TV-B-Gone
TV-B-Gone is a simple universal remote control whose only function is to turn off the televisions near the remote control. It was invented to enable people in public places to avoid interference from existing televisions. Its inventor, Mitch Altman, called the device an environmental management device . It is battery operated and can be carried on a keychain. Depending on the manufacturer-specific coding, it switches off all surrounding televisions within a few to 69 seconds.
history
TV-B-Gone was invented in 2004 by Mitch Altman, a hacker considered one of the pioneers of virtual reality . He sells it through his company Cornfield Electronics. As early as the early 1990s, he had the idea for such a device in view of the fact that running television sets can disturb concentration on personal conversations.
Models and kits
The standard model consists of an infrared LED , two lithium batteries of the type CR2032 and an integrated circuit that contains the database for the shutdown codes, surrounded by a plastic cover. The further developed TV-B-Gone Pro SHP (Super High Power) is much more effective, as it is able to switch off televisions with eight infrared LEDs from a distance of up to 100 meters. TV-B-Gone Pro SHP can be switched between the North American and the European database. The device can be disguised as an iPhone or iPod nano to avoid reactions from bystanders.
At various hacker meetings, Mitch Altman held workshops to enable attendees to build their own devices. As in January 2008 brought Adafruit Industries a kit for a open source - TV-B-Gone out remote control. Mitch Altman had initially applied for a patent, but then released the building instructions as open source.
Derived projects
Since December 2007 the open source project has been offering unzap similar hardware that is equipped with both a USB port and a learning function for new switch-off codes .
Web links
- Cornfield Electronics
- Overview | TV-B-Gone Kit | Adafruit Learning System Building instructions, circuit diagrams, design
- Put an end to the shimmer. An off switch for 1000 televisions Spiegel Online on October 21, 2004
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b Telepolis on October 20, 2004: A remote control against the televisions of this world. Retrieved January 26, 2012 .
- ↑ Wired on October 19, 2004: Inventor Rejoices as TVs Go Dark. Retrieved January 5, 2016 .
- ↑ a b Heise.de on November 5, 2008: TV-B-Gone becomes free hardware. Retrieved January 26, 2012 .
- ↑ Heise.de on July 17, 2007: From village to village in the hacker camp. Retrieved January 26, 2012 .
- ↑ Description unzap at lochraster.org. Retrieved January 26, 2012 .