The Persistent Pulse: Why Infrared Still Powers the TV Remote

As Engadget first reported, while modern televisions frequently ship with Bluetooth-enabled remotes capable of air gestures and voice control, infrared (IR) technology remains a critical component of the living room. According to Engadget, IR has been the industry standard since the 1980s, functioning by sending pulses of invisible light from an LED to a receiver on the television.

Engadget reports that IR persists largely due to its negligible implementation cost and widespread compatibility across televisions, soundbars, and other entertainment hardware. Beyond cost, IR serves as a necessary bridge for connectivity. Because Bluetooth remotes require pairing to function, IR is used to control the TV during the initial setup process. Additionally, IR is often used to power a TV on and off, as Bluetooth may not be active while the device is in standby mode.

In a hands-on test conducted by Engadget using a TCL smart TV, the remote utilized IR exclusively for power operations, while the D-pad and volume controls operated via Bluetooth. However, when the remote was unpaired from the Bluetooth settings, it defaulted back to using infrared signals.

While Bluetooth offers the advantage of not requiring a clear line of sight to the device, IR remains a reliable fallback. The history of the wireless remote began with the 1955 "Flash-Matic," which used visible light, following the 1950 "Lazy Bones" cable-connected remote introduced by Zenith Radio Corporation. Today, IR and Bluetooth continue to coexist in modern hardware.