hidden cameras in digital boxes

if you do, I've got some pictures of big foot, some Loch Ness Monster videos, and a hydrogen generator for your car for sale on ebay....

Rest assured that all you need to do is wrap your DTV converter box in tin foil and all will be well.

Seriously, Watching the video on the web page you linked, which is about the same as the one from the discussion thread, the narrator does not know electronics all that well.

1. The receiver for the remote is InfraRed NOT RF.

2. The supposed camera is actually a piezo speaker or tone generator.

3. With the poor focus and excessive lighting, it is hard to tell, but the device pointed to as a microphone looks more like a capacitor or a surge suppressor.

4. Just to verify, I opened up one of my own DTV converters and found no camera or microphone.

5. With no openings in the front panel, what can the microphone pick up? Or, what can the camera see?

I find it somewhat scary how many of these paranoid and gullible people there are. If you go to the YouTube page for the video, or search for web pages on the subject, a lot of people have put a lot of time into this.

Aside from the spying on us theory, there is a theory that the military needs the spectrum space from the lower analog channels.

While the DTV transition in the US has become big news in the last year. The efforts to make the switch started about 10 years ago. The latest change to the implementation date is at least the fourth time the date has changed.

If you want to dig into your own TV or DTV converter box in more detail, find an actual electronics technician. Someone who has had some actual training and has worked in electronics. And, have them open up your converter box and prove that there is no camera or microphone.

Now, I could envision a box with a front panel motion detector to either keep the box on, or shut it off. Part of the requirements for getting a converter box certified for the coupon program is that it has to meet "green" requirements. These include some form of automatic shut down. My box has a built in timer. If you do not change channels or adjust a setting at least once every 4 hours, the box shuts off.

Overall, I suspect this started out as someone having fun with a friends lack of knowledge and general paranoia.

Chas