SCP-1038
An RCA Cable
Three composite plugs at one end of SCP-1038. Plugs show no deviation from RCA standard.
Special Containment Procedures
SCP-1038 is to be kept in a locked storage container within the Site-17 audio/visual department, with keypad combination in possession of Research Director. Due to the nature of the object’s effects, O5-level approval has been granted for SCP-1038’s non-experimental, recreational use on a weekly basis for all Site personnel on Fridays from 1930 - 2230 Hours, using previously tested content.
Description
SCP-1038 is an audio-visual cable measuring 6.096m in length with both ends terminating in three standard RCA connector plugs, color-coded for composite video and stereo audio. There are no markings on the connectors or cable to indicate the manufacturer or further specifications of the cable.
The cable’s properties manifest when it is plugged into a television or monitor and a media player (VCR, DVD, streaming media device, etc.). While the device plays the selected content, the television will instead display what can best be described as an “alternate reality” version. As of 11/23/2011, SCP-1038 has displayed content from ████ distinct realities (Refer to Addendum-1038-B for a brief experiment summary).
The means by which this effect is generated is unknown, as tests have shown no anomalous power draws from the connected devices, changes in area radiation, or [DATA EXPUNGED].
SCP-1038 appears to exhibit awareness regarding the information being passed through it. Should the selected content not exist in the alternate reality the cable connects to, SCP-1038 will instead play a “closest match” - a VHS recording of a football game, might instead show a gladiatorial fight. At the same time, the object will also only ever show one alternate version for the particular medium. All DVD copies of a film will play the same alternate, which is in turn different from VHS copies of the movie. It is unknown if this is a sign of intelligence or if the data already exists on the storage media.