[IxDA Discuss] LCD remote control design

Tue Sep 25 09:45:26 PDT 2007

The thought, for better or worse, was that the remote would sacrifice the
ability to navigate to a specific channel in lieu of a simple scrolling
mechanism. (iPod, anyone?)

If you hold down the channel up/down button on your remote, there's a
perceptible delay between each channel change. Not sure if this is an
interface thing or an artifact of the technology. With the no-look remote,
the idea would be that I could scroll channels without having to wait for
the channel to "load" before moving to the next one. Once I've stopped on a
channel for a full second would the TV tune to it.

And, channel numbers? So 20th century. (And yet so persistent.) Perhaps with
a scrollable interface, we could eliminate this antiquated labeling
convention...

-- Dan

On 9/25/07, Wilson, Russell <Russell.Wilson at netqos.com> wrote:
>
> Very creative!
>
> How would you select a specific channel (e.g. 63)?
> I do that constantly and actually "feel" my way around
> the number pad to the right numbers...
>
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: discuss-bounces at lists.interactiondesigners.com [mailto:
> discuss-bounces at lists.interactiondesigners.com] On Behalf Of Dan Brown
> Sent: Tuesday, September 25, 2007 6:47 AM
> To: IxDA Discuss
> Subject: Re: [IxDA Discuss] LCD remote control design
>
> Remote controls have a fundamental problem: they require users to look
> away
> from the appliance. As appliances grow more complex, with elaborate menu
> systems, it becomes difficult for me to gauge feedback if I have to look
> away from the appliance's screen every time.
>
> Touch screens will, I fear, make the situation worse. With no tactile
> feedback on button size and position (already difficult with today's
> remotes), users will be glancing back and forth even more!
>
> So, I designed this "no-look remote" to address this difficult. It is,
> essentially, a hand-held mouse with an infrared emitter (or whatever
> technology is used to communicate between two devices). It depends on a
> more
> complex menu system built into the appliance, but the simple gestures
> permitted by the remote make it somewhat universal.
>
> I put this in portfolio as an attempt to break into interactive television
> several years ago...
>
> http://greenonions.com/portfolio/personal_remote.pdf
>
> -- Dan
>
> On 9/25/07, W Evans <wkevans4 at gmail.com> wrote:
> >
> > Preeti,
> > It would be irresponsible to cast judgment on the specific usability of
> > the
> > devices without playing with them.
> >
> > "But from a usability point of view, is a touchscreen remote control
> > good?"
> >
> > To that the answer is easy - It Depends. Actually, it's the wrong
> question
> > to ask. It would be like saying "from a usability point of view, is a
> > mouse
> > good?" Touchscreen remotes are just one type of input device for user
> > interaction and is neither usable nor unusable because it's the entire
> > experience - the touchscreen remote, it's interface, labels, navigation,
> > directed task flows - the whole enchillada that counts - and only after
> > reviewing the entirety of the user experience could you make a judgement
> -
> > and even that would in most cases not be black and white but some
> > distribution around a mean based on alot of observation.
> >
> > That said - I love this little gem of marketing horsebiscuit on the
> > Bang-Olufsen website:
> > "The square glass display with soft touch keys and the aluminum ball
> with
> > tactile keys and a volume wheel are inspired by contradictions - the
> > circle
> > and the square, giving Beo 5 an unusual visual expression."
> >
> > Um - NO. Sorry marketing tweebster - a square and circle are not
> > contradictory. Here $5 kid - enroll in an intro to logic class.
> >
> >
> >
> > --
> > ~ will
> >
> > See you at IxDA Interaction 08 | Savannah <
> http://interaction08.ixda.org/>
> >
> > -------------------------------------------------------
> > will evans
> > user experience architect
> > wkevans4 at gmail.com
> > -------------------------------------------------------
> >
> > On 9/25/07, PREETI SALUJA <preeti.saluja at gmail.com> wrote:
> > >
> > > Hi all!
> > > I was just browing through some new designs of remote controls having
> > LCD
> > > screens.
> > > http://www.bang-olufsen.com/page.asp?id=365&bhcp=1
> > >
> > >
> >
> http://www.igadget.com.au/catalog/touch-screen-universal-remote-control-with-backlight-p-703.html
> > > http://www.bigpicturebigsound.com/logitech-harmony-670-1085.shtml
> > > https://futurehomesystems.com/pbtsu7000.shtml
> > >
> > > Most of these links talk of converging devices (mobile phones, PCs and
> > > remote controls)
> > > and RF remote controls, which can be operated even when the user is
> not
> > > infront of the HDTV
> > > But from usability point of view, is a touchscreen remote control
> ,good?
> > > Are we just adding more and more functions and making it far
> > > more complicated and intimidating for the user?
> > > I would like to hear from all the members in this group regarding
> deisgn
> > > of
> > > future remote controls and remote controls with LCD
> > screens/touchscreens.
> > > Please participate.
> > > Thanks and regards,
> > > Preeti
> > > ________________________________________________________________
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>
> --
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> } blog: greenonions.com
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-- 
} work: eightshapes.com
} book: communicatingdesign.com
} blog: greenonions.com
} talk: +1 (301) 801-4850