Hidden Spy Camera & Mic Found Inside Digital TV Box

THe Camera is mounted to a magnet surrounding the power supply (step down transformer so I would imagine that might mess a cameras signal. That mic has no solder points on the PC board so how is it getting power? All that and I can't see a hole for the camera to look at you.

Yes cell phones have the same type of hardware but you don't have those two huge spools of copper wire creating a pretty good magnetic field around that pinhole cameras.
The power supply takes your 110 power from the wall socket and steps it down to whatever the device needs. It is this that allows toy to have all that stuff plugged in. Can you imagine the bill if everything you had used the full 110 volts that come from he wall? The back side of that power supply will magnify those metal plates that surround the power supply much like wrapping a wire around a nail then attaching a battery like you all probably did in science class as a child.

A cell phone needs nowhere near the power that the converter box uses. so you have nowhere near the problems having a camera, speaker/mic near the power source.

Now, where would the signal go if all this could work? if you were using a set top antenna it couldn't go that far so I guess you would need some shady people in a van across the road from you. Even with an on the house antenna with the power that the converter box has it couldn't send that signal that far. Not without having something to boost the signal rather in the box or pretty close to it. Maybe on the poles in front of about everyone's houses? I think that to be not to likely.

I love threads like this. Participated in a few. The video is bunk, no doubt about that. But could it be done? Oh yes, yes it could indeed.

The 3G wireless network, Sprint and Verizon are big into it as well as minor providers. Think of the size of a cell phone. Still too big and clunky for you? I use a 3G card for my laptop. Fits right in the PC card slot. The black .75'' x 2.25''x .5'' device that handles all the signals also houses the power connection, 3 large LEDs, and a connector port for an antenna to increase signal reception and transmission. So think of it as slightly larger than 2 USB thumb drives.

In other words, it does not have to be that large of a form factor to transmit and receive a signal for instructions for remote operation. As for bandwidth, 2.4Mbps or about the same speed as the old 802.11a standard. Not a blazing speed but I can play WoW, watch movies on hulu, etc. Point is...it works and works just about anywhere I get a cell signal. It can even step down to a dialup speed where 3G is not available.

Realistically a remote activated broadcasting fish eye camera with a mic and software could be as small as USB thumb drive that has an integral battery. If internal power is not a concern, it could be much much smaller. Components can be spread out all over a motherboard so form factor isn't a concern either.

My old Pocket PC was made in 2003 and has 802.11b wireless and Bluetooth as well as IrDA (which I used for a keyboard, interface). The old Apple Newton that I had could even host a webpage with some features as it was only limited by what Powerbooks could do back then. I used it as a Universal Remote Control at one point. We are talking 1989 technology limits with the Newton...which I wish I had kept it since the handwriting recognition software learned your handwriting over time.


Could it be done? Yes. Is it being done? Doubtful.



[edit on 18-2-2009 by Ahabstar]

reply to post by mrfire9


Once again you just cant plug into the electrical grid with no hardware and expect to transmit video. hehe. If that was try why have a cable box, why have antennas, lol. Third party hardware devices and software is needed, and as noted in several posts, the hd convertor box doesnt have the necessary hardware in it to do this and if it did, you as the consumer would have to give it access to a router...duh. If you did that unknowingly what your giving access too, then you deserve to be spied on.

Originally posted by glimmerman
After 15 years in the CATV business...I can tell you...beyond a shadow of a doubt...this is entirely...possible!

Most MSO's Comcast,Charter, Time Warner, etc, utilize their full bandwidth... from 10Mhz up to 1000Mhz. All of them utilize the "return path" generally between 10 & 80Mhz, for advanced service such as high speed internet, digital phone and yes...the digital converter boxes that give you you TV signal.
All have the ability...the ability mind you, to do exactly as you fear... spy on you...



[edit on 18-2-2009 by glimmerman]

you are spot on, very valid, but if you pay for service you have NO NEED for a converter box. My cable box makes some WEIRD noises though, hahaha

reply to post by Ahabstar


Question, if your talking 3g, what about 90 percent of the US that doesnt have 3g, or the world at that. Also if that was the case would not the carrier have to be in on it too, so I dont think it would be so secret. Also who is going to pay for the massive data plan, we are bankrupt as a country right now anyway. Do the math, 30 dollars a household, omg, trillions of dollars. Its not feesible, not now anyway with current technology, goverment is better off with the XRAY spy sattelite, hehe.

