Remote controls - main types and their characteristics

We are so used to the remote control of various household appliances and various automatic equipment that we simply cannot imagine our life and work without remote controls. If only the batteries run out in the remote control, only then will we have the reluctance to start worrying about reaching for the buttons, wanting to change TV channels or adjust the temperature of the air conditioner.

Comfort is always more pleasant. For this reason, remote controls for various purposes are so popular today: audio and video equipment, acoustic systems, fans, air conditioners, lighting control systems, opening and closing gates — anywhere that remote controls or remote controls are used. And that's not to mention the car's alarm consoles, lock control, ignition, etc.

Remote control from an old TV from 1935:

Most simple remote controls use a modulated signal for their operation. infrared, bluetooth and other specific protocols are used less often, it depends on the complexity of the equipment, its range and visibility.

How a simple remote control works:

When you buy a certain device, the remote control always comes with it. Each remote control is made in such a way that it is convenient in relation to the device it controls. Its buttons have a convenient shape and are located on the remote in a suitable order, so that the hand itself quickly remembers how the remote is in your palm, and your fingers remember the buttons. After a few days, we no longer look at the remote control, but use it as a part of the body.

If the local remote control is lost or broken, they buy a new remote control of the same model or choose a universal remote control. To choose a remote control as native, it is enough to find out the model of the device or the model of the remote control, which is always indicated in the instructions for the device for which the specific remote control is intended.

Traditionally, remote control comes in three varieties, depending on the type and complexity of the equipment: button, button with display and touch. Remote buttons contain only buttons and multi-position keys as control elements.

Such a remote control can always be found, for example, near an old TV, grandmothers keep it all their lives in a plastic bag without removing it. The adjustment process is displayed in the form of virtual elements right on the TV screen: menu window, volume slider, channel number, etc.Remotes of this kind come with video players, speakers, fans, etc.

Disassembled button panel:

The remote control with an additional display is convenient for controlling, for example, an air conditioner. There are several buttons for switching the operating modes of the air conditioner, as well as keys for setting the temperature — colder and warmer.

The display shows the current temperature and the selected mode, because the air conditioner usually hangs high and not everyone will see what the numbers on the display are, so they are simply duplicated on the remote control display. There are also color graphic displays on the consoles, on which the progress of the adjustment is shown in the form of corresponding icons and virtual sliders.

A touch panel with a smartphone-like screen is convenient for managing complex systems, such as a "smart home", where many devices are selected each — in its own virtual submenu, and settings are made for each separately and on the same display, enough in the desired order, touch certain images on the display with your finger.

If all this was done in the form of separate buttons, then there would be too many of them, which would be extremely inconvenient and cumbersome. And on the touch screen, everything is very flexible, intuitive, convenient and compact.

Universal remotes for TVs, speaker systems, audio and video equipment — differ in the ability to be individually configured for the selected device. The same type of technique has the usual set of keys: on-off, quieter, quieter, channel flip, menu button, up-down, right-left, etc.

There are models with a minimum of buttons, with a large number of buttons, with a display.At the same time, universal consoles can also be of different types: with presets, configurable and learning.

Models of universal consoles with pre-installation imply the selection of a controlled model of equipment. This is done by entering a code before you start working with a particular device. Usually, memorizing the codes happens quickly, and then everything is done without much effort, out of habit. Just dial a combination of numbers and you can control the TV, then video equipment and so on.

Customizable universal consoles have a built-in codebase that can be updated via the Internet. It is enough just to synchronize the remote control with the computer and download the fresh database of settings from the manufacturer's website.

Learning consoles are the easiest to set up and operate. The native console is placed on the table opposite the training console, the training console is switched into training mode, then you must press to line up all the buttons on the old console that will need to be used on the new console. The new remote will remember the key codes and work like native.