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Frame from HotPlug Basic Demonstration Plays via YouTube's privacy-enhanced embed

HotPlug Basic Demonstration

WiebeTech
Demos
YouTube
Cited on HN 4 times, 2012–2024, never outright recommended score 0
Years with an HN recommendation, 2007–2026

Cited in threads on disk encryption and device seizure to show how police can keep a computer powered while seizing it.

A WiebeTech marketing demo of HotPlug, a device that moves a running computer onto battery or another power source so it can be transported without shutting down.

“If anyone's wondering, here's the important bit” (HN, 2016)

4 citations · Demos · partly dated

4 Hacker News comments

From the HN archive; up to 20 kept per video, favoring different commenters. Recommendations first.

@Fragment Sep 2016 Cites it
on HN thread ORWL – The first open source, physically secure computer
If anyone's wondering, here's the important bit: [this video] I suppose this technique could be modified for most UK pugs too, but I've no idea how you'd manage it for a recessed EU-type socket.
Shows the key technique for keeping a computer powered while seizing it
@giobox Sep 2024 Cites it
on HN thread Defend against vampires with 10 gbps network encryption
Read more
As far as i'm aware, often times they just plug into an open socket on an existing powerstrip that are so often used for PCs, no vampire-ing required. You can then unplug the powerstrip from the wall, it stays powered, inputing electricity through one of the sockets instead of drawing. I guess a more elaborate version of the same idea can be done if the computer plugged directly to an outlet with two sockets too, removing the socket from the wall. The only time I can forsee vampiring the cable being a thing would be if computer is directly plugged into a single socket outlet on the wall? > [this video] > [link]
Linked as background on keeping seized computers powered

Video list and Hacker News comment labels from HackerTube (prompted by @karpathy), released under ODC-By 1.0, built on the open-index/hacker-news archive. Hacker News data is provided by Y Combinator; comments remain the work of their authors. Video titles, channel names and thumbnails belong to their creators and are shown via YouTube. HackerTube Watch is an unofficial edition. Data export of 2026-10-31.

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