His TV remote channeled our lives

[Capt Worley PE]

CHICAGO — Couch potatoes everywhere can pause and thank Eugene Polley for hours of feet-up channel surfing. His invention, the first wireless TV remote, began as a luxury, but with the introduction of hundreds of channels and viewing technologies, it has become a necessity.

Just ask anyone who’s lost a remote.

Polley died of natural causes Sunday at a suburban Chicago hospital, said Zenith Electronics spokesman John Taylor. The former Zenith engineer was 96.

Read more here: http://www.thestate....l#storylink=cpy

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I'm convinced his invention (and cable) led to lower birth rates. No need for kids to change the channel/adjust tha antenna for their parents.

 

[EM_PS]

funny, growing up i remember thinking why do people bother w/ a remote for 4 channels (one being UHF)?

 

[goodal]

The first remote I remember was to our vcr and it was wired. Caused many a trips while heading to the kitchen. I think it had 5 buttons.

 

[engineergurl]

we had no use as we had no cable, but a friend of mine had a television that had a remote that had ceramic rods in it that would make a noise to change the channel. you could also whistle and change the channel.

 

[Chucktown PE]

I remember one of our earlier remote controls had a long telephone cord on it. I think it ran to one of the very first cable boxes. That was back in the mid-80s.