Help with Prank Idea

[toolaa]

I have a new Neighbor who just moved next door.  We are fairly good friends and I want to make sure I give him a proper welcome.

He has an awesome 60" Sony LCD HDTV and I can see it in full view from my sun room.  The TV in his house is about 60' from my window.  The other night I was grabbing a snack and noticed he was watching Dateline or something.  It occurred to me that it would be really funny to somehow aim my universal Remote through my house and mess with his well deserved leasure time.

I looked up the remote code on-line and programmed it into my RCA810.  Aimed carefully and .....Nothing.... Sure it was a long shot, but worth a try.

Now I'm thinking if there is someway to amplify or use some scope to extend the IR range.  Any Ideas?  He's a big Skins fan so maybe some of you Cowboys fans would be extra motivated help me out here.

[GameOver]

Nice!  Try different remotes.  Maybe it'll work on a different one.  I've never tried to change the channel/power off from 60', but seems like it could work if ya got strong batteries.  Good luck!

[nostrebor]

Just get an air rifle and start ringing his doorbell with it from long range. When he goes to the door, run into your back yard and change his channel.

Easy

[JB]

Is it possible that there's an IR-reflective film on the windows?
It would keep sunlight from heating the house too badly, as well as torpedoing your prank.

[toolaa]

Just get an air rifle and start ringing his doorbell with it from long range. When he goes to the door, run into your back yard and change his channel.

Easy

LOL

[AmericanDemon]

Heh being in cable like I am.... I have seen this done numerous times.  Of course the few times I have seen this had porn and teenage boys involved.  Most of the time the kids would have one of our digital remotes.  They would also have clear site of the neighbors TV set and digital receiver. 

WEhen they werent home or asleep.  The ingenious kid would turn on their tv and digital box and order porn.  Freebies to him.  A headache for the consumer. 

It was quite funny once he got caught

[USSEnterprise]

hahaha. Did you try all the codes for Sony televisions? Is it possible that LCD and CRT TV's use different codes?

[Bones]

Although I like your idea, forget about that and go for the paper bag set on fire that contains poo.

There is no point in messing with perfection.

[toolaa]

Although I like your idea, forget about that and go for the paper bag set on fire that contains poo.

There is no point in messing with perfection.

Toolaa...carefully aims his new $600 BB Gun and fires

Pssssssssssssssssssssssstttttt

"DING DONG"-

[JCL]

Although I like your idea, forget about that and go for the paper bag set on fire that contains poo.

There is no point in messing with perfection.

Toolaa...carefully aims his new $600 BB Gun and fires

Pssssssssssssssssssssssstttttt

"DING DONG"-

I actually wiped the screen on seeing your little "bug".

[Timoe]

Most IR signals from remotes only work up to like 30' -40' I believe.

[USSEnterprise]

set up one of those RF-IR converters between your house and his

[DrewKaree]

You are quite simply the biggest knob and heartless so-and-so I have ever seen on these boards.  I can't believe you're trying to recruit us to help you out with your asinine plot.  It's as if you have him down on the ground, and you've kicked him until your leg got tired, and now you want to borrow one of our legs to continue!  I mean really.....

He's a big Skins fan

hasn't the guy suffered enough in life?


 

bet I had you starting to get a little worked up there, didn't I? )

[Stingray]

I honestly have no advice to offer in this scheme, but I just wanted to say that it's utterly brilliant. I hope you figure out a way to make it work.

-S

[Jabba]

I've tried this with my Car remote and it works, not sure if it will work with a TV remote. Hold the remote to your body (chest), point you arm at the TV and push the on/off button.

Your body is a natural conductor and amplifier and will throw the signal further. I tried this with my car remote and when I do this, I can usually activate it 20 feet further than normal.

Give it a try, the worst is your wife will think you have super powers or something 

[allroy1975]

but your garage door opener is RF, not IR like the TV remote.

[Stingray]

but your garage door opener is RF, not IR like the TV remote.

I think he's talking about a keyless entry, not a garage door opener, but I expect that those are also RF so your point is still valid.

-S

[fredster]

Universal remote, try the programming of every one.

