Creating The Ultimate Remote, TiVo Style
from the remembering-the-part-that-people-use dept
Most of us have remote controls lying around that are insanely complex to use – and once we’ve learned the necessary four or five buttons, that’s all we ever use. Remote controls, despite being the main interface between people and their gadgets, have always been designed without much thought into usability. When TiVo first came along, they wanted to change that, and went through quite the usability process in designing their well-known peanut-shaped remote. Of course, my own experiences with the TiVo remote really haven’t been that great (it still confused me the first time I picked it up), so I’d say they still have room for improvement.
Comments on “Creating The Ultimate Remote, TiVo Style”
Best remote
Best included remote I have found is the remote that comes with Dish Network PVR receivers.
Re: Best remote
“Best included remote I have found is the remote that comes with Dish Network PVR receivers.”
Amen, brother.
Not only does it fit the hand well, it has a nice amount of heft to it, it’s IR and RF, and all of the buttons are laid out in such a manner than you barely have to move your thumb to access practically everything you need.
My favorite part? When the batteries begin to get low, it actually displays on the screen “Low Remote Battery” to let you know…
Tivo remote not my favorite
Good points:
Easy to program
Buttons easy to find
Bad:
Which way is up? I *have* too look at it, otherwise I’m rewinding when I want fast forward.
Falls off the side of the table, chair, bed and any other surface with an edge. Usually clatters to the most remote place underneath said object.
If the shape was asymetric and the bottom was flat, it would be great.
Easy to program? Only when it’s new or the batteries die.
Easy buttons? I learn the layout pretty quickly.
Symetric has a 50% chance of bothering me every time I pick it up w/o looking at it (which is most times).
The curved bottome & falling off the edge bothers me every time I set it down.
I got a universal remote that does Tivo when the Tivo remote fell down the stairs & broke. It’s about the same to program (and bonus, works with my VHS/DVD). It doesn’t fall off the edge. I don’t have to look at it to have the right orientation. The layout is almost as easy to use as the Tivo. And, it cost about 1/2 what a new, annoying Tivo brand remote would.
Re: Tivo remote not my favorite
So Tom, what remote did you get?
The key feature for me is the layout of the Play, Pause, FF, RWD keys. The Harmony’s are great but their button layout is not very good IMO.