Remote control
In electronics, a remote control (also known as a remote or clicker[1]) is an electronic device used to operate another device from a distance, usually wirelessly. In consumer electronics, a remote control can be used to operate devices such as a television set, DVD player or other digital home media appliance. A remote control can allow operation of devices that are out of convenient reach for direct operation of controls. They function best when used from a short distance. This is primarily a convenience feature for the user. In some cases, remote controls allow a person to operate a device that they otherwise would not be able to reach, as when a garage door opener is triggered from outside.
Early television remote controls (1956–1977) used
Remote controls in the 2000s include
History
Wired and wireless remote control was developed in the latter half of the 19th century to meet the need to control unmanned vehicles (for the most part military torpedoes).
By the late 1930s, several radio manufacturers offered remote controls for some of their higher-end models.[13] Most of these were connected to the set being controlled by wires, but the Philco Mystery Control (1939) was a battery-operated low-frequency radio transmitter,[14] thus making it the first wireless remote control for a consumer electronics device. Using pulse-count modulation, this also was the first digital wireless remote control.
Television remote controls
The first remote intended to control a television was developed by
In 1956, Robert Adler developed Zenith Space Command, a wireless remote.[15][20][21] It was mechanical and used ultrasound to change the channel and volume.[22][21] When the user pushed a button on the remote control, it struck a bar and clicked, hence they were commonly called "clickers", and the mechanics were similar to a pluck.[21][23] Each of the four bars emitted a different fundamental frequency with ultrasonic harmonics, and circuits in the television detected these sounds and interpreted them as channel-up, channel-down, sound-on/off, and power-on/off.[24]
Later, the rapid decrease in price of
In 1970,
The impetus for a more complex type of television remote control came in 1973, with the development of the
In 1980, the most popular remote control was the Starcom Cable TV Converter (from Jerrold Electronics, a division of General Instrument)[15] which used 40-kHz sound to change channels. Then, a Canadian company, Viewstar, Inc., was formed by engineer Paul Hrivnak and started producing a cable TV converter with an infrared remote control. The product was sold through Philips for approximately $190 CAD. The Viewstar converter was an immediate success, the millionth converter being sold on March 21, 1985, with 1.6 million sold by 1989.[27][28]
Other remote controls
The Blab-off was a wired remote control created in 1952 that turned a TV's (television) sound on or off so that viewers could avoid hearing commercials.[29] In the 1980s Steve Wozniak of Apple started a company named CL 9. The purpose of this company was to create a remote control that could operate multiple electronic devices. The CORE unit (Controller Of Remote Equipment) was introduced in the fall of 1987. The advantage to this remote controller was that it could "learn" remote signals from different devices. It had the ability to perform specific or multiple functions at various times with its built-in clock. It was the first remote control that could be linked to a computer and loaded with updated software code as needed. The CORE unit never made a huge impact on the market. It was much too cumbersome for the average user to program, but it received rave reviews from those who could.[citation needed] These obstacles eventually led to the demise of CL 9, but two of its employees continued the business under the name Celadon. This was one of the first computer-controlled learning remote controls on the market.[30]
In the 1990s, cars were increasingly sold with electronic remote control door locks. These remotes transmit a signal to the car which locks or unlocks the door locks or unlocks the trunk. An aftermarket device sold in some countries is the remote starter. This enables a car owner to remotely start their car. This feature is most associated with countries with winter climates, where users may wish to run the car for several minutes before they intend to use it, so that the car heater and defrost systems can remove ice and snow from the windows.
Proliferation
By the early 2000s, the number of consumer electronic devices in most homes greatly increased, along with the number of remotes to control those devices. According to the
Technique
The main technology used in home remote controls is
Opto components and circuits
Most remote controls for electronic appliances use a near
Consumer electronics infrared protocols
Different manufacturers of infrared remote controls use different protocols to transmit the infrared commands. The
Infrared, line of sight and operating angle
Since infrared (IR) remote controls use light, they require line of sight to operate the destination device. The signal can, however, be reflected by mirrors, just like any other light source. If operation is required where no line of sight is possible, for instance when controlling equipment in another room or installed in a cabinet, many brands of IR extenders are available for this on the market. Most of these have an IR receiver, picking up the IR signal and relaying it via radio waves to the remote part, which has an IR transmitter mimicking the original IR control. Infrared receivers also tend to have a more or less limited operating angle, which mainly depends on the optical characteristics of the
Radio remote control systems
Radio remote control (RF remote control) is used to control distant objects using a variety of radio signals transmitted by the remote control device. As a complementary method to infrared remote controls, the radio remote control is used with electric garage door or gate openers, automatic barrier systems, burglar alarms and industrial automation systems. Standards used for RF remotes are:
A radio remote control system commonly has two parts: transmit and receive. The transmitter part is divided into two parts, the RF remote control and the transmitter module. This allows the transmitter module to be used as a component in a larger application. The transmitter module is small, but users must have detailed knowledge to use it; combined with the RF remote control it is much simpler to use.
