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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."
I am officially open sourcing my firstpost-B-gone
Me, I carry my Customer-B-Gone, a pair of legs that allow me to absent myself from bars and other public places for a variety of reasons, without imposing my will upon others. Oh sure, it's not nearly as obnoxious as deciding for everybody, but we can't all be petty dictators.
This next song is very sad. Please clap along. -- Robin Zander
I don't mind if a bar owner wants to put on a TV in his bar. That doesn't bother me. However, where I live (Orange County, Florida), there are television sets (with sound) in the following places that need not have them, and they are there for no other purpose than to show an announcement that could be served with a poster and no sound:
There is NO REASON for this.
Someone did this during the World Cup (Video). He's lucky he didn't get caught and lynched.
So, other than creating a public nuisance almost certain to result in getting your face punched, what EXACTLY is the point of this device?
It's for sanctimonious, condescending assholes who think TV is beneath them, and who need to force their choice upon others.
In other words, it's for getting your face punched. ;)
Have you heard about the discrete IR blocker they generally use in these stores? I believe it is marketed as "Black Tape". But don't be fooled. It isn't authentically black :)
I record my sleeptalking
The Deaf.
You can go now.
In other words, it's for getting your face punched. ;)
Hah. I've been managing that for years without the aid of technology.
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.
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
bwa ha ha.... my Coffee-B-Gone works!
Come play free flash games on Kongregate!
But then take it into someplace like walmart with 200 security cameras all over the place.
I see an emerging market for security-camera-begone.
The louder he talked of his honour, the faster we counted our spoons. -- Ralph Waldo Emerson
I like TV, but not all the time. Don't *I* have a right to some f*cking peace and quiet?
Yes. Plant your sanctimonious, entitled ass in your own living room with the TV turned off, you self-righteous prick.
I'm an electrician and I've wired a Walmart when it was being built. I can assure you that only ~10% of those black domes contain cameras. It is true that the electronics department has cameras, but the one I worked on only had 2 covering the whole section.
Posted AC because I'm probably not supposed to tell people that.