Remote Control Design Project

Transcription

1 Remote Control Design Project For Art 205A Due July 20th, 2006 By Kyle Kotlan

2 The idea for my remote control design was to create a remote control that was both simplistic and easy to use, but at the same time had some great advanced features that would allow it to even control high end entertainment systems. I wanted the remote to be easy to use for most any user, but still have advanced features. The entailed keeping the design very simplistic, so it wouldn't intimidate some users. Then for advanced users, they could reveal another portion of the remote for the advanced features. My initiate design concept was to create the remote with a sliding mechanism. I thought the sliding option would be a good way to hide advanced functions from users that might get intimidated by it. My initiate sketches looked good, but for some reason I just wasn't happy with the remote actually sliding open. I decided to try sketching something else out. I was thinking that I would just create a flip remote. On one side it would have a touch LCD screen, then the other side it would have actual rubber buttons. The other piece that actually flipped would be more like a protective cover then any thing else. I didn't want one of the button sides exposed when the other side wasn't being used. I thought it could have been pretty cool, except for the hinge mechanism on the side wasn't very easy to create. Then having the whole flipping design required me to keep the remote relatively equal in proportions or the cover wouldn't work right. This led to me wanting to redesign the remote again.

3 Then I finally settled down on a design with an LCD screen coming out of the front for advanced functionality. This would allow me to have a shaped remote, but also allows my to conceal the screen. The design would have 16 buttons total and a joystick. The buttons would be used for the most common actions on the remote. I would do away with actual number keys to keep the remote even more simple. At this point it was still way up in the air with how I would eventually shape it, so that I would get my balance just right. When I finally set out on working on the actual remote in wood. I had a good feeling about this remote and would continue working on it, and see where it would take me. Here I'm preparing to cut out my rough pattern. I taped on the wood some grid paper that I sketched the remote out on. Below that I have the cut pieces clamped after gluing I wanted an LCD screen for my remote, so in my garage I found some clear polycarbonate panel that would work great for that.

4 I wasn't just satisfied with leaving my remote as an ugly light brown color. So I decided I would go overboard and paint the remote a metallic black color. After I painted the bottom of the remote I was pretty happy the remote was turning out pretty nice. This is a top view of the remote before I applied my metallic black paint on it. For the buttons of the remote I used shinny screw cap covers. In the middle of the remote I put a screw in the remote and covered it with a white rubber cap. Before I painted the remote I covered each button individually with blue masking tape. On a few select buttons, I cut out letters in the tape. Except where there was tape on the buttons the whole thing was covered in the metallic black paint.

5 Then finally here is the final remote control. The top picture shows the remote with the LCD screen extended out. In the center of the remote, there is the joystick. The joystick allows you to navigate through the menu system on the remote. The LCD screen could also be used to show television guide information. You could have your Cable guide or Satellite guide sync up with your box from your provider. In retrospect for the remote I wish I would have incorporated some lights in the device. This could allow it to show which device the remote is set to use with out opening the screen Power Turns on the targeted device 2 Mode This would change video mode 3 Device Selection Changes which device is in operation 4 Screen This Ejects the screen out. 5 Mute Mute the sound 6 Menu Would active the cable guide on TV 10 7 Favorites Goes through your list of favorite channels. Holding the button adds one Volume UP Volume UP 9 Volume DOWN Volume DOWN 10 Channel UP Channel UP Channel DOWN Channel DOWN 12 Play Play and Pause a device 13 Rewind Rewinds the device 14 Stop Stops the device 15 Forward Fast forwards the device 16 Record Starts recording on the device Joystick This allows navigation through the remotes menu system. Pushing down on the joystick acts as a enter button in the remotes menu. 17

6 Then lastly I have also include some larger scale photos for size comparison with other objects. This is the remote sitting around in some ones kitchen with just regular stuff standing around there. This gives a better idea with how the remote is angled upwards to give the user an idea which way it should point. As you can see the other objects in the background to give it a good size perspective.

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