Acoustic Research Xsight™ Remote Controls Now Available Nationwide
Universal Remotes Simplify Home Entertainment with Quick Device Setup, One-Button Control, Personal Profiles for Everyone in the Family and RF Control of Hidden Components
INDIANAPOLIS, September 8, 2009 – Acoustic Research announced today that its Xsight™ Touch and Xsight™ Color advanced remote controls are available nationwide at ABC Warehouse, Best Buy, Crutchfield, Electronics Expo, Fry’s Electronics, hhgregg, Nebraska Furniture Mart and Ultimate Electronics.
“The Acoustic Research Xsight remote is ideal for anyone who is tired of using three or four remotes to operate a home entertainment system—and best of all, it can be set up to control your TV, cable/satellite box, audio receiver and other A/V components in just minutes,” said David Geise, president of Audiovox Accessories Corporation, which markets AR and RCA brand remote controls and is the exclusive distributor of ONE FOR ALL® branded remotes. “These remotes are comfortable to hold and have a color LCD screen and simple button layout so everyone in the family can control the system and easily find their favorite TV channels.”
Quick Out-of-Box Setup
Unlike other advanced remote controls, codes for the most popular brands of TVs and A/V devices are stored right in the AR Xsight remote, allowing basic device setup to be done quickly without having to wade through an instruction manual or connect the remote to a computer. Intuitive menus appear on the remote’s LCD screen and guide you through the setup.
One-Touch, Personalized Entertainment
Unlocking the full potential of the Acoustic Research Xsight remote is a simple matter of connecting the remote to a Windows XP or Vista PC so you can use the EZ-RC™ website to:
- Create one-touch activities such as “Watch TV” or “Listen to Music” (the activity key executes a string of commands—like turning on a DVD player, A/V receiver and TV).
- Create favorite-channel lists with colorful logos that appear in the LCD screen.
- Create up to six personal profiles—defined by person (Mom, Dad, etc.) or genre (Movie, Sports, News, etc.)—that provide instant access to favorite channels.
- Add new devices, change existing settings, set up advanced features like Lock Volume.
Easy RF Control of Hidden Components
In addition to an interactive LCD touch screen for fast access to favorite TV channels and one-touch activities, the flagship AR Xsight Touch (ARRX18G) can control up to 18 devices and boasts built-in RF for controlling RF-enabled components with 433.92 MHz capability, such as a DIRECTV® RF receiver that is hidden in an entertainment cabinet. The remote sends both RF and IR signals when you press a key, which means it will also control IR components that are hidden away when it is paired with the optional Acoustic Research ARRE433B RF-Extender Kit (MSRP: $99.99). The easy-to-install kit accommodates up to six devices and has a range of about 100 feet.
More Acoustic Research Xsight-ing Features
Features common to the AR Xsight Touch and AR Xsight Color, include:
- Intuitive button groupings with dedicated keys for DVR/satellite/cable box control, including the familiar red, green, yellow and blue “quick menu” keys
- Ergonomic handset with common keys centrally located for easy thumb control
- Learning feature lets you capture functions from your original remote
- Blue backlighting
Acoustic Research Xsight Touch (model: ARRX18G) highlights:
- 2.2-inch color touch screen and slider control for navigation
- Rechargeable lithium-ion battery and charging cradle/stand
- IR (infrared) and RF (433 MHz radio frequency) operation
- Controls up to 18 devices
- $249.99 suggested retail price ($349.98 with optional RF Extender Kit)
Acoustic Research Xsight Color (model: ARRX15G) highlights:
2.2-inch color LCD screen with hard keys and toggle bar navigation
Runs on three AA batteries (included)
IR operation
Controls up to 15 devices
$179.99 suggested retail price
For more information on the Acoustic Research Xsight remote controls, visit www.araccessories.com.
Acoustic Research Announces Xsight Advanced Remote Controls Featuring Simple Out-of-Box Setup and Web-Based Personalization
Two Models Use an Intuitive Menu System and Vibrant Color Display to Consolidate Home Theater Control in One Easy-to-Use Handset
LAS VEGAS, January 7, 2009, International CES, Booth 11006-10506 – Acoustic Research’s new Xsight line of advanced remote controls is aimed at the millions of people who are tired of messing with a pile of remotes and want a quick, easy and personalized way to operate their home theater systems.
