The buttons on Zenith’s original ‘clicker’ remote were a mechanical marvel

https://www.theverge.com/23810061/zenith-space-command-remote-control-button-of-the-month

12 points · 11 comments · view on lemmy.world

11 Comments

Crackhappy@lemmy.world · 3 pts · 3y

Well that was a TIL moment. Thanks!

Prootje@kbin.social · 1 pts · 3y

Never seen or heard from anyone using tape to mask their remotes. Is this really a thing?

n2burns@lemmy.ca · 1 pts · 3y

This was mentioned a couple of weeks ago on the Vergecast. I was wondering if someone was going to get assigned the article, and here it is!

dingus@lemmy.ml · 1 pts · 3y (2 replies)

I like the sounds of the tines! It's basically just a tuning fork, so wild.

reverendz@lemmygrad.ml · 0 pts · 3y (1 reply)

I’m old and still call the remote “the clicker”. My 7 year old wondered what the heck a clicker is.

Cue old dad “back in my day, the remotes actually clicked” story.

Catweazle@social.vivaldi.net · 1 pts · 3y

@reverendz @dingus, when I was young, I was the remote

Llcooljessie@lemm.ee · 0 pts · 3y (4 replies)

Those don't take batteries and your click generates the electricity for the signal. Right? Like a wind up radio.

dingus@lemmy.ml · 1 pts · 3y (3 replies)

No, it's a tuning fork that produces 4 seperate tones, one for each "button." The TV had a microphone listening for tones and would respond accordingly. You didn't actually have to point the remote at the TV, which later became a problem, as the mic on the TV was technically always listening for a tone.

Llcooljessie@lemm.ee · 1 pts · 3y (2 replies)

Neat. I knew I could Cunningham Law this instead of doing research.

dingus@lemmy.ml · 1 pts · 3y

You can always count on fucking nerds to get excited about explaining something.

indun@feddit.uk · 1 pts · 3y

Unfortunately, you violated the law slightly by asking a question!

Cunningham's Law states "the best way to get the right answer on the internet is not to ask a question; it's to post the wrong answer."