Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with alarm

Kia Spectra Alarm system

jesirose — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 07:25:25 -0800

2005 Kia Spectra Alarm mysteriously going on and off. I have a 2005 Kia Spectra EX. A year ago I was involved in a minor fender bender, and after that whenever I would lock the doors, it would no longer honk & flash the lights. (maybe 1 out of 100 locks, it honks once.) It still does when I unlock it.

About 6 months later the alarm problem started - not sure if it's related.

The car will randomly start going off. It seems like if it's going to start for the day, it starts about 3 minutes after I lock it and walk away. I can come back and turn it off with the remote, or if I wait 10 minutes it stops. It will start again in a few minutes. It does this until it drains the battery and I have to jump start it.

I tried taking it somewhere to disconnect the alarm, and they couldn't because it's factory. I called Kia and it's going to be at least $90 just to diagnose it, and it's out of warranty.

What is the best option? I am broke, but I can't keep relying on someone to be able to help jump start the car. Would a new battery help? The current one is 2 years old.

Mechanic filter: Car alarm going nuts, how do I find out how to disable the alarm system temporarily so that I can drive the car to the mechanic?

BasileusPY — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 16:14:04 -0800

Mechanic filter: Car alarm going nuts, how do I find out how to disable the alarm system temporarily so that I can drive the car to the mechanic? I have a 1998 Toyota T100 2WD and the previous owner put in a security system. Don't know if it was factory installed or an aftermarket.

When I was out of the country for awhile, I let my mother use the truck and she told me that one night the alarm went off when the truck was inside the garage (nothing fell on it, no animals/people involved) and that the remote would not turn it off. She ended up disconnecting the battery. We have a back-up remote, so my mom took apart the one she was using, thinking that that might have been the problem, and started to use the other remote. Problems stopped.

But now the same thing happened to me with this other remote. Cannot even start the truck since when the key goes in the ignition, security system locks up the car and prevents starting along with going nuts and scaring women and children. Had to disconnect the battery again.

SOO... I want to be able to disable the alarm so that I can at least drive to the mechanic instead of getting it towed. Any suggestions? Thanks.

Help me with a bit of passive home defence

Anonymous — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 09:26:38 -0800

Looking for a GSM alarm system for my house. I don't live in the States, so the answer should ideally be non-US specific. I was wondering about the Panasonic BL-C131A, but that needs presumably a decent amount of light and a working internet connection to alert me of break-ins. And without push email, fifteen minutes could pass before I get the alert. It's not really ideal, I don't think... A GSM alarm seems like a better idea, but they all seem so expensive and if not expensive then Chinese. Does anyone have a recommendation for a basic all-in-one system with GSM alert for under $200? I only need one PIR, with bonus points for expandability. I noticed Ontech GSM Mini 9009 (+ Ontech GSM Relay 9010) but they are fairly expensive considering the actual alarm isn't included here. Any thoughts? Surely in this digital age the home security market has moved on from closed solutions like a monitoring centre?

Sleeping through 100mg of caffeine.

brenton — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 11:12:26 -0800

Why doesn't 100mg of caffeine wake me up in the morning? I have a lot of trouble waking up in the morning. I have multiple alternating alarms, a dawn simulator wake up light... and now crackheads.

Crackheads are these caffeinated dark chocolate covered espresso beans with 600mg of caffeine per box (which works out to 100mg of caffeine for 6 beans.)

I put the beans by my bed and I eat them when my alarm goes off.. I started with 5 beans a few days ago, but I fell back to sleep. I've been increasing the 'dosage' and this morning at 6am I ate 9 or 10 (I may have dropped one) but I then promptly fell back asleep until 10am. I slept 11 hours, having gone to bed at 11pm last night!

Is there something wrong with me? Caffeine normally makes me all awake and alert, sometimes jittery. Is there some secret property to caffeine that requires water, or that doesn't work while you're asleep? What's the deal?

