Identification puzzle

Lisa Lane-Collins

Lisa Lane-Collins

Sophomore
Dec 9, 2012
270
0
16
Adelaide, Australia
I've been recording the serial numbers of all my audio visual equipment. What do I do when the gear is so old the numbers have worn off? Can I make up a new one? (For police identification purposes, they only ask for serial numbers - something about dumbly entering data into computer data bases that can look for serial number matches but not descriptions).
 
Re: Identification puzzle

Lisa Lane-Collins said:
I've been recording the serial numbers of all my audio visual equipment. What do I do when the gear is so old the numbers have worn off? Can I make up a new one? (For police identification purposes, they only ask for serial numbers - something about dumbly entering data into computer data bases that can look for serial number matches but not descriptions).
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You can make "identification marks" that are easily seen on the FRONT of the unit. Such as take a small (1/16") drill bit and just start (DON'T DRILL THROUGH) to drill a little hole somewhere on the face-like say the top middle-upper corner etc.

Don't do it in a place that somebody would normally put label tape.

This method is REALLY good for seeing if it is your gear in somebody elses rack-without peering in the back and poking around.

Just walk up to them and "admire" their rack-and see if the little "spots" are there.

That way you can call the authorities and the owner would have no idea that you have identified your gear.

If you sell a piece that has that sort of marking-then simply add a second mark-beside it to tell you that you sold it.

Police will often ask for serial numbers or other identifying marks. My idea falls into the second category-and it is not a bad idea to do-even if you have the serial numbers.
 
Re: Identification puzzle

I like Ivan's idea, allowing you to discreetly look and identify your gear.

However what I use on both PA kit and instruments (where I can't afford to mark valuable items) is a pen only visible under UV light. These are given out for free by Police in the UK. However I learned quickly to not make marks on the exterior after playing a gig in a venue with UV lights, as the crowd could see my postcode scrawled in big messy letters all over my newly-painted matt black electric violin!
 
Re: Identification puzzle

I'm all over the surreptitious highly visible marking :-D (yay yay show and tell)

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I'm like a child with stickers, except it's an engraver, and I've probably just trashed the resale value of everything I own ah ha. (Wish I'd thought of the small drill hole idea, that's way better. On plus side, if my stuff looks like it will not sell, maybe jerks wont take it in the first place).

Still looking for a UV pen, I'm told our largest pawnshop chain routinely checks audio equipment people come in to pawn under a UV light.
 
Re: Identification puzzle

Some major manufacturers use duplicate serial numbers, with second (or more) hidden inside, so bad actors can not easily destroy identifying legends. Ironically perhaps, a lot of this effort is to police the manufacturer's own dealers and distributors who love to sell product to customers outside their primary market at deep discounts.

One old idea that I had, but the technology was never quite cheap enough, or bar code readers common enough, is to have the power-on LED actually blink out a UPC product ID followed by serial number, at power up and power down. A cheap barcode reader held up to the power LED could read and ID the product. This could be a powerful tool for quick and accurate inventory of gear.

Now with bar code readers probably a cheap IPHONE app, and a IC to handle this probably $0.15 in large scale production, this could be done, but I am not holding my breath. This idea just goes on the pile with all my other "too cool for the room" or too soon for the technology, ideas.

Nowadays you could probably print your own custom barcodes, just remember to hide one inside too.

JR
 
Re: Identification puzzle

John Roberts said:
One old idea that I had, but the technology was never quite cheap enough, or bar code readers common enough, is to have the power-on LED actually blink out a UPC product ID followed by serial number, at power up and power down. A cheap barcode reader held up to the power LED could read and ID the product. This could be a powerful tool for quick and accurate inventory of gear.

Now with bar code readers probably a cheap IPHONE app, and a IC to handle this probably $0.15 in large scale production, this could be done, but I am not holding my breath. This idea just goes on the pile with all my other "too cool for the room" or too soon for the technology, ideas.
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That is a very cool idea. I wonder what others you have tucked away in there. You should write a book about "Cool things I have invented that have not been produced yet." I am still a big fan of some of your "Cool inventions that have been produced" like the Peavey FLS.
 
