which wireless motion detector for outdoors?
- Thread starter hgupta1
- Start date
AutomatedOutlet
Senior Member
You might try to shield it so that it's very focused on where it is looking for motion.
There's been a rash of daylight burglaries and robberies in our neighborhood. I noticed yesterday that were footprints in my backyard, so I am afraid that someone has been casing out my place since the last rainfall just 2 days ago. I've got large dogs, but apparently that doesn't phase burglars anymore.
Also, apparently the burglars in our neighborhood work in the day time or early morning.
Anyways, I want to know as soon as someone is on the property. I set up some hawkeye motion detectors that trigger Homeseer to play a wav as soon as motion is detected, but I am getting a lot of false positives, either due to the dogs or the dozens of birds that seem to love my backyard. So I think I need a pet immune wireless motion detector that either connects to my W800RF32 or to my Napco alarm system. Any ideas?
Whoever is coming onto the property is hopping over the 6 foot wooden privacy fence: has anyone ever tried to rig up something to detect when a fence is hopped over?
Also, apparently the burglars in our neighborhood work in the day time or early morning.
Anyways, I want to know as soon as someone is on the property. I set up some hawkeye motion detectors that trigger Homeseer to play a wav as soon as motion is detected, but I am getting a lot of false positives, either due to the dogs or the dozens of birds that seem to love my backyard. So I think I need a pet immune wireless motion detector that either connects to my W800RF32 or to my Napco alarm system. Any ideas?
Whoever is coming onto the property is hopping over the 6 foot wooden privacy fence: has anyone ever tried to rig up something to detect when a fence is hopped over?
I'm not familiar with what is out there, but could you rig a beam type detector (I originally was thinking vinyl fence, but I see you have a wooden one) to break the beam from one corner to the next. Doesn't sound real clean though, nor very covert.hgupta1 said:
While I haven't gotten to that point in my setup, I was planning on cameras covering all sides of the house. Anyone checking out the house is going to notice them (even using small ones) and probably going to move on. Why go to the extra trouble when you can skip it and get an easier one up the street?
That was my logic (along with the 'alarm monitoring' sign to further reinforce the message of 'move along to an easier house'). Because you know I am only doing this to protect the property, I have no other interest in this stuff... <_<
On the camera note, I got my 4 channel modulator off ebay recently (found a 5445 for $90 or so plus shipping, which even without IR (the 5545 has IR) is great since I have a zoned xantech system in place already) which will probably go to piping the external cameras to internal tv channels.
If you do that, you could theoretically bring up pip or the outdoor scene when movement is detected (or the doorbell for the front door cam).
If you tie outdoor motion detectors to the cameras the capability to review events that occured when you were not home should be available too (not sure how hard/expensive this is, but I've seen some mention in the posts here on it).
Got a little off track there but hope that makes sense.
BraveSirRobbin
Moderator
The beam thing won't work too well because of squirrels, falling leaves and other outdoor interference.
I do have cameras running all the time now, but my backyard is fairly large so they wouldn't see the cameras until it is too late. For whatever reason, burglars have been really brave lately. Last fall they hopped the fence, broke into my shed and stole my lawnmower despite a locked gate, 2 large german shepherds, and alarm signs!
I started thinking about a real trip wire mounted a couple of inches above the fence. I figured that to climb over a fence, you usually pull your self up over the top, and that the weight of the potential intruder could trigger an alarm. I thought maybe something could be done with an x10 ds10a (and I posted something under the ds10a ideas thread) and some army surplus trip wire, or maybe even using a light switch with a pull chain.
Hmmm, Gears are turning.
I do have cameras running all the time now, but my backyard is fairly large so they wouldn't see the cameras until it is too late. For whatever reason, burglars have been really brave lately. Last fall they hopped the fence, broke into my shed and stole my lawnmower despite a locked gate, 2 large german shepherds, and alarm signs!
