Radio Frequency-based Remote Controls

The ZigBee Alliance and the RF4CE Consortium which were founded by Panasonic , Royal Philips Electronics, Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. and Sony Corporation, have come to an understanding by offering a standardized specification for radio frequency-based (RF) remote controls. What are some of the advantages of RF remotes? For starters, they are faster, more reliable and offer more freedom to operate devices from longer distances, doing away with the need for line-of-sight as found in today’s rather limited infrared (IR) remotes. Hopefully this agreement will see such implementations made in the broader consumer products arena.