All from memory so IIRC's apply here
1) origional remote was a light gun only used 1 year.
Looks like a ray gun from a 50's sifi movie. Highly
collectable buy itself.
2)Ultrasonic "clickers" used tuned rods hit by little metal
hammers. Used up to mid 70's at least to G line. 1-4
buttons, on/off vol, mute, channel, channel up & down & I
think tint on a few. No standardization of tones,
you could swap rods around from the junk box.
Only repairs were wire spring that held the rods broke
& a few hammer assy's.
3)Battery ultrasonics. Like your pix. IIRC all Zoom & space phone
sets used them. Used til at least M line, abt 6 years.
Tones were finally standardized. If you use a full 0-9
key as a sub for yours you can "random access" channels.
4) IR remotes first used the year they went to JVC as a VCR
supplier. First gen used an expensive J battery but it
would sometimes last 5+ years. The codes were standardized
for many years except a 9" POS import & maybe some
combos.
We limited repairs on electronic remotes to battery conectors
& smashed transducers. Also stocked all the battery
covers & gave them away to our "good" customers. J battery
ones would also grow crystals on the connectors & go
intermittant just clean them. All others were sold exchange
for abt. $25 made about $6 on them.
A hand unit collection would be a fun sideline collection. If
you do Zeniths try to find the Space Command cross reference
guide. it had pictures of all the remotes & part #'s & subs.
IIRC RCA also had a similar book.
Enuf
73 Zeno
