Talk:Remote control

DVD remote image

It's not focused! Could somebody with macro on his digital camera take a new photo and replace it?

-- Miceagol 2006 Dec 8

Introducing section headers?

I suspect this article's flow would benefit greatly from the introduction of section headers. I'd suggest starting with "Function" and moving on to "History". Any other ideas?

-- Ventura 23:49, 2004 Nov 22 (UTC)

Are console controllers i.e. Xbox, Playstation, Nintendo etc.. considered to be remote controllers?

-- Unrelated, 2005 Feb 05 <USA>

Not really, they're better classified as input devices. --GalFisk 17:10, 28 August 2005 (UTC)

shouldn't the "wiimote" get a mention?

Standards

Info about standards for consumer remote controls is missing. RC5 and RECS 80 appear to be some?

-- Bypasser

Agreed. Could someone with enough knowledge to add the protocols (NEC, RC5, RC6, etc) used by various remotes (including universal remotes), and things like compatibility? I think Windows Media Center operates under a modified RC6? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 64.186.168.133 (talk) 18:53, 26 September 2007 (UTC)

This may (or may not) be the same thing, but I came here trying to understand how the codes one enters into a universal remote work. How are the codes created? Surely each manufacturer of universal remotes doesn't have to get a remote control for every device made by every equipment manufacturer and extract the UV signal from them. Hopefully somebody can add that to the main page and then delete this request. —Preceding unsigned comment added by Wiki name (talk • contribs) 02:10, 20 September 2010 (UTC)

Tivo

"To that end, designers of the TiVo remote control replaced the standard columns of buttons on a black rectangle with a distinctive peanut shaped design that has been well received by its users [2]. This design, which has spawned several imitations, is likely to change the way consumer electronics designers approach the remote." So the Tivo has a different shape. How does this address the button issue? --Gbleem 17:33, 25 December 2005 (UTC)

• TiVO astroturfing? 68.147.242.17 09:46, 1 July 2006 (UTC)

Add example of bits and bytes

Add example of bits and bytes sent to do a command like change to channel 54.

Merger with Telecommand

After looking at the article, it seems like a "Telecommand" is a much broader term than "remote control", especially in American English. A "remote control", or simple "remote" is usually used only to describe a simple device used to control home electronics. You would hardly call a device that launches missiles a "remote control". If you have a remote that can do that though, please let me know ;-) (Patrick 08:29, 13 May 2006 (UTC))

Are you advocating a merge? I believe that making "Remote control" part of the "Telecommand" article is inadvisable. Try searching Google for "by remote control" (with quotation marks) and see that there are plenty of non–home electronics uses there. President Lethe 14:38, 13 May 2006 (UTC)

No, I don't think the two articles should be merged at all. A remote control is a type of telecommand, so to speak. Telecommand is the broader term, and it can be described further on its article page, even if it is only to list the different types of telecommands, and perhaps provide a history and the most common uses, etc. At any rate, "remote control" should definetely be separate. (Patrick 17:11, 13 May 2006 (UTC))

Oh, O.K., then. Sorry I misunderstood you earlier. Now I see that some someone at "Telecommand" has suggested a merge. Yes, I think they should be separate. President Lethe 17:33, 13 May 2006 (UTC)

We should take a vote on it and either proceed with the merger or remove the merger request templates, so both articles can be cleaned up, any suggestions? (Patrick 12:57, 14 May 2006 (UTC))

I've recently had an experience that made me think that votes/polls aren't such a good idea. In that experience, I suggested a poll, which occurred; but, shortly after my suggestion, I happened across Wikipedia:Voting is evil.

I think the articles should stay separate. There is some logic of putting "Telecommand" into "Remote control"—but, then, we could start putting in radio-controlled toy vehicles and a zillion other aspects of remote controls. Actually, maybe that's not such a bad idea. Another idea is that "Telecommand" could become part of an article about missiles.

I'm not absolutely sure what to do; but it seems that this "Telecommand" stub's most appropriate place is in a missile article.

None of these articles is 'my baby'; so I'm not gonna get into it very deeply.

