Originally posted by tnangela
I saw this very same thing when the surveillance backdoor was installed in XP. First you get some unique identification number. Then you get
activation.
So you give the gov all your info to get a card to pay for conv box. So then the info given is matched to the uid of the conv. box...what are all
those numbers that look like cell phone tracking numbers all over the place? ...On the box to the converter. On the converter. In the converter on the
pcb.
Those numbers are the FCC registration number. All RF devices, including receivers have them. Nothing new, its been that way since 1936.
Originally posted by tnangela
Ok so this is what I know. I searched for microphones and cameras and did not find any. What I did find is a power transmitter. It is based around U1
which is the power transmitting transister...which is connected to the aerial. I don't know what is transmitted. I'm curious if anyone is discussing
modifications to these boxes? Is there any cool electronics modifications forums? First thing someone needs to do is attach a spectrum analyzer to it
and find out (at)what frequency it is transmitting.
i102.photobucket.com...
That my friend is NOT a transmitter. It is the front end frequency synthisizer, or to put it in simpler terms, the units tuner module.
See those tiny surface mount transistors? Those are NOT RF power transistors. There is not a single component in there that would handle even a 1/2
watt of RF power. Also, an RF transmitter would utilize what is called a "ground plane PCB board". Meaning there would be a ground potential foil
pattern throughout the pcb layout, surrounding each lead of each component. The VLSI IC chip in there would not be just mounted in the wide open like
that, it would have a ground plane "hat" placed on top of it, and within its very own little canister at ground potential. Also there is no diplexer
unit inside that canister. A diplexer is what combines an incomming receive signal and an outgoing transmit signal on the same connection without
causing interference between the received signal and transmitted signal.
Here is a picture of typical SMT, or Surface Mount Transistors used for RF power applications.
[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/d5a40436f0d7.jpg[/atsimg]
I dont see any of these in that tuner canister....do you?
Originally posted by tnangela
Personally, I'm not using this invasion of privacy. Big Brother is here. Everyone needs to trade boxes with their friends and acquaintances (multiple
times).
The setup screen is to allow the unit to detect all the digital stations that it can pick up in your area so as to set itself up...same thing with the
old analog tv "auto station finder" feature that has been on every single television set since the late 70's. It used to be when you had to tune in
the stations manually by turing a small knob and flipping a small switch between VHF-L/VHF-H/UHF to find the stations and program them. Then sets came
out with auto program and did all that for you.
The digital converter box is no different.
So relax, that converter box is not a transmitter.
Brought to you by RFBurns, holder of a masters in Electronics Engineering, 25 year broadcast engineer technician, and avid fan of funny paranoid
threads on ATS.
Edit to add picture of SMT RF power transistors
Cheers!!!!
[edit on 24-2-2009 by RFBurns]