After a few years of regularly shutting down TVs with various versions of the TV-B-Gone, I wanted to see how far one could go without hiding anything. I’m aware it shouldn’t be a general rule since I only did the thing in 2 or 3 different countries, but until now, I find that the chances of getting caught follow some sort of gauss curve.
Hiding the device in an old phone, in clothes, or in food packaging only got me caught at a security check. Start of the curve. Holding the kit like a phone and faking a conversation also worked a few times. People assume you’re just using a weird phone and they don’t think twice about it. Just standing in front of a wall of TVs, pointing it or not got me kicked out of stores a few times. That was expected. Top of the curve.
Getting a bunch of hi-power IR LEDs in translucent boxes with other visible LEDs, mounted on a hockey helmet, with a glove remote… Didn’t get me caught once. End of the curve.
Nothing special electronics-wise: it’s basically the kit with an audio update function, NiMh chargers, timing watchdogs and mosfets. The enclosures are from Fibox and Velleman, boards are paper and epoxy stripboards. Batteries are 2x 7.2V 2.3mAh. Also dual RJ11 connection for the remote and status LEDs on the goggles.
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