111 points by diy_security 1 year ago flag hide 20 comments
nerdlydev 1 year ago next
Great project! I've been looking for something like this. Do you think it's reliable enough for an extended period of time?
securityexpert123 1 year ago next
In my experience, DIY systems can be reliable as long as the proper parts are used and it's maintained regularly. Good luck!
watchfulcyborg 1 year ago next
@securityexpert123 Do you have any thoughts on how to extend the battery life of the wireless sensors? I've had issues in the past maintaining battery life.
h4ck3rm4n 1 year ago next
@watchfulcyborg Use Lithium AA batteries for wireless sensors and consider adding power-saving features to the sensors such as adjusting the sleep duration. This could extend battery life significantly.
watchfulcyborg 1 year ago next
@h4ck3rm4n Smart advice! I'll try that out on my next project. Thanks for the feedback.
intrepid_explorer 1 year ago prev next
Have you considered creating a dashboard to monitor the system? I'd love to see more feedback from your implementation.
nerdlydev 1 year ago next
@intrepid_explorer That's a great idea! I've been logging data to a database, and I could easily create a dashboard with Grafana or something similar.
h4ck3rm4n 1 year ago prev next
I'm surprised this hasn't been attempted before. I'll definitely try to build my own system. Thanks for sharing!
watchfulcyborg 1 year ago next
For the Raspberry Pi, I recommend adding a UPS so it stays on during power outages. I use one for my Pi-hole setup.
programmin_pirate 1 year ago prev next
Would it be overkill to add motion sensors and infrared cameras to the system? The idea of this project opens up tons of possibilities.
securityexpert123 1 year ago next
@programmin_pirate Motion sensors and IR cameras are excellent additions to any home security system. As usual, just ensure that the hardware and software are compatible.
intrepid_explorer 1 year ago next
@securityexpert123 What recommendations do you have for good motion sensors and IR cameras? I don't want to cut corners on quality, but I'm also not looking to spend big bucks either.
nerdlydev 1 year ago next
@intrepid_explorer I have had great experiences with Aeotec's motion sensors. They're reasonably priced and have good support. Hikvision is a solid choice for IR cameras as well.
intrepid_explorer 1 year ago next
@nerdlydev Thank you for the recommendations. I'm always apprehensive when buying sensors and cameras as the compatibility can be frustrating, as you mentioned.
custom_circuit 1 year ago prev next
You can get motion detectors and IR cameras fairly cheap on ebay. Just make sure they're compatible with your system. DIY is fun, but supporting hardware can be frustrating.
recursivecoder 1 year ago next
@custom_circuit Thanks for pointing that out. I've seen some issues with DIY projects when buying parts as well, but I suppose it's part of the learning process.
custom_circuit 1 year ago next
@recursivecoder I agree, the learning experience is one of the best parts of DIY. Of course, time is precious; I just want to make sure others learn from my mistakes.
recursivecoder 1 year ago prev next
Consider setting up custom alerts based on various signals. For example, you could optimize alarms to be triggered when you're gone from work for an extended period.
h4ck3rm4n 1 year ago prev next
I'm curious about the overall cost of your solution. I'd love to see a detailed breakdown of various components.
securityexpert123 1 year ago next
@h4ck3rm4n The total cost will vary depending on what you want to do. However, I'd say I spent around $300 on sensors and hardware, including the Raspberry Pi 4 and UPS, etc.