Help my computer become strict and overbearing.

mammary16 — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 11:56:34 -0800

I'm looking for special task-scheduling software, and am looking for suggestions. Lately I've been setting small daily goals for myself - twenty minutes to study Esperanto, twenty minutes to learn a song on guitar, twenty minutes to perform a discrete work task, etc., and am really starting to believe that the less time I give myself for a task the better I perform.

I remember studying for the GRE, and the software I used included a "virtual proctor", instructing me at different points to end or begin a section. Does something like that exist for everyday life?

As such, I'm looking for a program which I can use to micro-schedule my day, with special alarms at specific times (1:10, 1:20, 1:50), etc. Ideally, the alarms would also display the task to be performed. Even better, I'd like something that reads aloud the text I've entered for that alarm. That way, a computer voice could cue me for my next task!

I've seen a few examples of this sort of thing online, but I thought I'd ask you all if you have a particular program you like, isn't very demanding on system resources, and (possibly) has the extra functions I've mentioned above.

Thanks!

beep beep beep

KateHasQuestions — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 19:28:52 -0800

Where can I find an alarm clock like the one I've had and loved for years? (General Electric Clock Radio 7-4837C) Required features are inside. I've searched ebay, amazon, and the GE website, they probably don't even make this model anymore because I've had it for so many years. Probably the reason that the only image I found was so tiny.

Here are the features I need in an alarm clock that this one had:

Must be able to adjust time (on both clock and alarm) both up and down
Adjustable snooze time
Nap feature - really easy to use, can adjust for 10 min - 2 hour nap
Easy to hit snooze button, and easy to hit off button
Not a switch between the off/on button (I always seem to set that the wrong way) but an actual off/cancel button
Choosing between beep and radio for the alarm
For the beep alarm, must start out at low volume and gradually increase
Must turn off by itself after a reasonable amount of time (say, if I'm not home, so no one has to listen to it all day - I hated those people in college)
~$20 - I think this one was even cheaper. I don't need anything fancy like automatic daylight savings time or iPod hook ups, I just want all the convenient features I listed.

Does anyone know where I can buy the same one I had? Or maybe a newer model that has the same features? If not, who can recommend one that does all of the things above that they currently use and love?

I've tried searching online but the descriptions and specs just don't list all this in detail. Next step would be to go to stores and look at them in person and try to figure out if they would work for me, but I just don't have time at all this week, so I wanted to ask here. Thanks!

DIY home security system?

iamisaid — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 15:17:52 -0800

I need an alarm system that will go off if windows in my ground-floor apartment are shattered. Can I install a wireless unmonitored alarm system like this myself? Should I? I recently moved into a new apartment located on the ground floor, and have some concerns about personal security. In particular, I'm worried about someone breaking in by smashing (rather than just opening/unlocking) one of two windows. One of these is located in my bedroom and faces a sidewalk. The other is a large window in the living room, right beside the front door.

What I want is to have it set up so that if one of these windows is broken, a loud alarm goes off. I do NOT want any kind of monitoring in which I'd have to pay a monthly fee. Nor do I need motion detectors, door sensors, or anything else.

I've called a couple of security systems in the area and been quoted total prices (including installation) ranging from $550-$750 for a wireless system that would include intrusion detection for the two windows (of the sort that can detect the frequency of broken glass) and a basic keypad and alarm. I'm told that it must be of the wireless sort, since people live above me and thus it can't be hardwired.

1. Is that a reasonable price range?
2. Could I install this type of system myself? Since it's a wireless system and plugs into a standard AC outlet, it certainly seems doable. Am I mistaken?
3. Are there any other options I should consider?

How to re-disable car alarm after battery change

dixie flatline — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 13:26:07 -0800

How can I re-disable the alarm on my 1997 Ford Ranger, which came back to life after a battery change? I have a 1997 Ford Ranger. I recently had the battery replaced, and now the alarm, which previously was in some kind of permanently disabled state ("valet mode", maybe), has come back to life. (I don't have a remote/key fob for the alarm.)

There are two alarm-related controls under the dashboard: a push button and a metal switch. There's also an LED on the dashboard giving some feedback.

