Comments on: IR decoding with your… guitar http://hackaday.com/2007/04/16/ir-decoding-with-your-guitar/ Fresh hacks every day Mon, 23 Nov 2009 21:26:44 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: Justin Williams http://hackaday.com/2007/04/16/ir-decoding-with-your-guitar/comment-page-1/#comment-76117 Justin Williams Sun, 24 May 2009 21:45:58 +0000 http://hackaday.iheartcashews.com:8181/2007/04/16/ir-decoding-with-your-guitar/#comment-76117 I actually noticed this a while back. I kinda made my own hack by hitting record into my Sound Forge program, and then I noticed that I could hear a slightly airy high frequency. It was my palm pilot cell phone battery. It was emitting an almost scary frequency so I wanted to record it. You can hear once in a while the "clicks" are the actual electromagnetic pulses, and the frequency is the EMF and RF radiation waves... Kinda makes ya think about sticking it close to your ear again huh? :P I'm putting some links on it cuz well, anyone can use these files. If ya like it, have fun with it. The song can be previewed on reverbnation at http://www.reverbnation.com/justinwilliamsstreetteamexclusive and listening to the feedback trick track on there. The mp3 of the file can be found here at Rapidshare: http://rapidshare.com/files/236842705/cellphonetoguitarfeedback.mp3 I actually noticed this a while back. I kinda made my own hack by hitting record into my Sound Forge program, and then I noticed that I could hear a slightly airy high frequency. It was my palm pilot cell phone battery. It was emitting an almost scary frequency so I wanted to record it. You can hear once in a while the “clicks” are the actual electromagnetic pulses, and the frequency is the EMF and RF radiation waves… Kinda makes ya think about sticking it close to your ear again huh? :P I’m putting some links on it cuz well, anyone can use these files. If ya like it, have fun with it.
The song can be previewed on reverbnation at
http://www.reverbnation.com/justinwilliamsstreetteamexclusive and listening to the feedback trick track on there. The mp3 of the file can be found here at Rapidshare: http://rapidshare.com/files/236842705/cellphonetoguitarfeedback.mp3

]]> By: coldironhands http://hackaday.com/2007/04/16/ir-decoding-with-your-guitar/comment-page-1/#comment-25983 coldironhands Thu, 19 Apr 2007 20:06:29 +0000 http://hackaday.iheartcashews.com:8181/2007/04/16/ir-decoding-with-your-guitar/#comment-25983 I record vocals for my band by putting a cell phone next to the pick ups, then calling the phone and singing into the phone I called it from. You get some pretty interestign sounding vocals. I record vocals for my band by putting a cell phone next to the pick ups, then calling the phone and singing into the phone I called it from. You get some pretty interestign sounding vocals.

]]> By: astrochess http://hackaday.com/2007/04/16/ir-decoding-with-your-guitar/comment-page-1/#comment-25982 astrochess Thu, 19 Apr 2007 00:12:22 +0000 http://hackaday.iheartcashews.com:8181/2007/04/16/ir-decoding-with-your-guitar/#comment-25982 re: 18<br><br>i admit i don't know much about radio transmission, so you could be right. luckily, there is a simple way to test which effect is making the waveform. someone could move an electrically charged balloon over the pickups. if a change in voltage is detected, the effect we're seeing is not due to magnetic fields but to capacitive inductance. re: 18

i admit i don’t know much about radio transmission, so you could be right. luckily, there is a simple way to test which effect is making the waveform. someone could move an electrically charged balloon over the pickups. if a change in voltage is detected, the effect we’re seeing is not due to magnetic fields but to capacitive inductance.

]]> By: Jason http://hackaday.com/2007/04/16/ir-decoding-with-your-guitar/comment-page-1/#comment-25981 Jason Thu, 19 Apr 2007 00:08:40 +0000 http://hackaday.iheartcashews.com:8181/2007/04/16/ir-decoding-with-your-guitar/#comment-25981 Hmm, so this is like Van Eck phreaking, but for remote controls? :-) Hmm, so this is like Van Eck phreaking, but for remote controls? :-)

]]> By: keenan http://hackaday.com/2007/04/16/ir-decoding-with-your-guitar/comment-page-1/#comment-25980 keenan Wed, 18 Apr 2007 10:42:03 +0000 http://hackaday.iheartcashews.com:8181/2007/04/16/ir-decoding-with-your-guitar/#comment-25980 #18<br><br>It could indeed be capacitative (though I suspect the inductive coupling as you do). The capacitor would be formed between the pickup and the remote circuitry, with the air between as the dielectric. A charge appears on the remote side, and is coupled to the pickup coil. I believe this is the same effect behind radio transmitters and antennas. #18

It could indeed be capacitative (though I suspect the inductive coupling as you do). The capacitor would be formed between the pickup and the remote circuitry, with the air between as the dielectric. A charge appears on the remote side, and is coupled to the pickup coil. I believe this is the same effect behind radio transmitters and antennas.

