this post was submitted on 28 May 2025

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How to deal with those annoying TVs blaring Fox News all day (sopuli.xyz)

submitted 5 days ago* (last edited 5 days ago) by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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Source: https://bsky.app/profile/funnysnarkyjoke.bsky.social/post/3lmkfwebeuc27

In fact you can use your smartphone to change the channel on nearly any TV. In the comments on that post some people talk about how to do it. Basically you need a smartphone with either builtin IR or use a USB-C IR blaster or if your phone has a 3.5mm headphone jack you can also try one of those but I'm not sure if the 3.5mm ones are as commonly supported.

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[–] [email protected] 33 points 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago) (2 children)

...isn't there a 3.5mm jack silencer you can buy? Searching now and I can't find it, but I could have sworn when I was in highschool (y'know, like 25 thousand years ago) you could order a bag of like 50 of them for like $10.

It was just a 3.5mm audio plug with matte black plastic cap on the end, so you'd plug it into a TV's headphone jack and some models of TVs would be permanently silenced until someone unplugged the cap, because it was sending its audio to the 'speakers' that were just plugged in. And once plugged in, it just looked like a screw cover cap - nothing protruding. But also didn't damage anything, so you couldn't get in any real trouble for doing it.

...am I just imagining shit? If anyone knows what I'm talking about and figure out the magic search terms to actually pull it up, please drop a link to a product that can be ordered.

Edit - for visibility, I posted this comment as its own thread over on Ask.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 4 days ago

That's so evil I love it

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[–] [email protected] 14 points 5 days ago

Me too, I call it a flipper 0. I can also skip songs on the jukebox at the bar, fear me.

[–] [email protected] 106 points 5 days ago (7 children)

In the early 2010s some flagship Android phones came with IR blasters built-in. You could turn off any TV anywhere, simply by pulling out your phone.

I miss the days when smartphones were fun.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 4 days ago

my xiaomi has one

[–] [email protected] 4 points 4 days ago

My Jelly Star (tiny cellphone) had an ir blaster. I had a lot of fun with it until the screen on it stopped working. It still is a decent phone, and I would consider getting another except the warranty process was kinda crap.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 5 days ago

It was really handy.

I had power, source selection, and volume controls for my TV as a widget on my homescreen.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 5 days ago

I pissed off so many people with this. 14 year old me had a lot of fun.

[–] [email protected] 25 points 5 days ago (4 children)

You can still get Androids with them. My phone has one. Only a year or two old.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 5 days ago (1 children)

I would but I made the mistake of giving a foldable a try (got myself a used Samsung Fold 4 for $400). I got too used to having a tablet in my pocket and now I can't go back.

Problem is that foldables are still niche and a fold with an IR blaster is even more niche. Doubt that any exist but I'd love to be proven wrong.

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[–] [email protected] 18 points 5 days ago

Samsung Android phones use to include an IR blaster. I use to install a universal remote app on my phone and change the channels anywhere Fox News was on and nobody could tell because nobody suspected the smart phone.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 5 days ago (2 children)

How do you know if your phone has built in IR?

[–] [email protected] 2 points 5 days ago* (last edited 5 days ago)

Check the specs or look for the blaster with another phone

edit: forgot that it's only visible when on, so just check the specs/apps

[–] [email protected] 10 points 5 days ago* (last edited 5 days ago)

GSMarena has specs for most smartphones including infrared (listed under connectivity).

Here's a link to a search showing all phones in their database with IR: https://www.gsmarena.com/results.php3?chkInfrared=selected note I haven't checked accuracy or completeness, it might be best to check the specs for your phone or search if your phone supports it.

If you got an old phone or an old PDA it might have IR if your current one doesn't.

[–] [email protected] 21 points 5 days ago (2 children)

This is the second best thing I do with my Flipper Zero after reading pet RFID chips

[–] [email protected] 7 points 5 days ago

I read about the Flipper Zero and it seems really awesome! I even saw some high power LEDs for it that could in theory change the channel from a long distance.

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[–] [email protected] 13 points 5 days ago* (last edited 5 days ago) (2 children)

I use the kit-built one of these: https://www.tvbgone.com/shop/ -- They gave a bunch of them away at the end of a makefaire I was a part of years ago.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 5 days ago (1 children)

The TV-B-Gone is really cool especially because it's so small but of course it just shuts off the TV. I've seen a few keychain sized universal remotes that have buttons.

I just wrote a comment in reply to someone suggesting unplugging the TV: https://lemm.ee/post/65246982/20771041

Basically it's nice that you get peace and quiet but turning it off is more noticeable.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 5 days ago

the tv-b-gone is more universal than a universal remote….
my favorite trick is going to one of those bars with 30 tv sets everywhere… although that’s just kind of neutral-evil

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[–] [email protected] 26 points 5 days ago* (last edited 57 minutes ago) (5 children)

spoiler

askldjfals;jflsad;

[–] [email protected] 10 points 5 days ago (1 children)

Wait, what happened in April and has changed again since?

[–] [email protected] 37 points 5 days ago* (last edited 56 minutes ago)

spoiler

askldjfals;jflsad;

[–] [email protected] 7 points 5 days ago (1 children)

That's really annoying. Do you think they'd notice you using your phone to change the station and possible remove Fox from the channel list? Is there windows in the building with the TVs? There are some high power IR blasters that might let you change it from outside.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 5 days ago* (last edited 57 minutes ago) (1 children)

spoiler

askldjfals;jflsad;

[–] [email protected] 2 points 5 days ago (1 children)

That's right but it doesn't necessarily mean that access is impossible, just need the codes for the box instead of the TV assuming it has an infrared sensor on the box.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 5 days ago* (last edited 57 minutes ago)

spoiler

askldjfals;jflsad;

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[–] [email protected] 66 points 5 days ago (1 children)

The middle school that I went to had a ~14" crt tv hanging from a sturdy ceiling mount in every classroom.

