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New EL Touchscreen Remote Control
raminf writes "Stumbled across the Kameleon -- a new remote control device from Univeral Electronics. The interface is a blank electro-luminescent touch-screen. The 'buttons' are animated graphics drawn to match any device you choose . You can update new device interfaces via a modem (specs aren't clear how exactly). You can also define 'macro' buttons to do multiple tasks with one button. Apparently it also has a built-in motion-sensor and turns itself on when you pick it up. You can't buy it directly in the U.S. yet. Here's a British web-site that carries it and has some specs and a picture. Here's the company press release. RadioShack has announced they'll be carrying it retail pretty soon."
Is it just me, or does that animated GIF give the appearance that the controller changes size (as far as its height is concerned)?
I live, I learn, and yet, I yearn for more. -CyberMonk
I seem to remember another device like this, but this one does look very nice. I wonder how much RadioShack will charge for it? Probably more than I want to know. I guess there is a "remote" chance I'll actually be willing to pay the price for one.
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"You would not get a high grade for such a design" -- Andy Tanenbaum on Linus' Linux design.
The drop test, the fluid contamination tests? This thing looks way too fragile.
You break all the laws of physics and you seriously think there wouldn't be a price?
Didn't Sony release a product like this years ago?
Also, Philips just released a similar remote, except some keys are not on an LCD. Its called the Pronto. More at http://www.pronto.philips.com.
So when I go on a business trip I can dial back into my remote and reconfigure it? And I thought checking my email was cool.
-- Thou hast strayed far from the path of the Avatar.
My interpretation of the web page says that the keys are pre-defined, and only the appropriate ones are displayed ('lit', perhaps?). In my mind, this is different from 'drawn' which implies a different level of sophistication.
It does look cool, and the auto-on motion detection is a nice touch.
A.
...bringing you cynical quips since 1998
You can update new device interfaces via a modem...
Mo-dem? What's a mo-dem?... I think I remember Mo-dems...those were those slow things with the blinkylights that we all had before we got residential DSL and cable...right? And you could type +++ATH0 and it e(6`|:fK6@(^*&#~~~NO CARRIER
Honey, I shrunk the Cygwin
What good is a remote that you have to look at to change the channel? No amount of bells and/or whistles will make up for not being able to feel the buttons...
"In a 32-bit world, you're a 2-bit user. You've got your own newsgroup, alt.total.loser." -Weird Al
It says it has a pushbutton remote "feel" but the surface looks flat to me.
The problem I have with these programmable touch-screen remotes is that I can't feel the buttons.
I hate looking at a remote when I want to use it.
Jesus saves....And takes 1/2 damage.
"The interface is a blank electro-luminescent touch-screen. The 'buttons' are animated graphics drawn to match any device you choose . You can update new device interfaces via a modem (specs aren't clear how exactly). You can also define 'macro' buttons to do multiple tasks with one button. Apparently it also has a built-in motion-sensor and turns itself on when you pick it up."
I am sure that there is going to be a number of patent infringements in there somewhere. Numerous lawsuits will be underway before the thing hits the shelves.
- 20 -
From excellent karma to terible karma with a single +5 funny post...
The favorite thing about my old rubber-button remote is that I know what button I'm pushing while I'm sitting on the couch in the dark, without having to look at the remote.
Animated LCD and programmable is neat, but they should really take a clue from the MX-1000. People like physical buttons.
I can fast-forward and rewind and pause and change the volume or channel without ever looking away from the TV because the physical buttons can be located by (get this) touch.
A review of the MX-1000
So figure US$100 easily.
Google for Philips Pronto. Been around since the 90's.
I write in my journal
I don't know about you guys, but I usually don't look at the remote control when zapping between channels, changing the volume. Expect for the most exotic functions, I never need to look down and find the key. I just "touch type" on the remote control.
With this new device, that wouldn't be possible. Ok, you can have several remote controls integrated into one. But we already have that with normal remote controls...
So, really, apart from the geek fractor, this thing just sounds like a pain to use. Imagine a keyboard without keys! Oh, but wait...
I code, therefore I am.
Marantz has been offerring devices similar to this for quite some time. Check out the RC9200 and RC5200. They offer a serial port connection for easy connection to a PC to get more codes installed.
They are also available in the United States.
- (c) 2018 Hank Zimmerman
"The drop test, the fluid contamination tests? This thing looks way too fragile."
You forgot the "Eaten by the couch" test.
Very few remotes come out of that.
Why don't you just go with the new high end Philips Pronto they showed in Time's gift guide. It's only $1,700 and has built in 802.11b networking, what more do you need in a remote? I'm pretty sure you can almost buy one of those new TabletPC's and I'm sure turn it into a way to control your TV for that price. I can see spending $200 for a remote if you have a $5,000 setup, but you better have one really, really nice home theater to pay $1,700.
