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The Universal Off Button
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.
Hey could I hang this on a keychain?
Wouldn't this be really good if it were IR?
Maybe they should try the codes for the most popular brands first, then it would work better!
The only acceptable defense of scientific results is to say that they were the product of the Scientific Method.
Well, watching TV everywhere is like being high on pot - you can not fully concentrate on anything else. If you get hooked and walk all over the place with a joint, and force everyone around to breeze your fumes and get stoned as well, maybe people who want their brains back will put a stop to it, even if they are the minority.
As for finding another, quieter place, such a thing usually doesn't exist. What, you want people who need to talk or concentrate on something to find another airport?
What right do they have to be polluting my vision with commercials?
What good purpose does this device serve?
It's like taking heroin away from a junkie.
They might, you know, have an insightful conversation or read the news, read a book or think a little more.
Then, maybe we'd wouldn't have have the problem where 32% of the American population believe that Saddam Hussein personally planned the 9/11 attacks or other such bullshit.
94% of Repubs and 21% of Dems voted to renew the Patriot Act
The sheer fucking arrogance of smokers and stereo blasters and overly loud public TVs leaves me almost at a loss for words...
Other people might want to watch
Other people might want some peace and quiet. Portable TVs and headphones are common enough that the people who just HAVE to have their TV addiction satisfied should be able to do so without disturbing everyone around them. The percentage of people actually paying attention to those TVs is very small; what gives them the right to overrule the vast majority of people there, other than some stupid social standard that TV is GOD?
the submitter has a problem with controlling his own actions if he can't talk with his "human companions" in the proximity of a TV
A *LOT* of people have trouble focusing on things with a TV around. The quick movements of the TV attracts the eyes involuntarily. The noise of the TV is often so loud that you CAN'T understand what someone next to you is saying.
it's the height of arrogance and intellectual elitism to think that it's any of your business to turn off TVs that don't belong to you, in public or private places
It's the height of arrogance and intellectual elitism to think that it's any of your business to force everyone to watch and hear what only a very few people are interested in, especially in areas where they do not have a reasonable alternate choice, such as waiting rooms almost everywhere, public walkways, the hallways of shopping malls, etc. (Notice I did not include restaurants in the list; those are so common there is almost always a reasonable alternate place to go.)
Edward Burr
Having a smoking section in a restaurant is like having a peeing section in a swimming pool.
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
Sit with your back to the TV. There are many people who go to bars and restaurants in hopes of watching a game in a public setting, or just enjoying the distraction. It is not a patrons right to turn off the TV that they do not own. If you do not like it you can complain to management, if management says "no" to your request, then you can leave. If you are that bored that the TV is bothering you, find a friend who can keep your attention ---personally a gorgeous bruenette would keep my attention over any TV set.
I mod down so you can mod up. Your welcome.
Think of it as a social service, like picking up litter, preventing pollution, defending old ladies from muggers, helping ducks cross the street.
If you saw some beating a dog that was not yours, not on your property, would you say you have no right to interfere?
The violent and reactive responses of the pro-tv people on this thread show that waaay too many people need to relax and get away from their tv.
Hey, dumb ass - I pay taxes to help build the freaking airport. Therefore, if I don't want to listen to the TV, I will turn it off.
If you don't like it, come over to my house and I will beat you with a baseball bat while my wife turns the TV on and off!
Avoid Missing Ball for High Score