Displayed things like school bulletins and daily morning announcements, there was a couple educational channels, and a vcr input. Every now and again there'd be some sort of presentation instead of hauling everyone into the gym for a school assembly.

Anyway; it didn't take me very long to figure out the universal remote that came with the satellite receiver at home could be programmed to the school TVs. I'd mess with the one in class, or skip classes and mess with the ones in my friends classrooms through the windows; cranking up the volume and blasting Bill Nye or the announcement channels awful elevator music. Weekends, I'd do a lap of the school turning on all the TVs I could reach from outside and maxing the volume for whoever opens on Monday, or just turning them off again so it blares at whoever turns it on next.

[–] [email protected] 30 points 5 days ago (2 children)

You fucking menace. I love the chaotic energy lol. You pull any more stunts like that one?

[–] [email protected] 12 points 4 days ago (2 children)

Stick a piece of tape on the bottom of laser mice. It stops them from being able to detect motion.

Screenshot your buddies desktop, then save that image to the desktop. Set it as the desktop background. Now right click, select "view" i think, and click "show desktop icons". In theory, nothing should noticably change. But now you can no longer actually click on the icons on the desktop. To take it further, open task manager. Find "explorer.exe" and kill it. Now, you cant even right click to reshow desktop icons.

Easy fix to that is to reboot the computer, but you can also just reopen task manager, start a new process "explorer.exe", and then reshow desktop icons.

You can find a website that has fake versions of windows update screens. Load one of those, hit f11 to fullscreen your page, and enjoy as your friend waits for three hours at a bar that has only gone up 2%.

Open task scheduler. Add a new task. Set it to run every day at like 2 pm. Have it set volume to 3/4, then open firefox with the extra command "https://www.youtube.com/watch/dQw...." and you will have a great time.

For a more malicious prank, get a syringe. Fill it with raw egg. Inject this into the seats of some assholes car. Within two days, their car is not able to be sat in without the windows down, and even then it is horrible. They cannot figure out where the smell is coming from, and even if they do, they have to replace the seat. Optionally you can just throw a dead fish into their gutter, they wont find it for a couple days at least, and it will permanantly make their entire yard smell.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 4 days ago

The egg one... My god.. Remind me not to piss you off

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[–] [email protected] -1 points 5 days ago (1 children)

Pull the tab off of a pop can. Turn off the switch on the power bar that the teachers computer is plugged into. Unplug the computer, slip the pop can tab over the live+neutral prongs, plug it back into the still off power bar and wait.

The teacher goes to use their computer, finds it's not turning on and looks at the power bar.

Switch flips, 'BANG', scream, lights go out (breaker popped).

[–] [email protected] 17 points 4 days ago (2 children)

That escalated quickly.

"Hey, any more fun pranks?"

"Well here's how I got into arson"

[–] [email protected] 8 points 4 days ago (4 children)

Na, the aluminum acts as a fuse and breaks the circuit almost immediately. It makes a bright flash and a loud sound, but it's over in a second with no real harm.

That's not to say I'm recommending this at all, it's definitely a pretty stupid prank; just that it doesn't cause nearly as much damage as you might think.

Kids have lots of stupid ideas and saftey isn't exactly the first thing they consider...

At least I never heated the handles of the tool cabinets with the blow torch in shop class. Had two separate classmates pull that 'prank'.

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[–] [email protected] 4 points 5 days ago (2 children)

Easier to just unplug the TV.

[–] [email protected] 17 points 5 days ago* (last edited 5 days ago) (1 children)

There are pros and cons to that.

Advantage is of course you get peace and quiet like that. No TV might feel more relaxing.

Downside is someone might plug the TV in again which will turn it back on to Fox. Changing the channel means you can show unbiased news and maybe if for example you change the station to PBS, people will get educated. People might leave it on the channel you changed it to due to apathy. A TV that's off is more noticeable.

I'd recommend if it's possible especially if you're the only one in the room at the time consider going into the channel editor and removing Fox News and other propaganda stations from the channel list.

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[–] [email protected] 6 points 5 days ago (2 children)

This joke is super old...

I rember when airports, hospitals, government building all played Faux.

I haven't seen it out in the wild for like a decade at least tho, what places still actually leave it on in 2025?

[–] [email protected] 8 points 5 days ago (1 children)

Every time I stay at a suburban/rural American hotel they have Fox on in the dining area at breakfast. Last time was ~6 months ago in central California.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 5 days ago (1 children)

Crazy, didn't think it was still happening

[–] [email protected] 9 points 5 days ago* (last edited 5 days ago) (1 children)

Oh man, I worked at a hotel during overnight shift a few years ago, and the head desk lady would go apeshit if I turned the front lobby TV to CNN. She would throw the most childish fit you could imagine, it was so fun to poke at her. Every morning, even after she told me never to change the TV again, I'd change it. She'd hide the remote, I'd bring my own. She tried taping over the IR sensor, so I'd manually change it with the buttons on the side.

She died of cancer a few years after the hotel was turned into a nursing home.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 5 days ago

I guess it makes more sense when the low level worker gets to run it.

But I remember when Obama was president, VA hospitals would be playing it, but they stopped pre-trump and I've never seen it since

[–] [email protected] 3 points 5 days ago

SC here, last time at the work boots store 2 weeks ago

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