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Inventor Open Sources "TV-B-Gone," and Why
ptorrone writes "Inventor Mitch Altman explains why he open-sourced his TV-B-Gone kit, the original stealth keychain fob for defeating TVs in public places. The title of the article is 'Patent-B-Gone' and perhaps the most interesting fact is that Mitch's brother is a patent attorney, but he still decided to release an open source hardware version of the TV-B-Gone, with pretty impressive results."
Great! Now there are technological aids to help people be annoying in public. Oh, and they're "open source", so anyone can build one. Beware Future Shop! Beware Best Buy! People can turn off your TVs by remote control. Ooooo! Scary!
Now here's the brilliant part. On one hand, this guy can market his TV-b-Gone, and on the other hand, he can market to big box stores a special security device. A discrete little box that you stick on the IR sensor and block malicious signals. The box contains a couple of IR LEDs, and a descrambler chip. The chip decodes signals from the special remote control (which he also will sell) so that the stores still have control over their TVs.
When our name is on the back of your car, we're behind you all the way!
I don't even know how many places this will work? Are there alot of places that do not have Professional grade TV's installed in their places??
I just recently left a commercial installer and all the professional TV's we were installing had no IR/RF it was all RS232 control. If they did the IR was on the back, and we would cover up the sensor with a backup IR control eye with a patch so nothing else could controll it.
Most places I've gone to have done it right and installed TV's that you can't mess with.
There are a few bars that have normal TV's. But if you're in a bar why would you be shutting of someone else's TV's in the first place?? what gives you the right?
I just don't get why you don't just move/leave/go to another establishment...
"go to any bar and I will almost guarantee that the sound is way too loud and NO ONE is watching/listening."
I'm not a big bar patron but I do go to watch the occasional sporting event. I can guarantee you that the vast majority of the bar is watching and listening during that time.
"I like TV, but not all the time. Don't *I* have a right to some f*cking peace and quiet?"
In someone else's bar or airport? No, you don't.
"But goddamn it, when I'm in a bar chatting with friends, everywhere around is also buzzing with laughs and good times, why does the barman decide to pump his crappy music up to 110 decibels?"
Because you're in the wrong bar. Bars do exist that provide a good atmosphere for conversation. I always make it a point to seek those bars out. In the US, most places that claim to be an English pub have reasonable volume levels but that's far from universal. I also look for bars that focus on drinks like wine or cocktails. I'm a beer drinker myself but the atmosphere is usually better in those places and they do usually have some sort of decent beer handy.
Personally I find it to be the other way around- I don't like the slack-jawed, dazed fool I become when there's a TV in the room anywhere I can see it, which is why I try to avoid patronizing businesses that have them. Only hearing it is (usually) no worse than listening to any other inane conversation.
Uh, "if it looks roughly mouse-shaped according to my infra-red sensitive pit, eat it"? --Chris Burke 09-08-10
> It's called freedom of choice and expression. Two of the things the American settlers left the old world for.
I was under the impression those settlers left the Netherlands because the Dutchies were too liberal?
TV is actually an adition like alcohol. Try taking away the bottle from an alcoholic watch his reaction. irst he becomes combative "who the hell, give my that back". Hell do anything to get more. Same happens with TV. Try turning it off and the TV watchers first reaxtive is to be combative, then they try to turn the TV back on. TV adicts will pay anything, even $100+ a month just to watch
What the fuck is wrong with you? Is this a troll? Or is your sarcasm implementation device just broken?
If you take *anything* away from me I'll get pissed at you for TAKING MY SHIT. I pay for TV because I value the programming I get at slightly more than the amount I spend on it. Same for anything else.