2006 marks the 50th anniversary for the introduction of the worlds first "practical" TV remote control! You know its the Zenith "Space command". Invented by Dr. Robert Adler who worked for the Zenith Radio Corporation in Chicago. First introduced for the 1956 line of Zenith TV receivers. I have decided to make a pictoral time line of the zenith remote controls from the very first to the last mechanical type offered in 1976. I have all but one remote for the collection, and its the first generation space command 400 (has the button design like the first generation sc200) and the 1973 model "SC600X" (which is nearly identical to the "SC500" which is shown but only has one addtional button)

The first picture is a 1956 Zenith with space command "200". Space command 200 was the only remote control available, and was only a channel change up, and mute only function. All other functions were adjusted at the set.
The second picture is a close up of the first generation space command 200 hand control unit.
Pic 3 is the second generation of the space command 200, for the 1957-1958 TV receivers.
Pic 4, second generation space command 400, 1958
pic 5, third generation space command 400, for 1959 TV, also was used for 1962-1963 color TV receivers.
pic 6, first generation space command 300, for 1960 b/w TV, used up through 1961
pic 7, second generation space command 300, for 1962 b/w TV up through 1972(?)
pic 8, fourth generation space command 400, for 1963-1966 b/w TV
pic 9, space command 400 for Color TV, introduced in 1964, through 1965
pic 10, first generation space command 600, 1965 Color TV up through 1972.
pic 11, first generation space command 500, 1971-1972 color TV
pic 12, second geneartion space command 500, 1973 color TV
pic 13, second generation space command 600 "SC600Z" 1974-1976 color TV
pic 14, third geneation space command 500 "SC500X" 1974-1976 color TV
pic 15, unknown, never seen a TV that uses this as its original remote. Some kind of space command 300 for color TV from around 1974-76 Id immagine.
pic 16, first generation space command 100, 1972-1974 color and b/w TV.
pic 17, second generation space command 100, 1974-76 color TV. Blue button designates a different frequency not previously used in space command remote control.
pic 18, a picture of the "zenith" sign in Northlake, IL (chicago suburb) what was Zenith's main distribution center and product showroom! Lets never forget this once great American company and the great inventions and product developments they brought to us!

Whoa! Way cool presentation!

Is it me, or do the SC 300 and 400 with the horizontal buttons look "RCA-ish"?

veg

Very nice work! And now I know which one is correct for my '64 color set.

I used to have a Zenith La-Z-Bones and also a Flashmatic... Not mechanical wireless, ofcourse. Sold both on eBay.

Charles

Definitely very cool. I wish I had a TV that went with each one of those.

I've got a SC-300 set lying around that has the remote. Very nice set I bought at an estate sale with the original box. The remote and tuner sections work fine, but the rest of the chassis needs major work.

damn, 50 years. Pretty cool to know that it all started with zenith.

where is the flashmatic?
its just a gun flashlight but i would have included it.

should i assume the one you are missing looks just like the first gen 200 but 4 buttons?
i might just have one buried in my stuff.
i boxed up and moved a lot recently so it might be awhile.i never pass up vintage remotes at the flea or yardsales.

yep, thats the one Im missing. I dont have a flashmatic set or the flashlight, otherwise I would have included it for the heck of it. Ive been collecting vintage TV's for about 15 years, many have been sold on ebay or given away to make room. The space command sets, as hard as they are to find always stayed. Luckily, I have a good number of space command sets of all different types. Most of the remotes pictured still have the orignal TV to go with them!

Just awesome drh!!!!!!!!!!! You must have a lot of Zeniths

:thmbsp: :yes:

Personally, I like the style of the 60's remotes the best (pic 7,8,9,10,&11). They were small, fit nicely the palm of the hand, and looked very attractive. Zenith kind of went downhill with the bigger bulky ones after that IMO. What were they thinking!

A couple of other things I liked better about those old remotes is that they would work much better and at greater distance than the new IR remotes found today. And it didn't matter how they were pointed either. Never had to change batteries either.

I wouldn't say the older sets worked better than what we see today but the old remotes were superior in many ways. You won't find any metal in a modern IR remote.

Thank you for the trip down memory lane. I bet there are a few current owners of those early remotes who don't know that jiggling a key chain in front of the set often elicits a mechanical response from the tv. Try it sometime. Phil

I have an all-black Space Command 400 remote, 4 buttons. I'll have to post a pic of it.

Wow! What beautifoul remote controls! They are bestiale .
I own an late '70's - early '80's "Grundig" ultrasound remote control (not in good condition).

There was an article in today's Chicago Tribune about the development of the Flashmatic and Space Command at Zenith, and the two men who invented them

You can see it here:
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-0602050309feb05,1,6513286.story

Though you may have to register to view it. If you do, try going here:
http://www.bugmenot.com/
first.

great article! Thanks for posting that! Its great that the two men are still with us and still in the chicago area. Heck, lombard is the next town over from Downers grove. I should meet these guys sometime!

According to the article, don't dawndle, they're not kids anymore....

Great article. I recently acquired a Zenith 21" flashmatic console, no flashmatic remote. Anybody got one for sale?

Larry

El Predicta,

There is a Flashmatic remote on Ebay right now. I could find the listing to post.

polaraman

This must be a big topic around here. They had Eugene Polley on WGN 720 talk radio this afternoon talking about his invention and how it was when he worked for zenith, and how zenith gave up auto radio to Motorola. Sounds like he's doing pretty good for being 90.
From what I understand, Robert adler is "tired" of being assosiated with the remote after all these years. Polley has a much more friendly personallity. I dont know if its recorded and available to hear over the internet, but you guys should listen to it if at all possible. (I havnt checked it out on line yet)

Doug, I looked high and low in your post for picture 18, of the Zenith sign in suburban Chicago, but did not see it. Seems as if the upload didn't take. :no:

BTW, I had a Zenith SC300 19" portable B&W TV years ago (trash find in my old neighborhood), but someone either swiped the hand unit or it was lost before I got to the set. The pic of a Zenith SC300 remote in your timeline of Zenith TV remote control hand units reminded me of my set, which unfortunately developed an AGC problem when the horizontal-output tube went gassy the year after I got the TV. I put the set in my basement and bought a Zenith 12" b&w portable the next day. That set lasted 22 years and was still working almost like new (except for the detent mechanism of the UHF tuner) when I got rid of the set in 2000 (no room).

I would have liked to see the remote functions working on my SC300 Zenith, but since I did not have the hand unit I could not test the remote receiver. I think the TV's former owner must have removed the VHF tuner's motor drive (gears, motor and all), or had the drive system removed by a TV shop, just before he or she put the set out on the curb as I could turn the channel selector freely, with no resistance whatsoever. When I looked inside the set some time later, I saw no evidence of a motor drive system, so the latter must have either been removed or somehow disabled.

It wouldn't surprise me one bit if the failure of the remote control system was the only reason this TV was trashed; the owner may not have wanted it anymore without the remote, or figured the set was junk simply because the remote didn't work any longer.