Rather than have a programable remote control that can learn to operate any device, there should be devices that learn to understand commands from any remote control. It could be used to make those VCR Commanders work with my VCR.
-- juan2003, Jun 27 2001

Celadon Programmable Learning Infrared Remote http://www.celadon....C200/pic200oem.html
Was this the one designed(?) by Woz? [rmutt, Jun 27 2001]

Though it would be nice to be able to turn off my TV with a Lazer Tag gun, I think this would be a pain to program.
-- bookworm, Jun 27 2001


Details, details, details. If you make it easy to use, you lose functionality. I'd rather have a television that can mow my lawn than one that doesn't require reading the manual. Everything is too geared for stupid people. AOL is ruining the world!
-- juan2003, Jun 27 2001


You're confusing usability with stupidity.
-- jutta, Jun 27 2001


There have been some universal removes which have included an infra-red input. Unfortunately, training such a remote the 40+ buttons on a typical VCR remote gets very tedious very quickly. Still, such a feature can be a useful adjunct to a universal remote for adding buttons the remote otherwise lacks.

A couple of related semi-baked ideas (i.e. I've seen them baked once, but not on any recent products, alas):

-1- A remote with an IR-input port which the user programs by first pushing the power button on his remote, then (IIRC) the volume-up button. The remote then searches its database for devices which use those codes for power and volume-up, the user then only has to try a small handful of 'device' settings.

-2- The ability to program remote buttons for specific functions, as was present on an old "One for 3" [IIRC] controller. If one decided that one wanted to have one's TV set's "PIP Freeze" function on the remote, one could call up the maker of the remote, tell them the model of set and the button desired, and they would give a 4-digit code which could be programmed into any button to make it perform that function.

Also, two commands I would like to see all AV equipment accept via IR would be "power on" and "power off". While a "power on/off" toggle code is fine when operated by a user, devices which send IR commands to equipment automatically (e.g. using a timer) would benefit greatly from being able to put the device into a known state.
-- supercat, Jun 28 2001


Damn, my air conditioner's on record again.
-- mrkillboy, Jun 29 2001



random, halfbakery