Build your own "witness camera;" Felix's fishnapping days are numbered

Everybody knows that if you've got real criminals to deal worry about, you buy a gun or a katana. That's why we're planning on pointing this "witness camera" DIY project at those little household criminals, like Felix. The project involves a few cheap-as-free components like a VGA CMOS color camera, PIR movement sensor, ATmega32 processor and a 1GB SD card. Oddly enough, the box looks like a regular alarm detector, which seems it'd be the first thing a burglar -- or a diabolical cat that likes to hold hapless fish ransom for unreasonable quantities of catnip -- would try to disable, but we suppose the whole point of DIY is that you can hide the setup in whatever you please.

[Via MAKE]

[matthew @ Feb 8th 2008 10:36AM]

>Everybody knows that if you've got real criminals to deal worry about, you buy a gun or a katana.

you didn't just seriously print that.

[Flashpoint @ Feb 8th 2008 10:47AM]

on an urelated gun topic, in todays NY DAILY NEWS a cop who was cleaning his gun fired a shot through the floor of his Brooklyn apartment and grazed a toddler.

The reason?

He couldn't see what he was doing because he was so broke he couldn't afford to pay Con Edison to keeep his lights on.

[Jesse S @ Feb 8th 2008 10:57AM]

So he was too dumb to make sure no rounds were loaded/chambered, so what?

[tcc3 @ Feb 8th 2008 11:41AM]

I'm not exactly a gun expert, but don't you unload and disassemble a gun to clean it? This is not a gun or electricity problem its a stupidity problem. Reminds me of "Payback"

"If I was a little dumber, I could have joined the Force myself."

[StrangeBum @ Feb 8th 2008 1:50PM]

Sad story about that cop.

Saddest part though, is that this is how the media views gun owners. And they really spin it in their favor to scare people. It's horribly stupid people that make things worse for the rest of us. This country cannot survive without the Second Amendment. Just remember these two things about gun control:

1. Adolf Hitler supported gun control during his reign over nazi Germany.
2. If guns are outlawed, who will use guns? Outlaws, of course.

[John @ Feb 8th 2008 3:38PM]

Sounds like ConEd's fault to me

[Flashpoint @ Feb 8th 2008 10:38AM]

"Let me go into this EMPTY, QUIET room so I can change out of this uncomfortable, tight, 32 Double D bra and these sweaty, moist underwear...

...fortunately, if there happened to be a fire downstairs, that wonderful carbon monoxide detector will warn me.

...technology is so wonderful. !!!"

[jeeesus @ Feb 8th 2008 12:40PM]

you DONT post stuff like that. its sacrel... sacmelig... bad.

[Dan @ Feb 8th 2008 11:36AM]

Must be a slow news day, for this to make it here.

[BigBloke @ Feb 8th 2008 11:45AM]

Why root around with a VGA CMOS color camera? Put in a stripped down webcam and video the whole episode.

Oh, I wonder this door bell is doing in my shower...duh...

[Johnny Z @ Feb 8th 2008 12:25PM]

I would imagine that a burgular would go after the alarm system before he'd go after any of the sensors or detectors. If he's trying to disable one of the the detectors, it's already too late for him anyways.

Z

[Eric @ Feb 8th 2008 12:55PM]

Does anyone know where I could buy a setup similar to this? (not technical enough to build one myself) I run a fireworks stand in the summer, and a couple of these would really help provide some peace of mind and added security.

[Eric @ Feb 8th 2008 1:13PM]

I found some online, but they run about $400, anyone know of a cheaper solution.

[Sam Winter @ Feb 8th 2008 5:34PM]

"diabolical cat that likes to hold hapless fish ransom for unreasonable quantities of catnip "

oh my god.. ROFL

[TIMMAH! @ Feb 8th 2008 6:38PM]

Actually I bought something similar to this a while ago for around $90. Similar products:

http://www.surveillance-spy-cameras.com/mini-motion-detection-dvr.htm
http://www.shoptronics.com/portable-covert-security-dvr.html

The thing is though, you already have the camera, you shouldn't need an additional PIR detector. The systems above detect motion by comparing the video frames taken to detect changes in the image.

[TIMMAH! @ Feb 8th 2008 6:57PM]

Found it... this is the one that I have:
http://www.chinavasion.com/product_info.php/pName/digital-motion-detect-video-recorder-dvs-the-cheapest-dvr/

[Jasper @ Feb 9th 2008 8:19AM]

I work at a hotel and this would be a great addition to our more more "frequently rented" rooms.

[Dits @ Feb 9th 2008 2:50PM]

Is there a typo here or am I thick?

"Everybody knows that if you've got real criminals to deal worry about..."