Oh, how great, I've got 2 controllers that look quite similar. But, the left one is the universal controller that I'm talking about. The right one, it's the DVD remote control.
My dad bought us a new universal controller that controls the TV, DVD player and cable box. It's amazing you might think, "Oh! What a great invention. Now with one remote control, I control all everything". However, when my sister and I decided to watch DVD at home, we pressed the red button on the universal controller, yet nothing happens. It took us quite some time before we realised that we need to press on the individual button "TV", "VCR" or "DVD" to operate different machines. So we pressed the TV button followed by the red button. Tada, TV's on. Next, the important thing. How to we switch to the Video channel? There's no button that says video or whatsoever.
Sister's reaction:
"This is so troublesome.
Wonder who came out with this user-unfriendly remote control.
And the best part, how do I use this controller to open/close
the disc tray?
Now, how do I go to the video channel?
(ok, when it's fianlly done)
And I have no idea how to fast forward my disc now.
Does it mean that I still need to use both the universal and DVD controller to control my DVD player?
So what's the point of inventing the universal controller?"
On another occassion, my mum was watching a korean serial with dual sound. She wanted to change it to mono chinese sound, but she tried all means. There's a dual sound button, so we both assume that that's the right button. But, pressing the button doesn't work at all!
Mum's reaction (in a very irritated tone):
"I don't know how to use this remote control.
I took so long to figure out which remote control is for which.
And now, it's too much of a trouble to look through the user-menu just to change the sound.
I've pressed all the possible buttons on the remote control.
But it's not working.
And now, I'm confused about what to press for each remote control to watch the DVD.
I give up. "
I stood there, completely helpless because I don't know how to fix that thing. It looks complicated to me too.
My reflection on this product and user reaction:
This product is absolutely useless to me. And for me, there's no way I will meddle with this remote control because I don't know what to press. It does look like a normal remote control right? But it's functions are just too different. I rather not watch TV, or wait till someone who knows how to handle such remote control to assist me. Right now, only my dad knows how to use this remote control. I can't be bothered to learn how to use it now, and I don't think i will in the future.
Ok, someone might just say that I can go over to the TV set to press those buttons. however, there's no button on te TV set for me to control the volume, channels etc.
TV remote control is something that we use ver often. Therefore, I think that remote controls should be made and designed as simple as possible. All we usually do is to on the TV< adjust the volume and change the channels using the remote control. How many people will bother to read the instructions before using the remote control?
This product is just one of the the many bad-designed products. I believe there are many much worst products that we'll encounter. Sigh.
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