I am in my 40's. I don't know how I ever got to this age when we didn't have remotes or microwaves growing up...... let along a pc in every room of the house!!!
A universal remote will work. You just need to make sure that your tv model is listed in the instructions.... it will walk you through how to program it for your specific tv. Sometimes, you might have to try a couple of frequency sequences. Presto - no problem.