OT: Electronic coded car locks

[N_Cook]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/theguardian/2009/oct/14/cats-vegetable-patch-repel
lent


How many cars would I have to zap with my car door opener to find another
one that it would work on? Or is every single car door zapper different?

After having my car serviced at my local garage I was given the wrong keys
when I went to collect the car. My remote control had no battery in it so at
my car I tried to unlock it with the key, which naturally didn't work.

Puzzled, I tried the remote control button and the lights flashed and the
door unlocked. So, in answer to Allen Bollands, I only had to try one car,
although it was the same make.

Terence Hall, Pendlebury

In theory, there is something like a one in a billion chance of opening
another car door (based on a 40-bit code, four transmitters and up to 256
levels of look-ahead in a pseudo-random generator to avoid
desynchronisation). My son used to have a Ford Focus. He parked next to
another Focus and when he pressed his zapper to open his doors he was quite
surprised when the doors of both cars opened.

Anne Watts, Birmingham

I was lucky to find a space in a crowded car park. As I zapped my car to
lock it I heard the locks on the neighbouring car spring open, and vice
versa - mine open, the other one locked. I played with this for a while, not
wondering about the statistical probability of such an occurrence but
wrestling with the moral question about which car to leave unlocked.

Lesley Hale, York


--
Diverse Devices, Southampton, England
electronic hints and repair briefs , schematics/manuals list on
http://home.graffiti.net/diverse:graffiti.net/

 

[baron]

N_Cook Inscribed thus:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/theguardian/2009/oct/14/cats-vegetable-patch-repel
lent


How many cars would I have to zap with my car door opener to find
another one that it would work on? Or is every single car door zapper
different?

After having my car serviced at my local garage I was given the wrong
keys when I went to collect the car. My remote control had no battery
in it so at my car I tried to unlock it with the key, which naturally
didn't work.

Puzzled, I tried the remote control button and the lights flashed and
the door unlocked. So, in answer to Allen Bollands, I only had to try
one car, although it was the same make.

Terence Hall, Pendlebury

In theory, there is something like a one in a billion chance of
opening another car door (based on a 40-bit code, four transmitters
and up to 256 levels of look-ahead in a pseudo-random generator to
avoid desynchronisation). My son used to have a Ford Focus. He parked
next to another Focus and when he pressed his zapper to open his doors
he was quite surprised when the doors of both cars opened.

Anne Watts, Birmingham

I was lucky to find a space in a crowded car park. As I zapped my car
to lock it I heard the locks on the neighbouring car spring open, and
vice versa - mine open, the other one locked. I played with this for a
while, not wondering about the statistical probability of such an
occurrence but wrestling with the moral question about which car to
leave unlocked.

Lesley Hale, York


--
Diverse Devices, Southampton, England
electronic hints and repair briefs , schematics/manuals list on
http://home.graffiti.net/diverse:graffiti.net/

This seems to be far more common than people think. I own a "Dagenham
Dustbin" and can unlock my neighbours car with my zapper but he can't
unlock mine !

--
Best Regards:
Baron.

 

[Ron]

baron wrote:

N_Cook Inscribed thus:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/theguardian/2009/oct/14/cats-vegetable-patch-repel
lent


How many cars would I have to zap with my car door opener to find
another one that it would work on? Or is every single car door zapper
different?

After having my car serviced at my local garage I was given the wrong
keys when I went to collect the car. My remote control had no battery
in it so at my car I tried to unlock it with the key, which naturally
didn't work.

Puzzled, I tried the remote control button and the lights flashed and
the door unlocked. So, in answer to Allen Bollands, I only had to try
one car, although it was the same make.

Terence Hall, Pendlebury

In theory, there is something like a one in a billion chance of
opening another car door (based on a 40-bit code, four transmitters
and up to 256 levels of look-ahead in a pseudo-random generator to
avoid desynchronisation). My son used to have a Ford Focus. He parked
next to another Focus and when he pressed his zapper to open his doors
he was quite surprised when the doors of both cars opened.

