Who is Remote Shoppe?

Remote Shoppe is a family owned and operating business located in Long Island, NY that began in 2005. Remote Shoppe is dedicated to remote controls. That means that we're here to help answer your questions about universal remote controls for you home theater or home automation system to help you purchase the equipment you need to meet your needs and budget.

Who are Remote Shoppe customers?

Remote Shoppe has something for everyone. We sell to professional custom installation professional, remote control and home automation programmers, home theater and AV enthusiasts and even casual home users who just want to clear off their coffee table and get one remote to control all their equipment that's simple enough for even the babysitter to use.

How much should I spend on a universal remote?

As a salesperson the obvious answer is "How much do you have?!" But we'll leave answers like that to our competitors.

The budget you allocate to a remote control is completely subjective and varies greatly. The best advice we can offer is to make sure that control is part of your initial AV budget as opposed to an afterthought. The remote control is the only device that I can guarantee that you will use EVERY time you enjoy your gear. If you want to listen to music you will use the remotebutnot theTV.If you wanttowatch a movie you will use the remote but not the cable box. Seethe trend here???

One of the best guidelines we've come up with that most customers agree with is to start with an allocation of 20 - 35% of your equipment budget less the display cost (TV, projector, screen). So, if you have just a TV, DVD and cable box than you probably don't need anything fancy. If you add a surround receiver and speakers than you remote will need to be more advanced so your budget pot will increase. Add a second system in another room and that budget increase should be enough to cover the cost of a multi room remote.

Can I use my iPad, iPod Touch or iPhone as a remote control?

Yes. Click here to check out some of the many options we offer.

Can I use my current remote or a universal remote that you offer to control my Sony PlayStation 3?

The Sony Playstation 3 is not only one of the top gaming systems available, it is also widely used as a high-definition Blu-ray Disc player in home theater systems. Unfortunately, one problem with the PS3 is that the unit may not be controlled with the same universal remote you use for the rest of your AV components. The Sony Playstation 3 does not have an InfraRed (IR) receiver which means it cannot understand the commands sent from most universal remote controls.  Instead, Sony chose the new Bluetooth protocol exclusively for wireless control.  So, in order to control the PS3 you will need to receive IR signals and convert them to a USB device plugged into the PS3 or a wireless Bluetooth device that pairs with the PlayStation. Click here for a full selection.

What is the difference between an IR and an RF remote control?

An IR (infrared) remote control requires line of sight to control its equipment and typically has a range of about 30 feet. An RF (radio frequency) remote control signal may be sent through walls and floors and even reach inside cabinets. RF commands can usually travel at least 60 feet but some well-designed systems have been known to reach up to 200 feet in friendly environments. RF signals may also be easily repeated and/or amplified for even longer ranges if necessary.

What are the advantages of an RF remote control?

Since the RF remote does not require line of sight it is obviously better for multi-room and whole house audio set-ups. It is an excellent option for controlling equipment inside of a cabinet. And, an often-overlooked feature is that RF remotes will execute complicated Macros and Activity functions more reliably. If an IR remote is pointed down or if an object interferes in it’s path while a macro is being executed the results may be drastic. You’ll now have to troubleshoot your system to find out what command was missed before your components will all work properly. An RF system will continue to execute it’s macro.

What are the drawbacks to an RF system?

RF signals are subject to environmental interference so configuring a system may require trial and error placement of the RF receiver. Ideally an RF receiver should be at least 10 feet away from your AV gear (especially the TV… and even further away from a Plasma TV) but exact placement may vary from one room to another.

How does an RF remote control system work?

All RF remote control systems require 2 parts - a transmitter and a receiver. The transmitter is usually built into the remote itself. The receiver may be included with the remote or made available as an added option. The RF signal is sent from the remote to the receiver the same way a cordless telephone communicates with its base. When you answer your cordless phone your are sending a signal to the base that allows you to hear your call. When you use an RF remote you are sending a signal to its base and then the RF receiver will translate your command to an IR command that your components will understand.

How will my RF remote control my IR equipment?

The answer to this may vary and will depend on the RF receiver with your system.

The most inexpensive RF systems will use an IR Blaster. An IR Blaster must be placed where it will have a line-of-sight path to all of the equipment it must control.

A more reliable option is to choose a system that uses IR emitters. IR emitters usually connect to the RF receiver with a mini-jack connection and on the other side is a bulbous end with double stick tape so it can be placed directly over the IR window of your components. More advanced components actually improve upon this even further by offering a direct IR input on the backs of their units. In these cases a simple mini-to-mini cable would connect the RF receiver directly to the IR input of the unit.

Other, more advanced options, would include RS232 or other communication protocols from the RF receiver or advanced remote control processor.

Will my RF Universal Remote control my RF devices?

The easy answer… NO, it will not! Your cordeless phone is made to communicate with its base and not with every other cordless phone in your neighborhood. Likewise, an RF device is designed to work with its proprietary transmitter/receiver relationship.

Popular systems that use RF controllers include some Bose audio systems, some DirecTV and DISH receivers and lighting systems including X10 and others. The rule is that there is NO way to use your Universal IR remote or RF system to directly control these devices. However, with every rule there is an exception. A perfect example is that an X10 lighting system can be controlled by an IR543 or IR543AH (same unit as the IR543 with multiple house code option). These devices translate an IR signal from your remote (or RF receiver) to an X10 PLC command that would then control your X10 modules.

Instead of RF, can’t I just use an IR extender?

Yes. But remember an IR extender still requires line of sight. The only thing an IR extender does is change the point at which your remote must be pointed. Instead of pointing the remote at the individual components you may now point it at the extender in a centralized location.

What about some of the newer, more compatible RF options?

There are several bew technologies that will increase the capabilities of new remotes. Many iPad, iPhone and Android solutions add WiFi capability. The Square Connect SQ Blaster for the iPad combines Wifi with Z-Wave technology. Z-Wave is a wireless mesh network that, as a simple analogy, would be more similar to a WiFi laptop network than the cordless phone analogy we previously discussed. Multiple Z-Wave devices may be added to your network and direct control of those components will be easier than ever. Zigbee is another advanced protocol used in some custom installation devices and it is also similar in many characteristics to Z-Wave and Wifi.

Why are there some products listed on Remote Shoppe without pricing?

The most common reason for having products listed without pricing is to control the sales of advanced control units to professionals who are qualified to program and install the remote. If you have questions about these products or would like a referral to a custom installer in your area please call our Sales Department at 877-487-0702.

What is the best controller you sell?

Yes. We get this question a lot. But, the answer is difficult and may vary based on your needs. If you get the impression that we like all of the products we sell than you may be right. We try to evaluate products through the eyes of the targeted customer. We don't sell products that miss the mark or promise to be more than they really are because we offer a customer satisfaction guarantee on all our products.  That means if we sell you something that you hate you'll return it and the only company that will make money is going to be Fedex or UPS for shipping the product back and forth. Our goal is to get you exactly what you want and/or need from a remote at a budget you can afford.