Half a croissant, on a plate, with a sign in front of it saying '50c'
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A Really Scary Video

Do not try this at home. Not my home, anyway.
  (+3, -1)
(+3, -1)
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If you've seen the movie "Signs" you know there's a plot device where the aliens' communication is picked up on a baby monitor. Other horror movies have similar plot devices.

A horror movie could be made with such a plot device, or you could retrofit this idea to any of the existing movies that qualify. The videotape of the movie could be fitted with a low-power broadcast transmitter, hidden inside the tape's casing. The only external evidence of the transmitter would be the added weight, which of course you'd want to minimize. The transmitter could be powered either by a conventional battery or a battery that could be recharged by the movement of the tape sprockets (for repeated use, as in a rental video).

The transmitter could be programmed to wait, say, four hours or so after the movie is viewed, at which time it would begin transmitting signals to a baby monitor, cordless phone, or other device in the home, with a pattern of audio and/or video signals that echo those in the movie.

beauxeault, Jan 13 2003

[link]






       Nice. Of course, there are some licensing implications; but nice, none the less. (+).
8th of 7, Jan 13 2003
  

       What a wonderfully sinister idea (+)
oneoffdave, Jan 13 2003
  

       This would also work well with the "watch this video and die" genre that seems to have popped up lately (e.g. "The Ring" and "feardotcom").
krelnik, Jan 13 2003
  

       Yipes!!!!!!!! Great idea, but I'd never be able to watch!
lnyav, Jan 13 2003
  

       All over the nation a message is heard:   

       "Hello, ma'am? My name is Carl, and I work for Blockbuster Video. I'm calling to say that we're so terribly sorry to hear of your recent loss. Mr. Smith was a regular patron of our store. By the way, could you return a video that he rented out last week?"
RayfordSteele, Jan 13 2003
  

       Croissant. Nice Idea.   

       On the subject of "The Ring", I implore anyone who hasn't already seen it to make sure to go out and avoid it like the plague. It's the direst, least coherent piece of utter hogwash it's ever been my misfortune to download an illegal copy of.   

       If I had actually paid to see it, I think I might well have died shortly afterwards.
CheeseFilteredCigarette, Jan 13 2003
  

       Be right back – I’m going out to rent Poltergeist. +
Shz, Jan 13 2003
  

       I thought of that [waugs], but decided it would be even creepier to hear it over a baby monitor.
Shz, Jan 14 2003
  

       What a creepy idea, beaux. But I think that you'd have to advertise this aspect of the product on the case. Otherwise there'll be little to distinguish this from someone who, say, makes threatening phone calls. Have a blood-soaked croissant in any event.

ps: I paid to go and see Independence Day when it came out. Now there's horror for you!
DrBob, Jan 14 2003
  

       I like this. It has great potential to be used on unsuspecting technophile family members.
Jinbish, Jan 14 2003
  

       Great Idea....hang on a minute. I've come back to this after an hour at lunch and my Palm seems to be emitting a strange noise... sound's like "boooozzooooooo" - what could it mean???
goff, Jan 14 2003
  

       I think the video shop near me did something like this. Whenever you rented Scream, they'd send a guy in a white mask round to lurk outside your window.
kropotkin, Jan 17 2003
  

       *Stealthily places a croissant in Beaux's home, and nearby electric devices begin making buzzing sounds*
Evil_Baron_Moustachio, Jan 17 2003
  

       I've decided not to rent "The Shining" or "The Fog" this weekend .....
8th of 7, Jan 17 2003
  

       political party broadcasts {{{{shudder}}}}
po, Jan 17 2003
  

       Croissant.   

       Only problem i can see is that you'd probably have to declare on the video box the use of such technology inside the video which would then spoil the scary surprise. Such is the overly sensitive legal minefield in which we live.
MrKangaroo, Oct 17 2003
  

       only problem? i cant give + twice!
nomadic_wonderer, Nov 14 2003
  

       Hopefully the signals can get through the RF shielding inside of the VCR. Which brings up a salient point: In the US at least, you might get in trouble with the FCC since this device may cause "harmful interference".   

       Also, in our modern world there's not as much demand for VHS. To get around this problem you'd have just a little smidge of trouble fitting the transmitter on a DVD disc. You could hide it in the DVD box maybe, just add a bit of bulk to the case. God knows Disney cases will still be the biggest. Hell that's probably why they're so huge, there's a transmitter in there already. Probably some mad Disney mind contr-
*blink*
What was I talking about?
MusicalKungFu, Nov 15 2003
  

       The video shop computer has your phone number - why not use it to call or SMS you plot-related messages?
BunsenHoneydew, Jan 03 2004
  
      
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