Currently, what happens is, at some point after parking the car, the alarm arms itself. When I open the door with the key, the alarm triggers. (I unplugged the siren speaker under the hood, so I've eliminated that part of the problem, at least.) I'm able to cancel the alarm by turning the key to the accessory position and pushing the push button under the dashboard. This cancels the alarm, and it stays off for "a while" after the car is parked (which, strangely, can vary from minutes to hours), but eventually it rearms itself.

I'm not sure what effect the switch has. When I turn it one way, the LED blinks twice; the other way the LED stays off. Either way, the alarm will still rearm itself.

I believe that before, when the alarm was in permanent disable/valet mode, the LED stayed on solid. Now it's either off (during the temporary cancel after pushing the push button), or blinking (armed).

So, I'm wondering what the best approach is from here. Is there a magic combination of button presses/switch toggles to get it back into disabled/valet mode?

I looked up some alarm manuals, but I couldn't find one that matched exactly enough to be useful. Can I find a better manual by finding the alarm model somewhere?

Or should I try to buy one of those generic remotes online? Or maybe just take it to an alarm shop?

As far as the history: my Dad bought this car new, but doesn't know much about the alarm. He thinks it was an aftermarket item installed by the dealer as some kind of promotion. Since he didn't really want it, he just told them to leave it in but disable it, I guess. He doesn't have a remote/key fob and doesn't remember ever having had one. The owner's manual for the car doesn't refer to any alarm option.

Thanks for any help.

I'm tired of missing events!

royalsong — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 10:45:00 -0800

I'm looking for a freeware (and spyware free) windows xp desktop application that will allow me to set alarms for specific times and dates. I'm constantly forgetting stuff. When this tv show is on, when to call my grandmother to wish her happy birthday, etc. I just have a total disconnection with time.

I want some application that will just sit in my taskbar, not take up too much memory, and notify me of events I've set or that it's 8pm.

I'm really not looking for a webapp/website/online method.

any help is appreciated!

Car alarm for my flat?

thewalrus — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 10:48:04 -0800

Security alarm: I'm looking for a portable, battery operated house/office alarm system which can watch the only entrance of a flat. It's a concrete building and the front door is the only way in, unless somebody scales a balcony which would definitely be noticed. This should function much like a car alarm, with a remote key fob to arm and disarm, motion sensor and a opening sensor on the door, and make a very loud noise if it's disturbed. I'll try to describe the ideal form of what I'm looking for, and see if metafilter can recommend anything similar.

It should be about the size of a large paperback book, or hardcover book, and designed to sit near the front door of a premises that has a single entrance (example, concrete condo tower). It should have a sensor to detect if the door has been opened, and/ a shock sensor, with a motion sensor that uses similar technology to the motion sensors that go in the corners of rooms. It should not be reliant on 110V/240V wall electricity, but run on its own battery, or have a backup battery for when wall power is not available. Should be armed and disarmed by a remote key fob similarly to a good car alarm. If it is disturbed when armed, it should make a ridiculously loud noise and attract attention to itself.

(BONUS): If it has the ability to put a GSM SIM in it and program it to send a SMS or dial a number and play a message when it is triggered that would be excellent. This is for use in a third world country where police response is nearly nonexistant, the wired phone network is unreliable, and third party alarm monitoring services (such as ADT) don't really exist. If something makes a really loud noise that's good enough to attract the neighbors' attention since car alarms are still very rare here. If an apartment makes a horrible screeching noise it will bring people running.

I'm thinking of something kind of like this but with connections to attach a door-opening or glass breakage sensor, and possibly an external speaker horn for a louder screech.

http://www.amazon.com/Streetwise-MA795-Strobe-Motion-Remote/dp/B000WDPPD2

Help me wake up!

pakoothefakoo — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 09:00:14 -0800

Help me get up in mornings! I freelance, in where I can work anywhere and anytime. This gives me an unstructured life which is making it notoriously difficult for me to get up in the morning.

