Ovilus or Spirit Box, a Ghost Hunter’s Tool or Toy?
An Ovilus, or sometimes called Spirit Box, is an electronic apparatus that converts ambient environmental measurements into real words. Some investigators say spirits are able to alter the environment like, temperature, barometer, and electro-magnetic fields when they’re present. The Spirit Box, or Ovilus, takes those measurements and converts them in to words. The investigator asks a question, and the spirit’s answer is either given in displayed word form or verbally, or both.
Well… That’s crap!
In many situations like TV or paid Ghost Hunting excursions, producers and/or paid customers like to see some evidence ghosts are real, so what better way to get the evidence they need, but…. make it up! Now some of these investigators, (not all) or should I say their tech people, (not all) come up with new types of instruments to capture evidence to help secure their TV shows or their jobs as Host Ghost Investigators. Some of these instruments are nothing more than toys to trick the people. When other companies and phone APP creators see a market that could be profitable, they jump on the band wagon. It’s all about money and if for TV, ratings.
The Ovilus or Spirit Box, is a toy not a tool. There are many people who believe it works but in their defense, they don’t understand the technology behind the device. After reading this, you can judge for yourself.
An Ovilus, or Spirit Box, is a device which has pre-programmed words stored on a memory chip and depending on the brand, it reads ambient temperatures, barometer values, and electro-magnetic fields. The device then takes the different strengths of these fields, combines them together and pulls a word out of memory. So an investigator walks around or can stay stationary with this device in hand and asks questions waiting for a spirit to answer them through the box. Some devices will also add a creepy sounding speech synthesizer chip so you can hear the answer, and others add background noise, like they’re searching for a spirit, but that’s strictly for show.
So here’s a device that has a memory chip pre-stored with certain words used during an investigation. A memory chip is a microchip made of millions of transistors and capacitors. Data (or words used in a common ghost investigation) are stored in the memory chip in a form of binary 1’s or 0’s. The 1’s or 0’s are basically transistors that are turned on or off based on the charge of their capacitors. In some devices, a microcontroller is then added which is a complete chip system consisting of a CPU (computing unit/microprocessor), a memory chip, and built in software to access data from the memory chip.
Other inexpensive Spirit Box devices may not have the capability to measure all the elements of the environment, maybe just EMF, so any minor spikes in the electro-magnetic field will show a word. The words are probably generated from a, Random Number Generating software program. Generally most phone APPs are probably like this, especially the free ones.
For a stand-a-lone Spirit Box to work, 500 or so words are stored in the memory chip. One design uses numbers to access these words, 500 words, with 500 numbers. To access one of the stored words will depend on the intensity of three things:
Temperature
Barometer (Reads atmospheric pressure)
EMF (Electro-magnetic-field intensity)
So now you’re using this device you just purchased in an investigation. It’s dark, quiet, and you’re getting a weird feeling. You ask a question, a bit later you get a response, “killed”. You say, “OMG”, “You were killed?” Now you think you’re speaking with an actual ghost. Not so.. This is what happened.
Sometime after you asked your question, which could depend on speech activated software (if there is a microphone on the device) or just random time delay, the device’s components which read Temperature, Barometer, and EMF at a certain levels, jump into action. Let’s say the temperature was 97.8, the barometer was 30.56 and the local EMF was 4 microteslas, then this happens. Those environmental variables are assigned a specific number like 5. Through programmed software, the number 5 is associated to the word, “killed”. Now the word “killed” is then pulled from the memory chip and converted through a D/A (digital to analog) transistor section of the microchip, for you to see the word on your screen. Different words will be assigned different numbers associated with different variables of Temperature, Barometer, and EMF. Or, numbers can just be assigned randomly, that way you may not see the same word twice.
By the way the binary code for “killed” is:
01101011 01101001 01101100 01101100 01100101 01100100
So here is the reality of your magical device.
