Inventor Open Sources "TV-B-Gone," and Why 340
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."
Well done, sir. (Score:2, Insightful)
Thanks, Mr Altman.
Re:A Necessary Addition (Score:5, Insightful)
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.
purpose? (Score:1, Insightful)
And, while we're here, The reason why he open sourced it, is purely for the purpose of getting a slashvertisment -- and successfully too.
Stupid. Just plain stupid. (Score:3, Insightful)
Let's see. A device with no purpose other than to be malicious. Just because someone has the technical skills to create and sell a device, doesn't mean they should. If you don't like TVs in public places, don't be an ass. Just say something politely and maybe if they get enough feedback, they'll start shutting them off...or better yet, stop going.
There are reasons why there are TVs in public places. Some people value them. Just because you don't, doesn't give you the right to start powering them down.
Re:purpose? (Score:5, Insightful)
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. ;)
Re:purpose? (Score:5, Insightful)
it's an electronics kit, i've seens thousands of kids make these and later their parents tell me that their kids want to be engineers. it's hard to know what will "spark" a kid's mind to get excited about doing things like engineering, but this is one of them.
(phil from MAKE magazine)
What is there to patent here? (Score:3, Insightful)
Maybe TV-B_Gone is not patented for its TV remote abilities, but as a fight provocation device. I can see some novelty in a device which increases the chances of the user being punched in the face.
Not the TV's so much as the music being too loud. (Score:5, Insightful)
Okay, yes, I know, I used to own the t-shirt too. ("If it's too loud, then you're too old.")
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 people don't drink as much if they're talking. It's to increase his bottom dollar, not to make your night out better.
I would love to be able to remotely reduce the volume or kill the music all together. Somehow, I doubt there'd be a massive outcry from people who were talking to their friends and can now hear them without shouting.
Re:A Necessary Addition (Score:4, Insightful)
Re:A Necessary Addition (Score:3, Insightful)
Hey, the customer is always right. But then the other ten guys in there who are wathching the darn thing are also customers.
So it's down to democracy in the end; let Diebold decide.
Re:A Necessary Addition (Score:1, Insightful)
Thanks for the clarification. Your post was +4 informative, and all I could think is "WTF". I was wondering if I was missing something obvious. Apparently the only thing I missed was that you have to have non-functioning brain cells to moderate.
(haven't had mod points in over a year).
Re:A Necessary Addition (Score:1, Insightful)
It's a question of resources. If the message board is displayed and updateable dynamically, one need not use up ink and paper/cardboard each time the board needs updating.
Chalkboard/whiteboards are also an option, but (like paper/cardboard) can be dangerous to update if they're posted up high in a prominent (read: busy) location. (also, chalkboards, though popular, tend to be harder to read for those with visibility problems).
Also, like Airport's posting arrival times, the same information might need to be distributed to multiple locations.
Having stopped watching tv for a while (Score:5, Insightful)
what I find is that they are mesmerizing. When I walk into a room with a tv on I feel the pull to look at it, as well as notice that everyone is looking at the tv like it had hyptonized them. It is much like a drug. Turning the tv off is more about breaking it's inevitable grasp on everyone's attention for at least a short time, so people look up and look around once in a while. It's not like you break the tv, it can be turned back on, and probably will be in short order.
Re:Positive Motives (Score:3, Insightful)
My personal (and I can't speak for Mitch)
take is that tv-b-gone is supposed to be an equalizer,
yes it annoys other people but then your annoyed by TV.
I'm more annoyed that people constantly spout stupidity just about 24/7 but I have no right to forcibly shut them up.
Its NOT your TV. Its NOT your PROPERTY. Leave if you don't like it. Or maybe here's a thought, ASK the propriator if they'll turn it off, down, etc.
Re:A Necessary Addition (Score:3, Insightful)
Most of the places with these sets in them though are not installed by professionals, and most of them wouldn't know where to find the IR sensor on the unit anyway.
Lets test you on something you are not familiar with, to level the playing field. Where would you put the tape to stop someone malicious from say, tampering with the IR remote on a 24" iMac doing a powerpoint presentation loop to a crowd or in front of the storefront window?
Re:A Necessary Addition (Score:5, Insightful)
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.
