Anybody here use a hidden camera/bug detector? - General Discussion Discussion

[–] Redsfan001 (6144) 4 years ago

Maybe I'll get an ad on this site for one now.

I think it will help with my paranoia.

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[–] CharlotteXavier (2357) 4 years ago

That was so helpful. You’re the best.

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[–] sslssg (34211) 4 years ago

There are apps for smart phones that are supposed to work for cameras. I haven't used any so I'm not really any help. Sorry.

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[–] CharlotteXavier (2357) 4 years ago

Yes, I saw some of those and they looked really scammy fro the reviews and are supposedly not as good as the devices.

There are just so many and the cheap ones all seem to be pretty junky.

I need it for something important, it’s not paranoia lol.

Consumer Reports is supposed to be reliable for reviews but they make you pay to subscribe.

Hey, that is maybe something I can get from the public library for free!

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[–] Jourina (69) 4 years ago

People really need a better understanding of basic technology, I remember explaining to a kid in my EE class that his AM Radio app just streams local radio over the internet, it doesn't actually turn his phone into a radio receiver. See, we were building a 5W AM broadcaster and he pulled out his phone claiming it could work as the radio receiver for testing.

In short, there is absolutely nothing you can do to change a cellphone into a reliable detector short of attaching external hardware to the phone... no matter how often people say "there is an app for that" you cannot overcome the hardware limitations without expanding on the phone.

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[–] sslssg (34211) 4 years ago

Like I said, apparently there are apps for that. I've never used one, but from what I understand, they can work because cameras emit infrared rays which can be detected using the lens of another camera. Like the one on your cell phone. So they can work in a rudimentary way, but they wouldn't be able to detect radio frequencies. I wouldn't bank on them, but to say that there is no way, it isn't exactly true.

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[–] Jourina (69) 4 years ago

Like I said, it's a bunch of bullshit that uneducated people believe. Cameras do not emit IR.

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[–] sslssg (34211) 4 years ago

No need to get rude, I'm just going by what I've read.

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[–] Redsfan001 (6144) 4 years ago

What I am saying is, your Google search and your inquiry here will eventually lead to pop-up ads.

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[–] CharlotteXavier (2357) 4 years ago

Oh i see, haha! Have you?

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[–] sslssg (34211) 4 years ago

If you've searched for it, you probably will.

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[–] Quasimodo (16388) 4 years ago

I bought one once and it was a piece of crap. I ended up just using a normal video camera with a big battery to extend the recording time.

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[–] CharlotteXavier (2357) 4 years ago

> I bought one once and it was a piece of crap.

I can believe that. They all seem really junky according to the reviews, even the expensive ones.

> I ended up just using a normal video camera with a big battery to extend the recording time.

What did you use the video camera for? To detect hidden cameras? That’s what I’m looking for. How did you do that?

Even if they did work just great, they all flash really bright red LED lights and if someone has you on camera and they’re watching, they’ll see you scoping for cameras, lol.

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[–] Quasimodo (16388) 4 years ago

Well I don't know how you would detect hidden cameras if they're not broadcasting a signal. I use the video camera for surveillance on my place when I'm not home. I wanted the small one to use like a cop's body camera but as I say it was useless junk.

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[–] CharlotteXavier (2357) 4 years ago

I see. I’m actually looking for the cameras that are recording me and my family.

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[–] Quasimodo (16388) 4 years ago

I'm not an expert but short of peering at every inch of your house through a magnifying glass I can't think of anything. You could try getting a "professional" to do an "electronic sweep" or something but how would you know if they actually did it properly ?

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[–] CharlotteXavier (2357) 4 years ago

Exactly. We wouldn’t know if it was a proper sweep as we aren’t experts either lol.

That’s why we thought we’d look into purchasing a device that can do it but it’s impossible to know which one works without some word of mouth referrals.

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[–] CharlotteXavier (2357) 4 years ago

They find cameras by looking for lenses. With certain equipment you can sweep am area and you’ll see where they are.

Supposedly you can do it with your smartphone camera flash, or even a flashlight but it’s painstaking and we haven’t been successful although we know for a fact that there are cameras there.

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[–] Quasimodo (16388) 4 years ago

Who do you think is spying on you and for what reason ? Don't answer if you don't want to.

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[–] CharlotteXavier (2357) 4 years ago

We exchange homes with friends and family members and in one of them we know, based on conversations, (they’ve mentioned things they could only know by the watching us - not the brightest bulbs these folks, lol) that there are cameras and we want to make sure there are no cameras in inappropriate rooms/places.

It’s a deal breaker for us on continuing our relationship with them.

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[–] froggyandtoady (328) 4 years ago

That's terrible Charlotte. How were they able to install cameras where they could watch you?

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[–] CharlotteXavier (2357) 4 years ago

It’s their house.

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[–] froggyandtoady (328) 4 years ago

Sorry, skipped over that part. That's a terrible betrayal. Definite dealbreaker.

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[–] CharlotteXavier (2357) 4 years ago

Yeah, I mean, I understand having cameras but a) they should have told us and b) they shouldn’t be using them to watch us for no good reason. Makes me wonder about them and how far they’ll go etc.

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[–] froggyandtoady (328) 4 years ago

I understand. Complete lack of respect. What good reason would they have to do that. Creepy.

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[–] CharlotteXavier (2357) 4 years ago

You said it. Creepy.

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[–] Quasimodo (16388) 4 years ago

That is not a nice situation to be in. I think I'd be looking at moving house.

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[–] CharlotteXavier (2357) 4 years ago

Right but before we do we want to see if they have cameras where they’re not supposed to have them.

