Sony's new remotes keep it real simple

Isn't it possible that our remotes have gotten too complex? Do you ever long for a time when a basic control was all you needed to navigate the seas of home entertainment? Well, perhaps Sony is feeling your nostalgic vibe, because the company has just launched a new group of remotes in Japan that definitely harken back to a simpler time. The RM-PZ1FD (above) appears to be Sony's answer to the clutter of your everyday universal behemoth. The model comes in three retro colors, and is strangely waterproof (for those simpler times by the pool). The company is also releasing two other "vertical" models, the RM-PZ1SD and RM-PZ1D, if you're a stickler for single-handed operation. All controls available in Japan in late August for ¥2,468, or about $21.

[Magallanes @ Aug 17th 2007 1:29PM]

Numbers from 1 to... 12?

:?

[Castle @ Aug 17th 2007 5:01PM]

This is due to the majority of Japanese watch mainly terrestrial broadcasting (which has now gone digital). There are 12 buttons because there are more then 10 "major" Japanese Network channels (including NHK); so its easier to just have buttons for each.

[Motoxo @ Aug 17th 2007 1:35PM]

where's number 0?

[David @ Aug 17th 2007 1:38PM]

It looks like the zero is combined with the 10 button.

[Rainier @ Aug 17th 2007 1:41PM]

10 also doubles up as 0.

All this means is you save yourself a fraction of a second by avoiding having to press a third button. To get to channel 124 just press 12 + 4

Oh the genius of it all!

[Motoxo @ Aug 17th 2007 1:46PM]

oh goodness. leave it to sony to make you think when using your "simple retro" remote control.

channel 204? no problem! press "2" plus "10" plus "4". after a few beers, i'll do what we did before remote controls.

honey? can you get up and change the channel?


now THAT'S retro.

[Rainier @ Aug 17th 2007 1:48PM]

But remember, it's retro....so maybe they're talking retro only channels too, haha.

[David @ Aug 17th 2007 1:37PM]

I don't understand the 10, 11, and 12 buttons...I guess that's how they do it in Japan.

[luke @ Aug 17th 2007 1:39PM]

i can see the waterproof idea (spilled drinks), but the form factor doesn't appear to be very arm-rest friendly

[Larz @ Aug 17th 2007 4:52PM]

Uh, it's retro... we didn't have newfangled 'handheld' remotes back then, you young whipper-snapper.

A remote used to be a large box the size of an Atari 2600 and have a cord running to the TV. On it were switches and toggle buttons of various sorts.

[Larz @ Aug 17th 2007 4:57PM]

Uh, it's retro... we didn't have newfangled 'handheld' remotes back then, you young whipper-snapper.

A remote used to be a large box the size of an Atari 2600 and have a cord running to the TV. On it were switches and toggle buttons of various sorts.

[Brandson @ Aug 17th 2007 1:47PM]

I'm in the market for a simple universal remote and this whole lineup looks awesome to me. I hope Sony is good enough to release all of those models in English too.

I recently bought Sony's older EZ2 remote for my grandparents and they love it. It's big, comfortable, easy to use, cheap, and built like a tank. These new models seem to be much the same, only more stylish, which I think is great.

[mattclarkie @ Aug 18th 2007 11:41AM]

I have a Sony TV remote from 3 years ago and it is lovely, compact but with many buttons, rounded and built out of nice plastic. Now all of Sony's remotes are the size of a house, with buttons as big as those on a computer keyboard, made of cheap plastic, too few buttons, and shaped like a brick.

If you can't handle more tan 10 buttons on a remote then you don't deserve a TV with all those functions.

Stupid fat fingered people ruined remote controls.

[jjd @ Aug 17th 2007 1:54PM]

So, what exactly would I type on the keypad to go to channel 201?

[Sam @ Aug 17th 2007 2:22PM]

i guess 2 + 10 + 1

[jjd @ Aug 17th 2007 2:23PM]

Brilliant.

[world peace @ Aug 17th 2007 4:39PM]

201=2->0->1

[010111 @ Aug 17th 2007 2:21PM]

in japan they use a base-12 number system unlike the base-10 system we use in north america.

this developed due to the japanese having 6 fingers per hand. you seriously never noticed this before? jeesh.

[coplice @ Aug 17th 2007 2:52PM]

and in the simpsons use a abse 8? 0-7
which really exist >.>
cmon ppl! tell me how much is this number (in decimal): 407621

[Mark Galvan @ Aug 17th 2007 3:48PM]

All your base are belong to 107?

[Jean-Michel Decombe @ Aug 17th 2007 2:43PM]

What we really need is an remote made entirely of a touch screen where buttons appear in context, depending on your current state. That's the way to offer both power (all the buttons you need) and simplicity (only a few buttons visible at any time).

[Wwhat @ Aug 17th 2007 7:43PM]

Exists already, pricey though.

[KazO @ Aug 17th 2007 2:44PM]

OTA TV in Japan goes from 1 to 12, the way it goes from 2-13 in the US. When I was a tot in Tokyo, I could never figure out what the UHF dial was, cause you never used it.

I still think its weird when I go to smaller metro cities in the US and find network stations on UHF, since they're all VHF here in LA.

[world peace @ Aug 17th 2007 3:18PM]

The main non-cable channels in Japan go from 1~12, so one can go through all "normal" channels with this type of remote control. The buttons on the top are to choose the cable/digital channels, and those channels are input using 0~9.

[craig @ Aug 17th 2007 3:27PM]

I would have been interested in this...before I got my Tivo, which has The Best Remote Ever.

[Emceay @ Aug 17th 2007 3:42PM]

Double fisted remote you give to your kids to keep them from doing complex things like deleting from your recorded shows or filling your drive with spongebob.

[Mark Galvan @ Aug 17th 2007 3:51PM]

I meant 104.

[michas_pi @ Aug 17th 2007 4:44PM]

I like how there is a "BS" button above the 2.

I'm guessing that's a shortcut to MTV.

[Jamar @ Aug 18th 2007 3:02AM]

I get the joke, but to be serious, BS stands for "Broadcast Satellite". Whoever came up with that wasn't thinking straight, obviously. CS stands for "Communication Satellite" which, I think, is a system where the satellite is in a central office and everyone gets feeds from it- their version of cable TV.

[Siva @ Aug 17th 2007 4:55PM]

Is this just for the TV. Where is the play/pause buttons, etc.

[Wwhat @ Aug 17th 2007 7:45PM]

I'm guessing this is for old people then, right?
Waterproof because they try to wash them in their confusion.
I wonder if it makes loud sounds when you operate it as feedback.

[Camperton @ Aug 18th 2007 6:53AM]

They have a very JVC 1988 look to them.

[mattclarkie @ Aug 18th 2007 11:42AM]

But what if you want channel 210. Do you have to hold the buttons longer to get 0, in which case it doesn't save any time at all.

[ellisfan @ Aug 18th 2007 1:33PM]

if you really look hard you can see the "/0" next to the 10. There's your answer.

[Lee @ Aug 18th 2007 3:33PM]

this remote looks very cool. i dunno if i'll be using it tho, i haven't had a sony device in a long while.