You might be able to do what you need to do from that distance.
Don't give up with just one try!

[missioncontrol]

• just run an ad in the paper (friday edition)

"yard sell at <give address> 7:00 A.M. saturday and sunday and remember the early bird gets the worm"

• place sign in yard late at night after he's asleep

"All items inside please knock loudly"

[Luxury]

Be careful of the stupid Sony products using AF1/AF2 crap.  My Sony remote is constantly switching between the two, so that I can't even control the devices that the remote came with in the first place.  Seriously - whos the genious that came up with that idea?

[toolaa]

bet I had you starting to get a little worked up there, didn't I? )

I was wincing and cowering in fear of your bold words of indignity...

hasn't the guy suffered enough in life?

Until I realized you were joking, but you're right.  I'll just mess with his wife watching the O.C., Mountain or some other gay show like that, then follow AmericanDemon's advice and switch it to PORN.

Arggggg.  I still need to figure this out.  Googling has been no help.

[missioncontrol]

figure out a way to use your remote at close range to ensure you have the right code.......

[stevejt]

What about wiring in a third battery to the remote?  Most remotes use two batteries, and LED's work a little higher than their reccomended working voltage.  It MAY ruin the remote, but shouldn't.  It can be done with no electronic experience, and no soldering.  If there is a significant difference, you might be able to notice with a PC cam, or just about any other video camera, since they can view IR frequencies that we can't.  You can also use a cam just to see if it is functioning after your rewiring.  Insert a piece of thin cardboard, like from a box of cereal between the batteries if possible, otherwise between the battery and the battery contact.  A small peice of wire can be inserted on each side of the cardboard with the ends going to the extra battery.  I used to use this idea when I was a child and didn't have the correct size batteries for my toys.  I wired new batteries on both sides of the dead ones.  I know it all might sound silly, but the whole idea here is doing something silly.

Steve

BTW-  If you have a small diameter copper pipe (like 1/2"), with the inside still shiny, the IR LED might be more focused if it is shined through the pipe.  I know it works with penlight flashlights.

[duffjr]

i'd just get some binoculars and watch whatever he was watching.

[toolaa]

figure out a way to use your remote at close range to ensure you have the right code.......

I am sure I have the right code.  I was over there last night and there is only 1 sony 60" HDTV model that looks like his. 

If there is a significant difference, you might be able to notice with a PC cam, or just about any other video camera, since they can view IR frequencies that we can't. You can also use a cam just to see if it is functioning after your rewiring.

I have not tried to add a third battery yet, but I did point my Remote at my Digital Camera and I'll be damn...You can see a bright purple light flashing where the led is...Cool!

Shinny tube itea is worth a shot too...

[JB]

If there is a significant difference, you might be able to notice with a PC cam, or just about any other video camera, since they can view IR frequencies that we can't. You can also use a cam just to see if it is functioning after your rewiring.

I have not tried to add a third battery yet, but I did point my Remote at my Digital Camera and I'll be damn...You can see a bright purple light flashing where the led is...Cool!

Congratulations!
You've just discovered one of the secrets of photography. The camera does NOT react the same way as a human eye.
Among other things, most films and CCDs are sensitive to UV and IR light, while the human retina is not.

Jsut remember this the next time someone tells you that "the camera doesn't lie." They lie. They lie like a politician with his butt in the fire. Sometimes they even lie like a politician with "the other guy"'s butt in the fire.

[ChadTower]

I think what he needs to do is amplify the signal.  It probably won't work to just solder in a third battery.  The LED may be able to handle it, but will the PCB? 

Try looking up IR extenders.  They do exist, so that you can do things like control your receiver upstairs from downstairs.  They work on line of sight, they take the signal in and shoot it in another direction so you can use it around corners.  Buy one of those and put it halfway between your houses on a tree or something.  Point the remote at that, point the extender's output at the window... and bam, you're in business.

BABAM.

