TV Mute Devices & Switchers

Other texts by Julian H. Stacey

This is http://www.berklix.com/~jhs/txt/tv_mute.html

Nov. 2016 I was looking for a box to sense a phone line, & automatically mute the TV of an old person who fumbles with, loses & general fails to use TV remote to mite it when someone calls on phone, driving caller mad (the more so if caller must speak a foreign language & listen to both quiet old human & loud TV shouting in foreign). I thought there must be a big market for such devices, so documented the case for devices & technologies that already exist.

A search with "phone actuated tv muter" found:
google.de/patents/US5987106 Filing date 24 Jun 1997
2 ways to mute TV:

Mute TV Command:
- Most TVs use Infra Red, I guess some use bluetooth.
- makeuseof.com/tag/control-tv-android-device/ Only some androids include Infra Red blasters
- play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.tekoia.sure.activities
- My Samsung Galaxy Note 3 works with IR to all 3 TVs I've tried
Power Off TV
- Via a remote 433 MHz radio controlled power switch on TV power cable.
- One could cut open a remote controller & solder on a relay & drive relay from a parallel port on a PC. Personally I would use FreeBSD to control the PC).
- Most TVs resume same channel & volume after power on.
- I recall most androids cant internaly talk to 433 MHz devices.
- PCs can with extra 433 MHz radio linked power controllers:
- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LPD433
- conrad.de/de/Search.html?search=433%20MHz%20PC%20control&searchType=REGULAR

Detecting a call:

Modems (I have a shoe box full here), come cheap & ready built with power supply & plugs, certified legal to connect to phone wall socket (unlike self made).
Modems detect & report incoming calls via Hayes_command_set
Phone wall socket to a free standing android would be harder, via external usb to serial converter to modem perhaps, or USB external modem.

Purchasable Devices & Free Apps etc to mute tv when phone rings.

harriscomm.com
- harriscomm.com/tv-silencer.html
- harriscomm.com/newsletter/support/HC-TVSILENCER_manual.pdf
- Uses USA phone sockets. Originaly intended I think, for people hard of hearing to hear phone to answer.
anymote.io One of numerous One to May IR broadcast devices:
- anymote.io/faq/automation-features/how-do-i-get-my-tv-to-mute-when-my-phone-rings
- anymote.io/faq/automation-features/how-do-i-control-my-electronics-using-only-my-voice

TV Mute Devices & Switchers

Other texts by Julian H. Stacey

This is http://www.berklix.com/~jhs/txt/tv_mute.html

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