By the late 1930s, several radio manufacturers offered models featuring remote controls. Most of these were connected to the unit being controlled by wires, but in 1939, Philco premiered the Mystery Control, a battery-operated low-frequency radio (RF) transmitter considered to be the first wireless remote control for a consumer electronics device.
The first television remote developed by Zenith in 1950 was similarly attached to the set by wire. Then came the “Flashmatic” in 1955, which worked by shining a beam of light onto a photoelectric cell on the television, and in 1956, the "Zenith Space Command" wireless controller used ultrasound to change the channel and volume. These technologies continued to evolve over the decades, bringing the first use of infrared signals to remotes in the mid-late 1970s. Remote control technology continues to progress, now utilizing Bluetooth, Z-Wave and Wi-Fi in addition to traditional IR and RF methods of transmission.
In the last ten to fifteen years, the number of consumer electronic devices in most homes greatly increased, along with the number of remotes to control those devices. An average home theater system consisting of a receiver, television, disc player, cable and satellite box may require five remotes to operate. Advanced features and configurations go far above the ‘ON/OFF’ and ‘+/-“ buttons of yesteryear. It can be confusing if not downright frustrating for any user to reference a checklist of commands for a table full of remotes before they can watch a movie. This is where Sevens Home Theater can simplify your life – with a fully programmed, single remote control system to perform any function or set of functions at the touch of one button.
Armed with some of the finest universal remotes on the market, you can put that cheat-sheet of commands away. Many remotes are now capable of executing a series of sequential instructions, also known as a ‘macros’, that will transmit commands in a predetermined order to initiate certain functions. For example, to watch an HBO movie, the following events may need to occur:
> power on the television
> select HDMI input
> power on the receiver
> select SAT input
> select surround mode
> power on the Satellite tuner
> select HBO channel function
> set desired volume level
What if there was one icon on your remote named “Watch HBO” that made this all happen automatically? Well, there is!
At Sevens Home Theater, we leverage today’s technology to your advantage. Part of being able to enjoy all of the wonderful entertainment options we have available is to make their use simple and uncomplicated. Let us show you how!