[toolaa]

CWT,

Thanks for the link, I knew about these IR blasters, but I did not want to shell out $40 bucks.  However when paging through the link I saw those wired IR mouses.  I have a few stuffed in a drawer that came with my TIVO.  It occurred to me that I think I could tape one on the window of his house facing his TV.  I'm going to hack open my unused TIVO remote and hardwire it to the leads to the IRLED on the Remote PCB. 

Poor Man's IR-Extender.

[stevejt]

The third battery idea does not have to get soldered in, if I didn't mention it I tiny ball of crumpled aluminum foil at the ends of the wires will help them stay in place.

Remember what someone else brought up about about the glass possibly stopping, or cutting down on IR light.  To check this, the next time you go there aim your cam at his window and record.  While there you can take any remote and aim it at your cam through the window.  Check when you get home.  Most of the light emitted is focused, so try to aim it right at your cam. 

Did you try your remote in his house to make sure it will work on his TV?

Steve

[Stingray]

Okay, how about if you get a big roll of fiber optic line and run it between his window and yours? Okay that was probably a stupid suggestion, but it seemed brilliant after a few Shiner Bocks.

-S

[ChadTower]

How about you steal the TV?  Put it your own living room.  The remote will work from there.

[toolaa]

Okay, how about if you get a big roll of fiber optic line and run it between his window and yours? Okay that was probably a stupid suggestion, but it seemed brilliant after a few Shiner Bocks.

-S

I run three fiber optic manufacturing plants now.  I didn't think in that direction.  Damn sometimes the obvious answer is right under your nose...

Thanks   

[Stingray]

Okay, how about if you get a big roll of fiber optic line and run it between his window and yours? Okay that was probably a stupid suggestion, but it seemed brilliant after a few Shiner Bocks.

-S

I run three fiber optic manufacturing plants now.  I didn't think in that direction.  Damn sometimes the obvious answer is right under your nose...

Thanks   

HA! Nothing like an alcohol-induded dummy idea that actually turns out to be helpful. Let me know it it actually works.

-S

[toolaa]

Sorry to burst your bubble Stingray.  I was being sarcastic.  I know, I know that is a rare thing around here.  I appreciate that you cared enough to propose your idea, please don't let my despicable behavior discourage you in the future...

Here is reason why it won't work.  Commercial fiber optic cable is designed to transmit light at between 850nm and 1300nm wavelengths for typical Datacom networks.  Typical IR for remotes are around 400-500nm.  It could still transmit the lower wavelengths but it would absorb much of the signal.  The bigger problem is that fibers have a very narrow aperture window which means also that the incoming light from the emitter must be a very focused beam.  Quite the opposite of a typical Remote Control Emitter.

I do have a new lead.  A friend at work told me that back in the day he and some other engineers found some programs to turn their HP48sx handheld calculators into Remote Controls.  I have one of those beast from College and I remember how to program them in RPN.  He suggested that maybe those IR emitters might be more powerfull than a typical remote.  I don't think they'll go 60' through a window however.  After thinking about it however I think I could write a program to emit random commands at random intervals and simply stick the calculator on his window sill pointed at his TV.  This seems like my lowest cost method at this point and I am going to give it a shot this weekend.

[DrewKaree]

I can't tell you how it warms everyone's heart to hear how toolaa's wife first knew he was the man meant for her.

She tells the story often.  She said "he had me from "Commercial fiber optic cable is designed to transmit light at between 850nm and 1300nm wavelengths for typical Datacom networks.  Typical IR for remotes are around 400-500nm.  It could still transmit the lower wavelengths but it would absorb much of the signal.  The bigger problem is that fibers have a very narrow aperture window which means also that the incoming light from the emitter must be a very focused beam." 

 

[ChadTower]

So, rather than buy an off the shelf extender, you're going to relearn how to program an obscure, old calculator that may be able to do the job?

[Stingray]

Sorry to burst your bubble Stingray.

I'll never be the same again.

-S

[toolaa]

I can't tell you how it warms everyone's heart to hear how toolaa's wife first knew he was the man meant for her.

She tells the story often.

[Stingray]

I'm trying really hard not pass it on to my kids. 

Noble

-S

[abrannan]

Perhaps try a different LED in the remote?

http://www.hobbyengineering.com/H1554.html