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How to kill a set top box ?

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why? just an experiment? ... or you want to return it under warranty because you don't want it anymore? if it's a warranty claim, almost any excuse will do, even if the box is still working. i worked for a major retailer for several years, and was always getting returns into the service center that were perfectly fine. most retailers adhere to "the customer is always right", so they'll give you the benefit of the doubt. on the service level, if it were up to me, i'd be refusing a lot of warranty claims, but at the retail level that's seldom done
 
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I think she wants to stop her husband from watching "the game" or por* every day.
Many people damage electronic items by using an AC/DC adapter with a voltage that is much too high.
 
you could be right.... but the requirement of "without opening" it had me thinking "warranty return"...
 
unclejed613 I have this old set top box which useless in my house so before throwing it away just doing for experiment but it should directly damage the microprocessor without opening the case, wondering if it possible.

audioguru yeah increasing the dc voltage will not damage the microprocessor in it.
 
Put it in the microwave oven long enough to see or hear sparks probably 3 seconds will work.
 
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There's probably a way to do it, but how would you know that you'd killed the microprocesssor, rather than some other vital component?
 
If you drill enough holes right through the case, you will definitely hit the microprocessor with one of them.
If you need to know where it is on the PCB, post the model number and we will see it we can find a suitable location.
 
Please list a set of 'rules' which we have to work with, in order to
kill a set top box microprocessor without opening the set top box case
Drilling would work, along with a road-roller if you have a road resurfacing crew in your area, a pick-axe would also work, but until you give us a list of acceptable methods and tools to be used, the rest of this discussion is simply guess work, and frankly, a waste of everyone's time.
 
First time I see someone posting to learn how to damage something for a dishonest purpose.

The closest before is / was some OP asking about jamming devices which are a forbiden subject in this forum.
 
First time I see someone posting to learn how to damage something for a dishonest purpose.
...

Did you mean to say 'dishonest'?

I have this old set top box which useless in my house so before throwing it away just doing for experiment but it should directly damage the microprocessor without opening the case, wondering if it possible.

All I know is that if you replaced "set top box" with "husband" , it becomes understandable, especially the insistence that the damage be covert. ...I am going with that because it is the only way it makes sense. But hey, there is a first time for many things :)
 
Guys!
Just don't build up things with husband and wife scenario or any other. I thought it will be fun to do things like in defcon Conference.
Mickster rules are simple.
*Damage the microprocessor without Physical damage or opening the set top box case.

*Internal damage like burnt resistor, transistor, capacitor is OK. Main thing is to kill microprocessor.

This is fully for educational purpose only.
 
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This is fully for educational purpose only.

That's NEVER any kind of excuse! - no idea why people might think it is?.

I would expect there's no way to damage the micro externally, as it unlikely to have any direct connections to the outside - a good lightning strike is probably the 'best' hope, but even that is unlikely to damage the micro.

IF the USB socket feeds directly in to the micro?, then applying mains to that 'may' kill it.
 
@alec_t nothing will turn on, like no audio video signal from measuring volt or usb port. Right ?
Without knowing what all the components/modules in the box are you couldn't be sure that nothing would turn on. For example, an internal power supply might still operate with a dead MCU.
On the other hand, killing the main fuse but leaving the MCU intact would almost certainly turn the box off.
 
a few years ago there was a company selling a USB stick that would apply 200 volts on the D+ and D- lines in the USB port. if the USB data lines go directly back to CPU, that would fry the CPU. on most computers, it's most likely that the USB lines go back to the bridge chip, but on a set-top box, they usually go back to the CPU.
 
Nigel Goodwin : This is only for educational purposes only." Like a penetration testing on any product. Find fault and fix it. In this case i could able to damage a set top box microprocessor without opening the case. Here I'm not able to fix it but just for fun.
 
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