CEC, or Consumer Electronics Control, has been making home theater devices easier to control for over a decade. The concept of a single remote controlling multiple devices (up to 15 based on the spec) that are simply connected by HDMI cables is very attractive to both consumers and professionals alike. 

As explained in HDMI-CEC: The Secret to Streaming-Remote Simplicity, "with this feature, streaming boxes such as Apple TV and Roku can control your television’s power, volume, and input, making additional remotes unnecessary."

Enabling CEC eliminates the coffee tables full of remote controls, as well as the expensive custom controller. In essence, it makes your home technology simpler to use, faster to install, and overall more cost effective. 

But what about the office and classroom? 

Traditionally, CEC has been relegated to the home, but an increasing number of manufacturers are integrating it into their professional devices, such as presentation and collaboration systems. This means that the same device you connect your laptop or tablet to can now control your display. 

Take the TechLogix range of Share-Me™ products for example. These devices allow multiple sources to simultaneously connect to a conference room display and control the display functions without a remote control--everything just talks to each other.

Plus, as Cameron Smith TechLogix CEO explains, "eliminating the multitude of remote controls have other tangible benefits: no more late meetings from lost remotes, dead batteries or user confusion." 

If technology has taught us anything it's simplicity wins. As CEC is embraced by more technology suppliers, including those that focus on commercial environments, we're sure to see simplicity paying dividends.