Standing for Consumer Electronics Control – CEC is just a part of the existing HDMI standard and is an acronym for the controlling signal carried by the technology. This controlling signal enables devices to send commands to each other along the cable. This allows for single remote control usage for multiple devices as each can communicate with the other.
So is CEC just a funky name for a universal remote? No – universal remotes combine a bunch of remotes into one case. Watching a film on a DVD disc with a universal remote requires pressing just as many buttons as using three separate remotes. However a CEC link, you press just one button and the TV turns on, the DVD player turns on, and the home theatre surround sound system turns on and automatically selects the right inputs and settings to watch your DVD film.
Most brands give this technology their own name for branding purposes but the underlying technology is the same. Here’s a few of the more common ones…
Anynet+ (Samsung)
Samsung’s version of this technology is Anynet+ and if you have any Anynet+ enabled Samsung appliance you get the full benefit of this technology.
AQUOS Link (Sharp)
Sharp’s technology adds a little extra in their TVs by providing on screen control of your other connected devices as well as the usual single-remote control.Sharp has a habit of defining its TVs by this technology and they do provide a nice internet-PC-TV combo in the AQUOS range.
Viera Link (Panasonic)
Panasonic were one of the first to implement devices that exploited the CEC link but since then they’re not done much to innovate. Unlike Sharp you get basic single–remote functionality and no extra frills.
looking around for the best site to get one.