Hi guys
I have recently built a high speed photo trigger from somebody else's design and sketch, similar to a stop shot. I have got a few water drop collisions and bursting balloons so to add more functionality would like to try and build a long range ir detector to catch birds in the garden. Considering a laser pointer and photo diode but noticed this on their site http://www.cognisys-inc.com/products/rangeir.php?osCsid=468e5de7c0ec0c81dbd4c7c805148ce4 10m range, single piece with no setting/lining up reqd. Where do I start? What do I need.
After a bit more research I think I am looking at a PIR or a sharp distance sensor. Pir seems cheapest but I will need to baffle it to make more directional and I have read that it may be affected by sunlight? Distance sensor up to 5.5m will be fine, are there any down sides to these? Or back to the laser pointer and diode, gone off this idea as the beam may be visible in photos?
Any comments or suggestions appreciated.
When you don't want sunlight trigger false alarm you could send a coded signal and react only if the returned signal has the same pattern. ( e.g. 101 101 101)