Search for the perfect TV remote

Tech companies make some amazing gadgets but none has been able to make the perfect remote control for a television.

The humble remote has been around since the 1950s but it’s still plagued with too many buttons, a confusing interface and poor design.

Television manufacturers seem to go for the ‘‘more buttons the better’’ approach. Why do you need up to 80 buttons on a remote? My phone only has five.

It’s even more confusing when you go to a hotel or someone else’s house and try to use their remote. It can take several minutes to explain which remote does what.

So why are remotes so complicated? Blame the VCR. Before video players went on sale, remotes were simple. But VCRS added several layers of complexity to them.

And once the VCR arrived so did the need for multiple remotes.

But now the VCR is dead and

Why do you need up to 80 buttons on a remote? My phone only has five.

DVD players are fading, remotes will hopefully go back to their roots and become simple again.

A few modern versions are getting close. I bought my television mainly because of the remote. It has all the key buttons (volume, channel, mute, play, fast forward/rewind) along with a small, rounded design that’s comfortable to hold.

Unfortunately, the buttons are a bit flimsy and some only work intermittently, and the company didn’t seem to have much confidence in it as it included a traditional remote along with it.

Even Apple, which prides itself on design, can’t make the perfect remote for its streaming device. It’s small and simple but the touchpad is too sensitive and it makes it hard to do basic things, such as fast-forward.

Google didn’t even try to make a remote for its streaming device. It makes you use your smartphone but I like to use mine as a second screen when watching TV, not to operate my television.

There are changes coming that may help solve the problem. Overseas, Amazon and Apple let you use your voice to help navigate your television. That tech is not available here but hopefully, it will arrive soon.

I’m still searching for the perfect remote and I’m hoping it’ll arrive before I buy my next television.