Help me find an alarm input device?

Erik,

Wireless detectors aren't as robust as wired. But the bigger factor is the wireless detectors I've checked have a base station that sounds an alarm. There was a recent post here, in the last week or two, where someone wanted to connect their stand-alone two device wireless detector to the NVR. (two device = sensor and base station)
The base station didn't provide "dry contact" outputs. ie: relay contacts of NC, COM, NO.
I did a quick search and couldn't find any for that poster. Maybe google that thread, and ask the poster if he found a solution.
Secondly, I think your choice of sensors will be limited. eg: maybe just simple PIR motion detect.
So it depends on where the sensors will be mounted, and how many false alarms you're willing to tolerate.
Me, I have a low tolerance for false alarms. I don't want to live with the boy who cried wolf.
I prefer dual tech sensors (check Bosch Tritech, such as ODB850)
I also use a laser line. It doesn't trip for moving shadows, blowing leaves, headlights, squirrels, etc.

Suggestion:
Let us know what you're trying to accomplish, the application, the environment. That will whittle it down to a sensor technology.
Then we can discuss if it's wired or wireless.

Fastb
 
I pretty much want to be alerted when someone enters my driveway/front yard. I would guess there is 35-45 feet from the house to the road. I thought of a laser possibly by the road, detecting my driveway.. But i dont want to have to run wire underground.. To the house.. Thru the attic... To the nvr. That seems like way too much work.
 
The problem with wireless is everything is battery powered; and you wont know the batteries are dead until it fails to record/alert you.. which sux.. beam sensors are active and require too much power for battery use, you'd have to replace them alot more than once every couple years.. If you run wires you can provide a mains power source with a battery backup.

Tripwire sensors for garages can false from blowing yard debris or getting burried in snow.. vehicles are easy to detect reliably with air tubes but people can be a bit tricky and might require some really expensive sensors for high reliability w/out alot of false alarms

If you get cameras with Alarm Inputs you can wire it directly to the camera and save your self a bit of wiring and complexity.

Check out smarthome.com for ideas, i rarely buy from em though.. way to expensive.. You can get all kinds of wired and wireless sensors of various use.
 
Erik,

Erik said:
I pretty much want to be alerted when someone enters my driveway/front yard. I would guess there is 35-45 feet from the house to the road.
Click to expand...

Maybe use a cam that has IVS, then set a trip line. Yes, if you need to put a cam in a new position, to look down the driveway, you'll be pulling wire. But you won't need to run wire down the driveway.

I have a 3.6mm cam taking a wide view of my driveway. You can see my front walk on the left, above the blue tarp. And driveway heads downhill on the right. This cam doesn't have IVS.
dvwy2.jpg .

Here's the image from my IVS cam w/ 12mm lens, narrow view, aimed at the driveway. You can see the tripwire lines in blue. As soon as a person, car, coyote, etc crosses the lines, I get an immediate push notification. Or two, if both lines are tripped.


dvwy1.jpg

You might use a retro reflective laser trip line sensor. Mount the reflector at the bottom of the driveway (no wires). And the transmitter/receiver near the house (less digging for cable). I use direct burial wire that's meant for sprinkler systems or landscape lighting. Low voltage, deep trench not needed.

Something like this, w/ 45ft range.
E-931-S45RRQ - Seco-Larm

Relay contact outputs, suitable for NVR.

Fastb
 
looney2ns said:
These guys have pretty much been the kings of driveway sensors for years.
Dakota Alert, Wireless Alarms and Security
Click to expand...

I actually spent some time today researching, and found an alarm I like. I came back and read your reply, and it's the same brand! Lol thanks.

Another one i found was this.
Guardline Wireless Driveway Alarm. Professional Outdoor Motion Sensor & Detector Alert System w/. - - Amazon.com


I think it said 12v at 300mA. Would that harm the nvr?

Also, if i buy one, how to I properly hook it up? Just find a small gauge wire, strip the ends, and connect?
 
What are the power requirements? Do i want no power at all, just an open or closed circuit? Or is 12v and miliamps okay?
 
