Forum: lifehacks.stackexchange.com
Tags: <search>
Title: How can I prevent the remote control from getting lost?
Question: I seem to be the only one in my house capable of putting the remote in the same spot.    How can I solve the "I can't find the remote problem"?

Answers:
sents: text: Maybe you could attach the remote to something big so that it's easier to find if it gets lost.
answer_details: author: lifehacks.stackexchange.com/users/10378/James
score: 8
sents: text: If you're using smart TV and it is connected to the same WiFi of your device, or it is capable of Bluetooth then you can try apps that can substitute your remote control .
text: Dijit - Uses Bluetooth, WiFi iRule - Uses Wifi RedEye
text: - Like Dijit Rē - IR Dongle
answer_details: author: lifehacks.stackexchange.com/users/1251/Cary Bondoc
score: 3
sents: text: I think you can try tie/glue/tape a piece of string to it and tie the other end somewhere near your couch, or wherever you sit to watch TV.
text: If that dangles too much, maybe you can try fixing one of those retractable lanyard thing to your remote so it doesn't still end up at random places because it will retract to that one spot.
answer_details: author: lifehacks.stackexchange.com/users/9411/fuzzy_onesie
score: 2
sents: text: Attach a keyring finder to it.
text: In general, avoid the whistle-activated ones, I find they're too sensitive and go off randomly.
text: I'd probably go for one that doesn't use a remote , otherwise you're going to end up with a recursive problem.
text: My favourite would probably be one activated by smart phone.
text: Activated by button rather than by sound, and you can always ring your phone if you've misplaced that!
text: How does one attach it to the remote?
text: Depends how aesthetically pleasing and how technical you are.
text: Least effort - duct tape, and plenty of it!
text: Most effort - might involve removing the key parts of the finder and hiding them in the battery compartment.
text: Some middle ground might double sided tape or similar.
answer_details: author: lifehacks.stackexchange.com/users/47/James Webster
score: 2
sents: text: Rather than attaching something to the remote, make a place for it that is more attractive/easy to use: Various places sell sofa-side magazine holders, or trays.
text: Have one of these on the most useful end of the sofa.
text: Use tape to mark out a silhouette of the remote (or remotes, as many of us have) and tag it with the name of the remote.
text: This should help encourage usage.
text: To further help, why not gamify the process, with points for each member of the family who places the remote correctly or loses points for failing to do so.
text: Top points at end of week wins a prize.
answer_details: author: lifehacks.stackexchange.com/users/94/Rory Alsop
score: 1
sents: text: Your main problem seems to be that you're the only one with a bit of discipline, and you're the only one who wants to put it in a given place.
text: In other words, the issue is much more than just having a good place to put your remote control.
text: You either need to train other members of your household to return it
text: /place it somewhere, or you need to work around the problem and be able to relocate it when they've misplaced it.
text: In my experience both cases are hard, as it is not easy to train/force those who don't want to be trained.
text: Best option related to training is to invent/enforce a system which they'll see as a benefit without any extra work for them.
text: It could work to have a given place, which is close to the favourite position for using the remote control.
text: On the other hand, finding it when it is misplaced requires some sort of locating device, such as key ring finders, or attaching strings or other large objects (makes it impractical to move it :-) ).
text: Overall, I would say that your best option is either to talk to your household members and see about finding a really good place to put it, and/or for you to consider if you can control the equipment by other means
text: so you don't have to find it when the others have misplaced it.
text: The latter one can be achieved by having an extra universal remote control for your use, or having a remote control app on your smartphone, if that is possible with your equipment.
answer_details: author: lifehacks.stackexchange.com/users/4490/holroy
score: 1
sents: text: I'd say the best answer to this problem is to buy another, identical remote for your use.
text: Keep it locked, or hidden away.
text: If the rest of the household loses their remote, it's their problem.
text: They will soon miss you finding it for them, and maybe they will then learn amongst themselves to place the remote in a designated spot when not in use.
answer_details: author: lifehacks.stackexchange.com/users/9577/n00dles
score: 1
sents: text: I use self-sealing Velcro touch fasteners bands that I put on the back of the remote control and on the element
text: it is related to (pedestal of the TV, body of the iPod docking station, table, etc).
text: Then, this system only needs discipline to work : you take the remote control, you use it.
text: Once you are finished, you put it back on the Velcro band.
answer_details: author: lifehacks.stackexchange.com/users/9698/Thesaurus Rex
score: 0
sents: text: Some smart phones have infrared transmitters that can directly control TV (and other remote controlled entertainment equipment).
text: My Samsung Galaxy S4 does this; with the correct app it'll do anything the cable company's universal remote will.
text: Even better, with a Samsung TV, I have access through wifi to play content from the phone on the TV and access the smart TV with the phone as a control pad, which is much nicer to use than the TV remote.
answer_details: author: lifehacks.stackexchange.com/users/9830/Zeiss Ikon
score: 0
sents: text: Get duplicates.
text: I have 3 copies of the remote control for my cable set top box.
text: The cable company actually sends them out for free -- all you need to do is ask.
answer_details: author: lifehacks.stackexchange.com/users/7396/Gdalya
score: 0
sents: text: What I tried was attaching a red lace/ribbon or any red string.
text: I make sure it is red so I can easily find it.
answer_details: author: lifehacks.stackexchange.com/users/10409/Mekalikot
score: 0

Summary of the answers:
There a many potential solutions to this problem. Firstly, you could attach the remote to something big so that it's easier to find if it gets lost or even attach it to a string so that cannot be moved far. Alternatively, there are apps available that enable you to use your smartphone instead or you could attach a locator key-ring to it. As a last resort, you could also buy duplicate remotes.
The options include attaching something big to the remote, using a phone app to control the TV, tying the remote to the sofa with string, attaching a keyfinder, nominating a specific location for keeping the remote, buying a second remote, tying a red ribbon to the remote and encouraging a more disciplined attitude at home.