These darned old computers - test-drb@ccmp.vtda.org

27 Aug 2002

...
   Some US
company (I forget who) made an ultrasonic remote controlled valve  TV
  where the remote was essentially tuned metal bars
that were mechanically
 hit when the button was pressed. No electronics in the handset at all.
 The receiver in the TV detected one of 4 (or so) different frequencies
 corresponding to the 4 buttons on the remote, and then operated a relay
 to trigger the appropriate function (I think channel selection was done
 using an electromechanical stepping swtich, etc).  
 Boy, that brings back memories.  We had one of these sets when I was in
 high-school.
 I believe it was a Zenith, though I wouldn't swear to it.  I used to get a
 kick out of clicking
 the buttons just to hear the sounds.  You are correct in that the channel
 selection was
 electro-mechanical.  It was also a very loud mechanism. 
Yes, I remember these.  If you looked in the end of the remote, you
could see the metal rods (one for each button).  The end of the remote
had a screen covering it.  We found that you could use a belt buckle
as a remote, but the results were pretty random, but when you want to
confuse people that was enough.

I always found the high-pitched ring from the striker hitting
the metal bars annoying.
-- 
Eric Dittman
dittman(a)dittman.net
Check out the DEC Enthusiasts Club at http://www.dittman.net/