You may recall reading two recent news articles – one announcing that Audiovox would start distributing One For All products, and another about the release of One For All’s new Xsight line of remote controls in Europe. This is the culmination of those two articles.

Acoustic Research (owned by Audiovox) has today announced a pair of new universal remote controls, the Xsight Touch ARRX18G and Xsight Color ARRX15G. The Touch model includes a 2.2” color touchscreen, IR and RF operation, rechargeable lithium ion battery and control over 18 devices, while the Color model includes a 2.2” color LCD screen, IR operation, runs on alkaline AA batteries, and can control 15 devices.

Both models include blue backlighting, learning capability, activity-style operation, customizable keys through an online web application, favorite channels, multiple family member profiles and updateable code database.

The Xsight Touch will retail for $249.95, the Xsight Color for $179.99, and both will be available this spring. The complete press release is included below.

Acoustic Research Announces Xsight Advanced Remote Controls Featuring Simple Out-of-Box Setup and Web-Based Personalization

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.