Home security: fake TV flicker light?

[OceanView]

I've pondered this home security question for a long time but I don't have a good solution. To give your home that "someone is home" look, you can leave the lights on and leave a radio or TV on.

I was wondering if there is a product that would mimic the varying flickering glow of a TV set, without actually having the TV on. Today's big screen TV's use a lot of electricity, plus some types, like plasma, wear out the phosphors the more you use them, so I'm wondering if there might be a more energy efficient option. Something that will show that flickering glow around the edges of the closed curtains/blinds, or up against the ceiling if someone were looking up at a second story window with open curtains.

[Marduke]

That's a really great idea. I've never seen such a thing, but I would buy several if they were in the form of a glorified nightlight. Would only need something with a couple LED's (or a nice RGB one) which played a scripted sequence every 15 minutes or so.

[Beaky]

I saw an article in some local (swedish) newspaper or magazine not long ago about just such a product! I don't have a link, but I did get the impression that the guy who created them was in the US.

[dfred]

Don't know if this is what you saw, but here's a product exactly as conceived above... US$39.99.

http://www.faketv.com/

They have a good domain name, as I simply typed "fake tv" into Google and up it popped.

[OceanView]

The closest I've come is something like this Japanese gadget. Projects a varying patch of light up on the wall or ceiling. Not sure how well it mimics the flickering of a TV, though. And it's only battery powered.

There's also this plug-in night light. Not sure if it's bright enough, but it's interesting and doesn't rely on batteries.

[Aussie Cheese]

use a novatac

on a more serious note, you can purchase fake flame incandescents, which mimic a candle. not too sure about the power usage, but behind a proper reflector it could do the trick although the colour would be off.

[gollum]

you could buy a real TV like the 5" B&W camping version from K mart for $29
then you'd have sound and actual TV .....oh and a back up for powercuts

[OceanView]

Originally Posted by dfred

Don't know if this is what you saw, but here's a product exactly as conceived above...

Holy cow! My holy grail!

[RyanA]

Originally Posted by dfred

Don't know if this is what you saw, but here's a product exactly as conceived above... US$39.99.

http://www.faketv.com/

They have a good domain name, as I simply typed "fake tv" into Google and up it popped.

The thing that cracks me up is it says "simulates a real HDTV television"

I'm sure it works for both sdtv and hdtv. It just seems odd that they're marketing to a group of people concerned about burglaries. Why would they want a burglar to think you have a Nice TV? Wouldn't that entice them to steal? Keeping up with the Jonses (burglars) maybe?

[ken2400]

Nice idea thanks for sharing.

I bought a RGB night light from Big Lots. It was like $5. It was bright enough and might do the trick.

Good luck!

[ken2400]

What about this DIY project
http://www.instructables.com/id/Inte...Ambient-Light/

[Burgess]

Very interesting thread.



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