The evolution of remote control
Once you had to get up to switch channels on a TV. But since laziness is the main reason for progress, the person quickly realized that he needed to somehow click the channels without using younger brothers, sons and grandchildren.
In this post - about the remote control, starting with wired and ultrasound devices in the 1950s and ending with modern smartphones.
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Introduced in 1950, the remote called “Lazy Bones”, or “Lazy Bones” in Russian, allowed you to remotely switch channels on the TV in both directions, as well as turn it on and off.
The only negative - the remote control was tied to the TV.
However, already five years later I managed to get rid of this minus with the wire. Flash-Matic was the first truly wireless remote control. The device looked like some kind of pistol from science fiction films and was connected to the corners of the TV with the help of flashes of light. Each corner was responsible for a certain action, so that, aiming at the desired area, you could make the sound louder or quieter, or switch channels.
The system had its drawbacks: bright lights and intense sunlight could affect the television in the same way as this remote.
What to do with this bug? Zenith decided to use ultrazuk instead of light. At the push of a button, a small hammer struck the plate, reproducing an ultrasonic signal. Buttons helped to switch channels and control the sound.
This technology had a great bonus: no batteries!
Look, gracie! With Zenith Space Command TV, I can switch channels on my TV across the room ...
Zenith Space Commander 600
In the 1950s, most remote controls were designed to work in tandem with a particular TV model. This allowed the Manufacturers Alliance to create a universal module. With the help of a set of "do it yourself" you could add a module to any TV, and then switch channels from a distance of up to seven meters.
Unification came thanks to the advent of cable television. In the cable box in the 1970s was a wired remote.
In the early 1980s, fashion technology was set by the manufacturer of Bang & Olufsen Hi-End audio and video equipment. The company has moved from ultrasound to infrared radiation. The consoles of this type controlled all the TVs of the Beovision line in that decade. With their help, teletext could be read.
In 1983, in the United States, Jerrold re-enters the arena with his cable boxes. This time also infrared radiation is used. And on the console was a digital display.
Steve Wozniak eighties developed a remote control "for everything." LC9 was established for production. Core (Controller of Remote Equipment) could memorize the patterns needed to control other devices. But he had a drawback: the device was not simple enough, the interface was not intuitive for the average consumer.
Also, sales were affected by the fact that large manufacturers started producing such devices one by one at lower prices.
In the nineties, Core was revived, but another manufacturer under a different name - Celadone PIC100. Later, the development used in medical equipment companies such as Siemens and General Electric.
In the years 1980-1990, almost every TV, VCR and music center had a remote control included. And this led to the creation of a huge army of universal remotes, suitable for all audio-video devices.
In the mid-nineties, even touch displays began to be used in consoles. For example, Philips Pronto TS-1000 had only a couple of physical buttons, and all control was carried out by clicking on the monochrome touch screen.
A series of similar devices from Sony had more buttons and a slightly smaller display. The capabilities of both of these gadgets were similar to those of Core by Steve Wozniak.
Years passed, and Bang & Olufsen did not stop. By 2008, they showed a new remote, which combined a color touchscreen and familiar buttons into a device with a futuristic design.
Apple in 2010 created such a simple remote for Apple TV. The device, made of aluminum, weighs almost nothing.
Gaming consoles for many years occupy an important place in the homes of many people. So why not use console sticks to control home devices?
When Google TV was launched in 2010, many manufacturers tried to decide in which form factor the remote controls should be made. Logitech made a full-sized keyboard, Sony introduced a controller with an infinite number of buttons.
The Sony NSZ-GS7 Internet player included a touchpad, function keys and a qwerty keyboard, but it all fit into a device the size of a PDA.
Voice control appeared in 2013 when Sony showed the NSZ-GS8. To search the Internet and among applications and switch channels, you just had to talk to the remote.
In 2011, the sixth generation of ADSL modems from the French provider Free appeared. In the console, which comes bundled, ZigBee technology is used - radio waves are used to transmit signals, but not infrared radiation.
One of the components of the Freebox kit.
Many functions from various gadgets of the past are placed now in our smartphones. So phones and tablets help to manage the "smart" home. There are also devices that serve as conductors between a smartphone and a TV or music center, receiving signals from gadgets and sending them to the right devices. One example is Harmony Ultimate.