Anne Watts, Birmingham

I was lucky to find a space in a crowded car park. As I zapped my car
to lock it I heard the locks on the neighbouring car spring open, and
vice versa - mine open, the other one locked. I played with this for a
while, not wondering about the statistical probability of such an
occurrence but wrestling with the moral question about which car to
leave unlocked.

Lesley Hale, York


--
Diverse Devices, Southampton, England
electronic hints and repair briefs , schematics/manuals list on
http://home.graffiti.net/diverse:graffiti.net/

This seems to be far more common than people think. I own a "Dagenham
Dustbin" and can unlock my neighbours car with my zapper but he can't
unlock mine !

And you can unlock many cars remotely using a mobile phone.
If you have a spare zapper at home and get someone to operate that
zapper close to their phone whilst holding your phone near the lock, it
will open.

Ron

 

[baron]

Ron Inscribed thus:

baron wrote:
N_Cook Inscribed thus:


http://www.guardian.co.uk/theguardian/2009/oct/14/cats-vegetable-patch-repel
lent


How many cars would I have to zap with my car door opener to find
another one that it would work on? Or is every single car door
zapper different?

After having my car serviced at my local garage I was given the
wrong keys when I went to collect the car. My remote control had no
battery in it so at my car I tried to unlock it with the key, which
naturally didn't work.

Puzzled, I tried the remote control button and the lights flashed
and the door unlocked. So, in answer to Allen Bollands, I only had
to try one car, although it was the same make.

Terence Hall, Pendlebury

In theory, there is something like a one in a billion chance of
opening another car door (based on a 40-bit code, four transmitters
and up to 256 levels of look-ahead in a pseudo-random generator to
avoid desynchronisation). My son used to have a Ford Focus. He
parked next to another Focus and when he pressed his zapper to open
his doors he was quite surprised when the doors of both cars opened.

Anne Watts, Birmingham

I was lucky to find a space in a crowded car park. As I zapped my
car to lock it I heard the locks on the neighbouring car spring
open, and vice versa - mine open, the other one locked. I played
with this for a while, not wondering about the statistical
probability of such an occurrence but wrestling with the moral
question about which car to leave unlocked.

Lesley Hale, York


--
Diverse Devices, Southampton, England
electronic hints and repair briefs , schematics/manuals list on
http://home.graffiti.net/diverse:graffiti.net/

This seems to be far more common than people think. I own a
"Dagenham Dustbin" and can unlock my neighbours car with my zapper
but he can't unlock mine !


And you can unlock many cars remotely using a mobile phone.
If you have a spare zapper at home and get someone to operate that
zapper close to their phone whilst holding your phone near the lock,
it will open.

Ron

Mmm. I wasn't aware of that one ! I'll have to try that.

--
Best Regards:
Baron.

 

[PeterD]

On Thu, 15 Oct 2009 10:19:56 +0100, "N_Cook" <diverse@tcp.co.uk>
wrote:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/theguardian/2009/oct/14/cats-vegetable-patch-repel
lent


How many cars would I have to zap with my car door opener to find another
one that it would work on? Or is every single car door zapper different?

After having my car serviced at my local garage I was given the wrong keys
when I went to collect the car. My remote control had no battery in it so at
my car I tried to unlock it with the key, which naturally didn't work.

Puzzled, I tried the remote control button and the lights flashed and the
door unlocked. So, in answer to Allen Bollands, I only had to try one car,
although it was the same make.

And the repair shop (garage) accidently programmed the car to the
remote thinking they had broken it! No magic, just a typical repair
shop mistake. Once they realized they had the wrong set of keys, then
they forgot to reset the remote entry on the car.


>

 

[PeterD]

On Thu, 15 Oct 2009 11:38:09 +0100, baron
<baron.nospam@linuxmaniac.nospam.net> wrote:

Ron Inscribed thus:


And you can unlock many cars remotely using a mobile phone.
If you have a spare zapper at home and get someone to operate that
zapper close to their phone whilst holding your phone near the lock,
it will open.