Whilst i belive the box to be fake i would not be at all supprised if the goverment wanted to they could activate your mobile phone with its camara, some 2! and its sound, now this could prove useful in finding your location for one.just a thought.

reply to post by drsmooth23


I beg to differ with glimmerman, you cannot send information both ways with a hd converter box. If so you would have the ability to have Video on Demand which you cant have with just a hd conveter with just a coaxle cable coming in the back and no other hardware. If it could do that cable companies would offer VOD, they are not going to give up millions of dollars in revenue just so the goverment has a vehicle to spy on people thru them. You need 2way communicaton, hd boxs only convert incoming signals they do not communicate back to the cable company unless its a hd conveter box with a cable box built in, and those cannot be bought a walmart. hehe

[edit on 18-2-2009 by alienj]

reply to post by stealthyaroura


Well Stealth it is completly possible, in fact your cell phone can be powered down and still transmit thru the mic if your battery is in. news.cnet.com...
If I was the goverment that is the easy way to do it, and they already have the infrastructure to do it and its legal in some instances. This is going on right now so that makes this camera and mic theory so halarious, why try to fix something that is not broke.

Originally posted by drsmooth23
Ill say this for the 400th time here on ATS.

Converter boxes have no way to transmit a signal

but why is that you ask? a converter box hooks up to your antenna. you might have rabbit ears, you might have a larger antenna on the side of your house, which in my experiences works ALOT better. those setups are the only ones in which you actually need a converter box.

antennas work GREAT in picking up a signal, but it is not physically possible for them to TRANSMIT a signal without MAJOR altercations, meaning they can read, but not write. even if they have a camera and mic, who would they send that info to? i see they didnt find a Wifi card in there, which would be the ONLY way to get the video from the box.

----------------------------

If you ask me, a CABLE BOX is a far more likely candidate for Spycams because it interfaces directly with a feed from a larger cable provider hub.

Although I am skeptical that this youtube video is true (like the cellphone popcorn videos) You are mistaken to assume that about what can and cannot broadcast a useful signal...

There are well documented spy cases where signals were picked up from fax machines, not exactly devices designed to transmit radio signals. If you have a van parked nearby and a powerful parabolic antenna or beamforming antenna array there is a lot that can be picked up even from equipment not designed to transmit, let alone something like a digital converter box using its own receiving antenna as a transmitter, as sub-optimal as it is.

-rrr

As has been said, the Converter boxes have no way to send a signal.

Not to mention the common sense factor.

If the government wanted to spy on us, do you not think they would want to find a way to get an object into EVERY house in america and not just the small 15% of peoples houses who dont have cable...?

I mean its laughable really that anyone could think that the government would waste their time on something that would not be in the majority of houses....

They would have had more luck if they wanted to spy on us, by setting it up so EVERYONE needed to get some type box.

Its just silly. So is the idea that the government would have people spying on every single person in america 24/7. Do you realize how many people that would take?

Now I am not naive to think that they dont spy on individual people because that does happen (wire taps)

But the logistics of spying on every single person in america 24/7.... its just not possible

Originally posted by alienj
reply to post by drsmooth23

 

I beg to differ with glimmerman, you cannot send information both ways with a hd converter box. If so you would have the ability to have Video on Demand which you cant have with just a hd conveter with just a coaxle cable coming in the back and no other hardware. If it could do that cable companies would offer VOD,

[edit on 18-2-2009 by alienj]

Interesting as we have "On Demand" here in Alaska accessed through the same HD boxes we use for our Cable. In fact one of my Cable Boxes is two years old and I get "On Demand" through it and the new one I put in my Bedroom recently. I'd think most cities have On Demand service these days. I can start a movie anytime I want for about 4 bucks a movie and have access for one to three days.

If you have phone service with your cable company, your phone service is over the same coax cable and no longer goes over the phone lines. The phone line to my house is not even connected anymore. All my phone jacks are connected to the Cable Companies "J" Box.

As to whether the boxes for those who have ancient outdated TV's? Naw, never going to happen. Just paranoia running deep and that video is a bunch of crap. No credible news service would even put that on their site. It speaks to the credibility of the site that it is on. It's just Prison Planet scaring people so they keep sending in those donations. Why else would they even run that phony video.

Originally posted by tyranny22
reply to post by Sherlock2009

 

There are many more wavelengths that can be captured by cameras that can't be seen by the naked eye and you don't need line-of-sight to pick them up. With today's technology even a pinhole in a faceplate along with a high resolution fish-eye lens camera is enough to go unnoticed by the average civilian.

Anyway ... I'm not arguing whether this is a hoax ... or whether this is actually happening.