The receiver is generally one of two types: a super-regenerative receiver or a
Usage
Industry
A remote control is used for controlling substations, pump storage power stations and HVDC-plants. For these systems often PLC-systems working in the longwave range are used.
Power line remote control
A subset of Power-Line communication that sends remote control signals over energized AC power lines. This was used to remotely control home automation before the invention of WIFI connected smart switches.
Garage and gate
Garage and gate remote controls are very common, especially in some countries such as the US, Australia, and the UK, where garage doors, gates and barriers are widely used. Such a remote is very simple by design, usually only one button, and some with more buttons to control several gates from one control. Such remotes can be divided into two categories by the encoder type used: fixed code and rolling code. If you find dip-switches in the remote, it is likely to be fixed code, an older technology which was widely used. However, fixed codes have been criticized for their (lack of) security, thus rolling code has been more and more widely used in later installations.
Military
Remotely operated torpedoes were demonstrated in the late 19th century in the form of several types of remotely controlled torpedoes. The early 1870s saw remotely controlled torpedoes by John Ericsson (pneumatic), John Louis Lay (electric wire guided), and Victor von Scheliha (electric wire guided).[34]
The
The military also developed several early remote control vehicles. In
Remote controls in military usage employ
Space
In the winter of 1971, the Soviet Union explored the surface of the Moon with the lunar vehicle Lunokhod 1, the first roving remote-controlled robot to land on another celestial body. Remote control technology is also used in space travel, for instance, the Soviet Lunokhod vehicles were remote-controlled from the ground. Many space exploration rovers can be remotely controlled, though vast distance to a vehicle results in a long time delay between transmission and receipt of a command.
PC control
Existing infrared remote controls can be used to control PC applications.[43] Any application that supports shortcut keys can be controlled via infrared remote controls from other home devices (TV, VCR, AC).[44] This is widely used[citation needed] with multimedia applications for PC based home theater systems. For this to work, one needs a device that decodes IR remote control data signals and a PC application that communicates to this device connected to PC. A connection can be made via serial port, USB port or motherboard IrDA connector. Such devices are commercially available but can be homemade using low-cost microcontrollers.[citation needed] LIRC (Linux IR Remote control) and WinLIRC (for Windows) are software packages developed for the purpose of controlling PC using TV remote and can be also used for homebrew remote with lesser modification.
Photography
Remote controls are used in photography, in particular to take long-exposure shots. Many action cameras such as the GoPros [45] as well as standard DSLRs including Sony's Alpha series [46] incorporate Wi-Fi based remote control systems. These can often be accessed and even controlled via cell-phones and other mobile devices.[47]
Video games
Video game consoles had not used wireless controllers until recently, mainly because of the difficulty involved in playing the game while keeping the infrared transmitter pointed at the console. Early wireless controllers were cumbersome and when powered on alkaline batteries, lasted only a few hours before they needed replacement. Some wireless controllers were produced by third parties, in most cases using a radio link instead of infrared. Even these were very inconsistent, and in some cases, had transmission delays, making them virtually useless. Some examples include the Double Player for NES, the Master System Remote Control System and the Wireless Dual Shot for the PlayStation.
The first official wireless game controller made by a first party manufacturer was the CX-42 for
Standby power
To be turned on by a wireless remote, the controlled appliance must always be partly on, consuming standby power.[48]
Alternatives
Hand-gesture recognition has been researched as an alternative to remote controls for television sets.[49]
See also
- Apple Siri Remote
- Consumer Electronics Control (CEC)
- Kinect
- Peel Technologies
- Media controls
- PlayStation Move
- Radio control
- Remote control locomotive
- Teleoperation
- Telecommand
References
- ^ Greenfield, Rebecca (April 8, 2011). "Tech Etymology: TV Clicker". The Atlantic. Retrieved August 1, 2020.
- ^ James Wray and Ulf Stabe (December 5, 2011). "Microsoft brings TV voice control to Kinect". Thetechherald.com. Archived from the original on November 2, 2013. Retrieved January 2, 2013.
- ^ "PlayStation Move Navigation Controller". us.playstation.com.
- ^ Seng, Chong (August 30, 2012). "TP Vision Announces Philips 9000 Series Premium Smart LED TVs". www.hardwarezone.com.sg. Retrieved January 2, 2022.
- ^ H. R. Everett, Unmanned Systems of World Wars I and II, MIT Press - 2015, pages 79-80
- ^ H. R. Everett, Unmanned Systems of World Wars I and II, MIT Press - 2015, page 87
- ISBN 9780262029223.
- ISBN 0-471-71814-9, p. 276-278.
- ^ Sarkar 2006, page 97
- ^ A. P. Yuste. Electrical Engineering Hall of Fame. Early Developments of Wireless Remote Control: The Telekino of Torres-Quevedo,(pdf) vol. 96, No. 1, January 2008, Proceedings of the IEEE.
