Destroy a Microphone
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Destroy a Microphone
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During Prime Days I was dumb and bought some Chinese lamp because it was on sale. I gotta say, it’s actually awesome — with the app I can change colors, styles, and so on, and I really like it.

The account creation already bugged me, although I think it was only needed for the first startup. I deleted the account since then. The app is in deep sleep on my phone with zero permissions except Bluetooth.

What really bothers me, though, is the built-in microphone for voice commands — on a lamp! I don’t want someone listening to me. It’s too late to send it back, and I actually want to keep it.

Until now, I’ve just unplugged it from the outlet every time I don’t use it, but that’s very tedious. So, is there an easier way to completely disable the microphone? Does putting tape over it completely mute it? Or would I have to take it apart and desolder it — which I’m probably too lazy, impatient, and inexperienced to do? So is there maybe a smarter or brute force way to do it? im paranoid i dont want my fucking lamp listening to me. sometime i even turn of mic and cam acsess on my phone.

Otter
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This is a valid concern with a lot of manufacturers. My gut says that Framework actually does what it says, but here is a discussion about it:

https://community.frame.work/t/how-do-the-camera-and-microphone-switches-work/4271

As far as I can tell each switch is a U channel with a light emitter on one side, and a detector on the other. The part you move on the bezel just breaks the light beam. This creates a electronic on/off hardware switch.

Using an actual physical switch would tend to be a source of an intermittent connection over time. Hence the use of optical technology. Same thought process for the screen open switch being a Hall Effect sensor, which can work through a cover.

Both of these switches are optical switches where a vane will block the light from one side to a phototransistor on the other side. The photo transistor will then cut power to the camera circuit, or switch the mic data output from the mic to a dummy output that generates silence.

The webcam light is also hardware for once. A lot of laptops do it with software, where people complain the camera turning on without the light being on. Framework shouldn’t have that problem

The classic Technology Connections video: https://youtube.com/watch?v=m0mMF7GaIR0

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