FakeTV’s computer-controlled, super-bright multi-color LED outputs light equivalent to a typical 27-inch TV.
From the why-didn’t-I-think-of-this-stupid-idea category comes FakeTV.
FakeTV is just what it sounds like. It’s a glowing device that simulates someone watching TV, to deter burglars.
“My wife and I were going out for the evening, and I decided to leave the TV on so that it looked like somebody was still at home,” said inventor Blaine Readler. “I commented that it was a shame to waste all that electricity, when the burglars couldn’t even see the picture itself, just the reflection off the wall.”
So Readler came up with this unit, which uses a built-in computer to produce varying lights—to look like a real TV. Just plug the unit in, set the timer, and the unit will start flickering.
Apparently many would-be thieves don’t hit people watching “Dancing with the Stars.” Of course, there’s the whole breed of criminal that thrives on breaking into people’s homes while they are home. Maybe they will think FakeTV is actually E.T.
FakeTV will run you a real $49.
Here’s a thought…
How about you just leave your TV on.
I just saved you $49 minus energy costs.
I didn’t think of this idea either, but I was an engineer on the development team. If it’s any consolation, this was a lot harder to design than it looks! Accurately simulating a television light output took a lot of high tech equipment. We had to design special equipment to analyze the light intensity and color output of real televisions, because the lab instruments we had were not sensitivit enough.
So, even if you had the idea, it might not be so easy to put this one into practice!
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Todd, I can only conclude that first comment was an unsolicited “attaboy”… 
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For an evening or even the weekend, leaving the TV is not a bad idea. (Not the greenest, but not unreasonable.)
For a vacation, aside from the fact that FakeTV uses 1/100 the energy of the real thing:
1) A TV on at 3:00 AM might arouse suspicion. The FakeTV turns on at dusk, off after a preset time.
2) LCD and Plasma TV’s get dimmer with time. Why use up the life when no-one is watching?