Comments for AUTOMAT3D http://www.automat3d.com Control your world. Sat, 31 Jul 2010 17:29:42 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.1 Comment on Motion Sensor Switched Output Hack by james http://www.automat3d.com/electronics/motion-sensor-switched-output-hack/#comment-1360 james Sat, 05 Jun 2010 14:19:14 +0000 http://www.automat3d.com/?p=158#comment-1360 hi, love the tutorial! have been wondering about converting a light motion sensor to a switch for ages but didn't know how. Could you tell me if there is an easy way to convert a sensor to be battery operated under a reasonably low voltage? I was thinking of building a motion sensor to capture wildlife so would need something battery powered. many thanks :D James hi, love the tutorial!
have been wondering about converting a light motion sensor to a switch for ages but didn’t know how. Could you tell me if there is an easy way to convert a sensor to be battery operated under a reasonably low voltage? I was thinking of building a motion sensor to capture wildlife so would need something battery powered.

many thanks :D

James

]]> Comment on Motion Sensor Switched Output Hack by Scott http://www.automat3d.com/electronics/motion-sensor-switched-output-hack/#comment-1301 Scott Fri, 07 May 2010 05:28:40 +0000 http://www.automat3d.com/?p=158#comment-1301 @Wes: I would start by playing around with exactly how the record button works. If you hold the button down while you power it on does it start recording? It's probably not that simple but sometimes you get lucky! Another option is to tie into the microphone input. Run a small voltage or audio signal through the relay (leave the camera powered on all the time) and when the relay closes it will activate the auto-record feature. @Wes: I would start by playing around with exactly how the record button works. If you hold the button down while you power it on does it start recording? It’s probably not that simple but sometimes you get lucky!

Another option is to tie into the microphone input. Run a small voltage or audio signal through the relay (leave the camera powered on all the time) and when the relay closes it will activate the auto-record feature.

]]> Comment on Motion Sensor Switched Output Hack by wes http://www.automat3d.com/electronics/motion-sensor-switched-output-hack/#comment-1289 wes Tue, 04 May 2010 01:09:18 +0000 http://www.automat3d.com/?p=158#comment-1289 I have a mini dv "spy camera " that is a MD80 clone. I am trying to make it motion activated. I was going to use a Securitron XMS PIR sensor ( leftover from a magnetic door lock assembly ). The camera has a sound activation function but it is not very sensitive. My thought was to use a 12v battery to power the PIR and use the output wires to operate a relay that will turn the camera on. the problem is that the camera needs to power up and then another button must be pressed to start recording. any suggestions? I have a mini dv “spy camera ” that is a MD80 clone. I am trying to make it motion activated. I was going to use a Securitron XMS PIR sensor ( leftover from a magnetic door lock assembly ). The camera has a sound activation function but it is not very sensitive. My thought was to use a 12v battery to power the PIR and use the output wires to operate a relay that will turn the camera on. the problem is that the camera needs to power up and then another button must be pressed to start recording. any suggestions?

]]> Comment on Motion Sensor Switched Output Hack by João Correia http://www.automat3d.com/electronics/motion-sensor-switched-output-hack/#comment-1196 João Correia Fri, 26 Mar 2010 11:55:08 +0000 http://www.automat3d.com/?p=158#comment-1196 Great stuff! Just what I was looking for!! BTW, one more application for this: to connect the alarm input of a IP surveillance camera to the sensor output wires. When motion is detected, the sensor short cuts the camera alarm input and this event event can trigger several actions: * To send an email notification (with one or several snapshot) to a list of configurable email addresses; * Start recording a video. Thanks, very useful indeed!! Great stuff! Just what I was looking for!!

BTW, one more application for this: to connect the alarm input of a IP surveillance camera to the sensor output wires.

When motion is detected, the sensor short cuts the camera alarm input and this event event can trigger several actions:
* To send an email notification (with one or several snapshot) to a list of configurable email addresses;
* Start recording a video.

Thanks, very useful indeed!!

]]> Comment on Motion Sensor Switched Output Hack by Scott http://www.automat3d.com/electronics/motion-sensor-switched-output-hack/#comment-807 Scott Wed, 23 Dec 2009 22:21:13 +0000 http://www.automat3d.com/?p=158#comment-807 Many times the little microphones they use in those devices require power to operate. Maybe that DC voltage is doing something weird to your chime circuit. Try sticking a capacitor (.1uf or something) between the speaker output of the chime and the microphone input of Santa. I'm just guessing but it does seem like what you tried should work. Many times the little microphones they use in those devices require power to operate. Maybe that DC voltage is doing something weird to your chime circuit. Try sticking a capacitor (.1uf or something) between the speaker output of the chime and the microphone input of Santa. I’m just guessing but it does seem like what you tried should work.