Ron

Mmm. I wasn't aware of that one ! I'll have to try that.

A common urban legend... Try it, and report back your success. (Cell
phones typically work in a different band than the car fob...)

 

[Ron]

PeterD wrote:

On Thu, 15 Oct 2009 11:38:09 +0100, baron
baron.nospam@linuxmaniac.nospam.net> wrote:

Ron Inscribed thus:


And you can unlock many cars remotely using a mobile phone.
If you have a spare zapper at home and get someone to operate that
zapper close to their phone whilst holding your phone near the lock,
it will open.

Ron
Mmm. I wasn't aware of that one ! I'll have to try that.

A common urban legend... Try it, and report back your success. (Cell
phones typically work in a different band than the car fob...)

It works, I`ve tried it

Ron

 

[baron]

PeterD Inscribed thus:

On Thu, 15 Oct 2009 11:38:09 +0100, baron
baron.nospam@linuxmaniac.nospam.net> wrote:

Ron Inscribed thus:


And you can unlock many cars remotely using a mobile phone.
If you have a spare zapper at home and get someone to operate that
zapper close to their phone whilst holding your phone near the lock,
it will open.

Ron

Mmm. I wasn't aware of that one ! I'll have to try that.

A common urban legend... Try it, and report back your success. (Cell
phones typically work in a different band than the car fob...)

Thanks ! I suspected something like that.
I can hear the tweet from the zapper around 433.3Mhz on the 70cms rig.

--
Best Regards:
Baron.

 

[William Sommerwerck]

It works, I`ve tried it.

Okay. Please name the car model, the cell phone model, and the remote
control you used.

 

[Ron]

William Sommerwerck wrote:

It works, I`ve tried it.

Okay. Please name the car model, the cell phone model, and the remote
control you used.

Vauxhall Zafira and Vauxhall Astra. My mobile was a Nokia, can`t
remember the model, I haven't got it anymore, 3210 sound about right? I
don't know what my sons mobile was. We tried it several times at various
distances up to several hundred yards, well out of range of the cars
keyfob which was indoors anyway. The 'remote control' as you put it was
obviously the ones which came with the cars!

The same set up also resets the alarm of wife's Volvo 945 (has central
locking but not remote, the keyfob justs disables the alarm)

I don't know how it works, but in some cases it does.

Ron(UK)

 

[N_Cook]

Ron <ron@lunevalleyaudio.com> wrote in message
news:3MSdnceT7Lvy1UrXnZ2dnUVZ8g-dnZ2d@bt.com...

William Sommerwerck wrote:
It works, I`ve tried it.

Okay. Please name the car model, the cell phone model, and the remote
control you used.



Vauxhall Zafira and Vauxhall Astra. My mobile was a Nokia, can`t
remember the model, I haven't got it anymore, 3210 sound about right? I
don't know what my sons mobile was. We tried it several times at various
distances up to several hundred yards, well out of range of the cars
keyfob which was indoors anyway. The 'remote control' as you put it was
obviously the ones which came with the cars!

The same set up also resets the alarm of wife's Volvo 945 (has central
locking but not remote, the keyfob justs disables the alarm)

I don't know how it works, but in some cases it does.

Ron(UK)

So let me get this straight. Someone somewhere else in the world uses a
mobile phone to phone you. He uses a keyfob (to a car of the same make as
yours) near his phone, in conversation mode, and you place your cell phone
close to your car.


--
Diverse Devices, Southampton, England
electronic hints and repair briefs , schematics/manuals list on
http://home.graffiti.net/diverse:graffiti.net/

 

[Ron]

N_Cook wrote:

Ron <ron@lunevalleyaudio.com> wrote in message
news:3MSdnceT7Lvy1UrXnZ2dnUVZ8g-dnZ2d@bt.com...
William Sommerwerck wrote:
It works, I`ve tried it.
Okay. Please name the car model, the cell phone model, and the remote
control you used.


