Another wonderfully weird item from Poundland. A dummy CCTV camera complete with blinking LED. The sort of blinking LED that has "this is a fake CCTV camera" written all over it.
Bizarrely, the LED is turned on and off by pressing the dome like a typical cupboard push-light. It flashes at a rate of about 0.5Hz. One second on and one second off. The two AA cells will probably last just a few weeks of continuous operation before the LED starts getting quite dim. But that's OK, because it looks more realistic if the LED is not lit anyway. And it does look very realistic as a dome camera, complete with similar multi-section construction.
The LED is quite neat in that it has such a slow 50/50 flash rate. Very different to the usual flashing LEDs, and runs directly on the 3V supply.
If you enjoy the videos you can help support the channel with a dollar for coffee, cookies and odd CCTV type things via Patreon or PayPal at http://www.bigclive.com/coffee.htm
Bizarrely, the LED is turned on and off by pressing the dome like a typical cupboard push-light. It flashes at a rate of about 0.5Hz. One second on and one second off. The two AA cells will probably last just a few weeks of continuous operation before the LED starts getting quite dim. But that's OK, because it looks more realistic if the LED is not lit anyway. And it does look very realistic as a dome camera, complete with similar multi-section construction.
The LED is quite neat in that it has such a slow 50/50 flash rate. Very different to the usual flashing LEDs, and runs directly on the 3V supply.
If you enjoy the videos you can help support the channel with a dollar for coffee, cookies and odd CCTV type things via Patreon or PayPal at http://www.bigclive.com/coffee.htm
I put one over my back door many years ago,and didn't bother about batteries after the supplied one expired. It looks real enough,and has certainly paid for itself many times over. Altogether,a very worthwhile investment.
“Security theater” is what they call making it look more secure than it is, lol. I remember a lot of fake cameras like that. Nowadays it’s “cheap” and “easy” to outfit a store with loads of real ones tho, so they’re not so common XD and I agree with not using the blink on the one you took apart — I don’t think any real camera had had blinking lights in 40 years
A few years ago, I was given a couple of dummy cameras, but they were rather more sophisticated. Along with the led, there was also a motion sensor of some sort. So in addition to the blinking red LED, the motion sensor detected your presence and activated a small motor which would pan the dummy camera left and right. If you watched it, it soon became apparent that the device always came back to the same parking position. The fake lenses were remarkably realistic, with a dark and sinister look which reflected light, but you couldn't see through them – A bit like Darth Vader's helmet!
The fake cameras were a convincing 'duck egg' blue, and of a size that reflected the appearance of an average CCTV camera of its time. They even had a plausible sounding maker's name. For added realism, there was a fake flex which exited the back of the casing, and entered the wall plate.
I should still have them somewhere.
I found an image!
Goggle "boots old security cameras" then click on images
im not sure people trying to steal would want to take the risk, they probly not as informed as we are,.
You could put a esp32 camera in one…
I do remember the Boots camera you have definitely got right
Yes, I can remember the large ceiling mounted security cameras .
Two of my friends and myself did a short “dance routine” in front of one in one of Oxford’s big stores back in the 70/80s as a p!ss take. Much later, in the 2000s, in the large Abingdon Tesco, I told my mum to wave at the camera, with large colour screen at the entrance, we both waved. Growing old disgracefully is great fun.
I remember the dome cameras in Boots. Still used in the '90s, but white rather than black?
There's an episode of Are You Being Served "Big Brother" that has one of those security cameras with 6 lenses.
I just have signs around my house. Saying don’t bother robbing me because I’ve got nothing worth having ! But next door has got lots of desirable items ! Works for me .