Hidden Spy Camera & Mic Found Inside Digital TV Box

Awww bummer, I've got the same converter box, but I didn't get no stinking spy camera. What a rip off! Well guess Wal-Mart doesn't think I'm a threat to the government.

Wouldn't it be China spying on the U.S.? The U.S. doesn't make tv's

www.made-in-china.com...

[edit on 18-2-2009 by saint4God]

Look where it's positioned, it's not apart of the electronics board. It looks like someone just pasted something that looks like a lens on the side of another component.

This is a HOAX if I have ever seen one. For starters, the video even looks like a hoax with a giant CCD sitting right there in the open. If there were some major conspiracy to insert video and audio capture devices into a piece of consumer electronics, it would most certainly need to be very covert. Mounting a camera right on the PCB in plain view??? WTF?! Can you imagine the consumer reaction if this were so easy to confirm!? Now, if somebody found what looked like a capacitor on the main board that was actually a camera... that would be freaky.

Now, here is more information that people in this thread got wrong:
1. This is talking about OTA DT signal -> Analog TV converter boxes. These are the ones you need to purchase if you intend to watch television from an Over The Air signal on an analog television. These boxes have NO means of dialing or connecting to the internet because there is no connectivity required for the boxes to function therefore there are no phone / data jacks.
*Satellite converter boxes and cable boxes can upload data from your location very easily though.
2. You cannot uplink to a satellite over the air without some heavy gear - think about news trucks.
3. Technically speaking, it IS possible to transmit a signal from one of these boxes, but it would be either cellular, limited range (out of public band / closed frequency) wi-fi or via the power grid.

That all being said, am I going to go home and open up my cable box?
Yeah. But that is only because when I got my cable box from the cable company I noticed part of the plastic housing was cracked and now I am wondering if my box had ever been tampered with. I also want to know if I can swap out the hard drive with a larger one for more DVR storage.

My father worked for Florida Power and light for 25 years. Many are unaware that technology has existed for quite some time allowing information to be transmitted through power lines all the way up to the point of a device plugged into a 110 outlet. It is totally reasonable for a device to operate passively, and have a video or audio feed extracted remotely.

www.disinfomatrix.com...

Anyone who will actually use a converter box most likely are not who big brother really want to watch.

reply to post by elevatedone


wow! I'M SERIOUSLY glad your joking; since ANYONE can tell the device is hardwired/embedded directly to the PCB!!

If you're not joking...totally a disinfo in my view.

I swear an ATSer started a thread about a DTV box he bought and took apart and he said there was NO camera/mic in it.

I will try and find the thread - but im sure others here saw it too - and maybe remember who made it and what the title was called.


EDIT: Im still looking for it. The search feature isnt that great. But I know someone made a thread about them taking it apart.
Does anyone else remember this thread??


EDIT 2: I cant find it, but it is around here somewhere.

[edit on 2/18/2009 by greeneyedleo]

Originally posted by Xtrozero
Anyone who will actually use a converter box most likely are not who big brother really want to watch.

That is definitely not true, if the ultimate goal would be total and complete surveillance of everyone.

The threat of invasion of privacy through the capture and transmission of RF data (id's,passports,bank cards, pets, children, soon enough you) through outlets is much more imminent.

Originally posted by Razor1
Finally a conspiracy I could test myself! I just took apart the same exact model ,also purchased from walmart, and there was NO camera or microphone. So let me be the first to say, HOAX!!!

I do believe you but just to be fair both ways.....Post some pictures please so we can have 2 visual references of two seperate boxes with different results. would be the fairest way to prove something.

This my be a hoax.. there may be something to it. Either way, if you're worried about it, just don't get one. Use your TV for witching DVDs or simular media, where you can choose what brand of NLP you subject yourself to.

FWIW, here's a short article from last year concerning Comcast and cameras in cable boxes.

newteevee.com...

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.

There was a news article out there a few months ago explaining that the digital tv companies wanted to put a microphone and a camera inside the boxes to help match the right ads to the right people.

Never heard anything more except that people didn't like the idea.

Maybe they went through with it after all?

Very interesting. I don't have a TV. All my media, gaming and watching movies happens on my computer. I doubt I have a camera in my LCD. I really don't want to rip into it but might because of this video. I'm going to buy a satellite tuner card soon and might watch tv that way every so often. I read more than anything and i would be concerned if there were cameras in my books.

Interesting though.

Ok this is for the people who want proof that your DTV box can transmit signals but dont want to look for the evidence. It is found in the FCC Compliance statement, which states "This device generates, uses, and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the instructions, may cause harmful interference to radio communications." There you go. Also here is a link to a pdf so you can see it for your self.

www.freedtvshop.com...

Well I have the same box for my 5th wheel and sad to say no camera or mic. With the usual bad video it's really hard to tell what it is but mine is barren. Oh well debunked at my house.

mikell

They might have RFID reader also, and as to send info if pluged into electical grid, with broad band that's all that is needed.

reply to post by BeyondBelow


You may have just gotten your pappy fired if those boys at INTEL see your post. Would be easy to figure out who your pappy is if they were in the know.