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We called out Logitech’s fancy footwork in minimally rejiggering their remotes by rearranging models and price points and it would appear that Universal Electronics (not to be confused with Universal Remote) joins the market dance in this ongoing floodgate of universal remotes.

Last week, UEI released details about their new C2 and C3 series custom Nevo remotes at CEDIA.  The C3 is being pushed at $299, featuring an optional RF base ($99) and can control RF hardware such as the DirecTV DVR: which is great news. For IR, you can turn to the C2 ($229). The remotes give you a 2.2 inch color screen, but don’t expect to touch operate it.

The prospect of RF transmission is an awesome feature, but online chatter seems to be focused on the negative so far:

“you cant use two of these in the same home…what happens when the client says i like it, lets get another one for my living room. o, sorry man . .one per home. we gotta get you a different brand remote or a Q50 for $800,”

“i just hope it doesnt turn into a wizard based harmony style remote,”

“… it all sounds very ‘Harmony-esque.’ I still just don’t get why many people would pay a custom-installer for something like this. But hey, stranger things have happened, I guess……”

Now, to clarify: if you buy the C2/C3 through Nevo, it will require a custom installer. However, you can get the remotes through other avenues such as Universal Electronic’s One-for-All brand or licensed through Acoustic Research. Now these are the same remotes, offered through three different channels and may or may not require custom installation, depending on where you get it. A savvy poster at Remote Central catches the three brands in one of their print ads.

Okay, so let’s break this down:

• Universal Electronics owns Nevo and One For All.
• If you buy through Nevo, custom installation is required; not so with One For All.
• Universal Electronics also licenses the remotes to Acoustic Research, which you can find on your own without custom installation.
• The CS3 ($299 + $99) is in direct competition to the Harmony 900 ($399).
• UEI gets you a better bargain at $1 cheaper.
• Also don’t forget that the new Harmony 900 is essentially the result of a rebranding effort. (Though, worth noting, however, is the Harmony 900’s much welcomed ergonomics.)

There seems to be a heavy influx of universal remotes into the marketplace as of late. From a consumer’s perspective, it would appear the focus seems to be oriented towards simply rehashing what we’ve already seen, offering little to no innovation. The switching avenues of distribution and increasing variety of similar remotes are beginning to saturate the market with more and more familiar plastic.

RF prospect aside, one wonders when the terms “universal” and “evolution” will someday be taken a bit more to heart.