« Why Susan Boyle is so popular | Main | Is it a good sign to see cops eating at a restaurant? »
Markets in everything
Fake TV:
If you are looking effective, affordable way to deter criminals from breaking into your home at night, the FakeTV Burglar Deterrent is the perfect solution. FakeTV is a plug-in unit about the size of a coffee cup that simulates light output equivalent to a typical 27" TV. A built-in light sensor automatically turns the device on at night and/or when lighting in a room turns black (at 0.5 lux). From outside your home, it looks like someone is home watching TV.
I thank Denis Grosz for the pointer.
Posted by Tyler Cowen on April 21, 2009 at 03:23 PM in Television | Permalink
Comments
Or you could...simply leave the TV on. It seems to me there are markets in everything because, so often, people are so damn stupid.
Posted by: nikkos at Apr 21, 2009 3:49:59 PM
The alternative is good but I'd be curious on the differences in power consumption before I'd say it is just as good to leave the actual TV on.
Posted by: David J at Apr 21, 2009 4:29:59 PM
Perhaps because leaving the TV on uses a lot more electricity than a flourescent bulb of the same output? Or that leaving a TV on will shorten its lifetime? Or maybe some people don't even own a television? So often, people who are trying to be so smart are so damn stupid.
Posted by: Dave J at Apr 21, 2009 4:30:51 PM
My parents used to have their lamps on timers, you could set them to automatically turn on and off whenever you wanted. No reason you couldn't plug the TV into one of these.
This was 30 years ago, so I'm less than agog at this innovative device.
Posted by: wiloma at Apr 21, 2009 4:30:55 PM
I leave my 46" Sony on all day an evening while gone, and my monthly electric bill hovers around $50. I leave it on to keep the dogs from noticing and reacting to small noises outside. But my home hasn't been burglarized in awhile. Now I know why.
Posted by: BoscoH at Apr 21, 2009 4:33:23 PM
But wait, Tyler_Cowen! Isn't this device going to encourge -- oh, I'm sorry: incentivize -- burglars to break in when people really *are* watching TV, thus putting them at risk, since now TV light will be weaker evidence of a person being home?
Pigou tax this abomination!
(Anyone pick up on the sarcasm there? I'm working on it.)
Posted by: Silas Barta at Apr 21, 2009 5:05:50 PM
I'd be curious on the differences in power consumption before I'd say it is just as good to leave the actual TV on
It uses 3.0 watts operating, 1.8 watts standby ("draws less power than a night light"). Plus, it has a light sensor so it only comes on (automatically) when it's dark.
Presumably it makes no sound though. Will smart burglars bounce a laser beam off your window?
Posted by: anonymous at Apr 21, 2009 5:38:55 PM
Looks like Amazon sells it...
The "Customers Who Bought Related Items Also Bought" list shows a safe made out of a real book as well as safes made out of Del Monte cans and similar items and such. No tin foil hats though.
Posted by: anonymous at Apr 21, 2009 5:51:55 PM
Hmmm, interesting how it automatically added those little icons. I guess Tyler gets a commission if someone buys something through clicking on those?
Posted by: anonymous at Apr 21, 2009 6:05:43 PM
Very nice. But has "Markets in everything" become "Funny things which are for sale" -?
Posted by: Joe at Apr 21, 2009 6:32:52 PM
this might be good for home alone but i think the cost for a burglar walking up to a window and peeping in is pretty small.
Posted by: Nick at Apr 21, 2009 7:57:48 PM
this might be good for home alone but i think the cost for a burglar walking up to a window and peeping in is pretty small.
If you have 2 stories you put it in a 2nd story room.
Also check out the various "diversion safes" on Amazon courtesy of the link above.
Posted by: different anon at Apr 21, 2009 8:05:05 PM
If all your neighbors have one, should you get one, too?
And, how is this like Alex's "I didn't paint my house number on the curb because all my neighbors did" example that got him so much grief....
Posted by: anon at Apr 21, 2009 9:49:42 PM
Just wanted to say HI. I found your blog a few days ago and have been reading it over the past few days.
Posted by: runescape power leveling at Apr 21, 2009 11:38:55 PM
youd have to put one in every room so the burglars wouldnt know which one to avoid
Posted by: rfhnr at Apr 22, 2009 2:40:38 AM
I've taken to leaving a radio on in the lab to deter would-be supply thieves.
Posted by: Andrew at Apr 22, 2009 7:22:16 AM
Most of the comments (even sarcarstic ones) are spot on, with a few clarifications:
- A light on a timer remains a good idea! We (the makers of FakeTV) recommend it, and I use one (in addition to FakeTV) when I go on vacation.
- TV's turn on with buttons, so they cannot be put on timers. That's part of why FakeTV is so effective-- when you see a TV on, you just assume someone is watching it.
- To everyone who thinks security conciousness is a dumb idea: you are the people we are redirecting the burglars to!
Posted by: FakeTV Mfr at Apr 22, 2009 8:24:53 AM
Does this thing vary it's amplitude like a T.V.? That's important too I think.
Posted by: Arnold D'Souza at Apr 22, 2009 9:59:30 AM
"Or you could...simply leave the TV on. It seems to me there are markets in everything because, so often, people are so damn stupid."
But I don't have a TV.
Posted by: David at Apr 22, 2009 10:04:22 AM
My parents used to have their lamps on timers, you could set them to automatically turn on and off whenever you wanted. No reason you couldn't plug the TV into one of these.
Except that a modern television does not have a physical on/off switch. If you unplug a running television, then plug it back in, it will not turn on, it will stay in standby mode.
Or you could...simply leave the TV on. It seems to me there are markets in everything because, so often, people are so damn stupid
What about energy consumption, TV 'wear and tear', TV placement (lots of people don't have a TV in the their living room, they have it in the family room or basement rec-room outside of view of the front of the house), not owning a TV, etc., etc.?
The only problem with this device, is that it is relatively easy for criminals to adapt to. Once they are aware of such a device, it should be easy enough to detect. It kind of relies on security-by-obscurity.
Posted by: Rex Rhino at Apr 22, 2009 1:34:55 PM
That won't help us or our neighborhood. The burglar run on our neighborhood a couple of summers back was for homes with TVs. That is exactly what they stole. They saw the light on and hit homes at 5am on average.
I'd say it's a stupid waste.
Posted by: John at Apr 22, 2009 2:25:11 PM
How does leaving a radio on compare, as far as energy costs?
I like to do that because if you put the radio on talk radio or npr, you get the added benefit of it possibly sounding like someone is home and talking.
Posted by: Shae at Apr 22, 2009 7:39:39 PM
The alternative is good but I'd be curious on the differences in power consumption before I'd say it is just as good to leave the actual TV on.
Posted by: PANASONIC Laptop Battery at May 18, 2009 10:24:32 AM
Sounds great can't wait to see the unit and how it really works or if it really does look like you are at home.
Posted by: furniture stores at Oct 4, 2009 1:32:09 AM