Vauxhall Zafira and Vauxhall Astra. My mobile was a Nokia, can`t
remember the model, I haven't got it anymore, 3210 sound about right? I
don't know what my sons mobile was. We tried it several times at various
distances up to several hundred yards, well out of range of the cars
keyfob which was indoors anyway. The 'remote control' as you put it was
obviously the ones which came with the cars!

The same set up also resets the alarm of wife's Volvo 945 (has central
locking but not remote, the keyfob justs disables the alarm)

I don't know how it works, but in some cases it does.

Ron(UK)


So let me get this straight. Someone somewhere else in the world uses a
mobile phone to phone you. He uses a keyfob (to a car of the same make as
yours) near his phone, in conversation mode, and you place your cell phone
close to your car.

No, it has to be the correct keyfob for the car - the spare one.

I don't know what maximum distance it works over - I doubt country to
country but certainly for us it worked over maybe 250 yards - no reason
it shouldn't be further unless repeaters affect it. We were on two
different networks, so maybe not.

Ron

 

[Jim Yanik]

"N_Cook" <diverse@tcp.co.uk> wrote in
news:hb7jnc$r3t$1@news.eternal-september.org:

Ron <ron@lunevalleyaudio.com> wrote in message
news:3MSdnceT7Lvy1UrXnZ2dnUVZ8g-dnZ2d@bt.com...
William Sommerwerck wrote:
It works, I`ve tried it.

Okay. Please name the car model, the cell phone model, and the
remote control you used.



Vauxhall Zafira and Vauxhall Astra. My mobile was a Nokia, can`t
remember the model, I haven't got it anymore, 3210 sound about
right? I don't know what my sons mobile was. We tried it several
times at various distances up to several hundred yards, well out of
range of the cars keyfob which was indoors anyway. The 'remote
control' as you put it was obviously the ones which came with the
cars!

The same set up also resets the alarm of wife's Volvo 945 (has
central locking but not remote, the keyfob justs disables the alarm)

I don't know how it works, but in some cases it does.

Ron(UK)


So let me get this straight. Someone somewhere else in the world uses
a mobile phone to phone you. He uses a keyfob (to a car of the same
make as yours) near his phone, in conversation mode, and you place
your cell phone close to your car.


--
Diverse Devices, Southampton, England
electronic hints and repair briefs , schematics/manuals list on
http://home.graffiti.net/diverse:graffiti.net/

the car door remotes are 300 Mhz RF devices(and code-hopping),I don't see
how that would transmit thru a cellphone.

--
Jim Yanik
jyanik
at
localnet
dot com

 

[Ron]

Jim Yanik wrote:

"N_Cook" <diverse@tcp.co.uk> wrote in
news:hb7jnc$r3t$1@news.eternal-september.org:

Ron <ron@lunevalleyaudio.com> wrote in message
news:3MSdnceT7Lvy1UrXnZ2dnUVZ8g-dnZ2d@bt.com...
William Sommerwerck wrote:
It works, I`ve tried it.
Okay. Please name the car model, the cell phone model, and the
remote control you used.


Vauxhall Zafira and Vauxhall Astra. My mobile was a Nokia, can`t
remember the model, I haven't got it anymore, 3210 sound about
right? I don't know what my sons mobile was. We tried it several
times at various distances up to several hundred yards, well out of
range of the cars keyfob which was indoors anyway. The 'remote
control' as you put it was obviously the ones which came with the
cars!

The same set up also resets the alarm of wife's Volvo 945 (has
central locking but not remote, the keyfob justs disables the alarm)

I don't know how it works, but in some cases it does.

Ron(UK)

So let me get this straight. Someone somewhere else in the world uses
a mobile phone to phone you. He uses a keyfob (to a car of the same
make as yours) near his phone, in conversation mode, and you place
your cell phone close to your car.


--
Diverse Devices, Southampton, England
electronic hints and repair briefs , schematics/manuals list on
http://home.graffiti.net/diverse:graffiti.net/




the car door remotes are 300 Mhz RF devices(and code-hopping),I don't see
how that would transmit thru a cellphone.

