R.L. Dane    🍵 

#Trivia: This was the world's first remote control (sold), the [Zenith Space Command], from 1956.
There were no electronics in the remote itself, but rather the buttons triggered a mechanism that struck an aluminum rod that produced an ultrasonic tone which an acoustic reciever in the TV itself picked up.
Ultrasonic remotes were the norm through the 1980s, although the mechanical remotes were soon replaced with electronic ones.

I still remember picking up a remote in the early 1980s and hearing the ultrasonic tones it produced.

4:35pmWeb
Show threadkabel425h ago
@rl_dane wow, and i thought IR was old :)
Show threadSpace Catitude 🚀5h ago

@rl_dane
Fascinating. I think I have seen one of those, but didn't know how it worked.

I also remember at some point having a wired remote that plugged into the TV or player or whatever it was for. But IR remotes certainly took over.

Show threadR.L. Dane    🍵 4h ago

@TerryHancock

The first remote we had was a clunky slide switch with maybe 32 channels on it that connected to the cable box via a thick, roughly 3m long cord.

Show threadjns4h ago
@rl_dane This design seems better? No battery needed!
Show threadR.L. Dane    🍵 4h ago

@jns

No battery, indeed!

I wonder if you could recreate that effect via a standard IR remote use by either a kinetic winder mechanism to recharge the battery, or some kind of piezoelectric energy harvester, either of which would be supplemented with solar cells.

I have a solar-powered BT keyboard that I have never had to charge manually in over 10 years. (Although it doesn't get daily use, to be fair)

Show threadkabel424h ago
@rl_dane @jns enOcean has wireless switches that get their power from the pushing of the button :)
There is quiet a bit of resistance as you have to compress a spring
Show threadkabel424h ago
@rl_dane @jns feels a bit like a piezo lighter, but instead of hitting a piezo crystal it moves a magnet through a coil, Nice thing is, you get power twice so the switch can transmit press and release events.
Show threadPete Orrall4h ago
@rl_dane The name "Space Command" makes it all the more awesome.
Show threadR.L. Dane    🍵 4h ago

@peteorrall

SO mid-century!! 😁

I mean, even the brand, Zenith, was very spacey.

Show threadcontrolc4h ago
@rl_dane "The clicker"
Show threadDaniel3h ago

@rl_dane I heard a story of a TV owner who was puzzled at the apparent random channel changing and eventually realised his parrot was mimicking the tones.

I don't know if it happened or if parrots are even capable of this but its a lovely story

Show threadR.L. Dane    🍵 3h ago

@dan

Sounds very plausible!