Need Help Finding a Motion Sensor

[Willie 0]

I am having a CCTV camera installed so that it covers the outside area of our front door. I would like to have outside lights come on, to illuminate the front porch, and the camera to be turned on when someone approaches the front door.

 

To make this happen, I thought of using a motion detector to sense when someone is at the front door. I would like to mount it under the eave of the roof and pointed straight down at the front porch. I would also like to confine the sensor beam to about a radius of 36 inches on the surface of the front porch (the sensor would be about 16 feet up when mounted under the eave).

 

Could someone suggest a model of sensor detector for this project?

 

Thanks, Willie

[libertysurveillance 0]

The only time you would really need a motion sensor is if you have a DVR that needs an external motion device. How are you hooking it up, just to a TV ? does it have a VCR/DVR?

[Willie 0]

The primary reason for the motion sensor is to cause the flood lights to come on. This has the added benefit of illuminating the front porch so the camera has better light.

 

Is such a sensor made?

 

Thanks

[jmason 0]

Willie,

 

are familiar with relays?

 

Does your DVR have the ability to record on motion?

[jmason 0]

Forgot to ask,

 

does your DVR have alarm inputs?[list=]

[ultimatesecurity 0]

I am with Liberty Surveillance here. Are you going to be recording the video onto a time lapse VCR or DVR so you can only record motion triggered video? If not there is no reason to have the camera turn on and off. Unless you want the video monitor to turn on and show video when the lights turn on outside?

[libertysurveillance 0]

Yea if you just want the lights to come on, just goto home depot get some flood lights with a sensor, no need to hook em up to the camera. If you dont have a vcr/dvr and all you have is a monitor, it wouldnt matter if the camera is running 24/7 the tv would be dark unless someone walked in front of the light.

 

If you DO have a dvr/vcr that DOESNT have motion detect, then you will need a SECOND motion detector for just the camera. Most dvrs do come with motion detection features built in, though some do not. Any PIR for an alarm would work with almost any dvr that doesnt have motion detection.

 

So do you have a DVR/VCR? If so which one?

[Willie 0]

I' sorry I didn't fully explain my situation in my first post.

 

I have no intention of recording what the video camera sees.

 

My problem is, I have two junipers, each about 10 feet tall flanking, the front porch. There are similar junipers along the rest of the front of the house. I live in Minnesota. With snow and rain storms, the junipers sway back and forth by at least two feet near their top. It was my guess that if I used typical motion detectors, the junipers would give me many false indications and be turing the lights on numerous times. That's why I was looking for a motion detector that would not see the junipers, but would only see the front porch.

 

My office is in the basement of my house (that's where I am now). If someone approaches the front door, at night, I would like to look at my monitor and have a good look at who it is. Also, if the person who is at the front door is there without a good reason, I think the flood lights would make them think twice about staying at the door.

 

I hope this better explains my situation. I really appreciate all of the interest in how I don't need a motion sensor. But, I would really apprreciate a direct answer to my question: does such a sensor exist?

 

Thanks, Willie

[kensplace 0]

You could try getting a PIR to detect motion, mount it as desired, but use opaque masking tape on the inside of the sensor window to mask out areas you dont want detecting. Just cover up as much of the sensor as you need so it only covers the area you want covered. (by cover up the sensor, I mean the plastic window, not the actual sensor inside on the board!)

[libertysurveillance 0]

Willie, if you have lights on a sensor outside, then you dont need another sensor. If you're worried about the tree's swaying and setting off the lights, well then thats what the camera is for. If the light goes on, take a glance at your monitor, if no one is there, then so be it.

 

If you havent put the lights in, and you are going to, just get regular flood lamps with motion detectors at homedepot (its usually worth paying the premium for a decent set) and just point the sensor down more, or have it piped away from the house and pointing at your door, that way it will only go off when you leave your door, or someone arrives at your door. Also what you can do is hook up an electrical outlet to the sensor as well, so when the flood lights go on outside, you can have a lamp in your office come on.

 

With the motion detector on the lights, just have any old outdoor camera (low light lipstick your cheapest bet) running 24/7 with a monitor to whereever. If you have cable through the whole house they sell modulators so you can plex it onto your cable on whatever channel and just switch to that channel and you can see it on any tv.

[ultimatesecurity 0]

Willie, if you have lights on a sensor outside, then you dont need another sensor. If you're worried about the tree's swaying and setting off the lights, well then thats what the camera is for. If the light goes on, take a glance at your monitor, if no one is there, then so be it.

 

If you havent put the lights in, and you are going to, just get regular flood lamps with motion detectors at homedepot (its usually worth paying the premium for a decent set) and just point the sensor down more, or have it piped away from the house and pointing at your door, that way it will only go off when you leave your door, or someone arrives at your door. Also what you can do is hook up an electrical outlet to the sensor as well, so when the flood lights go on outside, you can have a lamp in your office come on.

 

With the motion detector on the lights, just have any old outdoor camera (low light lipstick your cheapest bet) running 24/7 with a monitor to whereever. If you have cable through the whole house they sell modulators so you can plex it onto your cable on whatever channel and just switch to that channel and you can see it on any tv.

 

As for the outdoor light, they do sell units that have a wireless plug in chime that works with the floodlight. When lights go on the chime goes off. Motions sensors work off infrared (basically heat source) however large objects could set them off. Besides motions, why don't you consider driveway alarms. They provide an invisable alarm line that if someone were to walk through it, it would set off an indoor sensor.