I looked it up after posting. The original Pronto came out in 1998. Now there are a bunch of products in the Pronto line, including a "lite" version of the software that runs on an IR-equipped Palm, and something that looks kinda like a tablet PC.
I write in my journal
Does it run on OS? In sure it'll be terrible when someone calls from the Living Room...
"Honey, the remote Blue Screened again..."
Check it out: Radio Shack Kameleon Remote
Electronics are usually more espensive in the UK, so Pounds usually match US dollars pretty closely for electronics.
- Eric, InvisibleRobot.com
why is /. all yippie about this device?
Are you new here? Slashdot is often all yippie about things for no good reason.
Or, to put it another way, "slow news day."
I write in my journal
... learning, programmable, touch-screen remotes have been around for years in the consumer market. This one is just another that doesn't seem as programmable as many of the others (most of the "buttons" look to merely be on an on/off toggle rather than truly modular) and tends to be a bit cheaper as a result (Radio Shack lists it for $99 IIRC). Check out Remote Central or most A/V sites and you'll find a mess of other remotes.
for the first person who creates a playable game on it.
You pay more for your remote than I pay for my TV (a pretty decent one).
:
Look at the reality
IT'S *NOT* WORTH IT.
People buying such something really needs to get a life. If you have too much money, buy better vacations, better houses, better studies, give it too the poor, but don't buy a stupid remote with it. Are American geeks not already fat enough ? Do they really need a boring toy to prevent them from standing up ?
This one will, according to the blurb, there are button shapes over the display, so although it restricts the screen design, it does make it navigable by touch.
It does do macros according to this site.
But when my family went to the UK a number of years ago (Probably 8+ at this point...), the exchange rate was something like $2 US = 1 UK pound.
Despite the major difference in the value of each currency, prices for food (never looked at electronics) in the UK were the same in pounds and pence as they were in the US in dollars and cents. (i.e. if a McDonalds meal cost $3.99 US, it would be 3.99 UKP in Britain, despite the fact that 3.99 UKP was approx. $7.98 US - Food was on average TWICE as expensive in the UK because of the exchange rate)
retrorocket.o not found, launch anyway?
Ob-link
Arthur C. Clarke described such a PDA in Imperial Earth, whose buttons changed captions as the function changed according to the currently selected functionality.
[problems with pronto]
:-)
There's firmware updates for the Pronto models that solve the problems you describe.
it's not any faster than picking up a regular remote and hitting the button
I've had my ProntoPro for a few weeks now and can say it's much faster than using the regular remotes. My setup includes HDTV, surround sound receiver, cable, DVD, Laser disk, PS2, and SVHS deck. What makes it faster than normal remotes is the macros you can program - you can set up a single button to control all your equipment.
For example, I have mine set up so that hitting the HDTV button will power on the TV, receiver & cable box, switch the TV & receiver to the HD inputs, and finally change the display to show 9 channel logos for the HD stations I receive. Pressing a single logo and the 3 digit channel code is sent to the cable box. - So to watch any HD show I only have to grab a single remote and press 2 buttons.
Prior to that I had to dig the TV remote out of the stack, turn it on, swith it's input, dig the receiver remote out of the stack, turn it on, switch it's input, and finally dig the cable remote out, turn it on and enter the channel number.
A major benefit is that my mom(currently visiting) can work my TV without calling me at work
http://www.hifi-remote.com/jp1/
There are a number of remotes out there with a six-pin connector that allows you to reprogram them from a computer. This connector is typically accessible from the battery compartment. While most universal remotes have codes for hundreds of devices, with the JP1 connector, you can add new devices that didn't exist when the remote was built. You can also do things that the remote doesn't normally allow (like assigning macros to non-macro buttons). You finally have full control of your remote--you can program every button to do exactly what you want it to do. And you can back it up to a file on your computer.
Can you use a ultra-cool Zaurus as a remote control a la the Sony Clie oder other Palm based organizers?
Any hints?
Bye egghat
-- "As a human being I claim the right to be widely inconsistent", John Peel
Real or not, why bother with buttons at all. Go for voice:
"Channel Thirty Seven"
"Louder"
"Mode Dolby Digital"
"DVD On"
"DVD Play"
You can't lose your voice under the sofa cushion.
https://app.box.com/WitthoftResume Code: https://github.com/cellocgw
$60 is too pricy? and you paid $5000 for your 40" plasma tv, $1000 for your surround-sound system and $60 for that ikea footrest?
okaaaaaay.
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