The Universal Off Button 1169
jcr13 writes "Wired news is running a story about TV-B-Gone, a new weapon in the fight against the pervasiveness of television in our society. With this device, which takes the form of a keychain fob with a single button, you can turn off virtually any TV set. How does it work? By rolling through all known IR power-off codes, one by one, trying codes from the most popular brands first. Personally, I am terribly annoyed by TVs in restaurants and airports: they grab my attention over and over, no matter how hard I try to ignore them, and they distract me from the conversations that I should be having with my human companions. Unfortunately, the TV-B-Gone website seems to have already been swamped by the Wired coverage, so we cannot order these just yet. In the mean time, those of you with DIY proclivities may want to think about wiring one of these up yourself using a PIC chip or other micro-controller." An anonymous reader adds links to mentions at CNET, TV station KESQ and Ananova.
Now (Score:5, Funny)
Don't stop at just a power button (Score:5, Funny)
NFL (Score:5, Funny)
Suicidal (Score:5, Funny)
Awesome! (Score:4, Funny)
Try it out during the final Sox-Yankees game (Score:5, Funny)
During the Playoffs (Score:4, Funny)
Ehh (Score:2, Funny)
For those who like their TV... (Score:5, Funny)
Patent is, of course, pending, but I'll be offering a free license for use in this sort of situation.
Comment removed (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Try it out during the final Sox-Yankees game (Score:2, Funny)
Don't forget .... (Score:5, Funny)
FP-be-gone
In-Soviet-Russia-be-gone
Microsoft-anything-sucks-open-source-everything-r
Cowboy-Neal-be-gone
Re:Free market, people (Score:3, Funny)
How about a Button to Turn Off People (Score:4, Funny)
Re:Don't stop at just a power button (Score:5, Funny)
Now that's a noise ordnance! (Not the same as an ordinance, btw...)
Re:Discrete on/off codes... (Score:1, Funny)
Truly universal... (Score:3, Funny)
Seriously though
Re:Boo hoo for you... (Score:3, Funny)
Re:Don't stop at just a power button (Score:5, Funny)
It's in German, but if the google translation [google.com] is correct, this device will the brothers many more subtly to the leather, once the elephant leaves the water. Which, of course, goes without saying.
How about Max Volume? (Score:4, Funny)
Re:Don't forget .... (Score:3, Funny)
OT Remote story... (Score:5, Funny)
My manager liked to take one of our universal remotes, and after hours turn the volume WAAAAAAAY up, then turn off the TV. He did this to all that his universal remote would reach.
The poor TV store manager (who was a friend of my manager) would come in, hit the 'on' button on HIS special remote and get blasted out the front door...
Fun with consumer electronics
Re:Now all we need is a ... (Score:3, Funny)
Who's with me? I sincerely hope nobody..
Re:Now (Score:1, Funny)
Wow next time you need a waiter...look me up!
Waste of money... (Score:4, Funny)
Now, if they could invent a zapper that would kill the cell phone of the idiots who think they can drive and use one at the same time I'd be happy.
Re:Now all we need is a ... (Score:3, Funny)
Anyways, here's what I do. I figure that my space is my space so I just join in on a conversation when someone is being overly obnoxious on a phone in a public place.
Obnoxious Cell phone luser: "Oh my God, Neve, I can't believe he did that to you, did you tell Aurora, Skylar, and Hunter about this?"
Me: "Yes, I did and after that he went and gave my hamster the clap."
This typically makes them stop.
My name is iago. And I wholeheartedly endorse this message. My dog is also a slut.
Re:I can see it now... (Score:3, Funny)
Re:toggle? (Score:3, Funny)
So if you don't fancy physically blocking the IR port, another defeating mechanism would be to have two identical TVs next to each other, one turned on, one turned off...
Better yet (Score:3, Funny)
Re:I can see it now... (Score:3, Funny)
Nevertheless, I'm happy to see such an invention. Right or not, if I can turn off tvs in my vicinity I'll do it. Think that's obnoxious? Not as obnoxious as a TV flashing in my face.
One of these, a portable cell phone jammer, and a can of minivan repellent and I'm set.