- ^ "1902 – Telekine (Telekino) – Leonardo Torres Quvedo (Spanish)". December 17, 2010.
- ^ H. R. Everett, Unmanned Systems of World Wars I and II, MIT Press - 2015, pages 91-95
- ^ "Radio Aims At Remote Control". Popular Science. Bonnier Corporation. November 1930.
- ^ "Philco Mystery Control".
- ^ a b c d "A history of the TV remote control as told through its advertising". Me-TV Network. Retrieved August 17, 2018.
- ^ "Remote Background - Zenith Electronics". zenith.com. Retrieved August 17, 2018.
- ^ "Remembering Eugene Polley and his Flash-Matic remote (photos)". cnet.com. May 23, 2012. Retrieved August 17, 2018.
- ^ a b "Wireless remote control inventor zaps out at 96". theregister.co.uk. Retrieved August 17, 2018.
- ^ "Five Decades of Channel Surfing: History of the TV Remote Control". Archived from the original on January 16, 2008. Retrieved December 3, 2008.
- ^ Farhi, Paul. "The Inventor Who Deserves a Sitting Ovation." Washington Post. February 17, 2007.
- ^ a b c Marino, Andrew (July 29, 2023). "The buttons on Zenith's original "clicker" remote were a mechanical marvel". The Verge. Retrieved August 7, 2023.
- ^ Gertner, Jon (December 30, 2007). "The Lives They Lived - Robert Adler - Remote Control - Television". The New York Times. Retrieved August 17, 2018.
- ^ "1956: Zenith Space Commander Remote Control". Wired. Retrieved August 17, 2018.
- ^ "Robert Adler -TV wireless remote". MIT. Retrieved April 13, 2021.
- ^ "Remote control for color tv goes the all-electronic route". Electronics. 43. McGraw-Hill Publishing Company: 102. April 1970.
RCA's Wayne Evans, Carl Moeller and Edward Milbourn tell how digital signals and MOS FET memory modules are used to replace motor-driven tuning controls
- ^ "SB-Projects: IR remote control: ITT protocol".
- ^ "Universal Remote Control History: Not Great, Just Good Enough". tedium.co. May 26, 2017. Retrieved August 17, 2018.
- ^ "Philips tops in converters". The Toronto Star: p. F03. November 29, 1980.
- ^ "Blab-Off". earlytelevision.org.
- ^ "Celadon Remote Control Systems Company Profile Page".
- ^ Seifert, Dan (April 24, 2013). "Back from the dead: why do 2013's best smartphones have IR blasters?". The Verge. Retrieved December 28, 2015.
- ^ ICT Roger Crawford – Heinemann IGCSE – Chapter 1 page 16
- ^ "What is the Wavelength of the Infrared Used in Remote Controls?". clickermart.com. December 18, 2017. Retrieved October 15, 2018.
- ^ Edwyn Gray, Nineteenth-century torpedoes and their inventors, page 18
- ISBN 978-1-59114-341-3.
- ^ US 613809, Tesla, Nikola, "Method of and apparatus for controlling mechanism of moving vessels or vehicles", published 1898-11-08
- ^ "Tesla – Master of Lightning". PBS.org. Retrieved September 24, 2008.
- ^ "A Brief History of Drones".
- ^ "The Dawn of the Drone" Steve Mills 2019 Casemate Publishers. Page 189 "In order further to safeguard against outside interference I may have a number of inertia wheels of variable speed, only one being correctly adjusted to pick up the timed signals and actuate the mechanism."
- ^ UK National Archives ADM 1/8539/253 Capabilities of distantly controlled boats. Reports of trials at Dover 28–31 May 1918
- ^ Lightoller, Charles Herbert (1935). Titanic and Other Ships. I. Nicholson and Watson.
- ^ Enders, David (October 2008). "Mahdi Army Bides its Time". The Progressive.
- ^ "IR T.V REMOTE BASED COMPUTER AND LAPTOP OPERATING" (PDF). International Journal of Electronics and Communication Engineering & Technology. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 3, 2020. Retrieved February 24, 2021.
- ^ Nekajar, Santosh M. (January–March 2014). "Wireless Infrared Remote Controller for Multiple Home Appliances". 2 (1). International Journal of Electrical and Electronics Research. Retrieved February 24, 2021.
{{cite journal}}
: Cite journal requires|journal=
(help) - ^ "GoPro - Cameras". shop.gopro.com.
- ^ "Sony α6000 E-mount camera with APS-C Sensor". Sony.
- ^ Lombardi, Gianluca. "By the Light of the Moon". Picture of the Week. ESO. Retrieved June 15, 2011.
- ^ "Home Office and Home Electronics". Archived from the original on August 25, 2009.
- ^ Freeman, William; Weissman, Craig (1995). "Television control by hand gestures" Archived November 14, 2012, at the Wayback Machine. Mitsubishi Electric Research Laboratories.
External links
- Media related to Remote control at Wikimedia Commons