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The buttons on Zenith’s original ‘clicker’ remote were a mechanical marvel
- kristianp 3y agoThe technical detail: > By pressing a button on the remote, you set off a spring-loaded hammer that strikes a solid aluminum rod in the device, which then rings out at an ultrasonic frequency. Each button has a different length rod, thus a different high-frequency tone, which triggers a circuit connected to a microphone in the television to finish the command.
- NoZebra120vClip 3y agoIn the 80s, we were the remote! "Hey, kid, get up and change it to Channel 10!" No problem, we're the closest ones to the TV, sprawled out on the floor, and I loved clicking buttons and turning dials. I got so mad about blocking the IR sensor on the VCR and TV. I had to constantly move junk away, after someone stacked it up. My Samsung Android tablet ran KitKat/Lollipop, and it featured an IR transmitter. But I could never get it to work. The app was inextricably tied to some proprietary TV schedule online, and third-party apps were janky, and then Samsung shut down the online service, killing the app and disabling the IR transmitter.
- sohkamyung 3y agoAndroid Phones by Xiaomi still feature an IR transmitter, and an app that holds the IR codes for various appliances. The app is on the Google Play Store [1] [1] https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.duokan.phone.remotecontroller https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.duokan.pho...
- rbanffy 3y agoExtremely convenient in bars and restaurants.
- alsobrsp 3y agoMy stepdad had one of these, it was still working in the early 90's. Very cool "tech".
- rbanffy 3y agoIt'd survive an EMP
- syndicatedjelly 3y ago[dead]
- randombits0 3y agoUntil somebody drops their keys and the TV switches channels. Seen it happen!