Neither do I, but in my case it does work, I`ve proved it, and I was
sceptical when I first heard of it. No doubt it doesnt work with all
cars, but certainly with Vauxhalls. Try it for yourself.

Ron

 

[Mike Paff]

On Thu, 15 Oct 2009 18:56:15 +0100, Ron <ron@lunevalleyaudio.com>
wrote:

Jim Yanik wrote:
"N_Cook" <diverse@tcp.co.uk> wrote in
news:hb7jnc$r3t$1@news.eternal-september.org:

Ron <ron@lunevalleyaudio.com> wrote in message
news:3MSdnceT7Lvy1UrXnZ2dnUVZ8g-dnZ2d@bt.com...
William Sommerwerck wrote:
It works, I`ve tried it.
Okay. Please name the car model, the cell phone model, and the
remote control you used.


Vauxhall Zafira and Vauxhall Astra. My mobile was a Nokia, can`t
remember the model, I haven't got it anymore, 3210 sound about
right? I don't know what my sons mobile was. We tried it several
times at various distances up to several hundred yards, well out of
range of the cars keyfob which was indoors anyway. The 'remote
control' as you put it was obviously the ones which came with the
cars!

The same set up also resets the alarm of wife's Volvo 945 (has
central locking but not remote, the keyfob justs disables the alarm)

I don't know how it works, but in some cases it does.

Ron(UK)

So let me get this straight. Someone somewhere else in the world uses
a mobile phone to phone you. He uses a keyfob (to a car of the same
make as yours) near his phone, in conversation mode, and you place
your cell phone close to your car.


--
Diverse Devices, Southampton, England
electronic hints and repair briefs , schematics/manuals list on
http://home.graffiti.net/diverse:graffiti.net/




the car door remotes are 300 Mhz RF devices(and code-hopping),I don't see
how that would transmit thru a cellphone.


Neither do I, but in my case it does work, I`ve proved it, and I was
sceptical when I first heard of it. No doubt it doesnt work with all
cars, but certainly with Vauxhalls. Try it for yourself.

Ron

Sounds like this is something to send to Mythbusters and let them
try it out.

 

[Martin Whybrow]

"Mike Paff" <paffm@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:liped55t6s6p3p49c6qjmbv33evbuu6k81@4ax.com...

On Thu, 15 Oct 2009 18:56:15 +0100, Ron <ron@lunevalleyaudio.com
wrote:

Jim Yanik wrote:
"N_Cook" <diverse@tcp.co.uk> wrote in
news:hb7jnc$r3t$1@news.eternal-september.org:

Ron <ron@lunevalleyaudio.com> wrote in message
news:3MSdnceT7Lvy1UrXnZ2dnUVZ8g-dnZ2d@bt.com...
William Sommerwerck wrote:
It works, I`ve tried it.
Okay. Please name the car model, the cell phone model, and the
remote control you used.


Vauxhall Zafira and Vauxhall Astra. My mobile was a Nokia, can`t
remember the model, I haven't got it anymore, 3210 sound about
right? I don't know what my sons mobile was. We tried it several
times at various distances up to several hundred yards, well out of
range of the cars keyfob which was indoors anyway. The 'remote
control' as you put it was obviously the ones which came with the
cars!

The same set up also resets the alarm of wife's Volvo 945 (has
central locking but not remote, the keyfob justs disables the alarm)

I don't know how it works, but in some cases it does.

Ron(UK)

So let me get this straight. Someone somewhere else in the world uses
a mobile phone to phone you. He uses a keyfob (to a car of the same
make as yours) near his phone, in conversation mode, and you place
your cell phone close to your car.


--
Diverse Devices, Southampton, England
electronic hints and repair briefs , schematics/manuals list on
http://home.graffiti.net/diverse:graffiti.net/




the car door remotes are 300 Mhz RF devices(and code-hopping),I don't
see
how that would transmit thru a cellphone.


Neither do I, but in my case it does work, I`ve proved it, and I was
sceptical when I first heard of it. No doubt it doesnt work with all
cars, but certainly with Vauxhalls. Try it for yourself.

