What is it with Bluetooth and battery drain? The Apple BT keyboard uses 3 AAs and those last maybe a couple of months at best. My Logitech RF keyboard goes over a year on to AAs. #newbluetooth
I'm not sure I'd want something that I "don't need to recharge", because that means I'd have to go buy replacement batteries. That doesn't seem like an improvement to me.
What would be much better is to use this technology in existing devices with existing batteries. #newbluetooth
@chocolatebanana: The implication here is that the more efficient BT devices COULD be run off a watch battery, not WILL. The new devices are not going to need an endless supply of watch batteries.
Example: turning off BT on a laptop would be irrelevant, as the new device only needs a fraction of the power of the current BT, all powered by the laptop's battery. #newbluetooth
And here I thought they went out of business a decade ago. They're still alive? I used to work with a guy who had his house heavily stocked with X10 controllers and loved them. I think they're novel but never much felt the need to have this much control over my appliances.
That said, this remote looks awesome namely due to the "His" and 'Hers" buttons. Hilarious, yet not a bad idea!
@beartrash: I've had it work great for how I use it (lamps in apt's w/ no overhead lights) The big problem I have now is that with everything going to CF bulbs, the dimming doesn't work any more.
Is it wrong for me to question any technology that has been around since the King James era and has barely evolved since then? They had an X10 control cartridge for the VIC-20.
In a day when we want to control our entire home via a simple one buck iPhone App, is it reasonable to think we should be buying a billion RF boxes to control each device in our home separately with a barely acceptable remote control? Yes, there are a lot of add-on items for X10 technology, and I don't mean to dismiss that - but there is just something about this that seems way out of date, even to the old guy typing this.
ATI HDTV Wonder bitches... Yeah, have had a RF remote since 2005 that controls WinXP MCE 2005. Works like a charm. What I'm pissed about is that there's little support for all of its functions in Win7. Stupid Media Center doesn't acknowledge the FF and REW buttons. STOOPID!!
IR is for luddites.
"I couldn't help but wonder why many remotes still implement hindering line-of-sight IR to work properly."
The universal engineering symbol, $, holds the key. It costs more.
Wonder no more.
Since most cable boxes have a USB port, couldn't you make a RF receiver with a IR output that is USB powered to eliminate the need for batteries besides the remote?
@GitEmSteveDave_HasAList:
Problem is software. My Time Warner DVR has a USB port, it doesnt do anything. It is just there for looks. Live chat also told me that the port is software locked down to do nothing. That I would have to put a new OS on it to be able to use the USB drive.
@KTK1990: I just meant USB powered. If you have a port, can you cut the power to in entirely through software? I consider it a dumb port, like one you find on a AC adapter for USB devices.
@GitEmSteveDave_HasAList: I think you can do just that. The usb port, though it won't allow data transfer should still allow power to run through it. I suppose the hard part might be creating a driver for the RF->IR adapter module.
I have Dish (unfortunately) and my Dual HD Tuner operates two TVs, and to do that it uses UHF. Sounds weird, I know. The box has a Coaxial port (male) that you attach a UHF antenna (similar to the ones installed on the new phones that play TV, such as the Voyager by LG) to and you can even use coaxial cable to create a make-shift antenna extender. The remote that I got with the service is the EchoStar UHF/IR 21.0 Pro. It uses standard IR for your components and UHF for the box operation, and that is where this service falls short. You can't turn the TV off from the shitter still!
Too bad it won't let you change the channels more quickly. AT&T takes forever to respond once you hit the channel up/down button. IPTV is cool, and probably the future, but damn it's slow. Plus they spread their channels out from 1-5000. Too many numbers yo!
@dmexs: Yes, but with the exception that I can't use ONE remote for everything. Though I believe that there is a Harmony remote available that has Bluetooth built in just for the PS3 and the demand for it. I have been screaming for it since I have owned the console when it launched.
So, the PHONE company can make a TV remote that works from the crapper, but they can't make a cell phone network that works reliably in New York Frakking City!?!
10/19/09
10/19/09
10/19/09
10/19/09
What would be much better is to use this technology in existing devices with existing batteries. #newbluetooth
10/19/09
Example: turning off BT on a laptop would be irrelevant, as the new device only needs a fraction of the power of the current BT, all powered by the laptop's battery. #newbluetooth
10/19/09
10/02/09
That said, this remote looks awesome namely due to the "His" and 'Hers" buttons. Hilarious, yet not a bad idea!
10/01/09
It's never been very reliable, it would often take two or three attempts to issue an on/off or dim command.
Crap product.
10/01/09
10/01/09
10/01/09
10/01/09
In a day when we want to control our entire home via a simple one buck iPhone App, is it reasonable to think we should be buying a billion RF boxes to control each device in our home separately with a barely acceptable remote control? Yes, there are a lot of add-on items for X10 technology, and I don't mean to dismiss that - but there is just something about this that seems way out of date, even to the old guy typing this.
08/09/09
IR is for luddites.
08/09/09
The universal engineering symbol, $, holds the key. It costs more.
Wonder no more.
08/09/09
08/09/09
Problem is software. My Time Warner DVR has a USB port, it doesnt do anything. It is just there for looks. Live chat also told me that the port is software locked down to do nothing. That I would have to put a new OS on it to be able to use the USB drive.
08/09/09
08/09/09
I have Dish (unfortunately) and my Dual HD Tuner operates two TVs, and to do that it uses UHF. Sounds weird, I know. The box has a Coaxial port (male) that you attach a UHF antenna (similar to the ones installed on the new phones that play TV, such as the Voyager by LG) to and you can even use coaxial cable to create a make-shift antenna extender. The remote that I got with the service is the EchoStar UHF/IR 21.0 Pro. It uses standard IR for your components and UHF for the box operation, and that is where this service falls short. You can't turn the TV off from the shitter still!
08/09/09
@LessthanZach:
08/09/09
08/09/09
08/09/09
08/09/09
06/19/09