Make a “SHADDAP” - 1950's TV Mute Button

October 18, 2010

make a "SHADDAP" (May, 1954)

Filed under: DIY,Origins,Television — @ 11:34 pm
Source: Mechanix Illustrated ( More articles from this issue )
Issue: May, 1954
Buy on Ebay

Muting the TV used to be a bit trickier.

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make a "SHADDAP"

By Robert Hertzberg

ARE some of those long-winded commercials spoiling your TV pleasure? You can cut them off temporarily, without getting up from your chair, by means of a simple gadget you can assemble and install in twenty minutes. It's nothing more than a push-type fixture switch mounted in a small box and connected by a length of lamp cord to the loudspeaker of the TV set. Or, for that matter, to the speaker of a radio set.

Look for a little transformer mounted di- rectly on the loudspeaker, or very close to it. Two wires run from it to terminals on the speaker frame; these are the voice coil connections. Cut either wire, and to the two ends thus formed solder the ends of the wire leading from the pushbutton box. The latter should be long enough to reach your normal viewing position. There is absolutely no danger of shock, as the speaker is isolated from the high-voltage section of the chassis and the juice across the voice coil proper is only a fraction of a volt.

When the selling spiels become too obnoxious, press the switch, and the room will be flooded with silence. Peace, it's wonderful!

(On some TV sets one side of the voice coil may be grounded to the chassis. If you have such a receiver (check with the manufacturer of your set), cut into the ungrounded lead. And don't forget to pull the plug before starting to work.—Ed.)

1. Doesn't sound like commercials have changed much in 56 years…

   Comment by jon — October 19, 2010 @ 1:26 am

2. Archive dot org has some of the 1950s ads he's muting.

   Comment by Jayessell — October 19, 2010 @ 3:11 am

3. More specifically:
   http://www.archive.org/details.....ey_Hey_Hey
   http://www.archive.org/details....._Yeah_Yeah
   http://www.archive.org/details.....MLStopette
   http://www.archive.org/details.....s-Part1Of3
   http://www.archive.org/details.....s-Part2Of3
   http://www.archive.org/details.....s-Part3Of3

   Comment by Firebrand38 — October 19, 2010 @ 4:36 am

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