Ron

Sounds like this is something to send to Mythbusters and let them
try it out.
Either Mythbusters or a similar UK program disproved this a couple of years

ago.
Martin
--
martin<dot here>whybrow<at here>ntlworld<dot here>com

 

[Ron]

Mike Paff wrote:

On Thu, 15 Oct 2009 18:56:15 +0100, Ron <ron@lunevalleyaudio.com
wrote:

Jim Yanik wrote:
"N_Cook" <diverse@tcp.co.uk> wrote in
news:hb7jnc$r3t$1@news.eternal-september.org:

Ron <ron@lunevalleyaudio.com> wrote in message
news:3MSdnceT7Lvy1UrXnZ2dnUVZ8g-dnZ2d@bt.com...
William Sommerwerck wrote:
It works, I`ve tried it.
Okay. Please name the car model, the cell phone model, and the
remote control you used.


Vauxhall Zafira and Vauxhall Astra. My mobile was a Nokia, can`t
remember the model, I haven't got it anymore, 3210 sound about
right? I don't know what my sons mobile was. We tried it several
times at various distances up to several hundred yards, well out of
range of the cars keyfob which was indoors anyway. The 'remote
control' as you put it was obviously the ones which came with the
cars!

The same set up also resets the alarm of wife's Volvo 945 (has
central locking but not remote, the keyfob justs disables the alarm)

I don't know how it works, but in some cases it does.

Ron(UK)
So let me get this straight. Someone somewhere else in the world uses
a mobile phone to phone you. He uses a keyfob (to a car of the same
make as yours) near his phone, in conversation mode, and you place
your cell phone close to your car.


--
Diverse Devices, Southampton, England
electronic hints and repair briefs , schematics/manuals list on
http://home.graffiti.net/diverse:graffiti.net/



the car door remotes are 300 Mhz RF devices(and code-hopping),I don't see
how that would transmit thru a cellphone.

Neither do I, but in my case it does work, I`ve proved it, and I was
sceptical when I first heard of it. No doubt it doesnt work with all
cars, but certainly with Vauxhalls. Try it for yourself.

Ron

Sounds like this is something to send to Mythbusters and let them
try it out.

Try it for yourself

 

[N_Cook]

Ron <ron@lunevalleyaudio.com> wrote in message
news:RNadnUDEI-ItyErXnZ2dnUVZ8l6dnZ2d@bt.com...

N_Cook wrote:
Ron <ron@lunevalleyaudio.com> wrote in message
news:3MSdnceT7Lvy1UrXnZ2dnUVZ8g-dnZ2d@bt.com...
William Sommerwerck wrote:
It works, I`ve tried it.
Okay. Please name the car model, the cell phone model, and the remote
control you used.


Vauxhall Zafira and Vauxhall Astra. My mobile was a Nokia, can`t
remember the model, I haven't got it anymore, 3210 sound about right?
I
don't know what my sons mobile was. We tried it several times at
various
distances up to several hundred yards, well out of range of the cars
keyfob which was indoors anyway. The 'remote control' as you put it was
obviously the ones which came with the cars!

The same set up also resets the alarm of wife's Volvo 945 (has central
locking but not remote, the keyfob justs disables the alarm)

I don't know how it works, but in some cases it does.

Ron(UK)


So let me get this straight. Someone somewhere else in the world uses a
mobile phone to phone you. He uses a keyfob (to a car of the same make
as
yours) near his phone, in conversation mode, and you place your cell
phone
close to your car.



No, it has to be the correct keyfob for the car - the spare one.

I don't know what maximum distance it works over - I doubt country to
country but certainly for us it worked over maybe 250 yards - no reason
it shouldn't be further unless repeaters affect it. We were on two
different networks, so maybe not.

Ron

So what happens if you try a totally unmodified IR remote control near a
cell/mobile? any break through. Nothing I should think but you never know.
They sometimes break through into an AM radio if very nearby.
I'm thinking of the situation of those non-so-called universal remotes ,
someone somewhere has an original maker's one and you have a learning mode
one.