Re: Identification puzzle

Eric Cagle said:
That is a very cool idea. I wonder what others you have tucked away in there. You should write a book about "Cool things I have invented that have not been produced yet." I am still a big fan of some of your "Cool inventions that have been produced" like the Peavey FLS.
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If the ideas were that good I'd be rich...

OK if you insist, here's an idea that is percolating around in my meat computer. It sounds like a cross between bad science fiction and a road runner cartoon but bear with me. The problem is we have way too many people in jail, which kind of sucks for the people in jail, and it sucks for us because we need to pay to house and feed them, and keep them out of more trouble.

My idea is to build upon the idea of electronic anklets with GPS to enforce house arrest, but take it up a notch or two. Add a mic and camera so you can also monitor the perp especially if behave out of normal pattern guidelines. Then to finish the party, give the anklet the ability to apply a painful shock if the prisoner declines to follow instructions. A last recourse could be for the anklet to inject a sedative (or worse) to knock the prisoner out if needed. They could work at a job , or better yet be made to work somewhere.

In an ideal application the prisoners feed and house themselves and are always under the watchful eye of that siri character inside the IPHONE.

Still a WIP, and not exactly like that science fiction movie where their head blows up, but that could be an option for death row prisoners.

JR
 
Re: Identification puzzle

Indeed not a unique concept in multiple science fiction stories.

But technology is catching up so some of the less radical benefits could be exploited. The whole blow up their head seems overly messy. I prefer dropping them where they stand (or run) for later collection.

A quasi-related idea is a variation on the taser shock device. We occasionally read about dangerous violent prisoners who overpower some guard while in a court house exercising some appeal process, steal his gun and more violence ensues. If dangerous prisoners were fitted with a shock collar/harness that could be activated by remote control, like a TV channel changer, any prisoner that gets cute could quickly be brought back under control. Not unlike a dog's shock collar. If the collar fits the collar, they should wear the collar. :)

JR
 
Re: Identification puzzle

Can consumers source and read RFID tags?

It seems printing barcodes can be accomplished with standard computer printers. Hiding a second barcode inside the unit could improve chances of identifying and recovering lost gear. Barcodes can be read with some smart phone applications. So it seems like a here-now solution, unlike my science fiction.

KISS

JR
 
Re: Identification puzzle

Eric Cagle said:
It seems like they could be removed easily. The power on LED function would be built into the operating system so I believe that would be a little more permanent. Both are great ideas though.
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It depends on where you put them. Using superglue on the chassis under the pcb or similar hard to reach location for removal.

Many places are easy to put them but more or less impossible to remove when attached...

There are several hobbyist rfid stuff from i.e. Seeedstudio and similar.
 
Re: Identification puzzle

Been rereading your old Robert Heinlein stories John? I always liked the idea of bringing back indentured servitude for non-violent felons, perhaps we should apply for a gub'mint grant or three.

Back to the topic, if the low cost dbx EQ is an example of the kind of gear that is at risk then I suspect that the flower power solution is the right direction. Can't think off the top of my head of a logo that would be LESS likely to appeal to the average bar band roadie / part time burglar. Many companies assign inventory ID numbers to their hardware in addition to manufacturers serial numbers. LC 00501, 502, etc would be very easy to establish as peculiar to your business if you can show the police twenty items with that sequence while the one sitting in the pawnshop is marked LC 00509

John Roberts said:
... It sounds like a cross between bad science fiction and a road runner cartoon but bear with me. ...

JR
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Re: Identification puzzle

The little drill spot or your flower are good ideas, almost everything I have owned that can easily have a cover removed has my name and postcode inside it I also used to stick the purchase receipt in there too so I didn't lose it. G
 
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