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Eugene Polley, co-creator of the wireless TV remote, passes away aged 96
Eugene Polley, inventor of the wireless remote control has passed away aged 96. Working for Zenith Electronics, he developed the FlashMatic control in 1955, using beams of light directed at photo-sensors in a television to change channel or volume. Like all pioneering technology it had some quirks -- it couldn't distinguish between the light from the remote and direct sunlight, causing inadvertent channel changes during summer days. Dr. Robert Adler (1913 - 2007) superseded the technology with his ultrasonic "clicker," but Polley's system would be reborn with the advent of infra-red remotes. He subsequently went on to work on the push-button radio and helped to develop the video disc -- the predecessor of DVD. Both men were honored with Emmy Awards in 1997 and countless other plaudits for their engineering achievement, as well as knowing that a sizable proportion of the planet use their work on a daily, nay hourly basis. Our thoughts are with his family.
Zenith 5-S-29 radio case mod explained in excellent, water-cooled detail
The trusty old desktop rarely gets the love it deserves these days. Losing gamers to consoles and casual users to laptops, it's left only with a loyal band of enthusiasts, but what a gorgeous bunch they are. Gary from the Bit-tech forums has put together the above case mod, inspired by the styles of early 20th century electronics, and reminded us all that big can be beautiful. He's managed to fit an entire water cooling setup inside, while leaving no detail undocumented in a thorough, pic-heavy walkthrough of the project. We'd have considered the stunning wooden case enough by itself, but Gary has taken care of the little touches as well, as exemplified by the spare PCI slot covers matching the external construction. Hit the source link for images of the build and the insides laid bare.
Zenith Z42LC6DF / Z47LC6DF LCD HDTVs hit the FCC
Here's an interesting one. Zenith's 42-inch Z42LC6DF / 47-inch Z47LC6DF LCD HDTVs are already on sale at outlets like Target, yet they're just now getting around to surfacing at the FCC. We're not sure if this is just some weird way of keeping a veil on two similar sets slated to hit shortly with built-in WHDI (pretty please?), but if we're being honest with ourselves, we'd say there's probably nothing here to get excited over.
Three more DTV converter boxes get reviewed, compared
Even though we just know you'll disregard this information until the last possible moment, we'd like to point out that three more digital-to-analog converter boxes have been reviewed over at Sound & Vision. The $60 Zenith DTT900 -- one of the very first DTV boxes to get outed -- was pit against the $50 RCA DTA800 and the $60 Digital Stream DTX9900. Believe it or not, reviewers actually found quite a bit of difference in the three units ranging from looks (clearly) to on-screen interfaces. If you're one to care about the minutiae (and admit it, you are), head on over to see which of these three most deserve your $40 voucher.
The quest for a DTV converter box
We've had digital TV tuners for years, but for many there's a lot of anxiety associated with trying to ensure you're ready for the analog shutoff. So to do our part in helping to make the digital transition a success -- and to get some much needed cred' with the mother-in-law -- we set out on a quest for a DTV converter box. Finding a DTV converter box that is eligible for the $40 voucher is pretty easy, in fact, in almost every place we looked, we found 'em. The problem is that the voucher is only for $40 and since those who actually need one in the first place are too cheap frugal to pay for cable or buy a new TV, every penny counts.
Zenith's ATSC Digital to Analog Converter Box gets priced
Apparently, Radio Shack isn't waiting around for the hordes of Americans out there to receive those $40 coupons to help purchase a DTV converter box, as a recent newsletter reportedly shows the Zenith ATSC Digital to Analog Converter Box (model number 150-0148) as being available in "mid-February" for $69.99. Granted, we couldn't recommend more that you actually hold your horses and await the coupon before snagging one of your own, but at least now you know that you'll need to scrounge up an extra $30 or so to take this particular model home.[Thanks, JGarcia]
LG's Zenith-branded DTT900 converter box gets pictured
It's not everyday that you see Zenith hanging out on the cutting-edge, but for those camping out under a rock since 1995, you should probably be informed that LG owns a majority share of the company. If you'll recall, LG was tooting its own horn just last week about having the first digital-to-analog converter box to be certified for the US Commerce Department's coupon program, and if two and two really equal four, the unit you see pictured above is indeed the device that was previously referenced. The DTT900 was developed and produced by LG, but it will apparently be sold under the Zenith brand name -- you know, so it'll blend in better with that 80s-era TV.
Robert Adler, co-inventor of the TV remote, passes away
Robert Adler, the man who in 1997 gained an Emmy for his contribution to the invention of the television remote, has passed away. In his 93 years he claimed over 180 patents (the most recent of which was filed on February 1), but his greatest achievement was to invent the first practical wireless television remote control. Way back in the mid-50s when he was working for Zenith Electronics Corp., Adler produced a remote control that communicated with a tuner using four prongs that produced ultrasonic sounds. Unlike earlier solutions -- like Eugene Polley's "Flashmatic" remote -- Robert's remote wasn't prone to interference, didn't require a wire, and, unlike current remotes, didn't require a power source. The original name of the first effective wireless TV remote? The Zenith Space Command remote control. As a tribute to Mr. Adler, we'll be calling our zappers this name for the next few days: we hope you'll join us in yelling "where's the Zenith Space Command remote control?" the next time you lose the little bugger. Rest in peace Robert.
HDTVs on sale @ Best Buy
Because if there's anything we like more than HDTVs, it's cheap HDTVs. All televisions $499 and up (excluding Sony XBRs and HP models) are apparently on sale this week, and there's free shipping for online orders. If you already know what set you want and have just been waiting for a price break, this may be a good opportunity.See any other good deals in this weeks ads? Let us know in the comments for people like me who don't read the newspaper.[Via digg]
IEEE honors some of the engineers responsible for HDTV
Even though CES is over, the IEEE International Conference on Consumer Electronics is just starting tomorrow in Las Vegas. There, the leaders of the team that created high definition television for Zenith will be honored with the 2006 IEEE Masaru Ibuka Consumer Electronics Award. Sponsored by Sony, the award is to recognize outstanding contributions in the field of consumer electronics. Every time you turn on your high def TV, remember to thank Wayne Bretl, Richard Citta and Wayne Luplow, without whom none of this would have been possible.
CEATEC Japan 2005 preview
CEATEC Japan 2005 starts tomorrow, with two days of anything to do with technologies providing Image, Infomation and Communications. Everyone from Toshiba & Sony, to Sharp, Samsung and Intel will be showing off their latest devices and software. A good example of what types of things we can expect is Panasonic's "Ideas for life" booth, showing off a totally networked home with a large screen high-definition TV at the center. (How many HD Beat readers' homes does that sound like?) Of course if what you really need is a new house to put that network in, our friends at Luxist know just the place.With the transitional period we're in with media storage and display, it seems like there will be even more interesting debuts than usual, of products we might actually see on store shelves very soon. Check back for further updates and announcements.What are you looking forward to/would you like to see announced at the conference?
