CPI Audio & Video Evidence Review — Questions and Answers

Question 1: When reviewing IR (infrared) video footage, which artifact is most commonly mistaken for a paranormal anomaly?

Dust particles reflecting IR light (orbs) (Correct answer)
Camera lens flare from visible light
Audio bleed-through causing visual distortion
Frame rate mismatch creating ghosting

Correct answer: Dust particles reflecting IR light (orbs)

Dust particles in close proximity to the IR illuminators reflect light and appear as bright floating orbs, the most common camera artifact misidentified as paranormal.

Question 2: What is the primary purpose of using a digital voice recorder with a built-in noise-reduction feature during EVP sessions?

To automatically flag potential EVP responses in real time
To reduce background hiss so faint anomalous voices are more audible (Correct answer)
To eliminate wind noise only during outdoor investigations
To compress the audio file for easier sharing

Correct answer: To reduce background hiss so faint anomalous voices are more audible

Noise reduction lowers the ambient hiss floor, making any anomalous sounds stand out more clearly against the background.

Question 3: A Class B EVP is best described as:

A clear voice that requires no filtering and is understood by all listeners
A voice that is audible but requires some audio enhancement and may not be agreed upon by all listeners (Correct answer)
A voice so faint it can only be heard with headphones after significant amplification
An EVP confirmed by a panel of at least three independent investigators

Correct answer: A voice that is audible but requires some audio enhancement and may not be agreed upon by all listeners

Class B EVPs are audible without major processing but are not universally agreed upon; they occupy the middle tier of the EVP classification system.

Question 4: Which video review technique helps investigators determine whether a moving anomaly is on the camera lens versus actually in the room?

Increasing playback speed to 2x
Checking whether the anomaly moves in relation to fixed background objects (Correct answer)
Converting the footage to grayscale
Reducing the video resolution to remove compression artifacts

Correct answer: Checking whether the anomaly moves in relation to fixed background objects

An anomaly on the lens will not move relative to the fixed background, whereas something genuinely in the room will shift position against background reference points.

Question 5: What does 'gain staging' mean in the context of EVP audio review?

Setting each amplification stage so that signals are boosted without introducing clipping distortion (Correct answer)
Positioning microphones at different heights (stages) in a room
Using a multi-band equalizer to separate frequency ranges
Recording EVPs in multiple sessions to compare results

Correct answer: Setting each amplification stage so that signals are boosted without introducing clipping distortion

Gain staging is the process of managing volume levels at each step in the audio chain to maximize signal quality while preventing clipping or excessive noise.

Question 6: During video review, a shadow anomaly is observed crossing a wall. Which control condition BEST rules out a natural explanation?

Rewatching the footage with the lights on
Checking simultaneous footage from a second camera covering the same area (Correct answer)
Converting the video to a higher frame rate
Applying a brightness filter to the anomalous frames

Correct answer: Checking simultaneous footage from a second camera covering the same area

A second synchronized camera provides an independent vantage point; if the shadow appears on one camera but not the other, it suggests a camera artifact rather than a real phenomenon.

Question 7: What is 'apophenia' and why is it relevant to EVP analysis?

The tendency to hear meaningful patterns (such as words) in random noise (Correct answer)
A form of audio compression artifact that mimics speech
The technical term for electromagnetic interference on a recording
A classification for EVPs captured in foreign languages

Correct answer: The tendency to hear meaningful patterns (such as words) in random noise

Apophenia is the human tendency to perceive meaningful patterns in random stimuli; in EVP analysis it can cause investigators to 'hear' words in white noise or static that are not actually present.

Question 8: Which type of microphone pickup pattern is generally preferred for EVP sessions to minimize room reverb and focus on nearby sounds?

Omnidirectional
Cardioid (Correct answer)
Figure-eight (bidirectional)
Hypercardioid shotgun

Correct answer: Cardioid

A cardioid microphone captures sound primarily from the front while rejecting much of the reverb and noise coming from the sides and rear, making it effective for focused EVP capture.