Marketed by Audiovox Accessories Corporation, the unit-sales leader in remote controls, the Xsight line launches this Spring with two models: Xsight Touch (ARRX18G), which features a color LCD touch screen with slider bar, RF capability and controls up to 18 devices, and Xsight Color (ARRX15G), which has a color LCD screen and controls up to 15 devices. With both models, device programming can be done directly on the handset in a matter of minutes, and a simple online application is available for users who want to personalize the remote and expand its functionality.
The new remotes are being demonstrated at the 2009 International CES at Audiovox Booth in the Central Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center.
“Unlike other advanced remote controls, the Acoustic Research Xsight Touch and Xsight Color offer the best of both worlds: simple on-remote setup plus online customization for those who want it,” said David Geise, president of Audiovox Accessories Corporation. The company markets remote controls under the RCA and Acoustic Research brands and is the exclusive distributor of Universal Electronics Inc.’s One-For-All® brand remote controls in North America.
“Both Xsight models are comfortable to hold and intuitively designed, allowing everyone in the family to enjoy today’s sophisticated home theater systems without getting bogged down in figuring out which remote to use and which buttons to push,” Geise noted. “At the same time, these new remotes provide access to a wealth of advanced features for those who want to personalize the remote and take control to the next level.”
How Xsight Works
Control codes for the most popular brands of TVs and A/V gear are stored in the Xsight remote, allowing setup to be done quickly and efficiently, without having to wade through an instruction manual. A series of colorful and intuitive menus appear on the remote’s LCD screen and guide you through the programming routine, which includes choosing a language and selecting the type and brand of device(s) you want the remote to control (model number is optional).
Moving beyond basic system control and unlocking the full potential of Xsight is a simple matter of using the supplied USB cable to connect the remote to any Windows XP or Vista PC, popping in the CD-ROM to install a driver and visiting www.EZ-RC.com. Once you set up a personal account, you can do a number of things, including:
- Take a tour in the Setup Wizard for an overview of options.
- Upload and edit settings for devices already programmed in the remote.
- Add additional devices (brand- and model-number specific).
- Create one-touch Activities such as “Watch TV” or “Listen to Music” (an activity key can be programmed to execute a series of commands—like turning on a DVD player, A/V receiver, and TV, for example).
- Create favorite-channel lists with logos.
- Create up to six Profiles that provide immediate access to your favorite channels; profiles can be defined by person (“Mom,” “Dad,” “Kids,” etc.) or genre (“Movie,” “Sports,” “News,” etc.).
- Set up advanced features such as Volume Lock, which specifies which device will control system volume, and Key Edit for assigning functions to hard and soft keys.
- Update the remote’s onboard code library; Audiovox partner Universal Electronics Inc. maintains an online database, which is updated regularly and covers 12 basic product categories and more than 50 subcategories.
Key Features
Features common to the Xsight Touch and Xsight Color remotes, include:
- Blue backlighting
- Ergonomic handset with common keys centrally located for easy thumb control
- Intuitive button groupings, including dedicated keys for DVR/satellite/cable box control
- Quick navigation keys (Favorites, Activities and Device)
- Built-in learning function for most buttons
- Customizable soft (onscreen) keys via web application
Defining features of the Xsight Touch (ARRX18G) include:
- 2.2-inch color touch screen with slider control
- IR (infrared) and RF (433 MHz radio frequency) operation, the latter for controlling DIRECTV boxes and components hidden in a cabinet or out of the remote’s line of sight (requires $99.99 ARRE433B RF Extender Kit)
- Controls up to 18 devices
- Rechargeable lithium-ion battery and charging cradle/stand
- $249.99 suggested retail price
Key features of the Xsight Color (ARRX15G) include:
- 2.2-inch color LCD screen
- IR operation
- Controls up to 15 devices
- Runs on three AA batteries
- $179.99 suggested retail price
The Xsight Touch and Xsight Color remote controls will be available at national and regional retailers in the Spring.
For more information on the Xsight remote controls, visit www.araccessories.com.
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