If a spirit wanted to answer your question with a specific word, then the spirit would first have to know how to manipulate the embedded software, then scan through a microchip made of millions of transistors, then be able to see which transistors are turned on in a specific binary sequence for the word they’re looking for, then “of-course” they need to know binary conversion; then track back from the transistors through the software. The spirit would also have to know all the different types software programs that could be used to achieve this. After that, the spirit would have to read the data table which assigned a specific number to the word they want, back track that number through another memory chip with millions of transistors, to see how to manipulate the environment, and get your answer. Wow.. what an awesome spirit!
And remember, this is very important:
Spirits must have the ability to precisely change the environment to tackle this task! They have to know how to physically change the temperature, the atmospheric pressure, and electro-magnetic fields.
OMG, just use a damn audio recorder to get their answer!
(BTW) When choosing an audio recorder, be aware some recorders will have embedded software which eliminates back ground noise, thus reducing your chances at getting an EVP (Electronic Voice Phenomenon). Sometimes cheaper recorders are better because more expensive ones may have the advanced noise eliminating technology. Believe it or not, old micro-tape recorders seem to work the best. Do not use your cell phones either. Most cellphones have embedded software to reduce background noise when recording. That’s what they’re designed for, giving you clear audio when recording.
As a microchip designer for over 30 years, I called “Bull-Shit” the first time I saw these types of Ovilus devices. Even though some people with no technical background swear they work, it’s really nothing more than their self-deception based on word association and convincing themselves what they’re experiencing is accurate. In other words, “They’re Fooling Themselves”.
Most places that sell these devices claim it’s a toy for enjoyment to avoid any misunderstandings, yet some very popular investigators on TV still use them to deceive their audience and increase their show’s ratings. Either these guys know exactly what they’re doing and are liars? Or… they know nothing about the technology they’re using, which makes them less than expert investigators. Can you say, “Actors”?
The memory chip in the Ovilus or Spirit Box, pending the type of chip they use, can also be re-programmed with specific words that can be associated with a specific investigation like, “Stanley, and Lucy” for the Stanley Hotel in Colorado. Now the box can associate the new words with normal environmental settings to increase the chances of those words popping during a TV taping at that specific location. And of course the investigator’s tech person could also load the names of the investigators into memory too, so they’ll pop up from time to time.
” OMG! They said my name!”
An investigator who is less than honest when using such a device, could also know what words are initially embedded into memory, and will only ask certain types of questions that can be associated with those words. This will get a believable answer, thus impressing their audience. Also if you’re watching this on TV, don’t forget any good response an investigator gets, might be the result of multiple tries of a non-tampered Spirit Box. The specific response you see is picked from many responses in post-editing weeks after the episode was taped. Once again tricking the audience for ratings.
As for the legitimate investigators who may be reading this, I have only one thing to say to you:
” KNOW YOUR EQUIPMENT !”
Know about the devices you use, know their limitations, what works what doesn’t, and try new things, but research them first to make sure you’re not getting suckered into buying something that can’t possibly do what it’s stating it can.
Now here’s something to consider. If a Spirit Box or Ovilus is truly being manipulated during an investigation giving correct answers to your questions, then you’re not dealing with a spirit. Just because you’re a ghost hunter doesn’t mean you may be dealing with ghosts.
Case in point:
Aliens are able to manipulate our technology due to their technology advancement. In 1967 at Malmstrom Air Force Base in Montana, 10 ICMs (missiles) suddenly became inoperable after UFO’s were sighted nearby. On November 10, 2004 off the coast of San Diego near San Clemente Island, fighter pilots chased UFOs now known as the famous Tic Tac incident. The UFO’s appeared to be able to infiltrate the jet’s computer system and know the pilot’s next move.
Within the past few years I’ve been working on a theory in which I believe aliens can attract ghosts, and ghosts can attract aliens. It’s all based on energy signatures. Ghost hunters use EMF meters to track ghosts, and for decades UFO investigators have been using EMF meters to find evidence of alien sightings, so EMF may be the common denominator between the two.
So on your next ghost investigation if your “toy” Ovilus or Spirit Box is actually working, giving you very specific answers to your very specific questions, then you have a much bigger problem.
You’re not talking to a spirit.
Category: The Z-Files
