TV hasn’t been given a chance to cool down, the shift in temperature between the unit and the cleaning materials can damage the screen.
  • Never apply cleaner directly to the screen – Instead of spraying cleaner directly onto the TV screen, apply it lightly to a linen cloth and then wipe the screen. Also remember to let the screen dry completely before turning the TV back on.
  • Avoid excess moisture and humidity – If your TV (especially an LCD TV) is exposed to a lot of moisture and humidity, it can cause the screen to become discolored. Try to find a spot for it in the room where it will remain dry.
  • Remember to clean the remote – Just like with TVs, remotes work better and last longer when regularly cleaned. Wipe the remote with a cloth that has had cleaning solution lightly applied to it, and clean between the buttons with a Q-tip or cotton swab to avoid mashing the buttons.

For more TV care tips or to shop for remotes and other accessories, call us at 855-573-6683.

The Vizio E0i-B TV Series — The Good and the Bad

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From the TV remote to the actual television, finding the one that is the perfect fit for your home is hard. There are just so many TVs out there, and it is easy to get an information-overload while doing your research. Replacement Remotes is here to help make things a little easier by taking a closer look at the Vizio E0i-B series of TVs.

If you are looking for a TV that fits well within just about any budget, this series might be right for you. Prices ranges from $700 to $730, which is a very affordable price for a TV that delivers — and this series does deliver. While you cannot expect the same picture quality of a plasma TV, this LCD series holds its own against the competitors.

One of the best things about this series of TVs is its picture quality. The local dimming features allows the TV to provide you with deep blacks with little blooming. It also works great in a brightly-lit room, which is important if you enjoy staying out of the dark while enjoying your favorite shows. There are also lots of ways you can adjust the picture to perfection.

There is, of course, a downside. The TV remote for this series is not exactly brilliant, but it is sufficient. The sound quality for this series also leaves much to be desired, but if you hook it up to a surround sound system, you may not even notice. The video processing is not up to par with other TVs, but for the price, you really can’t beat it.

Contact us today at Replacement Remotes to replace your Vizio remote.