]]> Comment on Motion Sensor Switched Output Hack by Jackie http://www.automat3d.com/electronics/motion-sensor-switched-output-hack/#comment-806 Jackie Wed, 23 Dec 2009 14:58:44 +0000 http://www.automat3d.com/?p=158#comment-806 My husband bought a battery powered motion activated sensor that produces a "chime" sound when it detects motion. The output from the sensor module goes to a simple speaker, so the waveform of the output signal is a sound-like pattern. Looked at on an oscilloscope, the signal is an exponentially decaying alternating pulse. This should have been quite similar to the output from the Santa's sound detecting microphone. He hooked up the "chime" signal output from the motion detector into the Santa's circuit board, to replace the ceramic microphone output. He used a resistor voltage divider to test various signal levels, over the range of 9 volts to a couple of millivolts peak-to-peak, but the signal from the motion detector never triggered the Santa. The Santa's detection circuit is so sensitive that, with the wires from the microphone disconnected, just touching the wires with the natural voltage in your body will trigger the Santa. In the end, we hooked up the Santa's microphone again, so at least we have the sound activation working again. Very frustrating! We worked on this for several days. Any suggestions? Thanks. My husband bought a battery powered motion activated sensor that produces a “chime” sound when it detects motion. The output from the sensor module goes to a simple speaker, so the waveform of the output signal is a sound-like pattern. Looked at on an oscilloscope, the signal is an exponentially decaying alternating pulse. This should have been quite similar to the output from the Santa’s sound detecting microphone. He hooked up the “chime” signal output from the motion detector into the Santa’s circuit board, to replace the ceramic microphone output. He used a resistor voltage divider to test various signal levels, over the range of 9 volts to a couple of millivolts peak-to-peak, but the signal from the motion detector never triggered the Santa. The Santa’s detection circuit is so sensitive that, with the wires from the microphone disconnected, just touching the wires with the natural voltage in your body will trigger the Santa. In the end, we hooked up the Santa’s microphone again, so at least we have the sound activation working again. Very frustrating! We worked on this for several days. Any suggestions? Thanks.

]]> Comment on Motion Sensor Switched Output Hack by Scott http://www.automat3d.com/electronics/motion-sensor-switched-output-hack/#comment-801 Scott Mon, 21 Dec 2009 23:11:29 +0000 http://www.automat3d.com/?p=158#comment-801 Sorry, links are probably disabled to help fight spam. Anyway, I looked up your Santa. Unfortunately I couldn't find much technical information on it. I was hoping that there was some kind of test / try-me button that you could tap into easily. I think I'd have to actually tear one apart to figure out how to trick it into activating whenever you wanted. The problem with sound-activated props is that you can't just short out the microphone and have it activate. One thing you could try is putting the relay contacts in series with the microphone. If it looks for changes in sound level as opposed to an absolute level it might work. Another thing might be to hook a battery in series with a pretty big resistor and the relay contacts and run that into the microphone input instead of the microphone. That way whenever the motion sensor is tripped a small voltage gets sent into the microphone input and Santa might do his thing. Again I don't know exactly what kind of signal the circuit responds to from the microphone, but it might work. Another, decidedly more ghetto method would be to hook some kind of noise-making device to the output of the motion sensor and place that right next to the microphone. Hide/enclose the whole thing somewhere so that people will hear Santa and not the noisy thing. I hope I've at least given you some things to try. Sorry, links are probably disabled to help fight spam.

Anyway, I looked up your Santa. Unfortunately I couldn’t find much technical information on it. I was hoping that there was some kind of test / try-me button that you could tap into easily.

I think I’d have to actually tear one apart to figure out how to trick it into activating whenever you wanted. The problem with sound-activated props is that you can’t just short out the microphone and have it activate.

One thing you could try is putting the relay contacts in series with the microphone. If it looks for changes in sound level as opposed to an absolute level it might work.

Another thing might be to hook a battery in series with a pretty big resistor and the relay contacts and run that into the microphone input instead of the microphone. That way whenever the motion sensor is tripped a small voltage gets sent into the microphone input and Santa might do his thing. Again I don’t know exactly what kind of signal the circuit responds to from the microphone, but it might work.

Another, decidedly more ghetto method would be to hook some kind of noise-making device to the output of the motion sensor and place that right next to the microphone. Hide/enclose the whole thing somewhere so that people will hear Santa and not the noisy thing.

I hope I’ve at least given you some things to try.

]]> Comment on Motion Sensor Switched Output Hack by Jackie http://www.automat3d.com/electronics/motion-sensor-switched-output-hack/#comment-795 Jackie Tue, 15 Dec 2009 19:12:17 +0000 http://www.automat3d.com/?p=158#comment-795 Hi Scott, I bought it at an online store called buycostumes and searched for sitting santa. Everytime I try to place a link the post won't work . Hopefully you will be able to find it OK. Thanks, Jackie Hi Scott, I bought it at an online store called buycostumes and searched for sitting santa. Everytime I try to place a link the post won’t work . Hopefully you will be able to find it OK. Thanks, Jackie

]]> Comment on Motion Sensor Switched Output Hack by Jackie http://www.automat3d.com/electronics/motion-sensor-switched-output-hack/#comment-794 Jackie Tue, 15 Dec 2009 19:09:07 +0000 http://www.automat3d.com/?p=158#comment-794 Hi Scott. He has his voice box under the arm that moves and the transformer from the voice box is attached to the motorized mechanizim at the head. From there the unit is plugged into a 120v outlet. I hope this helps. I can try to take is apart and take some shots of the "box" on the inside if you like. I don't seem to be able to place a link here. Thanks Scott, Jackie Hi Scott. He has his voice box under the arm that moves and the transformer from the voice box is attached to the motorized mechanizim at the head. From there the unit is plugged into a 120v outlet. I hope this helps. I can try to take is apart and take some shots of the “box” on the inside if you like. I don’t seem to be able to place a link here. Thanks Scott, Jackie

]]> Comment on Motion Sensor Switched Output Hack by Jackie http://www.automat3d.com/electronics/motion-sensor-switched-output-hack/#comment-790 Jackie Tue, 15 Dec 2009 18:57:00 +0000 http://www.automat3d.com/?p=158#comment-790 Hi, Scott, I seem to have trouble posting. Jackie Hi, Scott, I seem to have trouble posting. Jackie

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