The Griffin Beacon is a universal remote control app and hardware combo that can be used with a huge number of living-room devices.

Instead of an attachment for your iPad, iPhone or iPod touch, it works using a separate infrared box which links through Bluetooth. The box must be placed within range of all the devices you want to control. This might be a problem if (for example) your stereo is in a different part of the room to your TV and video.

After an initial pairing, you re-establish the connection by switching on Bluetooth on your iOS device and pressing down on the Beacon, so there's no lengthy reconnection process to go through.

The actual remote controlling is done using a free third-party app. Simply browse for your remote by device type and manufacturer, and the app lets you test several different remotes to see which is the right one.

We found it infallible when pairing the various remotes in our living room, though as we started to watch an episode of 24 we realised we were actually watching the wrong one and our Toshiba DVD player iPad remote had the Menu button greyed out. We managed to get it back by pointing the original Toshiba remote at the Beacon and pressing the appropriate button.

At £61, the Beacon is a mostly impressive device for a fairly good price. The inconvenience of connecting to Bluetooth devices within iOS has been kept to a minimum, while the app is slick and can easily learn the commands it doesn't have the details for.

There's little point in wall-mounting an ultra-thin flatscreen TV if the bracket is so bulky it makes the set stand out from the wall; hence the demand for thin and flat wallmounts.

Netherlands-based company, Vogel's, is a big name in furniture and supports for all kinds of LCD and plasma TVs, projectors and AV equipment, so it's no surprise that the company has turned its engineering skills to this application.

The THIN345 Articulating Wall Bracket ticks most of the boxes; it's suitable for a screen sized from 32-52ins, of up to 40mm thick and weighing up to 25kg. And the bracket itself is only 35mm deep, so once your TV is mounted you can hardly get your fingers between it and the wall.

Plus, for ultimate convenience, the bracket is articulated, so you can swing the TV out from the wall up to 63cm, turn it to 90˚ left or right, and tilt it through +/-20˚.

If you have basic DIY skills, fixing is straightforward, and the mounting holes for attaching the TV are arranged in standard configurations from 100 x 100 to 600x400mm. The bracket is virtually invisible once fitted.

The Cable Inlay System hides cables, and fits with Vogel's' extended cable cover system.

Sturdily engineered, the mount means that positioning the TV becomes something you can do easily and with confidence.

Other than a drilling template there are no tools provided, so you'll need a drill, screwdrivers, spirit level and confidence to get the job done.

The instructions are very diagrammatic, so it might take a bit of head-scratching to work out what all the arrows and symbols mean.

It's not cheap, although it does have a lifetime guarantee.

There are many universal remote controls said to be compatible with every imaginable AV device, so it's hard to think what might make a new model more attractive. One For All is determined to try, though – the result is the Xsight range.

The idea is to replicate the original control codes for TVs, VCRs, DVD players, PVRs, satellite tuners, CD players, amplifiers and so on, from a range of manufacturers so you can get rid of multiple remotes or replace missing or broken ones.

Programming of the handset is done in one of four ways: by selecting a code from the manual, downloading from the One For All website using the remote's USB connection, 'learning' from an existing remote, or by trial and error.

Between these four methods you ought to be able to handle almost any device – over 1,000 manufacturers are supported.

Nifty touchscreen

There's no printed manual. You get a 'setup wizard' running on the display (and a manual on CD). The £99.99 Xsight Colour has a 2.2in colour LCD touchscreen display, while the £129.99 Xsight Touch adds an iPod-style 'rollbar' to select menu pages using your thumb – it's nifty.

Otherwise the two models are similar, featuring backlit keys and a choice of AAA batteries or a rechargeable Lithium ion battery using a desktop docking port/ charger. Xsight supports up to 18 devices and basic control functions are replicated using the remote's numeric, cursor, joypad and special controls buttons.

Aided by the One For All website you can program more complex functions, including preset Activities (such as Movie Viewing or Playing Music – essentially 'macros' where several commands are grouped under one control function). You can also create a list of Favourite (Sky or Freeview) Channels. User Profiles are set to be added this month.

