Everyone at some time has had the frustrating experience of fumbling around in the dark trying to figure out which remote control they need to change a channel or the volume. A specifically programmed single remote control makes everything easier to use.

The basic model is a "multi-code" remote that has pre-sets to control many different brands of electronics. The next step is the learning remote, which looks and feels like the multi-code unit, except it can wirelessly learn commands from any manufacturer's remote, then be programmed to control one component at a time. Learning remotes cost approximately $50 to $100.

One of the hottest types of remote controls on the market today is the event-based remote. This is a recent development that upgrades the capability of the learning remote by actually putting events on the remote itself such as "watch DVD," "watch TV" and "listen to music."

Event-based remotes start at $200, and in this price range a simple remote can even program all your commands via the internet. Just type in a code that corresponds with the equipment's manufacturer.