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[–] Quasimodo (16388) 4 years ago

I understand. Good luck with it.

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[–] CharlotteXavier (2357) 4 years ago

Thanks!

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[–] Jourina (69) 4 years ago

Where did you hear that? One of those apps that claim they magically detect bugs when all they do is drain your wallet?

While yes, a glass lens would reflect (they often use coating to reduce reflections), you realize plastic works as well, or you could even do a pinhole camera. If someone WANTS to hide a camera they can hide a camera very well. There is no easy or 'painstaking but easy' way to detect them.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NjUTzGaWvoM

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[–] [deleted] 4 years ago

no

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[–] AndyKing1967 (38068) 4 years ago

Believe it or not, I have a friend who is a private eye and I’m having lunch with him tomorrow. I’ll ask him and see what he says.

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[–] CharlotteXavier (2357) 4 years ago

I believe it if you say so. I’d love to hear his opinion.

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[–] AndyKing1967 (38068) 4 years ago

So, he said that this would do the trick, without breaking the bank: -
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07S4GW9YW/ref=as_li_ss_tl?SubscriptionId=AKIAJO7E5OLQ67NVPFZA&ascsubtag=696343911-311-204928484.1598692329&tag=best_reviews_uk_1-21

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[–] CharlotteXavier (2357) 4 years ago

Thanks. I’ve seen lots of those types.

One thing I’ve noticed about them is that you have to turn off your electronics and stuff or it will pick it up.

We really just want a camera finder, but as someone already mentioned, they can be very tiny and well hidden.

Thanks for checking with your friend!

I’ll check that product out. :)

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[–] Jourina (69) 4 years ago

Well, the reason you're having a hard time is because what you're looking for is mostly a hollywood invention.

You can detect radio transmissions with a frequency detector... but what frequency the bug operates at is unknown. So you could limit yourself by checking only around 2.4 GHz but that excludes bugs that may be operating in standard radio bandwidths. In short, to fully test you need a handheld analyzer so you can go around waving a directional antenna to see if you get any spikes across a large range of frequencies.

But guess what... most electrical devices give off some amount of EM so even your toaster would cause a spike if you put it sensitive enough.

https://www.keysight.com/en/pcx-x205201/fieldfox-handheld-rf-and-microwave-analyzers?cc=US&lc=eng

This gets to be a pretty fun problem too, because you COULD have a wireless bug that has memory (thus allowing it to send out periodic transmissions instead of continuous)... hollywood really does make finding these things seem wicked easy, don't they?

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[–] CharlotteXavier (2357) 4 years ago

So what would you do to detect the cameras? We don’t have 5+ G’s to drop on this.

We’re not so concerned about audio, our main concern are cameras.

The only Hollywood camera/bug sweep I can recall ever seeing was in Burn Notice. He just manually checked everything obvious, focusing on mantel top items.

That seems to be the most obvious way to start. That, and using what we know about things they’ve mentioned that they could only know by watching us and where we were when they saw us.

The pinhole camera in the screw is a good idea, but where would you put it for example, where it wouldn’t be just a random, oddly placed screw?

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[–] brux (14724) 4 years ago

There are devices that send out laser light that will reflect off lenses that can detect cameras in things like clocks, or electrical receptacles, in the walls, etc.

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[–] plusplus (467) 4 years ago

A software-defined-radio (SDR) can be used for wireless bug detection. Entry level starts with RTLSDRs < 10 bucks, reasonable frequency coverage around ~200. Noisier environments might require additional band-stop filters between SDR and antenna.

As for the software, Salamandra is an easier start than the more general-purpose (but way more powerful) GNU Radio.

And even better: There will be tinfoil!
Cheaper SDRs are not properly shielded. They won't get too hot when only receiving signals.
So if you like wrapping things in tinfoil, this is the setup for you :)

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[–] CharlotteXavier (2357) 4 years ago

Thanks! But that’s just for microphones isn’t it?

I’m mainly concerned about cameras.

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[–] plusplus (467) 4 years ago

No, it's for anything wireless. Cameras need more throughput, so it's easier to find their signals.
A peak in the spectrum analyzer is a peak, no matter if the payload contains audio, video, commands for a garage door, flight metadata, weather sat images, submarine positions, a mobile network or the key to your neighbor's car.

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[–] CharlotteXavier (2357) 4 years ago

Ok. I’ve pretty much given up on trying to find a device.

I was suspicious about them when I learned that Best Buy doesn’t carry them. Gave me the feeling that they are useless.

I do want to figure out how to spot them though, including outdoors.

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[–] ColumboKate (5678) 4 years ago

I bought a one inch cubed cam with motion sensor and night vision but it needs an sd card and I've not gotten around to buying one! Just wanted to see what the cat got up to when I'm at work lol

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[–] CharlotteXavier (2357) 4 years ago

Cute! I’m actually looking for a counter surveillance product to see where the hidden cameras are.

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[–] ColumboKate (5678) 4 years ago

sorry, I read it wrong. Good luck with your search. Let us know what you find.

Do you think someone is spying on you?

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[–] ColumboKate (5678) 4 years ago

Ive just read the thread. Creepy stuff 😳. Even your tv could have a hidden webcam. Hard to detect, if at all. Tbh, I'd just move as soon as you can if it's feasible. Stay safe 💜

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[–] CharlotteXavier (2357) 4 years ago

Thanks, good advice. But the problem is that these little cameras can be EVERYWHERE. Anyone who has access to any space can plant a cheap little battery powered camera and watch you. It’s awful.

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