]]> By: Aaron http://hackaday.com/2007/04/16/ir-decoding-with-your-guitar/comment-page-1/#comment-25978 Aaron Wed, 18 Apr 2007 04:08:22 +0000 http://hackaday.iheartcashews.com:8181/2007/04/16/ir-decoding-with-your-guitar/#comment-25978 Yeah, I've been messing with my guitar, whenever I point my remote at it, it makes this strange noise, and depending on the buttons I press, the pitch changes. Yeah, I’ve been messing with my guitar, whenever I point my remote at it, it makes this strange noise, and depending on the buttons I press, the pitch changes.

]]> By: Astrochess http://hackaday.com/2007/04/16/ir-decoding-with-your-guitar/comment-page-1/#comment-25979 Astrochess Wed, 18 Apr 2007 00:33:49 +0000 http://hackaday.iheartcashews.com:8181/2007/04/16/ir-decoding-with-your-guitar/#comment-25979 I don't think this is capacitive coupling, but it's a nice try. Capacitive coupling involves a build-up of charge on one plate; this can't occur here because there isn't a pickup 'plate' - if the coil were to act as a pickup plate, both leads would have the same charge, yielding no change in voltage (that requires a difference in charges).<br>I think it is more likely that the change in magnetic flux is generating the waveforms here. This is because there is a high current in the remote, yielding a relatively strong magnetic field. The voltage generated in the pickup is given by the equation CHANGE IN MAGNETIC FLUX / CHANGE IN TIME = VOLTAGE. When the remote's circuit turns on the LED, the magnetic field increases, causing a positive change in flux on the pickup. When the remote's circuit turns the LED off, the magnetic field decreases, causing a negative change in flux.<br>By the equation above, voltage is directly proportional to the change in flux, so this explains the spiked waveforms above and below the 0 line (when the current is held at the same level, there is no change in flux, so there is no voltage). I don’t think this is capacitive coupling, but it’s a nice try. Capacitive coupling involves a build-up of charge on one plate; this can’t occur here because there isn’t a pickup ‘plate’ – if the coil were to act as a pickup plate, both leads would have the same charge, yielding no change in voltage (that requires a difference in charges).
I think it is more likely that the change in magnetic flux is generating the waveforms here. This is because there is a high current in the remote, yielding a relatively strong magnetic field. The voltage generated in the pickup is given by the equation CHANGE IN MAGNETIC FLUX / CHANGE IN TIME = VOLTAGE. When the remote’s circuit turns on the LED, the magnetic field increases, causing a positive change in flux on the pickup. When the remote’s circuit turns the LED off, the magnetic field decreases, causing a negative change in flux.
By the equation above, voltage is directly proportional to the change in flux, so this explains the spiked waveforms above and below the 0 line (when the current is held at the same level, there is no change in flux, so there is no voltage).

]]> By: TheBlunderbuss http://hackaday.com/2007/04/16/ir-decoding-with-your-guitar/comment-page-1/#comment-25977 TheBlunderbuss Tue, 17 Apr 2007 22:59:09 +0000 http://hackaday.iheartcashews.com:8181/2007/04/16/ir-decoding-with-your-guitar/#comment-25977 Yes it works!<br><br>EMF you say? Thanks Dan Reetz! Yes it works!

EMF you say? Thanks Dan Reetz!

]]> By: russ http://hackaday.com/2007/04/16/ir-decoding-with-your-guitar/comment-page-1/#comment-25984 russ Tue, 17 Apr 2007 22:24:14 +0000 http://hackaday.iheartcashews.com:8181/2007/04/16/ir-decoding-with-your-guitar/#comment-25984 YESSS. I discovered the remote+guitar the exact way this guy did(tom morello attempts) I just never thought it would be that useful! YESSS. I discovered the remote+guitar the exact way this guy did(tom morello attempts) I just never thought it would be that useful!

]]> By: Benjamin Eckel http://hackaday.com/2007/04/16/ir-decoding-with-your-guitar/comment-page-1/#comment-25976 Benjamin Eckel Tue, 17 Apr 2007 21:41:41 +0000 http://hackaday.iheartcashews.com:8181/2007/04/16/ir-decoding-with-your-guitar/#comment-25976 An observant reader informed me that this phenomenon is called capacitive coupling ( <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capacitive_coupling" rel="nofollow">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capacitive_coupling</a> ). He seems to be correct and it surely explains the shapes of the waves. An observant reader informed me that this phenomenon is called capacitive coupling ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capacitive_coupling ). He seems to be correct and it surely explains the shapes of the waves.

