Inventor of television remote control dies

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Inventor of television remote control dies

Postby Tape Splicer » Wed May 23, 2012 10:51 pm

We use them every day - Taking them for granted... But there was a time when we had to get up out of a chair and physically change the channel. This article remembers the inverter ot the TV remote control.
The article is from UPI... when looking at the UPI page, note the vintage Zenith TV ad at the top of the page.

http://www.upi.com/Technology_News/2012 ... 337729522/


Published: May 22, 2012 at 7:32 PM

CHICAGO, May 22 (UPI) -- Eugene Polley, the American inventor of the television remote control, has died at age 96, his former employer announced.

In a statement, Zenith Electronics said Polley died Sunday in a Chicago hospital.

Polley designed the Flash-Matic remote control in 1955 -- a device that allowed viewers to change channels and control volume by pointing a ray-gun shaped device at photo cells built into the face of Zenith televisions.

Because his remote used light to control television functions it was finicky to use and room lighting could interfere with it, so remote control technology soon moved on to sonic models and the infrared remotes familiar today.

Polley was born in Chicago in 1915 and spent 47 years working for Zenith. He was awarded 18 U.S. patents during his time with the company.

The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences honored Polley and another Zenith engineer, Robert Adler, with an Emmy in 1997 for their work on television remote control technology.

Read more: http://www.upi.com/Technology_News/2012 ... z1vlNDceNh


© 2012 United Press International, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Any reproduction, republication, redistribution and/or modification of any UPI content is expressly prohibited without UPI's prior written consent.
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Re: Inventor of television remote control dies

Postby Neumann Sennheiser » Thu May 24, 2012 7:50 am

Reportedly, the last request is for his ashes to be dropped down into the gap between the arm-rest and seat cushion of a La-Z-Boy recliner.
"You don't know man! I was in radio man! I've seen things you wouldn't believe!"
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