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Exerpts from a board on a VCR virus
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(Captured from "The Conclave BBS", (509) 529-6499 in July 1990)
7-Jun-90 01:03 AM Subj: VCR Virus (R)
From: Sysop To: All
Well. have you boyz heard? The VCR Virus is finally here! The media department got a new Hitachi Vd enclosed in the box was a slip warning us about this little 'bug'. Seems it's one of those e SatVRs with the Motorola processor that handles the new indexing system. The index sync riesalnga an o te edge of the tape, and the processor will use this as markers to rewind/fast frwad t spcifc sotsforeditting purposes. At any rate, it's in this band that the virus tucks tsel. Oce sfelyinsie th VCR it transfers itself into some free space (inside the processor o whathave-ou) ad fees of mall mount of power used by the clock, lights, etc. As far as I've een abe to uderstad the nly viible sgn of his virus is a little bit of flicker/snow along thebottom ines onthe scren as i interfrs a bi with te indexing track. Also, I haven't heard exatly whatdamages he viruswill do,just tha it's ben found n some cassettes for the moment.
27-Jun-90 06:00 PM Subj: #6641 - VCR Virus
From: Cosysop To: Silhouette
If you put a tape into a VCR that does not have the processor (any VCR older than probably 2 years)ur screen will jump, no matter how you fine-tune it.
02-Jul-90 09:13 PM Subj: #6692 - VCR Virus
From: Mickey Gibson To: Sysop
Quite interresting, when you stop and think, 95% of all VHS and 8mm are using#the same microprocessmething that is code compatible. Yep, even my 3 year old Mitsibishi VHS is using a Hitachi cu ln fte Motorola 6905,6811 chips. When you stop and think, most VCRs, like mine, never shutdon hepoertoth cpu, and are battery backuped for at least 6 hours! Then when you stop and thnk,a vruscoud witeto he Eprom in the chip, all things are possible. All I know my machine wa oneof te fist t hav theextr track for knowing where it is, and also reads and writes code tothe HFi trck fo spee searhing ecordd sound. I wouldn't doubt that the Engineers left a backdor int the mchine o do sftwareenhancments nd testing before releasing them to the public. Tht wouldexplainsome th strang thingsthat hapened lst winter. Tape transports not working, notejectingthe tape and notbeing abe to setthe tracing. I ust of had that VCR apart 4 time in te last 6 onths tryng to fin out whatthe matte was, andthe CPU cntrols all of these! I will hve to lookat my servce manualsand the skmatics to ee if a vius could b the cause.
02-Jul-90 11:23 PM Subj: #6818 - VCR Virus
From: Sysop To: Mickey Gibson
Hmmmmmm. Mickey's made a good point with the microprocessors. Just on a whim you might want to hafriend of yours in NY check out the chips and a possibilty of that virus, I realize he's got ubVRbtif things are acting buggy...) At any rate I'd be interested in hearing if either of outun omthngup You've had a little more experience in these things than I have Mick. BTW I nd y fiens hve eenruning into a couple of small problems playing around with the departments ew ty. robaly rallynothng, ust some tempermental VCR's but we've found a few machines that blk atcassetes w brin homefrom he ne Hitachi. My older Emerson just locks up on a permenant puse ifI try nd pla a tap on it The oldsta just won't get the tracking adjusted where you cansee muc of anyhing. reg's VS sound like yu're litening to
the tape through soupcans connected with yarn. We figure it's just that they don't know how to handoutside track.
02-Jul-90 11:27 PM Subj: #6826 - VCR Virus
From: Sysop To: Sysop
You know, I think I might try checking on a way of stripping out that track. If you're running it hine that doesn't use the indexing and it sends the dumb ones for a loop, then why have it thr. ot ry any way, right?
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