When I have an early appointment, I would get up within 30 minutes within the appointment despite wanting to wake up earlier so I can prepare for the day. But when I'm left to my own devices, I usually sleep 12-14 hours, and it's driving me crazy.

I usually to go to bed at a reasonable hour (around 11pm), but I end up sleeping into the next day. I'm deaf so I rely on vibrating alarms, but I would just hit the snooze button ad infinitum. I would wake up feeling groggy and depressed that I wasted the better half of my day.

I'm semi-conscious during the process, and I'm vaguely aware that I'm making the choice to sleep in, and when I do, I'd beat myself up for making that "choice" even though I really want to get up early.

This is beginning to interfere with my work and life. As I get paid by the hour, this is making me poor, frustrated and depressed.

It's driving me crazy! Suggestions?

Yell thou ye might, I shant desist from makin' bacon!

foooooogasm — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 09:52:03 -0800

SmokeDetectorFilter: When my smoke detectors go off and I press their happy buttons, why don't they shush? How do I make them shush? You know the drill: Bacon for breakfast, smoke, fire alarm goes off, you manically run around the apartment, trying anything to turn it off, etc.

I've seen:

1. battery powered fire alarms. You could just remove the battery (after you knock it off the ceiling with a broom handle) and they would shush.

2. more recent ones, connected directly to the building's electrical system (not just battery powered; when removed from the ceiling, you see electric wires connected to (what I assume is) the building's electrical system via an electrical relay thingie). These you could shush by killing the main power switch in the switch box.

The ones in my loft (brand new building) are 2., but even worse. Not only are they connected to the electrical system, but to the building's main fire alarm system. If you can't shush them in 30 seconds (and I can't!), they trigger the main alarm system in the entire building.

That's a problem, not only for me (who's done it once), but for a lot of people living here. I've been here for 2 months and have had to evacuate 5 times so far (~20 minutes each time). These are the false alarms, btw, that send out the fire department.

Possibly worse is the "fire alarm that cried wolf" effect: I don't believe there's a fire when the fire alarm goes off anymore. I just plug my ears with foam ear plugs and walk out onto my balcony to check for smoke.

Why doesn't the button turn the alarm off? Is it just a testing button? Am I supposed to press and hold?

Ideas on how to turn them off?

They're the usual white "oversized hockey puck" smoke detectors.

I can't find documentation on the model, otherwise I'd just RTFM.

The super here is clueless.

Help!

I want bacon!

Is there a radio to receive DTV audio?

ThyroidBob — Thu, 28 May 2009 15:49:45 -0800

Posting for a friend:

"I own a Sony ICF-C113V bedside clock-radio that receives television signals from the soon to be obsolete VHF channels (2-13). Does anyone know if there is a clock-radio solution on the market yet that receives the audio portion of the DTV television signals in a clock-radio footprint? I have an iHome which I use as my primary clock-radio for alarms and music (iPod), but would still like the option to listen to television periodically."

How do I disconnect a malfunctioning car alarm on a 2002 Prius?

Slinga — Wed, 06 May 2009 11:20:15 -0800

How do I disconnect a malfunctioning car alarm on a 2002 Prius? My mom's Prius has a built-in alarm, and it just randomly turned itself on yesterday and went off for four hours and drained the battery. It has done this in the garage by itself, so I know that it's the alarm's problem, not outside forces. She'd like to disconnect the alarm, but the dealership wants over a hundred dollars to do it. Anyone have any idea how to?

Need a little time to wake up. wake up well.

ijoyner — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 08:35:21 -0800

I'm tired of the Antelope alarm tone on my BlackBerry. Does anyone have any recommendations for alarm clock tones I can load onto my SD card? I have started a drop if you wish to drop your favorite tone, but recommendations work as well. Drop.io

Thanks!

Help me find/build an affordable home alarm system

hsawtelle — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 09:48:17 -0800

Help me find/build an affordable home alarm system. I am interested in both DIY and turnkey solutions. I want monitoring, but would prefer no contract. This has been asked previously, but the only discussions I found are ~2 years old and I wonder whether the available technology and service providers have changed since then. Googling gets me ADT, Brinks, etc. -- I am not opposed to using them but want to explore my options first. I am willing to put in some of my own time to save money. I am tech savvy, but not much of a carpenter/electrician (so I can DIY electronics and networking but not heavy carpentry or wiring).

