When it comes to remotes, some of us here at EngadgetHD are partial to Logitech's Harmony models. The concept of "activity based" remote configuration and automation is a good one; even though we
criticize Harmony, it's because we see potential, not because we're haters. Here's a criticism we have: issuing a laundry list of commands to switch activities is slow, and one thing users don't enjoy is maintaining a line of sight between the remote and the equipment rack while it issues all those commands. RF is a solution, but it's only available at the top of the Harmony lineup. Enter the Next Generation Remote Control Extender. It's a bit of kit that will "RF-ize" your standard IR remote (not just Harmony remotes); and we're big fans of "izing!"