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| Take Control TC1000 |
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Hardware Reviews August 1999 • Vol.10 Issue 8 |
Take Control TC1000 | ||
 Harman Kardon's Take Control remote control is not a computing device, but it involves some really cool technology that works with your PC . The TC1000 is an all-in-one remote control that works with virtually every home electronics device you can control with a remote. With this device, you can give commands to your television, VCR, CD player, Digital Video Disc (DVD) player, and more. This remote even works with components from more than just the top 10 brands. For example, the VCR setup menu alone lists more than 130 brands of VCRs. This remote offers a very sparse physical button configuration (a scrolling wheel/ selector, a main menu button, volume controls, and mute and backlight buttons) and leaves the majority of device-specific controls to its touch-screen display, which is approximately 2.25 inches wide and 2.75 inches high. The TC1000's liquid-crystal display (LCD) touch screen will take you through the process of adding each device to the unit. But here is where Harman Kardon and Microsoft really leave the competition behind. Whereas most devices must be completely reprogrammed each time the batteries run out, you can save your device settings to a file on your PC with the included Microsoft software and serial-link cable. When your batteries go dead, simply replace them, connect the TC1000 to your PC, and synchronize all its settings with your saved settings. You can also update the settings saved to your PC each time you add or delete an item from your remote simply by plugging in the PC link cable and clicking Yes when your system asks you if you want to synchronize the saved settings with the device's settings. The TC1000's advanced functionality, along with its great, backlit LCD touch screen make it an excellent multidevice remote. It does carry a premium price—the suggested retail price is $349—but if you're serious about home entertainment and you are tired of doing the remote shuffle, then it's worth every penny. by Chris Trumble Take Control TC1000
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