Zenith FlashMatic, the First Wireless TV Remote Vintage Everyday

The Zenith Flash-Matic Remote Control was developed as an integral part of your Zenith television receiver to automatically control the set with a beam of light from any convenient location within viewing range of the screen. It will turn the receiver on and off, select stations and turn the sound on and off.. The Zenith Flash-Matic was the world's first wireless Television remote control. The devices were only in production for a single year in 1955 and approximately 30,000 were produced and they were never sold outside of the USA. The controller worked by means of light sensors set into the corners of the TV set, enabling the user to turn the set on or off and to change channel from across the.

Zenith Flashmatic. This is the first set sold (1955) that used a wireless remote. The hand held unit (a flashlight with a momentary on switch) was aimed at either the volume knob or the channel selector knob to adjust the volume or change the channel. Photoelectric cells in the set responded to light from the remote control.. The controller cost $100 ontop of the price of a $400 television so was not cheap. By 1956 the Flash-matic was superseded by the 'Zenith Space Command' series of controllers that worked not off light but sound. During the 12 months of production it has been estimated that only 30,000 Flash-matics were produced.