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Why?

Buttons, buttons and more buttons. Universal remotes are filled with buttons that techies can easily navigate, but to everyone else a universal remote equates to 'don't press anything but these 5 buttons'. The design is terrible, it is a UI nightmare. Life can be better. Logitech improves functionality with Harmony remotes, but even those are too much. It can be simpler.

Scenario: One button has multiple functions

Especially when buttons do multiple things for different devices. When set-top box is selected on a particular universal remote, and Input is pressed, it cycles through screen modes and aspect ratios. The same Input button also changes a TV's input if the remote spits out IR that the TV understands. Once screen mode and aspect ratio are set, it is unlikely they need to be frequently changed. After an initial setup, Input should only change the TV's input and never change screen mode or aspect ratio, but that doesn't happen.

How?

An LCD/OLED fullscreen programmable remote can solve the problems exhibited by a universal remote. Any combination of 'buttons' can be put onto a screen, allowing for configurations that can suit each user. Although I see the default screen as very simple only including Channel, Volume, Power, Numeric Keypad, and Settings. The goal is to make using a remote control as simple as possible.

Learning

If a user enters channel 7 on the remote every weekday around 7p, that recurring event can be cross checked with TV listings. The remote could then make an educated guess that the user is watching Wheel of Fortune on NBC every weekday at 7p. Knowing that the user likes Wheel of Fortune, the remote could pop a notification letting the user know that Wheel of Fortune is starting soon, and the remote can tune to NBC by pressing the notification banner.

Learning - Most Frequented Channels

There could be a button on the remote that shows a user's most frequented channels and what's currently showing on each channel. This screen could also show recommendations based on frequented channels. If a user frequently watches NFL on CBS, but never goes to NFL Network for Thursday night games, the remote could recommend NFL Network and display the current program.

This screen could also be filtered to show most frequently watched by time, day, or overall. Meaning if the most frequented screen is checked on Sunday at 10a during football season, it might display channels showing football games. Or if the most frequented screen is checked Friday at 8p, it will display movie channels like Showtime, HBO and Starz because it knows this is movie night.

Mockups

Credits

Icons in 'devices' mockup

Remote Control by Lloyd Humphreys from the Noun Project
screencast by Felisberto Piazza from the Noun Project
console by Joel Wisneski from the Noun Project
nintendo switch by Angelo Troiano from the Noun Project