CL 9

CL 9

Company type	Private
Industry	Consumer electronics
Founded	1985
Founder	Steve Wozniak
Defunct	1988
Fate	Sold business operations and patents to Celadon
Headquarters	Los Gatos, California , United States
Key people	Steve Wozniak (founder), Sam Bernstein (president), Martin Spergel (president and CEO at sale)
Products	CORE universal remote control

CL 9 was an enterprise specializing in the creation of a universal television remote control. Established in 1985 by Steve Wozniak, who co-founded Apple Inc. and engineered the Apple I and Apple II computers, CL 9 remained active until 1988. Its premier product, the 6502-based CL 9 CORE remote control introduced in 1987, is acknowledged by Wozniak as the inaugural programmable universal remote.

History

During his tenure as an engineer for the Apple II at Apple Computer, Wozniak perceived his role as constrained, largely due to his position as a company spokesperson and Apple’s expanding scale.

Motivated by his intricate home theater system—comprised of equipment from different manufacturers each requiring its own remote—Wozniak was inspired to create a universal remote control. He assembled a team to bring this concept to market under the CL 9 brand.

Opting to leave Apple to dedicate himself fully to CL 9, Wozniak clarified that his departure stemmed from enthusiasm for the new venture rather than dissatisfaction with Apple. He notified company leadership but did not inform co-founder Steve Jobs directly; Jobs reportedly became aware through media reports. Although some press coverage inaccurately portrayed Wozniak as critical of Apple, he maintained a nominal employee status with the company throughout this period.

Development

Residing near the Santa Cruz Mountains, Wozniak initially considered establishing the new company at the Cloud 9 restaurant location but ultimately chose an older site in Los Gatos, California. Co-founder Joe Ennis discovered that "Cloud 9" was already in use, leading them to adopt the name CL 9. An early investor from Apple contributed several million dollars along with associates. Wozniak appointed Sam Bernstein, formerly of Commodore, as president.

The firm dedicated significant resources to research and development but encountered challenges, including opposition from Steve Jobs, who prevented Frog Design—also contracted by Apple—from creating CL 9’s product casing. Despite this obstacle, CL 9 succeeded in producing an effective design. As the project neared completion, Wozniak withdrew from programming duties and hired another developer to prioritize family commitments.

Intellectual property

The product's original name "Core" conflicted with trademarks held by Core International related to computer hardware and software. Following a legal agreement, CL 9 renamed the product and added disclaimers on existing units clarifying no connection with Core International (now part of Sony).

The CORE remote’s technology was patented by Wozniak and CL 9 staff member Charles H. Van Dusen (US Patent 4918439), filed in 1988 and expired in 2005.

Successor company

After CL 9 ceased operations in 1988, Celadon acquired its assets and rebranded the CORE remote control as the PIC-100 in 1991, later releasing an updated version called the PIC-200 featuring FLASH technology.

Company sale

Due to sluggish sales influenced by competition from more affordable consumer electronics, CL 9 sold its business operations, technology portfolio, and patents in 1988. At that time, Martin Spergel was serving as president and CEO. Following the sale, Wozniak intended to pursue his ambition of teaching at the elementary school level.

CORE remote control

The CORE universal remote control is capable of learning and storing IR signals from various other remotes. It is equipped with an LCD, a microprocessor based on the 4-bit and 8-bit 6502 architecture, sixteen keys, along with extra control buttons. Supporting sixteen distinct code pages, the device can handle 256 programmable codes, each customizable with macros. Additionally, it features a built-in clock for timed code transmissions and a serial interface enabling connection to a computer.

Although the generic numeric keypad offers broad functionality, users generally preferred the ergonomically designed TV and VCR buttons commonly found on traditional remotes. The CORE operates on AAA batteries complemented by a unique internal battery soldered directly onto the circuit board; if this internal battery fails, the firmware is erased and must be restored through the serial connection.

This product highlights the company's pioneering business approach and its strategic role as a leader in consumer electronics, showcasing its emphasis on sophisticated programmable technology within its range of offerings.

External links

• Woz describes CL9 invention
• Steve Wozniak interviewed by Benj Edwards about the CORE remote control for The Culture of Tech in 2017