Does my ideal alarm clock/radio exist?

Balonious Assault — Sat, 14 Mar 2009 10:00:51 -0800

Does my ideal alarm clock/radio exist? I've been searching for years for a bedside alarm clock/radio with the following features:

1. Can play one radio station while going to sleep and play a different station when the alarm goes off in the morning. Sometimes I like to listen to George Noory while drifting off to sleep, but I never want to wake up to the political hate radio that the same station plays in the morning.
2. Adjustable "snooze button" time. Sometimes a 9 minute snooze interval is great. Sometimes 20 minutes would be better.
3. Can set a different alarm time for each day of the week. If I find myself working a schedule that allows me to sleep in an extra few hours on Wednesdays, I don't want to have to reset my alarm every Wednesday, then set it back again every Thursday.
4. Gradually increasing alarm (radio) volume.

I realize I could set something up with a computer or multiple alarms & radios to get a system that has all those features. I also realize that there all kinds of other alarms and features that work for other people. I don't want to wake up to a buzzer. I don't have a problem getting up in the morning so I don't want an alarm that forces me to get out of bed by being on the other side of the room, rolling off my night stand, or flying around the room. I just want a single alarm clock/radio unit that has that particular set of features. I've found several that have most of them, but I want one that has them all. If you know of such a thing I'd love to hear about it. Thanks.

CPAP alarm?

Ery — Sun, 08 Feb 2009 07:39:02 -0800

Is there any way to set up an alarm that will go off if an electrical device is not in use? I need a non-usage alarm for my CPAP. I keep forgetting to put on my CPAP mask before I fall asleep, since it's too annoying to fall asleep with if I'm not already very sleepy, and sometimes I fall asleep suddenly. I wake up several hours later feeling dreadful since I have not been breathing enough, and feel bad all through the next day.

Unfortunately, I don't snore at all when suffering apnea, so we can't use that as a natural alarm for my spouse to wake me up. I'd like some sort of quiet alarm that will go off about an hour after a preset bedtime if I am not using the device.

Beeping fire alarm. Should I be alarmed?

jujube — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 06:02:15 -0800

Beeping fire alarm. Should I be alarmed? Last night, my fire/smoke alarm started emitting high pitched beeps. Thought it was beeping because of low battery--ones in the old house did this. But when I took the cap off, remembered that it's the kind that's directly wired in.
So, what does it mean that it's beeping? It beeped couple of times last night, then couple of times again this morning. I've triggered the alarm by accident in the past while cooking, so I know what it sounds like when the alarm is full-on on, and this isn't it. It's just a signal beep.
Other information that possibly be related. Not sure if it's just a smoke detector or a smoke and carbon monoxide detector. It's been unusually cold here, so the gas furnace has been on constantly.
If it turns out it's broken and needs to be replaced, do I need an electrician, or where can I find directions for doing it on my own.
Thanks. As you can tell from the somewhat ramble, I'm at a loss here, so any suggestion/insight would be welcome.

Please help me find an alarm clock ...

MegoSteve — Sun, 28 Dec 2008 08:43:36 -0800

Please help me find an alarm clock ... I want to buy a new alarm clock and can't seem to find the perfect one with all of the features I want. I'm willing to compromise, but beyond the obvious basic buzzing alarm function, I'd like the following: digital FM tuner with presets (and/or internet radio) and some kind of MP3-playing capability via an SD card or USB flash drive, wireless network (ideal) or even CD-R (okay, but not perfect). Photo/slideshow capability is a big plus, too, and so is random techy coolness.

What I definitely don't want: an Ipod dock. I don't have an Ipod. I also don't want that cheap looking Chinese-made white cube.

