My house will be empty for an extended period. I will of course have timer switches to turn on the lights to give an appearance of occupancy. I would also like to turn on the TV set but the regular switch timer will not work. Is there some plug-on device I can use to turn the TV on and off at selected times? Or better still a programmable device to give it a random pattern of TV usage.
There are timer-equipped remote controls available. This is a good site to check:
Plug in appliance timer. Available at the hardware store. about 10 bucks. Has a 3 prong outlet, instead of 2 like a lamp timer.
Won't work on many newer TV. It will turn the power to the set off and on, but will not turn the TV on. That has to be done with a switch or remote.
Turn on an AC radio set to a loud station, A TV is to much trouble even if you ever get it to work which I dought you will Because you will have to Re Wire the Tv.
Better to have a radio on the timer. Uses less electricity for one reason. You can set the radio to a rap station or a country music station. Either way, they'll think you have guns in the house, although with the rap station, they might think you also have drugs or bling-bling in the house, which would be more inviting for a break in. Better to stay with the country music, especially ultra conservative music from the likes of Toby Keith.
I'll be timing the Radio to be on during daylight hours.
My problem is that I have a large Bay window and one can see if my TV's on from the sidewalk. The sidewalk has fairly busy pedestrian traffic. They can't see if there is anyone watching the TV though. If the TV is always off over a few weeks the ruse is obvious.
My current thinking is to solder a pair of wires to a $6 universal remote and attach the timer to that ON-OFF TV switch.
I am still not sure but I think a robbery of opportunity has already occurred a month ago. I can't find by camera kit bag with NIKON equipment. It would have been easy enough for someone to come up my front door while I was tinkering in the garage, get in and out within a couple of minutes. That is the only item missing. Nothing else seems disturbed.
I think I need an electonic momentary NO switch for this. Is there such an animal?
Nikon, call pawn shops and of course the police, You are better off with a radio , alarm system and camera surveylance system, all 3 for
200$ Noise is a great deterance, or get a second cheap tv , rewire it, TVs dont last forever, or very long either. Best is a dog, plus they are fun and your friend
Also from a safety standpoint, a radio is better than a TV. All cathode ray tube TV's have high voltage components in them and sometimes they fail and smoke. Best not to run a TV unattended for long periods of time.
Beachcomber
Since the sender has a PC, how about an IR sender, with some software?
See comp.home.automation for more on this, as that is where I've seen them talked about.
Yup, if you push and keep the power on button on the TV down with piece of tape or something. Tony
Hey Tony. Thanks. This is a brilliant solution. I was scratching my head and really dread having to mutilate a remote control, $6 or not. I'll check it out and if it works I'll probably have to wire the remote to a power cube as an always ON remote will drain the battery.
Come to think of it - a timer - to the power cube - to the remote - is a simpler implementation. The timer has two pairs of ON-OFF tabs. So the first set will turn ON the TV and the second set OFF. The time interval between the two pairs, first ON then OFF, can be my fake viewing time. Each timer tab pair can be set to its minimum (10 minute?) segment so that the remote isn't sending signals to the TV all the time.
No good. It there is no power to the remote it loses its settings. So power cube to remote battery terminals must always be on. Timer to the ON-OFF switch only. Haven't figured this out yet.
Found this solution by chance. Remote always on. Put an opaque disk in front of the Tx LED. Have a little window in the disk that will let the Tx IR signal through momentarily. It will turn the TV on. The next window that allows the Tx LED to shine through will toggle it off. And so on. My next step is to use a clock motor to drive a paper disk. with those "windows."
How long do you think the battery in the remote will last if you have it transmitting IR continuously?
A day maybe?
Uh, wouldn't it be easier to spend 5 or 10 bucks at local thrift store, and buy an older mechanical-tuner TV? One that has a mechanical on-off switch, not a relay, so you can leave it always-on, and use the 5-dollar timer to turn it on and off? Sometimes, obsolete tech has advantages.
aem sends...
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Finally a simple solution from sci.electronics.repair.
My TV happens to be a 27" SONY. The advice was that the SONY TV retains its channel setting when the power is cut. Sure enough I pulled the TV power cable to cut the power and when I plugged it back the TV came on. Did this several times. Now I'll put in the timer and test.
Hi, By doing that with my VCR, I made it broken. Power on button does not work any more. it is always on when plugged in. Your TV may do the same. Tony
I'll take the risk. Lack of time for a more sophisticated solution. The TV power circuit I can fix anytime if it goes.
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