Dee Ann
New Member
Hi.
This may sound a little odd but I don't know who to ask or where to look.
I have a bit of a problem. I have a number of security cameras installed around and in my home. They are wired so moving them isn't an option. And moving them still would not solve the problem anyway.
What the problem is follows,
A number of years ago I put these cameras up in place. Everything was fine and dandy at the time. They've been great and it is very comforting to be able to look up and see what's going on outside around the house. But, there are a number of street lights outside.
Between one of my cameras and one of the streetlights, is one that is primary and important, there has been a large oak tree in the way for years. The oak tree is evergreen in our tropic climate and it always blocks the light from the street light. The street light was never even an issue before as it was simply blocked and was not viewable by the camera.
The other day, a new neighbor who just moved into the house where the tree is (next door to me) cut down the oak tree and now the street light is blaring in all it's brilliant glory right in the middle of my primary camera. It blinds the camera. The camera sees the bright light, freaks out and adjusts itself and everything else excluding the bright light fades into the darkness.
Just like driving at night, oncoming headlights blind you can you can't see anything else, well that's what's happening now to my camera.
So after a few frustrating nights of not being able to see on that camera, I got the idea of blocking part of the lens with something. So I got a piece of black plastic and taped it over part of the lens, blocking the light and restoring the camera to a somewhat usable state. But when daylight arrives part of the lens is blocked and it's really annoying.
Now I have some very, very minor experience in electronics, I can work on pc's and I put all the cameras in myself. I know how to solder and I'm pretty good and improvising things. But I'm far, far from being a whiz. I'm just a bit geekish I guess..
But I had an idea of building some sort of device that can move something in front of the lens at night and lift it back up out of the way when the sun comes up.
What I was thinking of was using one of those little motors out of a toy car.
My son left behind a bunch of remote control cars and trucks. They were steerable and I've seen the little thing in them that moves the steering.
I was thinking that one of those could do the job.
But what I have no idea of is how to do it.
The camera has an RG6 cable coming from it and there is also a cat5e wire that carries 24vac and 12vdc to it. The 12vdc is not being used but is available. There are two sets of wires that are unused and can carry 5vdc to the camera if needed.
There must be a way to put some sort of a little eye that knows when it's day and night and triggers the motor to drop the "eye patch" in front of the lens when it gets dark and and lift it in the morning.
I know it sounds weird and probably doesn't make much sense but I'm really hoping someone understands what I'm getting at here and what I'm trying to do.
If someone can tell me *how* to build such a little device, I can do it.
It needs to be small to fit in a camera housing. Currently the camera is inside the house and is peeking through a window but I'm planning on putting it into a camera housing and moving it outdoors in the next few weeks.
So small is good. The smaller the better. And I have a nice selection of remote control trucks to steal parts from. I just don't have the controls for them anymore. So that's why the thing needs to be self contained and automatic.
It can of course draw power from the wiring that's already there.
I would deeply appreciate some guidance on this little project, I simply don't know how to start.
Thanks so much!
This may sound a little odd but I don't know who to ask or where to look.
I have a bit of a problem. I have a number of security cameras installed around and in my home. They are wired so moving them isn't an option. And moving them still would not solve the problem anyway.
What the problem is follows,
A number of years ago I put these cameras up in place. Everything was fine and dandy at the time. They've been great and it is very comforting to be able to look up and see what's going on outside around the house. But, there are a number of street lights outside.
Between one of my cameras and one of the streetlights, is one that is primary and important, there has been a large oak tree in the way for years. The oak tree is evergreen in our tropic climate and it always blocks the light from the street light. The street light was never even an issue before as it was simply blocked and was not viewable by the camera.
The other day, a new neighbor who just moved into the house where the tree is (next door to me) cut down the oak tree and now the street light is blaring in all it's brilliant glory right in the middle of my primary camera. It blinds the camera. The camera sees the bright light, freaks out and adjusts itself and everything else excluding the bright light fades into the darkness.
Just like driving at night, oncoming headlights blind you can you can't see anything else, well that's what's happening now to my camera.
So after a few frustrating nights of not being able to see on that camera, I got the idea of blocking part of the lens with something. So I got a piece of black plastic and taped it over part of the lens, blocking the light and restoring the camera to a somewhat usable state. But when daylight arrives part of the lens is blocked and it's really annoying.
Now I have some very, very minor experience in electronics, I can work on pc's and I put all the cameras in myself. I know how to solder and I'm pretty good and improvising things. But I'm far, far from being a whiz. I'm just a bit geekish I guess..
But I had an idea of building some sort of device that can move something in front of the lens at night and lift it back up out of the way when the sun comes up.
What I was thinking of was using one of those little motors out of a toy car.
My son left behind a bunch of remote control cars and trucks. They were steerable and I've seen the little thing in them that moves the steering.
I was thinking that one of those could do the job.
But what I have no idea of is how to do it.
The camera has an RG6 cable coming from it and there is also a cat5e wire that carries 24vac and 12vdc to it. The 12vdc is not being used but is available. There are two sets of wires that are unused and can carry 5vdc to the camera if needed.
There must be a way to put some sort of a little eye that knows when it's day and night and triggers the motor to drop the "eye patch" in front of the lens when it gets dark and and lift it in the morning.
I know it sounds weird and probably doesn't make much sense but I'm really hoping someone understands what I'm getting at here and what I'm trying to do.
If someone can tell me *how* to build such a little device, I can do it.
It needs to be small to fit in a camera housing. Currently the camera is inside the house and is peeking through a window but I'm planning on putting it into a camera housing and moving it outdoors in the next few weeks.
So small is good. The smaller the better. And I have a nice selection of remote control trucks to steal parts from. I just don't have the controls for them anymore. So that's why the thing needs to be self contained and automatic.
It can of course draw power from the wiring that's already there.
I would deeply appreciate some guidance on this little project, I simply don't know how to start.
Thanks so much!