But, make no mistake ... it'd be very, very easy to do.

agreed. if one were determined it is easy to fit a 1.2 GHz camera inside anything (just google tiny wireless camera) and simply have a matching receiver nearby. It is still limited to a van parked in front of your house or a mystery box dropped in a trash can across the street (with battery packs a receiver and a solid state video recorder for time lapse capture, etc)

-rrr

Or something hooked to a power pole every couple of hundred yards. They have wireless webcams you can buy now that can transmit up to 900 ft. And those are available to the public.

It is quite plausible.

Question would be why put it in something you know some nut somewhere is going to dismantle?

I agree with many of the arguments about the video being fake because of the location of the video camera and the lack of a hole but there's a lot of misinformation going on.

1) It is proven that the cable companies wanted to trial this technology. See this link: newteevee.com...

2) Why in god's name would they want to use a wireless connection? Please think about this for a second. They would likely split off a few channels dedicated to the already in place QAM architecture and use the existing digital cable internet backbone to allocate a small amount of bandwidth via these devices. It wouldn't even take that much in terms of electronics; most of the newer modem technologies for cable have such a small form factor they'd fit EASILY inside of a digital cable box.

Using wireless over a mesh-style network is possible, but not very likely given the already existing infrastructure for cable internet connections. Not to mention cable internet (comparatively speaking) requires minimum setup on the user end and is pretty much 100% controllable at the ISP level. This could easily be used to transmit surreptitious data unbeknown to the user.

Is this video fake? 90% probability, I'd say.

Is it an excellent warning? Yes.

Originally posted by drsmooth23
Ill say this for the 400th time here on ATS.

Converter boxes have no way to transmit a signal

Now, this is nothing against anyone personally, as I have no care either way about it, but, for a site which proclaims denial of ignorance, ignorance is certainly abundant.
AT&T used to, and still does, put microphones in their phones, now with cell phones, digital and infra red imaging is attained with the camera's, text files with the keypads, and sound with the mic pickups, utilizing the speakers and talk mic pickups. Your PC's and TV's, etc. are also a source of this, to bypass notifications they worked it into laws for the service providers and the users, read the fine print about aggragate and legally authorized distribution of data.

They don't mind, hell, open your smoke detector, to save you from fire they bombard you with rdiation from Americium 115- can we say cancer, while your electricity gives you tumors, even your cell phones- can we say Ionizing Radiation, the only thing between you and Americium is an open vent plastic cover, take the black cover off sometime, it won't kill you, it just keeps you from seeing the exposed Americium inside of it, which the open vents do as much damage to you as if the black vent wasn't there anyway. If you are too scared to remove it, why do you feel safe hanging it up? Open up the power source on your computer or tv. It's the same thing. I open mine all the time and I am neither dead or riddled with cancer.

This goes beyond text messages and who you call. And no, cell phones are not untraceable. They were designed and distibuted with triangulation in mind (the provider- stationary, the satellite- generalized based upon orbit and area of coverage, and the crystal preset id codes- mobile, and the usage of DIRT in mobile provider and government vans, in cognito, to do isolating triangulation (DIRT is Digital Infrared Ranging and Tracking) so you can not be unmonitored using a cell phone, that is just propoganda to make you feel secure in your transmission of revealing information.

Now, these systems are generally on their own circuit, so that even when disconnected from a land line, or, powered off, they can still operate, and can be activated and deactivated by remote. Open your phone and find the chip which is not connected to the main power source and seems to be on it's own circuit, they used to be black, nowadays, like hack files guised as system files which they overwrite and dually function as, they are generally located in the parts themselves. So, no, having no idea what you are looking for, you won't see it will you? Computers and tv's are done in the same way. Even those who make them aren't aware of the dual nature of the false parts. So, they are no help are they?

Then, consider with just a Pringle's can and a little over $20 of Radio Shack components you can remotely screen capture what comes through a webcam, etc. Whether the comp is on or not, as long as it is plugged in, and then realize that, even unplugged, they have remote access to internalized self powered components. Which recharge from the main power source, and can be designed to have their own long term power supply, you really believe that folk's like Tesla and Oppenheimer, etc. didn't pave the way for such things. Wow, ignorance must be bliss. They, in complying with legal reporting requirements, even tell you. How do you think they get away with needing no warrant. Haven't you read the warning? INTEL INSIDE.