I started thinking about a real trip wire mounted a couple of inches above the fence. I figured that to climb over a fence, you usually pull your self up over the top, and that the weight of the potential intruder could trigger an alarm. I thought maybe something could be done with an x10 ds10a (and I posted something under the ds10a ideas thread) and some army surplus trip wire, or maybe even using a light switch with a pull chain.
Hmmm, Gears are turning.
BraveSirRobbin
Moderator
I used a ds10 in my shed with the wgl800 antenna (about 125 feet from the house) and HS played an alarm sound in the house whenever the shed was opened. This worked well. Same deal with the garage doors and the cars.
Now we have a Yorkie (slightly louder than any siren ever built) who lets us know if anyone is outside messing around. A few years ago she let us know about kids in the neighbour's car at 2:30 am !
First the alarm sound goes off and then the Yorkie goes off !
Why not wait for the alarm to go and then send the two shepherds out to investigate ?
Good luck,
Neil
Now we have a Yorkie (slightly louder than any siren ever built) who lets us know if anyone is outside messing around. A few years ago she let us know about kids in the neighbour's car at 2:30 am !
First the alarm sound goes off and then the Yorkie goes off !
Why not wait for the alarm to go and then send the two shepherds out to investigate ?
Good luck,
Neil
TCassio, I like that motion detector. Thats the kind I was looking for. I wonder if it can be connected to my security system or homeseer.nsisman said:
Nsisman: that is exactly what I was trying to do! I recorded a wav of my biggest dog barking agressively, and when someone approaches the front door his agressive bark sounds in the house and back yard , and he rushes inside and continues barking in real life. The motion detector helps him out a lot since our property is too large for him to monitor in all areas.. But the squirrels and cats have been setting it off. Hopefully TCassio's suggestion will eliminate the false alarms.
One really bad side effect of all these motion sensors and alarms is that the dogs have gotten dependent on them! I had the power off last week while installing a light switch, and the UPS delivery guy dropped off a package without my dogs even knowing
ver0776
Active Member
If you want to use ActiveEye motion sensors, try using two or more, then tell your automation software that if they both fire within x number of seconds, than it is a confirmed motion alarm... Can beat false alarms by looking at two angles... Still super cheap!
Something else you can consider is trying to scare them off, and not alerting yourself in some cases. For example, if a motion detector in the back yard goes off, play a wave or TTS out back that talks to them like "Hey! Get out of there". But only alert the inside on better confirmed violations. False alarms are not really a big deal then. I don't care what my house says when I am gone either...
Lastly, CAMERAS CAMERAS CAMERAS... Man put up a lot of them... Hell, when my cameras break, I just move them into dummy positions... They still scare people. I make sure I cover my street both ways. You can wear a mask to fool cameras, but I will see your car too, unless you walk an entire block, and my plasmas are heavy =)
Vaughn
Something else you can consider is trying to scare them off, and not alerting yourself in some cases. For example, if a motion detector in the back yard goes off, play a wave or TTS out back that talks to them like "Hey! Get out of there". But only alert the inside on better confirmed violations. False alarms are not really a big deal then. I don't care what my house says when I am gone either...
Lastly, CAMERAS CAMERAS CAMERAS... Man put up a lot of them... Hell, when my cameras break, I just move them into dummy positions... They still scare people. I make sure I cover my street both ways. You can wear a mask to fool cameras, but I will see your car too, unless you walk an entire block, and my plasmas are heavy =)
Vaughn
Didn't someone post a link awhile back about a camera that targeted people tied to a gun of sorts? (a sentry gun)
Sure that would scare people... Could put up warning signs 'Warning this property is protected by automated sentry guns. Enter at own risk. You will be killed!'.
Ok, so perhaps you are probably not zoned for that kind of 'home improvement'....
Sure that would scare people... Could put up warning signs 'Warning this property is protected by automated sentry guns. Enter at own risk. You will be killed!'.
Ok, so perhaps you are probably not zoned for that kind of 'home improvement'....
