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TV remote's inventor dies


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TV watchers may want to hit the mute button for a moment of silence. The man who invented the remote control has died

at the age of 96, the Chicago Sun Times says.

 

Eugene Gene Polley died on Sunday in a Chicago hospital.

 

Polley invented the first wireless TV remote control in 1955 while working as an engineer for Zenith Electronic in Chicago.

 

He received a $US2000 ($A2024) bonus for his historic innovation but later earned an Emmy award in 1997 for his

contributions to television.

 

The company marketed the device as the Flash-Matic.

 

"A flash of magic light from across the room turns set on, off or changes channels," a company advertisement said.

"And you remain in your easy chair!"

 

The device only worked with Zenith's Flash-Matic TV, using a light beam that controlled photo cells in each corner of the TV.

 

 

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Wouldn't it be top left, given that he invented the remote not the tv... Or am

I missing the hilarious gag completely.

 

No, you are just being pedantic. ;) I'm assuming he would have designed the red dot for the TV as well as the remote. I'm fairly sure he wouldn't have just invented the remote and waited for someone else to invent the other half of the system? :)

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No, you are just being pedantic. ;) I'm assuming he would have designed the red dot for the TV as well as the remote. I'm fairly sure he wouldn't have just invented the remote and waited for someone else to invent the other half of the system? :)

 

 

Haha. But hang on, who's to say there wasn't a red power/standby light there before the remote? ;) ( I wouldn't know, before my time I believe........)

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Sad week, chopper man, gibbo, disco queen woman and remote control man.

 

Imagine if those 4 had never bin born! Life would be so different.

 

Most of us probably missed the loss of a porn star you idolised when younger.

 

Deepest condolences.

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