Remote controls

[heathkit tv]

The recent thread on that Flash-Matic set that I posted has got me to thinking about the various control methods.

I knew two people with ultrasonic controlled sets who swore that they had poltergeists as their TVs would turn on/off and change channels for no apparent reason. This would invariably happen only at night. No pets with tags on their collars, toilet was far enough away that couldn't cause it...etc. Gotta wonder what else could be making that happen.

Lionel Trains at one time supplied a mechanism based on their E-Unit (a ratcheting solenoid that was used to electrically reverse the locomotive's direction). They made a version of this for television remote control actuators. Is anyone else here a Lionel fan who can corroborate this?

Lionel made many other devices based on this technology for other industries (including the armed forces) but I've never heard any details, does anyone know?