Innovating laziness: the rise of the remote control
![<p>Though remote control technology had arrived, it still wasn't a standard add-on for most TV sets during the 1970s. That all changed with the arrival of cable TV. Its multi-channel offerings outpaced the standard TV dial and the service required the use of converter boxes to decode the signal.</p>
<p>While you could string these boxes closer to the couch to control your television, many were placed atop the TV, forcing viewers to get up and move when changing channels. At least the faux-wood accents on devices like this Jerrold Starcom II really helped <a href="http://youtu.be/ezQLP1dj_t8">tie the room together</a>.</p>
<p>[Image: <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Lorimier">Lorimier/Wikimedia</a>]</p>](https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/NQNHvRbLwgOK_Z.hI5T4Tw--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTUzMg--/https://s.yimg.com/uu/api/res/1.2/6J86HYhJDDH9a70B1zJN1Q--~B/aD00NDM7dz04MDA7YXBwaWQ9eXRhY2h5b24-/https://www.blogcdn.com/slideshows/images/slides/287/860/7/S2878607/slug/l/push-button-cable-box-jerold-800-1.jpg)
![<p>In 1981, high-end audio and video maker Bang & Olufsen made the transition from ultrasonic technology to infrared with its <a href="http://www.engadget.com/products/bang-olufsen/video-terminal/" target="_blank">Beovision Video Terminal</a> remote -- often referred to as the "Mars bar" for its candybar-like appearance. This device had a solid metallic build and could control most of the company's Beovision TVs during the early '80s, as well as VCRs and even TV-based Teletext information systems (for the few who used them).</p>
<p>[Image: Bang & Olufsen via <a href="http://beophile.com/">Beophile</a>]</p>](https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/yrNCPJMDk8ciZPJg.nCG6A--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTk2MA--/https://s.yimg.com/uu/api/res/1.2/aZ..i00or9_HFt062zk_Xw--~B/aD04MDA7dz04MDA7YXBwaWQ9eXRhY2h5b24-/https://www.blogcdn.com/slideshows/images/slides/288/212/9/S2882129/slug/l/videoterminal-bo-800-1.jpg)
![<p>In 1985, a division of Philips called NAP Consumer Electronics filed a patent for a single remote that could be used to operate multiple home devices. Around that same time, Steve Wozniak (he of Apple fame) imagined a truly universal remote that could learn the signal patterns of other controllers and replace the growing pile of individual units. He decided to turn his attentions away from Apple and started a company called CL9.</p>
<p>In 1987, CL9 released the <a href="http://www.engadget.com/products/cl9/core/" target="_blank">CORE</a> (Controller of Remote Equipment), which could control several devices and perform multiple tasks at the push of a button. It was powerful hardware, but not particularly intuitive for the common user. Major manufacturers were also getting into the "universal remote" business and competition from cheaper models further depressed sales for CL9.</p>
<p>Around 1990, <a href="http://www.celadon.com/Profile/Profile.html">Celadon</a> obtained the rights to continue making the CORE and renamed it the PIC-100 (Programmable Infrared Controller). Companies like Siemens and GE later used the hardware as a controller for various medical devices.</p>
<p>[Image: <a href="http://www.ktronicslc.com/">Ktronics</a>]</p>](https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/.xsluqiEDMpaNrczEHDpKw--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTk2MA--/https://s.yimg.com/uu/api/res/1.2/Drr3QAwXH7gulphTE1RvmA--~B/aD04MDA7dz04MDA7YXBwaWQ9eXRhY2h5b24-/https://www.blogcdn.com/slideshows/images/slides/287/981/8/S2879818/slug/l/core-cl9-universal-remote-ktronics-800-1.jpg)
![<p>By 2004, "hardware hacker" <a href="https://www.noisebridge.net/wiki/User:Maltman23">Mitch Altman</a> became fed up with the public nuisance of TVs blaring in public spaces. He wanted to empower the people with a tool to fight back and his solution was the <a href="http://cornfieldelectronics.com/tvbgone/tvbg.home.php">TV-B-Gone remote</a>. It was a keychain-sized controller that acted as a universal off switch. Irked passersby could now stealthily shut down all the talking heads.</p>
<p>Around 2008, the DIY device hackers at Adafruit <a href="http://www.adafruit.com/products/73">released a kit</a> for this handy tool. Now people could build their own customizable versions of the boob tube deterrent and embed them in clothing or cigarette packs for increased stealth.</p>
<p>[Image: <a href="http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:AlexanderKlink">Alexander Klink</a>/Wikimedia]</p>](https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/hjaX1LCOwwwQlTn4EmJdkA--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTk2MA--/https://s.yimg.com/uu/api/res/1.2/ZX.65RGIOmw9KEtt6y_jLQ--~B/aD04MDA7dz04MDA7YXBwaWQ9eXRhY2h5b24-/https://www.blogcdn.com/slideshows/images/slides/288/300/0/S2883000/slug/l/tv-b-gone-800-1.jpg)
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Television has long been a portal into another world and having to physically move our bodies around to navigate its offerings can spoil the illusion. That, and a touch of good, old-fashioned laziness helped spawn the remote control. From its glitchy origins to today's all-powerful devices, the technology has brought out the control freak in all of us. Join us as we delve into the evolution of these powerful handhelds that spawned an age of armchair commanders and couch potatoes.