Digital will enhance this feature. The box cannot transmit, but, transcievers within the Digital Boxes, and the new HD t.v.'s can. And as for the HD TV's, they are based on mirror technology, did it ever occur to you that the mirror's, utilizing dual directional weaves of fiber and/ or/ micro fiber optic's allow for a two way mirror. And what will they see? Everything they need to assess the strengths weaknesses, likes, and dislikes of the target audiences in their newly privately redistricted areas to apply their propoganda with masterful precision, and, law enforcement and military applications also. Businesses have an obvius market industry and politicians have a vested control issue.

Stop disinforming and wake up. Add to the problem all the foreign countries and units in the production and development chain with their own interests, and you can compound the problem of invasion within invasion.

The camera found here was deliberate, probably for attention, or, what I'd do, to dissipate all arguments by allowing a few obvious discoveries of overt technology, so, the majority will look to see it is isolated incidents and sum them up to hoaxes. Satisfied, the matter is no longer worried over and the covert technology remains intact and unchallenged.

The people you might call crazy, are the ones whose paranoia give them a keen eye for the reality of the world. Crazy is a normal functioning individual whose rosy delusions and positive outlooks keep them blind to the realities that the crazy person can clearly see. There fore the insane are the realist while the normal are dreamers. Only insanity brings advancement, the truth is all genius is tainted with madness. The only difference is that the genius can apply normal filters to screen out reality, while a mad individual can not and reality overwhelms them. This, of it self is not creates their problem, it is dealing with the disconnected masses of those who choose to be blind to the world as it really is.

[edit on 18-2-2009 by PhyberDragon]

reply to post by nydsdan


I love how the people waving their arms and screaming about this conspiracy are getting stars galore as if yet more "BEWARE TEH PAID DISINFO AGENZZ ARE HEAR TO LIE TO YOU!!!11" is adding anything to the topic, yet here you are providing factual and valid info, and not a single star. Well, 1 star now.

Makes me wonder if most people here are really after the truth about anything, or just ready to jump on the bandwagon, arms flailing and mouths agape in shock...

And for the story of the father being told about cameras in stb's... Well he did have a job till you blabbed about the story..

Strangely, you don't really get to see what someone is watching, by watching them.. You just need to note what channel/time they are watching.

I can look thru someone's window while they watch tv, and have no idea if they are watching Dexter or Lost. But then I don't care, I only do that because I'm strange... 8]

reply to post by rickyrrr


I work for a large cable company, have for the last 10 years. Some of you guys crack me up.

Just as the other fellow who claimed to be in the biz 15 years stated, yes it can be done.

All of our equipment is 2 way. Everything sends and receives info, upstream \ downstream.

We have SDV (switch digital video) where the digital box actually requests a channel, and that channel is streamed to the box to save bandwidth. It happens so fast you don't notice the difference.

Cable modems, EMTA's, Cable boxes, each one of these devices pulls IP's and is in communication with it's provider. The tech is here, and has been for years.

Who knows if they are watching all of us, but it def is a possibility they could do it with current tech.

reply to post by drsmooth23


My UK Digi Box sends my TV set off on one making some dodgy noises, not sure if its my set or something else, if i give it a good smack it tends to quiet down but if i turn the Digi box off then it goes without a doubt.

I am aware of CRT sets being able to emit radio frequencys with enough bandwith to transmit mp3 data, was posted on ATS somewhere and sure there was a link to tie in with it.

Not sure that LCD/Plama sets can do the same tho.

Originally posted by RainMan_DOT

Originally posted by drsmooth23
Ill say this for the 400th time here on ATS.

Converter boxes have no way to transmit a signal

Well i know better than to listen to you because i have read all the paper work that comes with the converter box and they CAN emit signals. just read the documents that come with it and you would know better.

Can you scan these documents and provide us with a link? Also what model/make is this converter box? And is it's main design use - replacement digital receiver, or satellite receiver?

Is it one of these government voucher supplied deals?

Until then, adieu.

Originally posted by rickyrrr

There are well documented spy cases where signals were picked up from fax machines, not exactly devices designed to transmit radio signals. If you have a van parked nearby and a powerful parabolic antenna or beamforming antenna array there is a lot that can be picked up even from equipment not designed to transmit, let alone something like a digital converter box using its own receiving antenna as a transmitter, as sub-optimal as it is.

-rrr

You are right on the money with this one. There was once a time when the US found a microphone transmitting in its embassy that had no power source. The russians put that nifty piece together in the late 50's early 60's. If you seriously think we haven't come up with goodies light years ahead of that, you are in denial.

It is possible. while the video may be a hoax, I can assure you the tech exists and it is small.