May 20 2008FakeTV Acts Like Television, Deters Thieves
The FakeTV is a $50 array of super-bright LEDs that flicker on and off to resemble the light given off by a television. The idea is that a burglar will see this, think you're home watching television when in fact you're on a family vacation that's making you want to kill yourself, and pass on robbing you blind.
FakeTV uses a built-in computer to control super-bright LEDs to produce light of varying intensity and color that light up a room just like a real television does. The light effects of real television programming -- scene changes, camera pans, fades, flicks, swells, on-screen motion, and more, are all faithfully simulated by FakeTV... fills a room with color changes, both subtle and dramatic, in thousands of possible shades. FakeTV is completely unpredictable, and it never repeats.
The FakeTV uses substantially less energy than leaving a real television on, and doubles as an epilepsy detector. Video after the jump, but WARNING: We are in no way, shape, form, taste, smell or color responsible for any resulting seizures.
fake tv scares of intruders, saves power [technabob]
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Reader Comments
1. bluesman - May 20, 2008 5:07 PM
I kinda looks like it repeats itself just a little, good idea though.... and if your bored you can just smoke some dank and stare at it.
2. John - May 20, 2008 5:08 PM
Seems I have epilepsy thanks for the test. See you in court geekologie!
3. boredom - May 20, 2008 5:19 PM
Ok so does anyone else think this will make the crook think, hmmm there must be a tv to steal in there.
4. mike - May 20, 2008 5:25 PM
why would i need a fake tv, when i have the coca cola robot patrolling my house at night?
5. Sophie - May 20, 2008 5:25 PM
This would be as fun to watch as American Idol or Dancing with Bitches!
6. rteder - May 20, 2008 5:32 PM
For what it's worth, it never, ever repeats. Sometimes it might look like the light is pulsing, but that is only because a real television does.
7. Ace - May 20, 2008 7:12 PM
#1:
Right on.
Not a bad idea actually. An even cheaper deal is ALARM stickers.
8. Onyx Elite - May 20, 2008 8:04 PM
Now if I was any self respecting burglar I'd have to ask myself why that household in particular were watching tv with the sound off. Now they could be deaf but in my experience deaf people listen to the television with the sound way up like old people.
9. SlowMonkey - May 20, 2008 8:15 PM
My gut feeling is that this has more practical application for seizure induction than burglar repellant. I would sell it to some frat houses for hazing week.
10. Momboelitist - May 20, 2008 9:13 PM
So, they're practically giving CRT sets away these days but I'd rather spend $50 on this waste of time.
11. Maersk - May 21, 2008 5:18 AM
Since nobody has said it yet, I will do the honours:
FAKE!
12. Dr_Freak - May 21, 2008 5:31 AM
The only reason i want one is that it's less work to create the "tv flicker" effect for T.V. or theatre productions.
13. Jerry Dale - May 21, 2008 6:00 AM
FAKE
14. blp - May 21, 2008 7:50 AM
@8. Leave talk radio on, it would still use way less electricity. @10, the point is it uses less electricity. A small CRT uses ~50 watts a large set ~100. Also CRTs left on unattended are a fire risk, I know someone who had a set recalled due to faulty components on that model, this same person would leave her TV on when she went out and is lucky she didn't burn her house down.
15. Aaron - May 21, 2008 10:09 AM
Cool.
I can save money, save the planet, and feel like a tool at the same time!
16. Aquageek - May 22, 2008 11:11 AM
How about using a REAL TV ON A TIMER! Duh. Of course, that would be too obvious for real robbers. They'd guess nobody was home for sure. But this? This is a sure thing. GO FAKE TV, GO!
17. Shoes - May 24, 2008 1:11 AM
#1: "...kinda looks like it repeats itself just a little..."
Just like American television... except substitute more for a lot.