Question 9: When timestamping video evidence, why is syncing all cameras to a single time reference critical?

It prevents frame rate drift from overheating sensors
It allows cross-referencing of anomalies across multiple cameras to confirm or debunk them (Correct answer)
It reduces file size when footage is compiled
It ensures all IR illuminators activate simultaneously

Correct answer: It allows cross-referencing of anomalies across multiple cameras to confirm or debunk them

A shared time reference allows investigators to determine whether an anomaly captured on one camera corresponds to anything on other cameras at the exact same moment.

Question 10: What is the 'stone tape theory' and how does it relate to audio/video evidence review?

A theory that building materials absorb and replay past events as sounds or images, used to contextualize unexplained audio/video anomalies (Correct answer)
A method of embedding audio data into video files as a preservation technique
A formal protocol for reviewing stone-walled locations with enhanced sensitivity equipment
A debunking framework that attributes all EVPs to structural resonance in masonry

Correct answer: A theory that building materials absorb and replay past events as sounds or images, used to contextualize unexplained audio/video anomalies

The stone tape theory proposes that materials like stone can record and later play back past events; investigators sometimes use this framework to contextualize audio or visual anomalies in old stone buildings.

Question 11: A video shows a figure that disappears when the investigator enters the room but was clearly visible on the monitor. What is the most likely technical explanation?

The spirit sensed the investigator's presence
Monitor display lag caused the investigator to see a delayed image that had already resolved (Correct answer)
The IR camera switched to color mode, losing the figure
The figure was only visible in the UV spectrum

Correct answer: Monitor display lag caused the investigator to see a delayed image that had already resolved

Display lag (latency) on monitors connected to live cameras can show an image that is several frames behind real time, making it appear as though something vanished upon the investigator's entry.

Question 12: Which software feature is most useful for isolating a suspected EVP buried within constant low-frequency rumble?

A high-pass filter set to cut frequencies below the rumble threshold (Correct answer)
A reverb effect to fill in missing audio data
A sample rate converter
A noise gate set to open at maximum threshold

Correct answer: A high-pass filter set to cut frequencies below the rumble threshold

A high-pass filter removes low-frequency rumble below a chosen cutoff point, allowing higher-frequency voice content to be heard more clearly.

Question 13: What is 'matrixing' in the context of video evidence review?

Overlaying a measurement grid on footage to track the movement of anomalies
The brain's tendency to find familiar shapes (like faces) in random visual patterns such as shadows or textures (Correct answer)
A method of converting low-resolution video to higher resolution using AI upscaling
Splitting a video frame into quadrants for simultaneous multi-camera review

Correct answer: The brain's tendency to find familiar shapes (like faces) in random visual patterns such as shadows or textures

Matrixing is the human brain's propensity to recognize familiar shapes, particularly faces, within random patterns; this can lead investigators to misidentify shadows or textures as apparitions.

Question 14: Which practice BEST reduces contamination of audio evidence during a multi-investigator EVP session?

Having all investigators speak simultaneously to mask individual voices
Using a call-and-response protocol where only one investigator speaks at a time and each statement is verbally tagged with the speaker's name (Correct answer)
Muting all recorders during team discussions and restarting them after
Recording each investigator in a separate room simultaneously

Correct answer: Using a call-and-response protocol where only one investigator speaks at a time and each statement is verbally tagged with the speaker's name

A structured call-and-response protocol with verbal speaker tags creates a clear audio record that allows reviewers to attribute every known voice, making unidentified voices stand out.

Question 15: What does a 'full spectrum' camera capture that a standard consumer video camera does not?

Higher frame rates for slow-motion paranormal event replay
Near-UV and near-IR light outside the visible spectrum, which some investigators believe may reveal anomalies (Correct answer)
360-degree panoramic footage without a blind spot
Electromagnetic field data embedded in each video frame

Correct answer: Near-UV and near-IR light outside the visible spectrum, which some investigators believe may reveal anomalies

Full spectrum cameras have had their IR-blocking filter removed, allowing them to record near-ultraviolet and near-infrared light that standard cameras block, which some paranormal investigators believe may capture phenomena invisible to the naked eye.

