Today, I won’t be talking about a program on a vinyl, but still something peculiar. And it allows me to show a bit how my research goes.
Instead of repeating all the previous articles each time, I’ll refer you to the dedicated page, which explains what I do with vinyl records and lists all the pages containing programs, explanations, etc.
To start, there’s my search for hidden programs. I had already talked about the Spectrum EP from Plastic Raygun, which contains a game for ZX Spectrum. But while reading some reference pages on vinyl records containing programs, I came across two pieces of information.
First, on this page, which had long listed a good number of records (actually, I found a little more). You find this sentence.
A Space Invaders clone on the B-side of the « Google » single by Atomic Robo Kid.
Second, an old post on a forum.
Another SpecProg-on-Record is a Space Invaders clone on the B-side of the Googlex single by Atomic Robo Kid on the track ‘Magical Sound Shower’.
After some research, I realize there is a mistake in the first message, and I buy the correct record: Atomic Robo Kid’s Googlex from Plastic Raygun. But while encoding the record… nothing. No data. So, I contact one of the authors, seen on Discogs, and I get this reply.
Sadly the « Googlex » record does not have a ZX Spectrum game on it. The record in question is the other Plastic Raygun release I’m on called The Spectrum EP.
Of course. The Space Invaders clone for ZX Spectrum, I know it. But still, I check on the publisher’s page, with archive.org. And I come across this line.
(…) and releasing a track that would dial the Plastic Raygun offices if a phone was held to the speakers.
And looking on the Discogs page of the publisher’s second record, I see « Bonus Track. » Since the record was really cheap, I bought it. And there is indeed a hidden track with the sounds emitted by a phone.
Okay, there are DTMF sounds, but how do you get the number? With a little program. And I already did it. I compiled DTMF_Decoder (on GNU/Linux) and after two or three tries, I got the number. For the tests, nothing complicated: I just isolated the beeps and applied two filters to remove frequencies below 600 Hz and those above 1700 Hz. Why these frequencies? Because the DTMF works roughly between the two.
And I got a phone number: 7813123456. Since the publisher is English, it gives +44 (0) 7813 12 34 56 (I changed it, but you get the idea). From what I’ve seen, it’s a mobile phone number in the country, so probably not the office number. I first sent a text message (with no response) before calling, also with no answer (it cuts off immediately). Back then, placing speakers in front of a phone with the dial tone was supposed to automatically dial, but it’s a bit more complicated with a smartphone.
Still, I’ll include what precedes and follows the phone number.