President Lethe 15:03, 14 May 2006 (UTC)

Oppose merger. A TV remote control is deserving of its own article, and a Telecommand device has a much wider scope than controlling a TV. Some notes etc. - 1. Over a month has gone by and no one has been discussing this proposal. 2. The only people that have discussed it have opposed merger. 3. The proposer User:Skysmith has not given a reason for merger (as far as I can see), so I'll put a note on his/her Talk page. 4. If no one gives a good reason in the next few days why the articles should merge, I'll just go ahead and get rid of the tags. --A bit iffy 14:05, 18 June 2006 (UTC)

No objctions, so I've now removed the merge notice. --A bit iffy 08:21, 21 June 2006 (UTC)

Although the idea seems to be dead in the water so to speak, I'd like to express support for keeping the two articles separate, or even merging telecommand into remote control. "Telecommand" refers to a command sent by a remote control device, and does not refer to the concept of remote control of a device using a signal of some sort. As such, if anything, "telecommand" belongs as a topic in the remote control article. "Remote control" not only refers to the concept of controlling remotely, but also to the device used for that purpose, as well as serving as a description of the device and the device it controls. E.g. The TV's functions can be operated by remote control (the concept), using the remote control (the actual handheld control), and is a remote control TV (the type of TV in terms of how it can be operated). As a side note, we would do well to remember that many of the great leaps forward in science have come from realising that two apparently different things are in fact the same or different aspects of the same thing, e.g. falling apples and orbiting planets are both controlled by gravity. Electricity and magnetism are different aspects of electromagnetism, and light is the propagation of the electromagnetic force. Telecommand is any command sent by remote control. Special:Contributions/58.175.171.223|58.175.171.223]] (talk) 01:25, 20 December 2015 (UTC)

I wouldn't object to this. We should at least address the topic of telecommands in the remote control article, even if we do not merge. Flameoguy (talk) 01:15, 4 June 2018 (UTC)

History: ultrasound interference

I remember having a Zenith Commander remote in the 60's, and we also experienced the problem of interference -- the bell in our old telephone could trigger the On/Off/Volume sensor, and our dog's choker chain jingling would change the channel. I don't know if I can formulate this kind of personal anecdote into acceptably "encyclopedic" form, though I wonder if the current example of the xylophone interfering was also a personal anecdote? --Birdbrainscan 19:44, 8 November 2006 (UTC)

History: sound interference with Zenith Space Command

I remember my dad changing the channel of my grandfather's television by shaking his key ring. In addition, shaking the chain holding the weights on the cuckoo clock worked. I also remember, as a kid, being able to hear the tone--kids ears being more sensitive at high frequency than adults (pre-Walkman era). — Preceding unsigned comment added by 75.73.1.89 (talk) 22:35, 25 October 2013 (UTC)

Space Command vs Commander

I think the original name was Space Commander, and was changed later to just Space Command. I have photos of both. Rees11 20:17, 12 October 2007 (UTC)

Actually, it's a little confusing. The remotes have "Space Commander" printed on them but the contemporary newspaper articles/ads refer to "Space Command." I believe the system was called "Space Command" and the remotes were "Space Commanders." (That actually makes a lot of sense, now that I write this... anyway, either way it's OK.) 12.103.251.203 22:47, 17 October 2007 (UTC)

That does make sense, but I'm not sure it explains why later remotes were labeled "Space Command." See this one for example:

www.flickr.com/photos/15692756@N00/1524813919/[1]

Rees11 01:10, 18 October 2007 (UTC)

1950 Lazy Bones

Actually, the first remote was officially called "Lazy Bones" and was introduced in 1950. See for example Five Decades of Channel Surfing: History of the TV Remote Control [2]. Rees11 (talk) 14:05, 8 January 2008 (UTC)

Don't stray off topic.

Are the last 2 lines of the toys section neccesary?

You get RC planes of all sizes. The smallest has a wingspan of 8 cm and the biggest one is over 5 metres long.

Although remote controlled planes are very fun, there is a trick in how to fly it and people who want to begin this hobby has to read the forums on which plane to buy and how to fly it.

munchman | talk; 12:57, 28 May 2008 (UTC)

Play symbol, etc.

