Computers & Electronics

Who was the genius that thought one button on a TV is a good idea?

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  • Dec 19th, 2022 12:58 pm
Deal Expert
Aug 22, 2006
31267 posts
17274 upvotes

Who was the genius that thought one button on a TV is a good idea?

Bought a TV at auction with no remote. Turns out that the TV has a single button. I can turn it on and off but I can't change the volume or go into the menu. Did the price of buttons go up or something?

I can buy a remote (which I did) but the sheer fact that there's only one button is idiotic. Why is everything a "smart" thing nowadays?
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46 replies
Deal Fanatic
Nov 22, 2015
7814 posts
8681 upvotes
Hasn't that always been a thing? I'm pretty sure I had a tube TV that only had 1 button
Deal Fanatic
Aug 29, 2011
9894 posts
7058 upvotes
Mississauga
All of my tv’s have multiple physical buttons but overall functionality without a remote is limited. For example, the channel up/down button only changes channels you’ve already programmed in.
Sr. Member
Nov 10, 2019
798 posts
867 upvotes
My current TVs are like this too (about 8 years old). Yep, it's dumb. The classic tube tvs always had extra buttons.
Deal Fanatic
Jan 21, 2018
9652 posts
10922 upvotes
Vancouver
On many current TVs the one button is a little more flexible than on/off. It's long-press for the menu, and has directional capability to step up/down/left/right.

But TVs are getting more minimal. I notice that some of this year's new high end TVs have dropped all analog input and now have only HDMI (plus USB ports and 1 optical out usually).
Deal Expert
Feb 24, 2018
27110 posts
37052 upvotes
death_hawk wrote: Bought a TV at auction with no remote. Turns out that the TV has a single button. I can turn it on and off but I can't change the volume or go into the menu. Did the price of buttons go up or something?

I can buy a remote (which I did) but the sheer fact that there's only one button is idiotic. Why is everything a "smart" thing nowadays?
Make and model and we'll find a universal remote that'll cost a few bucks.

Right now you sound like the techie version of Jerry Seinfeld.

What's the deal with.... TVs without buttons?

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Deal Guru
Aug 14, 2007
12795 posts
3825 upvotes
--
Scote64 wrote: On many current TVs the one button is a little more flexible than on/off. It's long-press for the menu, and has directional capability to step up/down/left/right.

But TVs are getting more minimal. I notice that some of this year's new high end TVs have dropped all analog input and now have only HDMI (plus USB ports and 1 optical out usually).
To me this is the most annoying thing. My main tv is around 3 years old (Sony 65X900F).

Only has HDMI and is a pain for testing older things that I fix. Thankfully my grandmother had an older 47" LG that has a combination component/composite input so I grabbed that while emptying the home.
Deal Expert
Aug 22, 2011
41667 posts
29854 upvotes
Center of Universe
My old Samsung has physical buttons at the back edge and a neat feature that displays icons on the screen when it senses touch.
Deal Addict
Jan 29, 2017
3869 posts
2500 upvotes
There are reasons why low-mid range TV prices have fallen so much in recent years. Removing extra hardware is one of them. If you really need them, I'm sure there are models to accommodate your requirements. Simply do your research before.

Did you got a good deal on that TV? Perhaps previous owner had no clue how to use the TV without the remote? One mans trash is another mans gold. ;)

Many smartphones will also let you double as remote too.
Deal Fanatic
Sep 16, 2013
8898 posts
6596 upvotes
SW ON
Because nobody uses buttons on TVs and TVs come with remotes. TV manufacturers didn't plan to sell their TVs at auctions without remotes.
Deal Fanatic
Sep 16, 2004
9779 posts
2050 upvotes
Toronto
The CRT's usually had the buttons hidden within a panel or some other inconspicuous place.
I guess remotes are a must have part of a tv now, especially with the flatter screens, thinner bezels etc
Some interfaces have voice commands, but I guess you may need a remote to access it if it existed on you tv. lol
Deal Expert
Aug 22, 2006
31267 posts
17274 upvotes
KanataKG wrote: Hasn't that always been a thing? I'm pretty sure I had a tube TV that only had 1 button
A friend of mine has an "omni" button that's directional which is even more stupid. It takes effort to adjust the volume since accuracy is awful.

This is the first time ever owning hundreds of TVs (I had a sports bar) that I've ever seen a TV with a single button.
mrweather wrote: All of my tv’s have multiple physical buttons but overall functionality without a remote is limited. For example, the channel up/down button only changes channels you’ve already programmed in.
All I ever really need is power/volume/input.
At least the single button has a way to change the input, but there's no way to do volume.

