They were excited by a trigger mechanism that stretched a spring and then released it so that a small hammer would strike the end of the aluminum rod. They were very carefully cut to lengths that would generate four slightly different frequencies. The first such remote control used four rods, each approximately 2-1/2 inches long: one for channel up, one for channel down, one for sound on and off, and one for on and off. The transmitter used no batteries it was built around aluminum rods that were light in weight and, when struck at one end, emitted distinctive high-frequency sounds. He was assigned to lead a team of engineers to work on the first use of ultrasonics technology in the home as a new approach for a remote control. Robert Adler suggested using “ultrasonics,” that is, high-frequency sound, beyond the range of human hearing. If the remote control didn’t emit light or show any other visible sign of functioning, people would think it was broken once the batteries died. If the battery went dead, the sales staff said, the customer might think something was wrong with the TV. In those days, batteries were used primarily in flashlights. Regardless of the specific system chosen, Zenith sales people were against using batteries in the remote control. It also would be difficult to find a sound that wouldn’t accidentally be duplicated by either household noises or by the sound coming from TV programming. Using distinctive sound signals was discussed, but Zenith engineers believed people might not like hearing a certain sound that would become characteristic of operating the TV set through a remote control. ![]() But, because they travel through walls, radio waves could inadvertently control a TV set in an adjacent apartment or room. ![]() Development ChallengesĬommander McDonald loved the concepts proven by Polley’s Flash-Matic and directed his engineers to explore other technologies for the next generation. It was a simple device that had no protection circuits and, if the TV sat in an area in which the sun shone directly on it, the tuner might start rotating. The viewer used a highly directional flashlight to activate the four control functions, which turned the picture and sound on and off and changed channels by turning the tuner dial clockwise and counter-clockwise.įlash-Matic pioneered the concept of wireless TV remote control, although it had some limitations. Introduced in 1955, Flash-Matic operated by means of four photo cells, one in each corner of the TV screen. Polley invented the “Flash-Matic,” which represented the industry’s first wireless TV remote. ![]() Flash-Matic: The First Wireless TV Remote While developing and promoting the concept of commercial-free subscription television, McDonald yearned for a way to mute the sound of commercials. McDonald Jr., Zenith’s late founder-president, believed TV viewers would not tolerate commercials and was convinced that sooner or later commercial television would collapse. The remote control included buttons that turned the TV on and off.Īlthough customers liked having remote control of their television, they complained that people tripped over the unsightly cable that meandered across the living room floor.Ĭommander Eugene F. ![]() By pushing buttons on the remote control, viewers rotated the tuner clockwise or counterclockwise, depending on whether they wanted to change the channel to a higher or lower number. A motor in the TV set operated the tuner through the remote control. The Lazy Bones used a cable that ran from the TV set to the viewer. The first TV remote control, called the “Lazy Bones,” was developed in 1950 by Zenith (then known as Zenith Radio Corporation and now a wholly owned subsidiary of LG Electronics USA). Channel surfing was born more than six decades ago.
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