--
Diverse Devices, Southampton, England
electronic hints and repair briefs , schematics/manuals list on
http://home.graffiti.net/diverse:graffiti.net/

 

[Ron]

N_Cook wrote:

Ron <ron@lunevalleyaudio.com> wrote in message
news:RNadnUDEI-ItyErXnZ2dnUVZ8l6dnZ2d@bt.com...
N_Cook wrote:
Ron <ron@lunevalleyaudio.com> wrote in message
news:3MSdnceT7Lvy1UrXnZ2dnUVZ8g-dnZ2d@bt.com...
William Sommerwerck wrote:
It works, I`ve tried it.
Okay. Please name the car model, the cell phone model, and the remote
control you used.


Vauxhall Zafira and Vauxhall Astra. My mobile was a Nokia, can`t
remember the model, I haven't got it anymore, 3210 sound about right?
I
don't know what my sons mobile was. We tried it several times at
various
distances up to several hundred yards, well out of range of the cars
keyfob which was indoors anyway. The 'remote control' as you put it was
obviously the ones which came with the cars!

The same set up also resets the alarm of wife's Volvo 945 (has central
locking but not remote, the keyfob justs disables the alarm)

I don't know how it works, but in some cases it does.

Ron(UK)

So let me get this straight. Someone somewhere else in the world uses a
mobile phone to phone you. He uses a keyfob (to a car of the same make
as
yours) near his phone, in conversation mode, and you place your cell
phone
close to your car.


No, it has to be the correct keyfob for the car - the spare one.

I don't know what maximum distance it works over - I doubt country to
country but certainly for us it worked over maybe 250 yards - no reason
it shouldn't be further unless repeaters affect it. We were on two
different networks, so maybe not.

Ron


So what happens if you try a totally unmodified IR remote control near a
cell/mobile? any break through. Nothing I should think but you never know.
They sometimes break through into an AM radio if very nearby.
I'm thinking of the situation of those non-so-called universal remotes ,
someone somewhere has an original maker's one and you have a learning mode
one.

I don't see why it should work, but strange things happen. the simple
answer is, try it. Don't some mobiles have infra red data ports?

Ron

 

[Sylvia Else]

N_Cook wrote:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/theguardian/2009/oct/14/cats-vegetable-patch-repel
lent


How many cars would I have to zap with my car door opener to find another
one that it would work on? Or is every single car door zapper different?

After having my car serviced at my local garage I was given the wrong keys
when I went to collect the car. My remote control had no battery in it so at
my car I tried to unlock it with the key, which naturally didn't work.

Puzzled, I tried the remote control button and the lights flashed and the
door unlocked. So, in answer to Allen Bollands, I only had to try one car,
although it was the same make.

Terence Hall, Pendlebury

In theory, there is something like a one in a billion chance of opening
another car door (based on a 40-bit code, four transmitters and up to 256
levels of look-ahead in a pseudo-random generator to avoid
desynchronisation). My son used to have a Ford Focus. He parked next to
another Focus and when he pressed his zapper to open his doors he was quite
surprised when the doors of both cars opened.

Anne Watts, Birmingham

I was lucky to find a space in a crowded car park. As I zapped my car to
lock it I heard the locks on the neighbouring car spring open, and vice
versa - mine open, the other one locked. I played with this for a while, not
wondering about the statistical probability of such an occurrence but
wrestling with the moral question about which car to leave unlocked.

Lesley Hale, York


--
Diverse Devices, Southampton, England
electronic hints and repair briefs , schematics/manuals list on
http://home.graffiti.net/diverse:graffiti.net/

Well, take 8 bits for the lookahead off the 40 bit code, and you're left
with 32 bits, which gives you a 1 in 4 billion chance, near enough, or
having a code in common with another vehicle, if it uses the same protocol.

But you may park near several cars, and do so hundreds of times a year.
and there are millions of other people doing the same, so the odds of
someone encountering this are not so small.

Sylvia.