TV-B-Gone: ever hear of it? ever try it?

I’d be too chicken to use it. I have a very guilty face, and I’m sure I’d be caught!

This is the first I’ve seen of that. When I was in high school I had a Casio remote control wristwatch. It’s very handy when you wanna fast forward a video in class. My teacher never figured out what the hell was going on. My friend and I were just saying how fun it would be at a sports bar.

I have and utilize one of those quite often, actually

My dad had one. I think it worked some time, not always, but I don’t know the details. Very fun sneaky – useful! – device.

@Del, details? Where do you use it? Always effective?

I’ve heard of it. Personally I’d never use it even though I have a great dislike for TV. I find it’s a sneaky passive-aggressive way which doesn’t really “solve” the problem. As well, it’s annoying to both staff and other people, and disrespectful to the owner of the establishment who has chosen to install and use TVs in their premise. If a TV is too loud, ask for it to be turned down, or don’t come to the establishment again. You don’t have the right to cause confusion to others because of your personal preference against television.

I mean, a bar – come on, of COURSE there’s going to be TV there. If you don’t like it, go somewhere else. Airports and hospital waiting rooms also qualify as TV-acceptable places in my mind – TV is the most attractive short term distraction for many people, it makes sense to put them where people will be waiting for a short amount of time. Yes reading a book would be a more productive use of time, but who are you to judge and decide what others choose to do for leisure. And with this TV-B-Gone, that’s exactly what you are doing.

Wear earplugs, point your eyes in another direction. Or you know, GO SOMEWHERE ELSE. This is not a difficult problem.

Someone used a TV-B-Gone at CES (the world’s largest consumer technology tradeshow). Whether or not you like the concept of the TV-B-Gone, the havoc it wreaked there might be amusing to you.

Geek.com has something very similar, but I've never tried it.

Stupid.com sells one too. The one they carry is called Covert Clicker.

It’s pretty useful as long as you’re stealthy about it. Otherwise, I imagine people would just get mad at you.

@dynamicduo
I’m pretty okay with helping people break away from TV-induced hypnosis. I consider it a service.

Hmm. If I consider punching arrogant people in the nose to be a service, will that be okay too? :-)

You’re talking to Mrs No TV here, aidje. But would you like it if I came up to you while you were enjoying yourself, and caused you to stop in your enjoyment simply because I thought it was right to do so? This breaks my number one rule, the golden rule, treat people like you want to be treated. I respect others’ decisions and I expect mine to be respected as well. That includes choosing to patronize a restaurant or place with a TV running.

I actually would be happy if someone else turned of a TV that I was watching in a public place. I can’t think of single instance in which I was watching such a TV because I wanted to be watching what was playing. It’s always been more of a TV-draws-the-eye-why-do-I-keep-looking-at-it kind of thing. Have you ever heard it said that there is a grain of truth in every joke? Well, that was the truth on which I based the above joke. I have used my TV-B-Gone in two types of situations: 1) As a prank with people I know, and only when I know that they won’t be too concerned about having missed a few seconds, and 2) when no one else is watching and all the TV is doing is annoying me and my companions.

“That includes choosing to patronize a restaurant or place with a TV running.”

This is kind of like telling someone with a strong moral opposition to alcohol (including not wanting to give money to businesses that profit from it) that it’s their choice to patronize restaurants that serve it. There isn’t really much of a choice involved. A pretty high percentage of restaurants have TVs, and friends are probably going to want to eat there even if you don’t. Personally, I can’t think of any of my friends who would choose to eat at a restaurant because of the TVs, but rather in spite of them.

“waahhhhh, the universe isn’t perfectly adapted to my particular wants and desires!!!!”

Grow up. Get over it.

yeah, that’s pretty much exactly what I said.