]]> By: Lyran http://hackaday.com/2007/04/16/ir-decoding-with-your-guitar/comment-page-1/#comment-25975 Lyran Tue, 17 Apr 2007 21:07:19 +0000 http://hackaday.iheartcashews.com:8181/2007/04/16/ir-decoding-with-your-guitar/#comment-25975 It would be interesting to see what range of signal the pickups actually pick up. Obviously sound within the human range is caught, and Garry Goodman has an 11-string bass whose pickups can detect the 17hz of its lowest string. I may not be fluent in the exact physics, but I have a moderate understanding of the forces involved. Could lightwaves, microwaves, etc. be picked up as well, with the proper delivery?<br>From a musical perspective (I play the electric bass), this is facinating to me. I'd be keen on investigating this further.<br><br>Info on Garry Goodman: <a href="http://www.gopromusic.com/detail.php?siteid=264" rel="nofollow">http://www.gopromusic.com/detail.php?siteid=264</a> It would be interesting to see what range of signal the pickups actually pick up. Obviously sound within the human range is caught, and Garry Goodman has an 11-string bass whose pickups can detect the 17hz of its lowest string. I may not be fluent in the exact physics, but I have a moderate understanding of the forces involved. Could lightwaves, microwaves, etc. be picked up as well, with the proper delivery?
From a musical perspective (I play the electric bass), this is facinating to me. I’d be keen on investigating this further.

Info on Garry Goodman: http://www.gopromusic.com/detail.php?siteid=264

]]> By: Marco http://hackaday.com/2007/04/16/ir-decoding-with-your-guitar/comment-page-1/#comment-25974 Marco Tue, 17 Apr 2007 20:24:18 +0000 http://hackaday.iheartcashews.com:8181/2007/04/16/ir-decoding-with-your-guitar/#comment-25974 Well time to do research- is it the current going through the LED? In that case desoldering it should cause the interference to stop.<br>To me it looks more like emf from some integrated circuit triggering the modulation since we see spikes instead of either the 40kHz carrier or a signal for the whole duration of each bit. Well time to do research- is it the current going through the LED? In that case desoldering it should cause the interference to stop.
To me it looks more like emf from some integrated circuit triggering the modulation since we see spikes instead of either the 40kHz carrier or a signal for the whole duration of each bit.

]]> By: Leopold Porkstacker http://hackaday.com/2007/04/16/ir-decoding-with-your-guitar/comment-page-1/#comment-25985 Leopold Porkstacker Tue, 17 Apr 2007 20:05:05 +0000 http://hackaday.iheartcashews.com:8181/2007/04/16/ir-decoding-with-your-guitar/#comment-25985 "So does this mean Eddie Van Halen is now an Uber hacker???"<br><br><br>No, it probably means that Les Paul was an "over" (German for "over" is "uber", so it seems) hacker before his time. You could call him a "großhavker" which would imply he was a "mega hacker", or a "Superhacker", which translates to English as "super hacker". It's up to you, but for the love of the German language, please stop abusing "over"!!!<br><br>-he who stacks pork “So does this mean Eddie Van Halen is now an Uber hacker???”

No, it probably means that Les Paul was an “over” (German for “over” is “uber”, so it seems) hacker before his time. You could call him a “großhavker” which would imply he was a “mega hacker”, or a “Superhacker”, which translates to English as “super hacker”. It’s up to you, but for the love of the German language, please stop abusing “over”!!!

-he who stacks pork

]]> By: ibanezfoo http://hackaday.com/2007/04/16/ir-decoding-with-your-guitar/comment-page-1/#comment-25973 ibanezfoo Tue, 17 Apr 2007 19:25:32 +0000 http://hackaday.iheartcashews.com:8181/2007/04/16/ir-decoding-with-your-guitar/#comment-25973 I used to do stuff like this all the time. Just grab any random electrical thing from around your house and use it right in front of your pickups. I saw Eddie Van Halen use a drill and that got my mind wandering... dunno how/why it works, but you can get some weird sounds out of things. Pickups that aren't potted correctly can become microphonic, so you can sing into them and get some weird sounds for your vocals! I used to do stuff like this all the time. Just grab any random electrical thing from around your house and use it right in front of your pickups. I saw Eddie Van Halen use a drill and that got my mind wandering… dunno how/why it works, but you can get some weird sounds out of things. Pickups that aren’t potted correctly can become microphonic, so you can sing into them and get some weird sounds for your vocals!

]]> By: W5JCD http://hackaday.com/2007/04/16/ir-decoding-with-your-guitar/comment-page-1/#comment-25971 W5JCD Tue, 17 Apr 2007 16:46:45 +0000 http://hackaday.iheartcashews.com:8181/2007/04/16/ir-decoding-with-your-guitar/#comment-25971 I used to do this as a kid, although I used an AM/FM radio. The AM coil antenna inside the radio case will pick up the same EMF from a remote, the remote is basically a very weak RF transmitter as explained above by Dan and Henry. I used to do this as a kid, although I used an AM/FM radio. The AM coil antenna inside the radio case will pick up the same EMF from a remote, the remote is basically a very weak RF transmitter as explained above by Dan and Henry.

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