Few innovations have had as great an influence on home entertainment as the remote control. Remote controls have made managing multiple devices—televisions, media players, stereos, etc.—more convenient and accessible. The technology has come a long way from its earliest days, and there’s still more progress to be made as voice-recognition and internet innovations have opened new avenues for utility and convenience.
Prior to remote controls, television owners had to control their sets manually, getting up and walking over to the set and manipulating dials or buttons. In the era of just three channels, this was doable, but today, with all the channels and functions available, it would be highly impractical.
The earliest television remotes were developed in the 1950s and consisted of a control connected by a cable to the set. This was helpful, but the cable often presented a trip hazard. The next development was a television with four photocells on each corner of the set. By shining a light on the corners, owners could change channels. Sunlight and ambient light interfered with this, however.
The next step was a remote control device that used ultrasound to communicate with the television. Infrared controls were developed in the 70s and provided a wider range of inputs for televisions, allowing the control of more features. During the 70s, 80s, and 90s, a range of other devices began to be integrated with televisions in home entertainment, including stereos, VCRs, and DVD players. This led to a proliferation of remotes in homes—a problem solved by universal remotes, which control more than one device.
Today, consumer electronics companies are working to incorporate new technologies into remotes, such as voice recognition technology, which will allow users to control remotes without touching them and command the device to search for desired media.
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