Erik,

You want "dry contacts", ie: simple NC, COM, NO contacts. The line "opens" or "shorts", like a simple switch. On or Off.
The spec I saw said "Relay: Has powered 12 volt relay."
You said "12V at 300ma". That's not a dry contact.
This sensor seems like a standalone device, with multiple tones.
We're back to a previous post about how to adapt a sensor to be compatible with an NVR. Then we get into murky territory, where the "tone output" might activate a relay (that you'd hack in) to give the NVR the switch closure to trip an NVR alarm.
It's do-able but would require some hacking, a breadboard, experimentation, etc.
That sesnor offers relay contact outputs, so the 12V output at 300ma could certainly power a small relay to give the NVR the switch closure it's looking for. That's not a complicated hack. Depending on your comfort level and technical expertise....

Fastb
 
Fastb said:
Erik,



Maybe use a cam that has IVS, then set a trip line. Yes, if you need to put a cam in a new position, to look down the driveway, you'll be pulling wire. But you won't need to run wire down the driveway.

I have a 3.6mm cam taking a wide view of my driveway. You can see my front walk on the left, above the blue tarp. And driveway heads downhill on the right. This cam doesn't have IVS.
View attachment 14438 .

Here's the image from my IVS cam w/ 12mm lens, narrow view, aimed at the driveway. You can see the tripwire lines in blue. As soon as a person, car, coyote, etc crosses the lines, I get an immediate push notification. Or two, if both lines are tripped.


View attachment 14440

You might use a retro reflective laser trip line sensor. Mount the reflector at the bottom of the driveway (no wires). And the transmitter/receiver near the house (less digging for cable). I use direct burial wire that's meant for sprinkler systems or landscape lighting. Low voltage, deep trench not needed.

Something like this, w/ 45ft range.
E-931-S45RRQ - Seco-Larm

Relay contact outputs, suitable for NVR.

Fastb
Click to expand...

Do you get many false alarms?
 
Erik said:
Do you get many false alarms?
Click to expand...
Not at all. I get some, maybe 1 or two a day.
If I get a single event, I chalk it up to a false alarm.
If multiple events occur almost simultaneously, I know I have a legitimate event. A car or person will break a laser line, and multiple IVS tripwires on multiple cameras.
Here's a pic of a "false" alarm from today. A squirrel darted across my driveway and crossed a tripwire.sqrl.jpg

I used Cat5 wire, because I had a lot on hand. I doubled up on power and gnd, leaving 4 conductors for NC,COM and NO

If you use the NC contact, you can daisy chain sensors. If any sensor trips, the contact opens, and the NVR senses the event.

Fastb
 
Update (maybe this will help someone else, it took me a long time to find this device): I got this dakota alert device (2500 series - link below). It has 5 separate relays, one for each of the 4 channels, and one 12v one. I'm currently only using one sensor/one relay, but any combination is possible. I think I'm going to order their doorbell also, which will act as a normal doorbell, but I will also get an email alert with a picture through my NVR. The doorbell also comes with a magnetic contact - will alert when a door opens if you set it up this way. This will be good for my fence leading to my back yard (obviously wont use the doorbell function for this).

This was all new to me, but I am highly impressed with the dakota system. Both the sensor and the receiver have many options. You can easily change the field of view/detection for the sensor, as well as the distance it will detect. It's easy to turn the led on or off, or to select a channel (there are little switches on the circuit board). I haven't had to, but it says there are 256 frequency options incase of interference.


It's actually really nice (no false alerts yet for the dakota system) to get an email with pictures every time a mail carrier or solicitor comes on my property. I can check an entire days motion (I get 3 pics per camera, 2 cameras setup to send pics) literally in a minute or two.

Amazon.com : Dakota Alert IRDCR-2500 Duty Cycle IR Kit, One IR-2500 & One DCR-2500 : Camera & Photo


I returned the old system I bought due to way too many false alerts (the shadow moving when the sun sets would give me probably 20-60 - very annoying to hear the chime and get false emails). It also only had 1 relay, so there were not many options.
 
Erik,

Good to hear. Will your sensor be battery powered, or did you come up with an AC powered 9V supply?

Fastb
 
keep a spare lithium 9v on hand, they have fantastic a shelf life and will handle cold temps outside alot better.

i put expensive lithium 9v in the smoke alarms and they probably 4 years old now and still going strong, not one has started reporting low battery yet.. they good for like 8years+ in smoke alarms.
 
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