The Xsight is a flexible device that does what it promises with little fuss. But we feel it's a bit expensive for a universal remote, and a little under-powered to call itself a system controller.

Logitech's range of universal remote controls has been so well-received by the home cinema enthusiast market that the company has rapidly become the number one brand for programmable clickers. And with the high-end Harmony 1100 it's easy to see why.

With its gloss black styling and 3.5in colour screen, it's an exact replacement for the extremely popular Harmony 1000. The 1100 is similarly capable of controlling up to 15 separate items of kit (via IR or, with an optional extender, RF).

But the most impressive feature, one that rivals find impossible to match, is that the control codes for your equipment can be found and stored within seconds thanks to an ever-expanding online database with, so far, over 225,000 available.

Of course, you'll need to hook up the remote to your computer and, subsequently, the internet, which may put off some, but the supplied software is so simple to use, that it shouldn't take more than an hour to set up. And that includes macros (called 'Activities' here), too.

The software, onscreen graphics and button layout have all been improved over the Harmony 1000 thanks to consumer feedback. The ability to set up Activities (sequences of events that switch on all of the relevant equipment) is a godsend. For example, tap 'Watch TV' and the screen, Freeview box and amp all start up automatically.

It's not the biggest leap in tech over the less expensive 1000 and the RF control is only available as an extra. But that's nitpicking really.

Logitech's Harmony 1100 is the remote control to end them all, boasting a fullcolour touchscreen, the ability to control 15 pieces of technology and a database of 225,000 devices.

Setup is a breeze. Once it's up and running the remote can be endlessly customised, even allowing macro programming – so it can turn on the TV and select the right channel just as your favourite program is about to start. Charging and updating is achieved via USB, and the battery life is impressive.

Given the whopping price tag, there are some features conspicuous by their absence. The screen would be perfect for Windows SideShow apps, and it's astounding that Bluetooth control for PCs and the PlayStation3 is missing.

The Harmony 1100 is a polished piece of kit, so it's obviously going to appeal to those with an expensive setup. But for us mere mortals, the fact that you could easily build a fully featured media centre PC for the same price says it all.

Every new universal remote claims to solve all possible needs, but there's no shortage of fresh designs. One For All's £100 Xsight Colour remote is an impressive gloss black design with Batmobile style blue backlighting and a 2.2in colour LCD touchscreen.

On the £130 Xsight Touch (pictured), the LCD has a fancy iPod Touch-style 'rollbar' to select menu pages. Frankly, I don't think this is worth the extra money.

Both can run on conventional AAA batteries, but ideally are used with the supplied lithium-ion pack, recharged via a sleek docking cradle which plugs into the mains. Following the prompts on the screen, you select the type and brand of each bit of gear in your system, and select the appropriate control codes by trial and error.

For basic control this is all you need; the handset's numeric, cursor, joypad and special function buttons replicate the functions of all your remotes.

For more complex setups including macro command chains, you can run the included software on your PC and follow a programming wizard to define custom setups.

When the plethora of audio visual equipment starts to accumulate in your living-room, a universal remote control like the Xsight becomes a necessity.

One For All is arguably the market leader in this field, always managing to come up with something new in universal remotes. So what's different about the Xsight range?

The main gimmick is the 2.2in colour LCD touchscreen display on the £99.99 Xsight Colour, while the £129.99 Xsight Touch adds an iPod-style 'rollbar' from which to select menu pages.

Otherwise, the two are functionally identical and have only minor aesthetic differences, so it's your decision whether it's worth paying an extra £30 to look a fraction cooler.

Rechargeable

Both models have fancy backlit keys and a mains-powered recharging dock for the lithium battery. Though it takes up a fair bit of tabletop, the charger is a better option than running the devices on conventional AAA batteries.

As for functions, the One For All philosophy is pretty well established; you select the type and manufacturer for each device you want to control (up to 18), and are presented with a range of control codes, one of which should work.