Scote64 wrote: On many current TVs the one button is a little more flexible than on/off. It's long-press for the menu, and has directional capability to step up/down/left/right.
Yeah my friend has one of those. It's a pain in the ass but at least we had full functionality.
But TVs are getting more minimal. I notice that some of this year's new high end TVs have dropped all analog input and now have only HDMI (plus USB ports and 1 optical out usually).
As much as I still love VGA in 2021, I'm actually okay with this. I'm usually the first one to be angry about missing ports, but HDMI has basically become ubiquitous. It's only the odd server that's still VGA and I'd never connect a server to a TV. Composite died LONG ago. Component was dead around composite.
What actually surprises me is the inclusion of cable/ant. Although I guess Antennas are still a thing in some places where cable isn't.

redflagdealsguy wrote:
Make and model and we'll find a universal remote that'll cost a few bucks.
I knew going in there was no remote so I ordered one right away. I (thought I) had no immediate need since all I'd need to do is power it on and adjust the volume.
Now I might end up with 2 so I can 2 day ship me something. Either that see if I can go borrow a sound bar.
scorown wrote: Cost savings
I mean.... you're not wrong but it's a matter of a few cents.
I guess scaled over a million TVs that's still tens of thousands of dollars but still....
peli33 wrote: There are reasons why low-mid range TV prices have fallen so much in recent years. Removing extra hardware is one of them. If you really need them, I'm sure there are models to accommodate your requirements. Simply do your research before.
I knew going in there was no remote. It wasn't a big deal since all I needed was power/volume/input.
I'm 2/3 on that.
Also it's hard to do research on a topic that you had no idea existed. This is the first ever TV I've seen with one button.
Did you got a good deal on that TV? Perhaps previous owner had no clue how to use the TV without the remote? One mans trash is another mans gold. ;)
Probably got misplaced since this particular TV came off a movie/TV set.
The box actually says "MI6 conference room".
Many smartphones will also let you double as remote too.
While I have seen some with IR blasters, they're still not that common.
I wouldn't say "many".
Do you not have anything else to do rather than argue with strangers on the internet
Nope. That's why I'm on the internet arguing with strangers. If I had anything better to do I'd probably be doing it.
Deal Addict
Nov 12, 2006
3109 posts
2308 upvotes
London
KanataKG wrote: Hasn't that always been a thing? I'm pretty sure I had a tube TV that only had 1 button
I've never had a TV with just one button, although my newer ones are just the bare necessities.
scorown wrote: Cost savings
I'm sure that is true, but it is even more pathetic because of the way switches are made now.
They don't actually have to pay for another physical switch.

Like remotes, there will be a conductive rubber pad, and some plastic to push it against board traces.
What those buttons do will all be software.

What may have been a few dollars in the past, is now literally cents worth of molded rubber and plastic.
alpovs wrote: Because nobody uses buttons on TVs and TVs come with remotes. TV manufacturers didn't plan to sell their TVs at auctions without remotes.
Same rocket scientists that don't provide spare tires anymore because they didn't plan to sell the car with flats.
"Nobody" apparently doesn't include the OP and myself (since I have on rare occasions used them)
Remotes can fail too, and it's nice to have redundancy until they can be replaced.
Deal Addict
Apr 29, 2018
3448 posts
2676 upvotes
Vancouver
All of the TVs I have owned, have had buttons for basic functions. 1 button is definitely not enough. Though have you checked if its one of those rocker 4 way button? The Toshiba TV has such a system
Can't Stop. Won't Stop. Game Stop
Deal Fanatic
Sep 16, 2013
8898 posts
6596 upvotes
SW ON
arisk wrote: Same rocket scientists that don't provide spare tires anymore because they didn't plan to sell the car with flats.
"Nobody" apparently doesn't include the OP and myself (since I have on rare occasions used them)
Remotes can fail too, and it's nice to have redundancy until they can be replaced.
There are no safety concerns with TVs unlike with spare tires or manual airplane controls.
Deal Expert
Aug 22, 2006
31267 posts
17274 upvotes
kramer1 wrote: Though have you checked if its one of those rocker 4 way button? The Toshiba TV has such a system
It definitely isn't.
What makes it worse is that the manual lists like 5 button types, one of which is a one button configuration.
https://www.tcl.com/usca/content/dam/tc ... CA-8.1.pdf
Page 18:

Single button
If your TV has this style of panel button, you can perform the following functions:
• Turn TV on: short press.
• Display the Input List: short press when TV is on.
• Select the next input in the Input List: short press while the TV is showing the Input List.
• Dismiss the Input List without changing inputs: no press.
• Turn TV off: long press.
Do you not have anything else to do rather than argue with strangers on the internet
Nope. That's why I'm on the internet arguing with strangers. If I had anything better to do I'd probably be doing it.
Member
User avatar
Jun 28, 2018
372 posts
443 upvotes
Aurora, Ontario
Between ARC over HDMI and CEC I don't think I've used my TV remote even once since I got it 2.5 years ago let alone buttons on the TV.
Deal Guru
User avatar
Nov 21, 2002
12003 posts
4361 upvotes
Winnipeg
let me guess you bought a toshiba?

its like no one thought "hey what if the ir sensor burns out or the ir reciever fails? or some of the input pads fail Oh ? the whole tv becomes useless instantly....brilliant why have we not adhered to one point of failure sooner!!!"
Sr. Member
May 28, 2012
685 posts
693 upvotes
ONT
In the good old days my TVs had a big knob.

A knob is a round thingy with numbers 2-12 plus a “U”. You turn it (either clockwise or anti-clockwise) to get the channel you want. Simple!

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