Re:A Necessary Addition (Score:5, Insightful)
So, you basically went to a sports bar.
There are also bars that have NO televisions in them.
It's called freedom of choice and expression. Two of the things the American settlers left the old world for.
We like having freedom of choice here. And our freedom of expression.
The cool thing was, you could have gone to another bar, one you liked, instead of being in the "sports bar" style place.
That's one of the things that makes our country a great place to live. We can actually make choices, and people with the drive to prosper can keep making (and I agree with you, I HATE the sports bar mentality, the TVs, etc) places the people want to go to.
Just because you didn't like it doesn't mean it doesn't have it's place.
--Toll_Free
Re:purpose? (Score:5, Insightful)
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.
Re:purpose? (Score:3, Insightful)
go to any bar and I will almost guarantee that the sound is way too loud and NO ONE is watching/listening.
There already exists a device for this situation, and it is called "asking the staff of the bar if they wouldn't mind turning the TVs down/off".
Or, alternately, "leaving".
I like TV, but not all the time. Don't *I* have a right to some f*cking peace and quiet?
At home, absolutely. In public places, yes to a certain extent. In private establishments, no, very little.
The real reason (Score:4, Insightful)
.. because it's just a goofy novelty, with a minuscule market, and isn't worth the $10-$20k it costs to patent the stupid thing?
He needs to get over himself.
Oblig: How is this news? (Score:2, Insightful)
Re:purpose? (Score:4, Insightful)
So when I don't want to be distrubed by blaring noise 24/7, I am an prick. When you want to impose your noise on others, that's OK.
If it's MY house, MY bar, MY store, then yes. Anyone who comes to my place and complains about my TV, music, decor, whatever is going to reminded of the location of the door.
Let's see, since it's election day, let me take a stab in the dark and predict that you are going to vote conservative with McCain/Palin because like you, they want to impose their will on others.
Actually, you fail. (see here [slashdot.org])
And how is forcing the TVs off because YOU don't like it not "imposing your will on others", hypocrite?
Ever notice most liberal want to let others do what they want and most conservatives want others to do as they do?
Then you must be conservative, by your own definition. I hope the cognitive dissonance gives you a stroke, you waste of oxygen.
Re:Brilliant! (Score:3, Insightful)
and yes, it's good to be annoying when it comes to frivolities like TV. I wish more people were annoying in regards to frivolities.
You're an elitist ass. I'm not going to get in a pissing match about which of us is smarter, but statistically speaking there's a high probability you'd come out on the low end of that one. Still, sometimes I pry my attention away from fine arts and subtle discourse to watch "Bones" or "The Office". You say "frivolity" and I say "needed pressure release".
Get off your high horse and accept that some people relax using other methods than yours. The ability to enjoy the occasional sitcom or sports event is a positive sign of good mental adjustment.
Re:A Necessary Addition (Score:1, Insightful)
We have a spy among us!
Your geek papers please.
Re:A Necessary Addition (Score:2, Insightful)
I don't watch TV much normally. So when I do, I WATCH it.
Which doesn't necessarily make for good dinner conversation.
Re:A Necessary Addition (Score:2, Insightful)
> 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?
Furthermore, "Freedom of religious beliefs" was only agreed upon in the US because it [turned out to be/was] impossible to prosecute every heresy people could think up.
I don't believe the Colonies actually settled in the US because they wanted Freedom of Religion, they just wanted to live somewhere where *they* could be the Top Dog [most colonies early on did try to enforce Orthodoxy of some kind or another, they just didn't succeed at it]. Only when they realized they couldn't do so did they settle for Tolerance, in stead of creating their beloved Second Eden.
In essence, pretty much the same as what happened in the OW, only with the caveat that it has been misremembered/-interpreted by modern day Americans, who now at times enjoy "mocking" (or whatever it is supposed to be that they're hoping to do) 'unfree' (Continental?) Europe. [Where we actually have the right to be atheist]
To be honest, I haven't a clue what part of the world he was contrasting the USA with by putting so much stress on "Freedom of choice [between interchangeable consumer goods]", but whatever makes him happy, I suppose.
Still, it's nice that some people still believe that shtick about Freedom.