shutdown tv if sitting too close to it

Hi.

My cousin has children that stay too close to the screen whenever they are watching tv. He's asking if we can shutdown the tv if there is someone too close to it.

So, is it safe (especially for tv) to just use a proximity sensor with a relay (no arduino needed maybe?) to shutdown tv? or is it better to use an IR emitter and send a shutdown command? any other ideas?

Thanks

Switching on/off too often will shorten the life of the tv.

You also might want to consider a delay between detection and switching off, else it might be triggering immediately if e.g. somebody walks past.

sterretje:
Switching on/off too often will shorten the life of the tv.

You also might want to consider a delay between detection and switching off, else it might be triggering immediately if e.g. somebody walks past.

Thanks for your advice. Can you recommand a particular sensor for this application?

Hi again.

I think a hc-sr501 module and a relay could be enough even without an arduino :

hc-sr501
Operating Voltage Range: 5 V to 20 V
Power Consumption: 65 mA
TTL Output: 3.3 V, 0 V
Lock Time: 0.2 sec (adjustable)
Sensing Range: <120°, within 7 meters (adjustable)
Temperature Range: -15° C to +70°

When was the last time the children were examined by an optometrist?

Well i don't know xD

Edit: I will ask him, thanks for your concerns :smiley:

Hi again :slight_smile:

I asked my cousin, last time it was 2 years ago and they where fine. He's going for another exam next month.

by the way, his old son is about 5 years

A lot of the larger Sony TV´s have this built in they call it distance alert - it doesn't turn the TV off it just switches to a warning message and sounds an alarm. They use it to scare toddlers away from the TV hopefully stopping them from pulling it over onto themselves. Or you could just fix the TV down.

I thought concern about sitting too close to a TV was an "old wives tale".

On the other hand watching TOO MUCH TV ....

...R

trewjohn2001:
A lot of the larger Sony TV´s have this built in they call it distance alert - it doesn't turn the TV off it just switches to a warning message and sounds an alarm. They use it to scare toddlers away from the TV hopefully stopping them from pulling it over onto themselves. Or you could just fix the TV down.

That's cool :smiley:

Robin2:
I thought concern about sitting too close to a TV was an "old wives tale".

On the other hand watching TOO MUCH TV ....

...R

Me too, i even remebre i watched a tv emission talking about this subject (mythbuster?), and tv was innocent :smiley:

how about the low tech option, stick a sensor mat under the carpet?

scrumfled:
how about the low tech option, stick a sensor mat under the carpet?

Thanks , that could be a good solution

But after all, I think childen are smart enough to overcome any thing he will do XD

theres always those electric dog collars.... :smiling_imp:

scrumfled:
theres always those electric dog collars.... :smiling_imp:

xD that's evil

scrumfled:
theres always those electric dog collars.... :smiling_imp:

Or just good old fashioned discipline.

I only got asked a couple of times when I was a kid. Third time was generally a clip round the ear. I soon got the idea, and don't think any less of my parents because of it :slight_smile:

Ian.

ian332isport:
Or just good old fashioned discipline.

I only got asked a couple of times when I was a kid. Third time was generally a clip round the ear. I soon got the idea, and don't think any less of my parents because of it :slight_smile:

Ian.

Hey. Thanks for that. The problem is that my cousin (usually very strict) works abroad and comes home once a week, and his two sons are very active/foxy? and his wife can't handle that alone :smiley:

fjtheknight:
So, is it safe (especially for tv) to just use a proximity sensor with a relay (no arduino needed maybe?) to shutdown tv?

Pro... The imps will not be able to just turn it back on with the remote.

Con... You have to deal with high voltage.

or is it better to use an IR emitter and send a shutdown command?

Speaking of IR emitters, half of what you need...
https://www.google.com/search?q=tv-b-gone

It's easy to deal with. A couple of warnings. Then, third strike, and tv disappears. Physically disappears.