U.S. households are increasingly looking to the remote control as their link to easing the complexity of control and search among the growing number of disparate systems in their homes, according to Aftermarket Entertainment: Universal Remote Controllers (Second Edition).

This new report from Parks Associates confirms and expands upon the trends identified in the 2006 first edition. These include the increasing desire and willingness of U.S. households to replace current remote controls with one that is more capable and can enhance their experiences with new entertainment systems.

The report provides purchase process details for aftermarket remotes, brand shares among U.S. Internet households, unit numbers and revenues for high-end remotes sold by dealers installing entertainment systems, and forecasts by product segment from 2007-2012. In addition, the report offers a segmentation of URC owners and recent buyers along with their ratings about key features important to their ultimate buying decisions.

The report also details continuing inhibitors and explores a few key strategies to increase consumer awareness and the willingness of TV manufacturers to offer different levels of remotes at the point of purchase.