How FakeTV Works

This burglar cannot see the picture from the real TV.
He sees flickering, dynamic light filtering through the curtains. He assumes, correctly in this case, that someone must be home watching television.

This time the burglar also sees flickering, dynamic light filtering through the curtains. That light came from FakeTV. He assumes, incorrectly in this case, that someone must be home watching television. He moves on to rob the unoccupied-looking house down the street

When you look at a real TV, you see images on the screen. But, when you look at the light it casts in a room, the light melds to a uniform glow that changes with the changing images on the television. FakeTV uses a built-in computer to control super-bright LEDs to produce light of varying intensity and color that light up a room just like a real television does. The light effects of real television programming --scene changes, camera pans, fades, flicks, swells, on-screen motion, and more, are all faithfully simulated by FakeTV. Just like a real TV, FakeTV fills a room with color changes, both subtle and dramatic, in thousands of possible shades. Like real television programming, FakeTV is constantly shifting among more and less dynamic periods, more vivid and more monochromatic, and brighter and darker scenes. FakeTV is completely unpredictable, and it never repeats.

The effect is uncanny. From outside the home, FakeTV is essentially indistinguishable from a real television. Test subjects were not able to tell if it was FakeTV or the real thing, even when they knew it had to be one or the other. "I think that was a news program, but now a bunch of commercials just came on. It must be the real TV" No, that was FakeTV, the whole time! And an operating television sends the clear message to prowlers: "This home is occupied. Try somewhere else."

Partly about Light...

How does something the size of a coffee cup produce as much light as a television set many times its size? Recent advancements in LED technology have brought about "Super Bright LED's" many that are more than ten times as bright as the "plain old LED's" we are all familiar with. FakeTV packs a dozen of these technological marvels into a package that includes he computer and some well-designed optics. The FakeTV diffuser lens is a bit of science (optics is what we do here!) that borders on art. Forgive our boasting, but the FakeTV unit is very pleasing to the eye.

the prower thinks someone is home watching television

Play "Spot the Fake"

FakeTV VS Real TV

One of these graphs shows the measured light output of a real LCD television, and the other shows the measured light output of a FakeTV. Which one is the real TV and which is the impostor? We are not saying*! There is no way to tell from these graphs, and that's the point.

Partly About Random

FakeTV is not just a flickering light or flasher! And neither is it just a "random light source." We get kind of annoyed when people call it that. Yes, there are random number generators in the computer in FakeTV, and FakeTV never, ever, repeats. Real TV is not random- any more than music is random sounds. The light from TV is highly characteristic. Discovering what makes the light from a TV look like, well, the light from a TV, was the key to making FakeTV so realistic.

But mostly about a really good counterfeit!

To develop FakeTV, we took data using real televisions of different types and makes. We characterized TV programs, analyzing the light output for intensity and color variation. We generated a lot of computer files of television data. Then, we came up with mathematical formulas that behaved just the same way. We programmed these into FakeTV's computer, and ran the same tests. We tested these in the field, as well. We verified that our test subjects simply could not tell the difference between FakeTV and the real thing.

Gathering Data for FakeTV

We had to develop special test equipment to analyze the light and color from TV as well as FakeTV. Our professional optical lab instruments were not sensitive enough.

Okay, we got a bit compulsive with this. Surely, no burglar has ever studied the light intensity output of a television, or measured the degree of color variation! But we human beings are remarkably good at discerning patterns and even subtle differences. We did not to take the chance that a prowler might see the light from our television simulator and think "something is not right, there", even if he could not identify it. We kept at it until we could see, and measure, no differences. This is because an obvious simulation runs the risk of announcing the prowlers that the home is, in fact, unoccupied. We did not want to take that chance.

We didn't stop with just a great imitation of TV light, either. The FakeTV unit is extremely usable. The light sensor works very well, so in most applications all you need to do is plug it in, set the timer switch appropriately, and let it mislead burglars fo you.

* Okay, you dragged it out of us. The bottom graph is data we gathered from the Disney movie "The Incredibles", and the top from FakeTV. We wanted FakeTV to be on the bright, colorful, and dynamic side of what is realistic, but not more dynamic or colorful than real television programming. For these graphs we picked a couple periods where the light was very dynamic. Other times are relatively static, both for "The Incredible's" and FakeTV. Overall, the program whose light output most closely resembles that of FakeTV is "The Incredibles."

Discourage Burglars

	FTV-10 FakeTV US / Color: Charcoal
	Charcoal color gives FakeTV a high-tech feel. Built-in light sensor and timer. Direct burglars elsewhere with FakeTV. 120VAC adapter for the U.S. Buy one FakeTV at $29.95 and get $5 off each additional FakeTV!
	List Price: $49.99 Price: Shipping one is just $4.95*

	FTV-10 FakeTV US / Color: Ivory
	Ivory color gives it a warm, "homey" feel. This FakeTV blends well in a traditional decor. Simulates the light output from a real HDTV, directing burglars elsewhere. Built-in light sensor and timer. 120VAC adapter for the U.S. Buy one FakeTV at $29.95 and get $5 off each additional FakeTV!
	List Price: $49.99 Price: Shipping one is just $4.95*

	NEW! Neighborhood Watch Pack Get Ten FakeTVs for one Great Price
	Available in both Ivory or Charcoal! Here's a product a repeat customer of ours suggested: buy ten FakeTV's at a great price, and save money on shipping, too. Perfect for neighborhood watch programs, or other groups of security minded individuals. This deal is available to anyone-- maybe you just have ten people in your life who might benefit from a a useful security device. 10 FakeTV's for $239, that's $23.90 each!
	Price if purchased separately: $299.50
	Price:	Charcoal
		Ivory

*Shipping and handling for 1 FakeTV is $4.95 by USPS First Class Mail to US customers. Other shipping options are available and will be shown at checkout. Shipping on subsequent FakeTV's is calculated based on weight, destination, and delivery preference.