I can't find a page describing the standard symbols such as the play symbol, fast-forward symbol, etc. Are these formal standards or just de-facto standards? —Ben FrantzDale (talk) 15:51, 4 December 2008 (UTC)

The "TOYS" section is inaccurate, and needs quite a bit of work.

Ladies and Gentlemen, as stated in the subject of this post, the "TOYS" section needs some work. I've been an RC Aircraft hobbiest for the last 30 years (5 years in RC aircraft), and I would be happy to clean it up for you. However, I didn't want to just start editing, without the approval of those who are here.

Some things I would change:

• RC airplanes can fly without an airfoil (as suggested in the article). Many of my most successful RC airplanes fly with a flat 6mm Depron (a type of foam) wing.

• 2-channel aircraft are limited to "thrust vectored" airplanes -- that is, airplanes with two propellers, and no moving control surfaces. You fly the airplane in the same way you would drive a tank -- push both sticks forward to climb, pull both sticks back to dive, push one forward to turn, center the sticks to fly level. These types of airplanes are found at discount stores like Wal-Mart or Toys-R-Us, and are very difficult to fly. (The article currently says a 2-channel aircraft is controlled with rudder and elevator, which would be extremely difficult, if not impossible.)

• 3-channel aircraft can be Throttle/Elevator/Rudder, OR Throttle/Elevator/Ailerons. Most of my 15 aircraft do not have a rudder, and do not require a rudder to fly extremely well. Some good examples of this are the "Ready To Fly" ("RTF") airplanes made by ParkZone and HobbyZone. A 3-channel radio is all that is requierd to fly an RC airplane.

• 4-channel aircraft can be just about anything. Since an airplane only requires ailerons OR rudder to fly, the 4th channel can be used for other purposes (such as a bomb drop, combat module, landing gear, night-light control, thrust vectoring for twins, or anything else you can imagine).

I look forward to your comments, and will be happy to edit the article if you allow me to.

Thank you. 70.169.212.130 (talk) 15:26, 7 May 2009 (UTC)

My opinion is that the whole toys section is way too much info for this article, and should be moved to articles for the individual toys. Rees11 (talk) 16:12, 7 May 2009 (UTC)

Integral Wired Remote Controls

This article seems to miss mentioning 'remotes' that are integral to headphone cords in Walkmen, PSP and similar devices. 220.101.28.25 (talk) 12:52, 27 January 2010 (UTC)

Joysticks

Pong- the game in which people first used joysticks- was a basic game that was based on ping-pong.

Pong used joysticks? And do gaming joysticks really qualify as remote controls? 68.239.116.212 (talk) 04:17, 17 February 2010 (UTC)

News to me as well. I pretty clearly remember turning a small (two-inch diameter?) plastic knob to control the paddle. Neither the knob- nor joystick control was useful as a TV remote control device, IME. Besides, why is "Joystick" capitalized? And "...manipulate his or her own pixel on the TV screen..."? I recommend deletion of that whole section. Naw, heck, I'll do it myself. — JohnFromPinckney (talk) 10:58, 9 March 2010 (UTC)

Replacement

I suggest create a replacement section in the article, about open-air hand-gesture controlled television. Makers include GestureTek, Softkinetic, Canesta and Hitachi, Samsung and Microsoft... Related terms : gesture-based user interface, gesture control, transparent AMOLED, transparent OLED, Project Natal. Regards. —Preceding unsigned comment added by Hamiltha (talk • contribs) 16:33, 21 July 2010 (UTC)

unfitting of an encyclopaedia

much of this article isn't really appropriate to an encylopaedia - much of the article is written as though the only kind of remote control is the one for a television. It's also inappropriate to have some handyman's tips for how he fixed his TV remote. Most of the article is irrelevant chit chat that just doesn't belong in an encyclopaedia. Owen214 (talk) 08:32, 28 September 2010 (UTC)

Refactoring and the idea of remote control in general

This needs to be split up - it's rather silly to be talking about changing TV channels across the living room and launching Hellfire missiles deep in Pakistan under the same heading. I don't know what we'd call two articles - perhaps group the stuff on TV and other household electronics devices under Remote control (consumer electronics) and leave Remote control for vehicles, industrial and military applications.But of course I'm a dangerous menace to the very foundations of Wikipedia, so I'd appreciate some other comments before I become bold and split the article. --Wtshymanski (talk) 14:08, 20 August 2012 (UTC)