Question 16: An investigator notices a recurring audio anomaly at exactly 60 Hz. What is the most probable cause?

A Class A EVP at a consistent pitch
Electromagnetic interference from AC electrical wiring or equipment inducing a 60 Hz hum (Correct answer)
A sub-harmonic from a paranormal entity operating on the electrical grid
Codec quantization noise from lossy audio compression

Correct answer: Electromagnetic interference from AC electrical wiring or equipment inducing a 60 Hz hum

60 Hz is the frequency of AC electrical current in the US; interference from wiring, power supplies, or unshielded cables commonly induces a 60 Hz hum into audio recordings.

Question 17: Why is it important to document the temperature and humidity conditions during video evidence collection?

Temperature and humidity data are required by all paranormal certification bodies to validate evidence
Condensation mist, fog breath, or thermal anomalies can create visual effects that are mistaken for apparitions (Correct answer)
IR cameras require humidity calibration to function accurately
Low humidity causes IR illuminators to flicker, creating video artifacts

Correct answer: Condensation mist, fog breath, or thermal anomalies can create visual effects that are mistaken for apparitions

Breath condensation in cold air, water vapor, and temperature-related visual effects can appear on camera as mist or moving shapes that mimic apparitions, so environmental data allows reviewers to rule out these causes.

Question 18: What is the recommended minimum sample rate for recording EVPs to ensure voice frequencies are accurately captured?

8,000 Hz (8 kHz)
22,050 Hz (22.05 kHz)
44,100 Hz (44.1 kHz) (Correct answer)
96,000 Hz (96 kHz)

Correct answer: 44,100 Hz (44.1 kHz)

44,100 Hz (CD quality) satisfies the Nyquist theorem for capturing all frequencies within the human hearing range (up to ~20 kHz) without aliasing distortion, and is the standard recommended minimum for EVP work.

Question 19: During evidence review, an investigator plays an EVP clip to ten colleagues; five hear a voice saying a word and five hear nothing. How should this EVP be classified?

Class A, because a majority could not definitively rule it out
Class B, because it is audible to some but not universally agreed upon
Class C, because it lacks consensus and is barely discernible (Correct answer)
Class D, meaning it should be permanently discarded

Correct answer: Class C, because it lacks consensus and is barely discernible

A Class C EVP is very faint or unclear, with no consensus among listeners; a 50/50 split with some hearing nothing aligns with the Class C 'barely discernible and contested' description.

Question 20: What technique involves playing white noise or pink noise during a recording session in hopes of providing a medium through which an EVP voice can manifest?

Instrumental Trans-Communication (ITC) using a noise source (Correct answer)
Binaural EVP induction
Frequency modulation sweeping
Standing wave amplification

Correct answer: Instrumental Trans-Communication (ITC) using a noise source

Instrumental Trans-Communication (ITC) encompasses methods of using electronic devices—including white noise generators—as a purported medium for spirit communication, with any resulting voices captured on the recording.

Question 21: A team reviews footage and finds an anomalous shadow that only appears on camera 3 of 5 covering the same hallway. What conclusion is most scientifically justified?

The spirit was specifically attracted to camera 3's IR illuminator
Camera 3 likely has a sensor defect, lens smear, or was positioned at an angle that captured a mundane shadow the others did not (Correct answer)
The other four cameras malfunctioned simultaneously
The anomaly is a Class A visual confirmation requiring no further investigation

Correct answer: Camera 3 likely has a sensor defect, lens smear, or was positioned at an angle that captured a mundane shadow the others did not

When an anomaly appears on only one of multiple cameras covering the same area, the most parsimonious explanation is a camera-specific artifact such as a sensor defect, smudge, or unique viewing angle rather than a genuine phenomenon.

CPI Audio & Video Evidence Review

When reviewing IR (infrared) video footage, which artifact is most commonly mistaken for a paranormal anomaly?

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