A 1950 invention called "Lazy Bones" was the first remote control for which device?
The Zenith Lazy Bones of 1950 was the first commercially successful TV remote control. Plugged into the TV via its long wire it had two buttons on the top for tuning and volume.
At $30 extra (on top of a Zenith TV) this was not a cheap gimmick and at least the name and publicising was quite up front about the way TV remotes would come to dictate our TV habits in the future. The product seemed to sell well at the time, but complaints were made about the annoying trailing wire.
By 1955 this problem would become a thing of the past when their new entirely remote TV controllers were released.
More Info:
historictech.com
What are your thoughts on this subject?
19 Comments
Pat Salloum
Before the remote control, you needed two people to change the station...One to turn the dial and the other to say, 'no try another channel'...course there weren't many channels at that time!!
Player
Nowadays if it hasn't got a remote it's probably got an app and links in with Alexa or Google Home.
Rob Orr
To all those people who answered microwave - good luck finding one to control in 1950
Karin Johansson
Marian Spitzig, in Sweden we had TV 1 and TV 2, in the beginning only TV 1. Then 1987 we could see TV 3 and 1988 TV 4. Then it has gone very fast. Now it is too many channels that we can see.
Karin Johansson
Linda Shaw, there is now! You can even do everything from work!
pabjetster
The sleeping cat picture makes me want to go take a nap. The heck with TV.
marijohnross
Pat Salloum, don't forget the third person. They had to stand outside and rotate the antenna until the signal was clear.
Patty K
I had to get a new TV and now I couldn't watch it without the remote. Not because I'm lazy, simply because this TV has no power button! The only way to turn it on, off, change the channel or volume is the remote! Without, the TV simply sits there, like this new one is broke as well
catmom
The cat is adorable.
dmarkc
We joked about how cool it would be to have a remote control. The antenna problems were no joke. My body was sometimes the top of the line antenna, as I got the best reception.
Ken Putnam
when their new entirely remote TV controllers were released.
Presumably they are trying to say "wireless" controllers
Joe Mangan
How deprived all you people were. My granny got a radio ("wireless") in 1952. I first saw television in 1957. We got tv at home in 1962.
earlepg
Marian Spitzig, In Oakland, California KPIX ch. 3 started broadcasting in March 1958. I remember it well.
Marian Spitzig
When I was a little kid we only had 3- NBC, ABC, and CBS.
Elsy O. Stromberg
Good Q, Lilly, but terrible answer choices.
Char
Pat Salloum, don't forget the rabbit ears or the antenna on a pole outside .
John W Shreve
I think we have about ten in one room.
Joris van Pelt
Our first remote control did have only "ON" and "OFF".