A liquid crystal display (LCD) universal remote is a remote control that can control many different home entertainment system components, including televisions, digital receivers and digital video disc (DVD) players. An LCD universal remote has a liquid crystal display screen that can be navigated using buttons or touch screen technology. LCD universal remotes that are controlled using buttons often have buttons along the sides of the screen so corresponding menu items can appear adjacent to the buttons on the screen.
LCD remotes are usually highly customizable. Each device programmed to be controlled by the remote has its own screen with appropriate buttons and options. On-screen buttons can be renamed to correspond to the buttons on the devices they control, and the names of devices controlled by the remote can be programmed into the remote and displayed on the LCD screen.
Some LCD universal remote controls are capable of using macros, which are programmed sequences that execute multiple commands. For example, a macro may turn on a television, turn on a DVD player, and then turn up the speaker volume. Many remotes also allow users to program their favorite channels to be turned on by certain buttons or to appear in a channel list.
One of the advantages of an LCD universal remote is its bright, backlit screen. This makes it easy for users to control devices in dark home theater environments. Some remotes enable users to adjust the level of screen brightness. Some LCD universal remote controls are capable of infrared cloning. The infrared cloning technology allows all the customization applied to one remote to be transferred to another remote of the same model.
Many LCD universal remote controls use standard disposable batteries, while others have rechargeable batteries and charging stands. Remotes can be programmed to control devices using device-specific codes. Some remotes include universal serial bus (USB) connectivity so they can be programmed online using programming wizard applications. Although most LCD universal remotes are capable of controlling thousands of different devices, there is a limit to the number of devices they can be programmed to control at any one time. Most LCD universal remotes can control 10 to 15 devices at once.