[Chinney]

I find this interesting. The technology is really not that revolutionary, but the idea behind it is ingenious. The device apparently just very quickly flips through all the different known remote codes for different types of TVs until if finds the right one, then “paff’, off comes the TV. No more noise pollution of blaring TVs.

On the other hand, it could cause real mischief– and I expect it eventually may even be banned. Image the scene at a bar, TV tuned to the World Series, bottom of the 9th, 2 out bases loaded, the crowd in the bar glued to the action when….off goes the TV. The crowd at the bar goes bananas. Staff put the TV on again. Off it goes again…..

[psmith2.0]

Well how arrogant is this little device (and those that would use it).

From the article:

The device, an on-off switch, works on about 1,000 TV models, offering users relief from unwanted pictures and noise in airports, restaurants and bars. Altman (the inventor), an electrical engineer, says he tested the device all over the world and most people didn't react when the TV went off. He doesn't like television and doesn't own one.

Well la-di-fucking-da, Mitch. I don't think you get to make that call, though. Anyone going into a bar and wanting "peace and quiet" (and the TV off) might need to re-think his strategy a bit (go to a park, dipwad...or, at the very least, seek out a more mellow, quiet bar. They exist!). Not to mention, depending on the bar, the patrons present and what gets turned off, someone pulling this stunt is setting himself up for an unholy ass-beating.



I know it's considered hip or intellectual in many quarters to be down on TV (yes, a lot of crap out there, no doubt), but one person willing to spend $14.99 shouldn't have that much veto power. If I'm sitting in a terminal with two hours to kill and would like to watch CNN or ESPN highlights to pass the time, I don't think some guy behind me gets to affect that. He can go find an area where there's no TV. And since there are probably more areas in a bar or airport that DON'T have TVs, the burden should be on him.

That's the height of rude arrogance, IMO.

I'd totally have words with someone over this, just on "who the hell made you leader?" principle.

This little device is going to be the cause of some of the biggest fistfights ever.



What's next, the ability to kill/block cell phones? I'd love to be able to, believe me, but it wouldn't be right. If the person is talking too loud or is being obnoxious, I just move elsewhere (unless it's a movie theater, and then it's on now, motherf...).

[Chinney]

pscates' Friday afternoon rant.

[murbot]

He's right. Some ingorant fuck gets to control the TV watching for dozens of other people? Stupid damn device. The only thing it will accomplish is fucking things up for people. Think of the shit some asshole can dish out by turning off TVs in a sports bar, airport, bus station, etc, etc.

Bah. I hope karma breaks this guy's leg or has his car stolen.

[psmith2.0]

Sorry. But it's true. That's an obnoxious little device.

If it ever takes off, I'll guarantee you it'll figure prominently into an episode of "Cops", where two mullet-sporting rednecks wind up beating the living shit out of some guy for zapping the Tennessee-Alabama game with 12 seconds left to go.

Shirtless Guy #1: "Hell-fire, officer...that sumbitch - I don't mean no disrespect - done when and turned off the [bleep] TV..."

Shirtless/Toothless Guy #2: "Why, hell yeah...we HAD to whoop his ass...aw man, why you gettin' yer handcuffs out, man?"



This device ever becomes a huge trend, the job of your average beat cop just got 500x more complicated, messy and dangerous. Think of all the disturbance calls he'd be responding to, of the domestic and tavern variety.

[xionja]

It definatly has a large potential for abuse. But imagine how fun it could be. . .

I made my family get rid of Teevee so they could get high speed internet, and generally don't really get the appeal of it. Whenever I go to friends house's I generally turn off their tv's, just to fuck with them, and also cause its pretty annoying to have one in the backround all the time. It's nice to have the final veto power on that kind of stuff. . . I think it goes with same priniciple of turning off your cellphone at restaurants, movies, with friends ect. . .


Also imagine the powers of turning tv's on. Or walking into a TV store with one of them. hahaha

[Moogs]

Part of me wants to call it pure genius, but the reality is unless it won't be sold to stupid dumbasses who will abuse it for sport, it's not a good idea.

[psmith2.0]

Originally Posted by xionja Whenever I go to friends house's I generally turn off their tv's, just to fuck with them, and also cause its pretty annoying to have one in the backround all the time. It's nice to have the final veto power on that kind of stuff. . . I think it goes with same priniciple of turning off your cellphone at restaurants, movies, with friends ect. . .

When I go to friends' houses, I generally blend in and go with their rule. If I ever turned their stuff off because I thought it was the thing to do, I hope they'd slap me.



People turn their own cell phones off. And in movies and places like that, it should be obvious (I don't mind giving them verbal assistance or reminders, of course). But you really want someone - other than yourself - deciding when your phone, radio, TV, computer, etc. could be arbitrarily clicked off?

Ain't for you to decide.

[naren]

Originally Posted by pscates2.0 People turn their own cell phones off. And in movies and places like that, it should be obvious (I don't mind giving them verbal assistance or reminders, of course).

Wow, I don't know what theatre you go to but I see people frequently failing to turn off their cell phones at films. Verbal assistance, HA! Physical intimidation is the only thing that works in my experience.



TV, when I turned it off in '94, there was nothing on, from what I hear, there is still nothing on. Besides who really has time to sit and watch TV? I just don't get it....

[psmith2.0]

MOST people seem to have a clue (or heed that big announcement they play during the trailers, about turning cell phones and pagers off). But it seems there is always one or two in the bunch...

As for TV, I've pretty much given up on network fare (dramas, sitcoms, reality shows, etc.). Yeah, those are certainly crap and I don't watch any regular, "must see" stuff on any of the major networks (yes, that includes the fucking Simpsons).

But I love the car and home shows on Discovery, TLC and HGTV. And I gotta watch my man Norm build something every Saturday morning.



There are some good, quality shows out there, like "The Shield" on FX. It's not all unwatchable crap. But I don't exactly hover around it, watching anything and everything. I know when a few of the shows I really enjoy come on, and I make it a point to try and catch them. Usually I do, if I don't I EyeTV it and catch it later.

No big deal.

You can't paint the entire thing with one big brush. For every "Joe Millionaire", there's some amazing documentary on the mafia on A&E that I enjoy and learn from.



Put it this way: if Comcast offered true a la carte service, where I could simply choose the channels I watch and like, I'd have about a 7-8 channel line-up on my TV.

[Dave]

Originally Posted by xionja Also imagine the powers of turning tv's on. Or walking into a TV store with one of them. hahaha

Yeah, I might get one just so I can turn the TV back on when some jerk turns it off with one of these doohickies.