The general concept of remote control of some kind of devices existed well before remote control units for TV and the like. Basically, remote control means physical control of practically any device or object away from that device, i.e. in a remote or remoter location from the device to be controlled. These days, the term "remote control" has taken on the more specific meaning of a small handheld device used to control wirelessly a television set, DVD player, or home theater system, in addition to the general meaning of remote control. Perhaps, such a device could have its own separate article, aside from a general article on the the concept and technology of remote control. As far as I'm concerned, the term "remote control" should not be limited to a wireless situation, but can include control directly connected to the device from a remote location, such as wired or pneumatic/hydraulic (with air/liquid lines) control of a valve or pump, etc. in an industrial plant from a remoter location such as a control room. The general article would be called Remote control, and the specific article would be called Remote control (XXX) where XXX would denote TV, DVD player, home theater, and any similar system. Does anybody have any idea what such a more specific Remote control (XXX) article could be called and what areas it should cover? H Padleckas (talk) 12:01, 28 December 2013 (UTC)

In a general article for remote control, topics such as remote control by radio waves vs. infrared could be discussed. H Padleckas (talk) 12:12, 28 December 2013 (UTC)

I wholeheartedly agree. This should be renamed, it's far too ambiguous. remote control (consumer electronics) was my guess aswell. remote control is a noun and a verb, used for cranes, locomotives, military drones. The title is far too broad. Fmadd (talk) 21:06, 15 February 2017 (UTC)

I support keeping the two together, if only to remind readers that they are fundamentally the same thing, and that "remote control" does not only refer to the small handheld device used to change TV channels, and that, indeed, it is not just a noun. Before Newton, one would also have said that it is silly to speak of falling apples and orbiting planets under same heading of "gravity". (58.175.171.223 (talk) 01:10, 20 December 2015 (UTC)).

Power source and charging

The article should mention that batteries aren't the only way to charge the remote. Sometimes, remotes are charged by using a device which the remotes stands on, which charges it (it may also be charged using batteries). It's usually common on video game consoles. Galzigler (talk) 16:35, 29 January 2013 (UTC)

UHF Remotes!

What ever happened to UHF remotes, like what Dish Network uses for Dual TV receivers. The receiver has an antenna, and the remote sends the commands via analog signals to the receiver. There should be a section on that. --Danielh32 (talk) 02:08, 2 June 2013 (UTC)

Wired remote controls

Many early VCRs and CATV boxes came with wired remotes, which is a redlink, and there is no mention of them in this article. Would anyone object if I added a short section? And maybe dig up some at a thrift store/flea market to photograph. Westin D^odger 12:58, 6 December 2013 (UTC)

Sounds fine to me. Go ahead and do it. Also, you can see my previous comment above at Refactoring and the idea of remote control in general. H Padleckas (talk) 12:06, 28 December 2013 (UTC)

(In)visibility of infrared light used in remote controls

Although the infrared LED does visibly illuminate any object, in a dark room, with the LED close to and directly in front of the eye, it is quite easy to see the deep red glow it produces. (58.175.171.223 (talk) 01:04, 20 December 2015 (UTC))

"Remote control is a convenience feature"?

On some low-end devices, the remote control is not merely a convenience feature, it's required to operate the device, as essentially all controls have been removed from the device itself. A number of low-end TVs have done this, for example. It may be appropriate to modify the above statement in the lead. Rwessel (talk) 17:03, 26 May 2016 (UTC)

Hazardous name

I think this would be better renamed 'remote control (consumer electronics)' or somethign like that; remote control should be the disambiguation, because there are so many uses and contexts for the term. remote control should redirect to something describing all forms of remote control ('teleoperated'?), which points back at remote control (consumer electronics). Results in easily creating the wrong links. I did this (drone -> remote control and aircraft..), and corrected my mistake, but it if was disambugation, it would have been easier to catch.

Fmadd (talk) 20:03, 15 February 2017 (UTC)