Interesting story I was reading. Evidently infrared laptops can unlock all pay movies and channels, unlock and lock the minibar, change the billing files, see who is checked into the other rooms and control their private email and computers. I think I found my new apartment. I could be like the president except for all that power and responsibility and stuff. I think the correct term is bum.

A Hacker Games the Hotel

I'll just have to take my tv tuner with me on my next business trip. I'll letcha know if I figure anything out.

Does anyone know of a really good TV tuner? The one I bought is junky. I wanted to convert my vcr tapes to digital so I could burn them onto DVDs...but the quality is so poor I didn't bother. Does this have more to do with my cheap VCR or my cheap tuner? Or do I have a major wallet problemo?

cool stuff. Does anyone have any information on how to control an air-conditioner or garage door or any such system through the infrared port on your computer? How and where would you begin?

This stuff is actually pretty easy, and depends on simply the IR codes you send through the air. You just need an IR emitter. I did a crestron seminar (control devices for expensive audio) and the control system used IR emitters to turn TV/recievers on, but you could tell it to send whatever IR code you wanted. I remember when the instructor got mad when I flipped the LCD screen up :>

Sorry for my lack of knowledge but say I do get an IR emitter, how and where do I connect it to my computer system so that I could send any code I wanted to... say an air-conditioner?

Yeah, I was fortunate enough to have attended this talk at DefCon on Saturday, very interesting stuff. I have all the notes at home, i'll post them up later if anyone is interested in them.

NeoN

I'm interested

Excellent. I'll appreciate it if you do so mate.