bulk tape degausser and effects on digital media

[sonicmook56]

I'm having issues with paparazzi here at the moment, dealing with them bombarding the studio lot's gate, spitting on coworkers, running inside and trampling landscaping, breaking outdoor lighting exc...

My first reaction is to grab the camera of one of the dude's who runs inside the lot and smash it over his fucking head, but I'm not sure if I can legally do that for obvious reasons.

I'm wondering if I can use a bulk tape degausser and kinda just hold it up in front of there cameras and do damage that way. Most of these guys have high end digital cameras that I suspect use SD type cards. Others use DV cameras that use a tape.

So the question is: Are digital SD type cards immune to strong magnetic fields?

Normally I don't care if they get there shot or not, but it's getting personal, and I want to fuck with them :twisted:

 

[pstamler]

I couldn't tell you about the memory chips, but my experience with digital magnetic media in general is that they're very hard to erase, since they're recorded to saturation. Try bulk-erasing a DAT tape sometime, you'll see what I mean.

Peace,
Paul

 

[clintrubber]

[quote author="sonicmook56"]So the question is: Are digital SD type cards immune to strong magnetic fields?[/quote]
If any, I'd expect more harm from something like this:

 

[stickjam]

The bulk eraser idea is on the right track, but to mess with digital you'd need to crank up the power just a bit! :twisted:

1.21 Jiggawatts!!!

 

[amorris]

Id think you would have to be really close to do any erasing and I would also think that you could be approaching assault. knowingly damaging the equipment would make you liable, wouldnt it? I surely wouldnt really do it. Not sure if its having a lawyer brother-in-law or too much "Law and Order" but being on public property, there isnt much you can do.? These guys only want money and I wouldnt give them any extra avenue to get some from me. you would surely be doing it on camera!

 

[Guest]

AKMS-74 demagnetizer:

 

[stickjam]

Actually, the best solution is the same one I suggested for the red-light indicator (below) Maybe a few of them armed with high-powered fast blinking strobe lights to point directly at their cameras to mess with their ability to get a shot. :grin:

 

[pucho812]

maybe time the sprinklers to go off when they are hiding in the bushes?

 

[bcarso]

There is a fanciful description of a electromagnetic pulse generator that wipes hard drives and such, in Cryptonomicon, Neal Stephenson's ponderous novel, which I managed to get through in a few days only because I was laid up with a sprained ankle. This is one of those books with so many characters, multiple threads, and flashbacks that it demands a pretty intense effort.

I've also had people tell me that they've read it, and so I will mention some favorite part, and find that they have no recollection.

 

[Emperor-TK]

I was just thinking along the same lines as Pucho, but a garden hose came to mind. Would that constitute assault? Supersoakers might work too.

If you want to push the boundaries a little, fill a squirt gun up with some stink-bomb type liquids. I would imagine there are good recipes on the internet. Something based on thiols or short chain fatty acids would be VERY difficult to neutralize. Valeric acid is a stench that I find personally revolting. It smells like someone puked up rotten milk into a wino's shoe.

I remember a friend had a cat spray one of his guitar cables. It literally stank for years. Imagine having your $50,000 video camera on your shoulder smelling like ass and garbage for a few years?

-Chris

 

[sonicmook56]

My first reaction is to grab the camera of one of the dude's who runs inside the lot and smash it over his fucking head

I didn't mean that. I've never punched another person out of rage, and I probably never will.

being on public property, there isnt much you can do.?

Na, there at least 20 feet on private property before they even get to the gate and run in.

maybe time the sprinklers to go off when they are hiding in the bushes?

We have done that before, but they don't seem to mind. I even have seen interns "water" the plants with a garden hose, and accidently hitting people.

These guys are ruthless and don't give a shit about property or anything. A few years ago, we had our hedge bushes that run along the fence completely destroyed. It took over a year for them to grow back right. The studio owner then built a huge black outdoor curtain that covered that section of the lot, but the guys somehow all had ladders and propped them up on the fence, or climbed the trees outside, and my favorite, getting into a nearby apartment and taking shots from there.

Like I said before, I could care less if they get there shot or not but they are incredibly disrespectful.

Today, I'm going to wire in a push button switch on the gate that will defeat the optical safety switch. The main problem being one guy out of 20 or 30 will trip the optical and reset the delay time for the gate to close.

 

[sodderboy]

Sprinklers might work well, but I suggest strongly against schpritzing chemicals, strobes, etc. Even though they are disgusting bloodsuckers, lawyers are even worse. A nice EMP blast would be sweet, though.

The local cops have always helped in those situations, especially if there is trespassing or crowding causing traffic problems.

Ages ago, New Kids on the Block (yep! AGES ago) were at my work in NYC and when you got downstairs the crowd, behind police barricades, would all snap to attention looking at you until they realized you were nobody. You would actually hear, "it's nobody".

Can you make the place more of a compound? That is the best long-term solution.
Mike

 

[hejsan]

[quote author="sonicmook56"]I didn't mean that. I've never punched another person out of rage, and I probably never will.[/quote]
Yes that's right, you should only punch people in a calm controlled manner, cause that also freaks them out. :green:

 

[Guest]

[quote author="hejsan"][quote author="sonicmook56"]I didn't mean that. I've never punched another person out of rage, and I probably never will.[/quote]
Yes that's right, you should only punch people in a calm controlled manner, cause that also freaks them out. :green:[/quote]

Also I should warn that despite Kalashnikov demagnetizer works it is illegal to use it!

 

[Rochey]

blend water with dog sh*t... fill supersoakers.

spray.

 

[Rochey]

option 2 -- get some high intensity light bulbs and shine them back at them from behind the gate. All their photo's will come out like sh*t.

 

[amorris]

option 3:

get uglier, less famous clients!!!!!!! :razz:

 

[jdbakker]

[quote author="Rochey"]option 2 -- get some high intensity light bulbs and shine them back at them from behind the gate.[/quote]
Slight mod: do the same, but with powerful IR radiators. The cameras' sensors do pick it up, it's (mostly) harmless and more often than not it messes with their AF/AE as well. UV works even better but is harmful.

JDB.
[off looking for his 905nm pulse lasers]

 

[Guest]

Lot of blinking IR LEDs?

 

[AnalogPackrat]

Rent (or make) some slave strobe units. Aim them in the general direction of the "problem." Every time one of their flashes pops, all of yours will, too. This will play havoc with their AE and may even irritate them (they're used to being behind the strobes, after all).

What music would the Paparazzi hate? Pipe some of that out there at concert volume.

A P