on the streets of britain you often see these Toilet Detector Vans which can find people who haven't paid their Toilet License and are therefore using the Toilet illegally
@jk d'you think those TV detector vans really could detect anything, back in their day?
@rusty @jk a search warrant that was released as part of a FOIA request read: "the optical detector in the detector van uses a large lens to collect that light and focus it on to an especially sensitive device, which converts fluctuating light signals into electrical signals, which can be electronically analysed. If a receiver is being used to watch broadcast programmes then a positive reading is returned."
which sounds like a lot of words for "we looked through the window"
@troubleMoney @jk we pointed a camera through the window and compared the flashing to what was happening on BBC 2, perhaps?
@rusty @jk "optical detector" - some dude, "large lens" - binoculars, "especially sensitive device" - eyes, "converts fluctuating light signals into electronic signals which can be electronically analysed" - that's a description of how human vision works, "positive reading" - yep, they're watching eastenders