Re:Don't stop at just a power button (Score:5, Funny)
Great translation quote (Score:2, Funny)
They made it straight with Pilsette and Ziggies on your Terasse comfortably, disturbed themselves in the afternoon there the peace of the late by dull/musty rumbling and Grummeln: The regular Umm Umm Umm Umm Umm increases slowly to a kakophonischen Umm Tss Umm Tss Umm Tss Umm Tschicki Umm Tss Umm Tss Umm Tss, under from the exerted Troeten of a aufgemotzten small car engine
Re:Ahh, the digital watch/remote control :) (Score:5, Funny)
Another great translation (Score:4, Funny)
Re:Great translation quote (Score:4, Funny)
*AARRRRRRRRGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!*
Funny, I always have that reaction to Vogon Poetry.
Agggghhhh...I know you mean.. (Score:2, Funny)
Re:OT Remote story... (Score:2, Funny)
Of course I did it while the teacher was occupied with another student.
I was always curious which class got the tv next
Re:Don't stop at just a power button (Score:1, Funny)
Re:Don't stop at just a power button (Score:3, Funny)
Re:Now (Score:5, Funny)
Mysteriously, the troubles would always clear up as soon as the teacher approached the VCR.
By the end of the period she was fit to be tied.
A silly prank, sure, but it still makes me laugh today to think about it. Unlike the waitress mentioned above, Mrs. Dunbridge never got a nice tip either!
Re:Don't stop at just a power button (Score:5, Funny)
Re:He...He...Hee...HERF Gun. (Score:3, Funny)
I somehow doubt there's many pacemaker-users who'd be the "target audience" of this item...
Librarian Annoyer becomes TV DoS device (Score:5, Funny)
Why not combine this concept with the TV turner-offer? A small device that would periodically emit all the OFF IR codes for TVs. Make it unobtrusive enough that it could be stuck someplace where it wouldn't be seen, or camouflaged as something that belonged on the wall (many places have rectangular thermostat sensors all over -- small metal rectangle with no controls).
With the right power source and camouflage, you could really have some fun. It may also be interesting to not just send OFF codes, but to send random channel or input codes, mutes, volume up/down commands and so on.
A single IR command might be simpler to implement, but it'd still be a blast.
Re:Don't stop at just a power button (Score:4, Funny)
You know folks, if you hate these guys with the stereos so much, why don't you quit hiding behind technology and do what you want anyway - follow then until they park, and slash their tires. Or run them off the road.
Re:Librarian Annoyer becomes TV DoS device (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Duct Tape over the receiver.... (Score:3, Funny)
Trust me on this one.
Re:Don't stop at just a power button (Score:2, Funny)
You know, one of those "TV is EE-VIL, I don't watch it and nobody else should either" types.
Somebody should shove one of his remotes up his ass and stomp him until the TV turns off...
Re:Don't stop at just a power button (Score:2, Funny)
But beware, the Thumpmobile Zapper is a dangerous beast. The full elephant details follow:
"Now the moment comes, where the elephant leaves the water: Magnetron as to the remaining microwave furnace circuit attach before (use high voltage-firm cable - the Magnetron cooperates over 2000 V!) and SHORT switch on. In the case of correct adjustment the valuable transistors in the bass output stage of the victim will fuse within fractions of a second . In the case of not correct adjustment also engine electronics of the vehicle is destroyed. But you do not want that nevertheless, or? Effects on the brain of the driver are not to be feared after my experiences. But you do not let arrive it better on it, perhaps are with it nevertheless still vestiges of brain cells present: If the victim scharrt afterwards in the sand and shits into the yard, the adjustment was wrong or the dose too high."
Re:Suicidal (Score:2, Funny)
On the plus side, at least it's a fast way OUT OF OKLAHOMA. Might be worth it.
850+ comments ... (Score:3, Funny)
We are well and truly fucked folks.
Re:Don't stop at just a power button (Score:3, Funny)
Re:Now (Score:3, Funny)
Besides, it's fun when your roommate sees the volume knob rotating itself.
Re:Don't stop at just a power button (Score:3, Funny)
Back when cable TV first came to Northern Virginia, the service was by Media General (now Cox), and the units were these resonably sophisticated things from Zenith. Among the usual buttons, they had one labeled "Parental Control". I don't know about anybody else, but I could never get it to work on Mom or Dad.