In this post - about the remote control, starting with wired and ultrasound devices in the 1950s and ending with modern smartphones.
')
Introduced in 1950, the remote called “Lazy Bones”, or “Lazy Bones” in Russian, allowed you to remotely switch channels on the TV in both directions, as well as turn it on and off.
The only negative - the remote control was tied to the TV.
However, already five years later I managed to get rid of this minus with the wire. Flash-Matic was the first truly wireless remote control. The device looked like some kind of pistol from science fiction films and was connected to the corners of the TV with the help of flashes of light. Each corner was responsible for a certain action, so that, aiming at the desired area, you could make the sound louder or quieter, or switch channels.
The system had its drawbacks: bright lights and intense sunlight could affect the television in the same way as this remote.
What to do with this bug? Zenith decided to use ultrazuk instead of light. At the push of a button, a small hammer struck the plate, reproducing an ultrasonic signal. Buttons helped to switch channels and control the sound.
This technology had a great bonus: no batteries!
Look, gracie! With Zenith Space Command TV, I can switch channels on my TV across the room ...
Zenith Space Commander 600
In the 1950s, most remote controls were designed to work in tandem with a particular TV model. This allowed the Manufacturers Alliance to create a universal module. With the help of a set of "do it yourself" you could add a module to any TV, and then switch channels from a distance of up to seven meters.
Unification came thanks to the advent of cable television. In the cable box in the 1970s was a wired remote.
In the early 1980s, fashion technology was set by the manufacturer of Bang & Olufsen Hi-End audio and video equipment. The company has moved from ultrasound to infrared radiation. The consoles of this type controlled all the TVs of the Beovision line in that decade. With their help, teletext could be read.
In 1983, in the United States, Jerrold re-enters the arena with his cable boxes. This time also infrared radiation is used. And on the console was a digital display.
Steve Wozniak eighties developed a remote control "for everything." LC9 was established for production. Core (Controller of Remote Equipment) could memorize the patterns needed to control other devices. But he had a drawback: the device was not simple enough, the interface was not intuitive for the average consumer.
Also, sales were affected by the fact that large manufacturers started producing such devices one by one at lower prices.
In the nineties, Core was revived, but another manufacturer under a different name - Celadone PIC100. Later, the development used in medical equipment companies such as Siemens and General Electric.
In the years 1980-1990, almost every TV, VCR and music center had a remote control included. And this led to the creation of a huge army of universal remotes, suitable for all audio-video devices.
In the mid-nineties, even touch displays began to be used in consoles. For example, Philips Pronto TS-1000 had only a couple of physical buttons, and all control was carried out by clicking on the monochrome touch screen.
A series of similar devices from Sony had more buttons and a slightly smaller display. The capabilities of both of these gadgets were similar to those of Core by Steve Wozniak.
Years passed, and Bang & Olufsen did not stop. By 2008, they showed a new remote, which combined a color touchscreen and familiar buttons into a device with a futuristic design.
Apple in 2010 created such a simple remote for Apple TV. The device, made of aluminum, weighs almost nothing.
Gaming consoles for many years occupy an important place in the homes of many people. So why not use console sticks to control home devices?
When Google TV was launched in 2010, many manufacturers tried to decide in which form factor the remote controls should be made. Logitech made a full-sized keyboard, Sony introduced a controller with an infinite number of buttons.
The Sony NSZ-GS7 Internet player included a touchpad, function keys and a qwerty keyboard, but it all fit into a device the size of a PDA.
Voice control appeared in 2013 when Sony showed the NSZ-GS8. To search the Internet and among applications and switch channels, you just had to talk to the remote.
In 2011, the sixth generation of ADSL modems from the French provider Free appeared. In the console, which comes bundled, ZigBee technology is used - radio waves are used to transmit signals, but not infrared radiation.
One of the components of the Freebox kit.
Many functions from various gadgets of the past are placed now in our smartphones. So phones and tablets help to manage the "smart" home. There are also devices that serve as conductors between a smartphone and a TV or music center, receiving signals from gadgets and sending them to the right devices. One example is Harmony Ultimate.
Source: https://habr.com/ru/post/235111/
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