If not, you can teach the Xsight the infrared codes from the original remote, or download them via a USB connection to your PC from the One For All website. Equipment from more than 1,000 manufacturers is supported.

For basic functions, the various numeric, cursor, joypad and special controls buttons will then duplicate all the functions of your original remotes.

The Xsight's other specialty is that it displays prompts that should guide you through the setup and operation routine without the need for a manual. We managed, but then we're familiar with the One For All system. If you get stuck, there is a manual provided on disc, or you can consult the website.

While flatscreen TVs were designed with wall-mounting explicitly in mind, hardly anyone ever seems to bother hanging their's up.

Though wall-mounting brackets are common, the Vogels Trimotor goes one step further by being remote controlled. This means that the screen can sit flat against the wall when not in use and then be angled towards the viewer at the touch of a button.

Simple setup

Installation is fairly simple and merely requires the competence to drill holes in a wall, pop in the metal rawl plugs and then do up a few screws. Obviously, if you don't fancy yourself as a Handy Andy, it's worth getting someone in, as you don't want to watch as a grand's worth of screen crashes to the ground.

Once installed, the stand is able to swivel left and right as well as tilting up and down, so that wherever you sit in the room you can ensure it is facing you. When you're finished, simply press the 'home' button on the remote to return it flush to wall.

The control is surprisingly cheap looking, but is simple to use and the actions are smooth and responsive. The stand itself is incredibly heavy (meaning you'll need a solid wall on which to mount it), and boasts a rugged build, making it able to comfortably handle screens measuring from 37-52in.

Such fancy technology doesn't come cheap, but it's the perfect way to increase the wow factor of your screen and it does boast some practical use, too.

Designed to control up to eight pieces of AV kit, the Genius Remote 815 can learn and store functions from the original handsets, and even boasts seven backlight colours to distinguish between each device. The first stage with any new remote control is usually fitting the batteries.

Unfortunately, the supposedly simple battery cover release button stubbornly refused to work as easily as promised. Following the help of several colleagues, a screwdriver and a substantial amount of swearing, the batteries were finally in place.

Chunky remote

It's motion-sensitive, so as soon as you pick it up its ready for action, but it turns itself off after a few minutes of inactivity in order to save the battery life.

Despite its reassuringly chunky design, the Genius 815 is slightly uncomfortable to hold, feeling rather heavy and lacking an easy-to-grip surface.

The handset can be programmed manually using the provided list of manufacturer codes or set-up using the automatic function. The latter involved simply pointing the remote at the piece of kit for a few minutes and letting the set-up mode run through the codes stored in the remote until the right one was found – indicated by the product turning off.

Simple programming

Beyond the basic command buttons, such as the numbers and channel scrolling keys, basic functions, can be programmed into the remote simply by placing it end to end with the original handset while more complicated sequences can be programmed as macros so that they operate at the touch of a button.

For example, you can set a macro to turn the TV to DVD, turn on the DVD player, and play the DVD, just by pressing one button.

Overall it's not at all bad, but we think that there are other remotes out there which are superior in terms of usability.

For the best picture performance from your TV, it'll need recalibrating. But how to check whether your set has been optimally adjusted?

Datacolor's Spyder3TV is a tristimulus colorimeter; in other words, a sensor which measures light output in the Red, Green and Blue wavebands.

It looks a little like a computer mouse, hangs over your TV screen and is connected via a USB cable to a PC (if you're a Mac user, you're out of luck).

Use with TVs or projectors

The system works for CRT, LCD, DLP, plasma and front projection sets, and the provided tripod mount means it can be used with PJs too.

The Datacolor software installs on your PC and prompts you to enter the current make, model and settings for your TV, then trawls through a series of adjustments using images from a test pattern DVD (PAL and NTSC versions are provided). At the end of the process your TV should be adjusted to industry standards.

Highs

The software is easy to understand, so you don't need any great technical knowledge to use it. A printable PDF report is available once calibration is complete, so the final settings can be reinstalled at any time. It is also cheaper than an ISF calibrator.

Lows

The Spyder3TV omits some of the more tweaky colour parameters of the Pro version.