Data in EVP Recording?

[dosse91]

Hello,

during the last 18 months I've witnessed some strange phenomena in my house, mostly "cold winds" and a few unexplainable panic attacks. In the last few months, I've become intrigued by this and decided to record some EVPs. So I set up 3 different recorders: one is my laptop, and the other 2 are digital recorders that I happen to own. All 3 were carefully tested before recording, to see what they're capable of picking up, if they have noise suppression, etc.

While I must admit that I'm very new to paranormal investigation, I did pick up some EVPs, but they were pretty much impossible to understand, they're just short mumbling, I can't understand what they says.

Today, however, the activity has been higher than usual. It's hard to explain, but it's as if whatever is in this house keeps showing up, but it's not something you actually see, you "feel" it, and it's very distracting; so I decided to do a session: I turned on the 3 recorders, checked to see if they worked (ant they all did), and then asked a few questions. When I plugged the recorders into my computer, however, I noticed that one of the audio files was totally corrupted.

This part is a bit hard to understand, but it's the most interesting:

since I know a thing or two about computer forensics, I decided to examine the corrupted file, to see if it was a malfunction of the recorder, and looking at it with an hex editor, the only rational explaination that comes to my mind is that somebody recorded some more or less ordered sequences of 16 bit numbers, and then played it into the microphone of the recorder in various parts of the recording. The background noise is there so the sequence is not very ordered anymore, but you can still notice that it is. Also, even the background noise is very strange: it's mostly bytes at 0 and 255, .

I can't figure out what the data is. Has this ever happened before?

If you want to look at the file, it's here: http://speedy.sh/9aFf7/Untitled.7z

[-Desiderata-]

Hello,

during the last 18 months I've witnessed some strange phenomena in my house, mostly "cold winds" and a few unexplainable panic attacks. In the last few months, I've become intrigued by this and decided to record some EVPs. So I set up 3 different recorders: one is my laptop, and the other 2 are digital recorders that I happen to own. All 3 were carefully tested before recording, to see what they're capable of picking up, if they have noise suppression, etc.

While I must admit that I'm very new to paranormal investigation, I did pick up some EVPs, but they were pretty much impossible to understand, they're just short mumbling, I can't understand what they says.

Today, however, the activity has been higher than usual. It's hard to explain, but it's as if whatever is in this house keeps showing up, but it's not something you actually see, you "feel" it, and it's very distracting; so I decided to do a session: I turned on the 3 recorders, checked to see if they worked (ant they all did), and then asked a few questions. When I plugged the recorders into my computer, however, I noticed that one of the audio files was totally corrupted.

This part is a bit hard to understand, but it's the most interesting:

since I know a thing or two about computer forensics, I decided to examine the corrupted file, to see if it was a malfunction of the recorder, and looking at it with an hex editor, the only rational explaination that comes to my mind is that somebody recorded some more or less ordered sequences of 16 bit numbers, and then played it into the microphone of the recorder in various parts of the recording. The background noise is there so the sequence is not very ordered anymore, but you can still notice that it is. Also, even the background noise is very strange: it's mostly bytes at 0 and 255, .

I can't figure out what the data is. Has this ever happened before?

If you want to look at the file, it's here: http://speedy.sh/9aFf7/Untitled.7z

Hello,

during the last 18 months I've witnessed some strange phenomena in my house, mostly "cold winds" and a few unexplainable panic attacks. In the last few months, I've become intrigued by this and decided to record some EVPs. So I set up 3 different recorders: one is my laptop, and the other 2 are digital recorders that I happen to own. All 3 were carefully tested before recording, to see what they're capable of picking up, if they have noise suppression, etc.

While I must admit that I'm very new to paranormal investigation, I did pick up some EVPs, but they were pretty much impossible to understand, they're just short mumbling, I can't understand what they says.

Today, however, the activity has been higher than usual. It's hard to explain, but it's as if whatever is in this house keeps showing up, but it's not something you actually see, you "feel" it, and it's very distracting; so I decided to do a session: I turned on the 3 recorders, checked to see if they worked (ant they all did), and then asked a few questions. When I plugged the recorders into my computer, however, I noticed that one of the audio files was totally corrupted.

This part is a bit hard to understand, but it's the most interesting:

since I know a thing or two about computer forensics, I decided to examine the corrupted file, to see if it was a malfunction of the recorder, and looking at it with an hex editor, the only rational explaination that comes to my mind is that somebody recorded some more or less ordered sequences of 16 bit numbers, and then played it into the microphone of the recorder in various parts of the recording. The background noise is there so the sequence is not very ordered anymore, but you can still notice that it is. Also, even the background noise is very strange: it's mostly bytes at 0 and 255, .

I can't figure out what the data is. Has this ever happened before?

If you want to look at the file, it's here: http://speedy.sh/9aFf7/Untitled.7z

Hi Dosse, I tried your file but the link no longer exists. I've had similar experiences to this. I was merely trying to record "long creaks" using a basic laptop (built-in mic, external speakers) On play-back I got "voices" so I didn't record again. Couple of years later (new laptop to boot) I tried a recording, it was full of quiet but irritating squeaks and whistles, and tiny distant voices. It wasn't long before the voices started becoming louder than the squeaks. I realised the squeaks are actually an entanglement of speech. Every so often, a voice will speak up with clarity. Can I ask you are you using an external mic? It appears to me that their voices here are not being recorded from the air, but they are more travelling their speech through the electric wires/cables, and stand a better chance at getting through using the built-in mic. Could you please update me with any further findings you have? Thank u.

[sinewave]

You feel chills and experience panic attacks and your first thought is to record EVPs? No thought to consult your doctor?

[Kahn]

Sounds like you have the microphone's gain up too high. The slightest noise pegs the meter.

[ChrLzs]

I'd happily help, but your description says that you tested the device, yet doesn't say anything about how you did that, what checks and balances you put in to prevent confirmation bias, and what control/null data you collected, let alone how you chose the actual data you are presenting.

All of which would, I'm sorry, would make any attempt at analysis (let alone drawing conclusions) completely worthless. I find it difficult to accept that you are seriously into any sort of forensics if you do not realise that...

Edited December 7, 2013 by ChrLzs

[adventureswithjim]

ChrLzs...completely agree. I've been through many posts, seen you make similar comments. There is such a lack of controlled testing, no wonder people don't take paranormal seriously.

Random data in a corrupt file is not gernerally "supernatural" in nature. If so Windows has been shipping with ghosts for decades.

[George Ford]

Hmmmm, the OP has not been back and the link is dead. Hope he comes back with a new link.