In a world of competing universal remote control technologies, how can Acoustic Research be all things to all people, with an easy out-of-the-box experience as well as detailed personal customization? Their approach is a sort of hybrid of rival universal remotes, offering the best of both worlds with a large library of easily accessible onboard device codes already in memory and the ability to connect to a PC, to update and set up more elaborate functions.
A graphical user interface with a 2.2-inch color LCD screen and hard keys work together to guide us through the entire process, complete with a status bar at the bottom to let us know where we're at along the way. The Xsight Color (model ARRX15G, $179.99) can control up to 15 different devices via IR and runs on AA batteries.
The step-up Xsight Touch (ARRX18G, $249.99) handles up to 18 components, includes a rechargeable lithium ion battery and charging cradle, and adds a touch-sensitive screen for even more intuitive operation. The Xsight Touch also offers RF, for DIRECTV boxes and gear hidden inside a cabinet or otherwise out of sight. RF use requires the $99.99 ARRE433B RF Extender Kit to translate these RF codes to IR in order to control the target devices.