The top contenders so far are The Philips AJL308, the Transcend PF720 (or the PF810, which was just announced) and, at the very high end of what I'm willing to spend, the Chumby. The Philips, the cheapest and most ubiquitous of the lot, has got some fair to middling reviews and the consensus seems to be "wait for 2.0." I can't find much information at all on the Transcend one since it's fairly new. The Chumby, while the coolest, I have some misgivings about, namely the high price, the advertising (is it obtrusive?) and the potential that the company may go out of business leaving me with a beanbag brick.

Do you have any experience with any of the above-listed products? Importantly: is the Chumby worth it?

Am I overlooking any other possibilities?

How do I make a light-based alarm?

ocherdraco — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 15:00:57 -0800

I want to make an unobtrusive, light-based alarm to help me remember to take my pills. What do I need to do? I have a pill that I have to take once in the morning and once in the evening (but not at a particular time). I'd like to create a little alarm that can live on top of my dresser and light up twice a day to remind me to take it. Maybe with LEDs. It does not need to show the time (and in fact, I'd rather it didn't).

My searches online to figure out how to make one keep leading me to those expensive "gradual daylight" alarms, but that's not what I need. I'd like this to be as simple, and as small, as possible.

I am good at putting things together, but have no special skills with electronics.

Recommend a gentle alarm clock

Wild_Eep — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 13:35:09 -0800

Please recommend to me an alarm clock that will wake me gently, rather than jolting me from my slumber. I'm in the market for a new alarm clock, but I have only one reqirement: its buzzer volume must ramp-up, rather than coming on at full force immediately. Waking to music or radio won't do.

While the latter style does indeed wake me up, it makes me angry. I stayed at a hotel that had a clock like this and I found that I really liked it. (I had no idea such a thing existed!)

I've read mixed reviews about the Zen Clock, but I'm looking for a product that is well designed and will last.

Wake me up, before I go go.

Kupo? — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 21:40:01 -0800

I would like my TV and cable box to turn on automatically in the morning, so I'm looking for an alarm clock that sends infrared signals (I think). Any recommendations? I've messed around with WaWa on my PDA for a bit, but my new TV (LN46A650) is really big and the cable box (Uverse) and tv receivers aren't close enough together for its weak IR. The only thing I've been able to find is this but I read the manual and it doesn't look like it accepts multiple IR settings (which at the bare minimum I need it to be able to do 2). WaWa gives you the ability to basically write a script to send IR signals at programmed intervals to increase volume, change channels, or whatever your remote supports. This would be nice, but not necessary.

My TV has an "auto on" feature but it will only let me pick cable/antenna sources and the cable box is neither (HDMI). Also even if this did work it would mean I would have to leave the cable box on all the time which would be undesirable.

Why doesn't my cat understand I have an alarm clock?

deezil — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 05:12:15 -0800

Every morning, my cat decides I need to get up at 6:30AM, and proceeds to put his paw under my door and claw the hell out of it. Between the scratching noise and the fact that the door rattles in its jamb, it's been getting me up well before I am ready. This has thrown off my sleeping pattern tremendously, and I want it stopped. It's not a case of needing to go to the bathroom or wanting food, so I'm at a loss. How can I stop my cat?

when silence is not golden.

violetk — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 15:38:23 -0800

is volvo liable for my car alarm not going off during a break in? last weekend, i was out at the river and when i got back to my car and started my drive home, i noticed there was glass all over the passenger side. someone had smashed the window. when i stopped the car to get out and inspect, i saw that the window frame of looked like it had been pried at as well, so essentially the entire door will need to be replaced, not just the glass. the only thing that was stolen was my bag, which was on the floor of the front passenger seat, under the dash. my car is quite dark anyway so the thieves had to have been deliberately looking in. there were a ton of people (and cars) out at the river that day so it appears that these ppl were cruising cars for things to steal.

anyway, my car is a 2006 volvo XC70. it supposedly has an alarm. i was not that far away from it—just nearly straight down a (fairly) low embankment. i—or anyone else nearby—should have been able to hear an alarm if it went off. i did not.

is there any sort of recourse from volvo that i should be looking into?