Smoke Alarm Recorder (Voice Activated)

Smoke Alarms are a common site in almost every home and office. They fit into the environment and never attract a second glance, which is why this voice activated recorder system maybe the right choice for your needs.

Smoke Alarm Non-Functioning- Sound Activated

The donor device is a smoke alarm of a design that is very generic, so nobody will ever suspect that it is anything other than the original device. Our previous version of this listening device retained the smoke alarm system, but this latest version is more compact, so internals had to be sacrificed for the recorder electronics. The voice recording system that is completely concealed within the smoke alarm recorder is powered from a lithium ion rechargeable battery providing up to 166 days working standby time or 160 hours actual recording time. And because the recording system has voice activation (sound activation) as standard, then battery life times will be a combination of standby and record times. This means if there was maybe 2 hours of recording on a daily basis in the room where the unit was placed, the battery could last for weeks and week before a it expired.

Large Recording Storage – Great Audio response

The sound recording system has a standard inbuilt memory storage capacity of 288 hours for recordings. Each recorded event is stored as a separate sound file making it easier to navigate through separate recorded events. The microphone is very sensitive and will respond to standard level speech audio within a 10 metre radius. Each time the device’s microphone picks up a sound, a recording will start and will stop and save the file when there is no noise for at least a minute. It should be noted that the operating system of course cannot distinguish between a human voice, sound from a TV or other noises in the environment and so will record all of them as they occur. This updated recording device now has a time and date reference for each recorded file, which is important to identify when something actually occurred.

Time/Date – Adjustments for Sensitivity and Quality

This product has a very sensitive microphone that can pick up sounds in a 10 metre (30 ft) radius. This updated unit now has a time and date reference for each recorded file, which is important to identify when something actually occurred. In addition, through the included software on the device memory it is possible to alter the sensitivity to suit the deployment environment of the unit and there is also an option to increase the quality of the recorded file, albeit the increase in quality will mean a reduction in memory storage capacity from 288 hours to 144 hours.

Very Discreet Operation – Easy Offload of Recordings

The audio recording system is extremely discreet in that there are no flashing lights or giveaway sounds that would draw attention. The recorder is simple to use and is activated by pressing a small push-button switch in the battery compartment before clipping and twisting the smoke alarm body onto the wall/ceiling mount plate . Offloading of audio files is achieved by removing the smoke alarm body (twist and detach from mount plate) and connecting it to a computer or laptop using the supplied USB lead. The audio recorder battery is charged through this same connection lead. A mains USB adapter is also supplied, which means that the battery in the audio recorder can be charged from a mains power outlet as well as a computer.

Versatile in Use & Deployment Opportunities

The Smoke Alarm electronics are totally concealed within the smoke alarm itself, so has to be removed from it’s ceiling/wall mounting plate to recharge the internal battery/offload audio footage. To ensure that a missing unit will not arouse suspicion, we will also supply an original, fully functional smoke alarm of the same design to sit in place during the absence of of the recorder version. An added bonus to having the fully functioning replacement unit is that when first deployed the working smoke alarm could be installed and left for a while in place, free for examination by anyone suspicious of the new addition to the environment. Then after a period of time, when it’s clear that it has been accepted, the swap would be made for the recorder unit. So, if you are looking for a voice recording solution that can fit into a home or office environment that is unlikely to be tampered with or removed then the Smoke Alarm Recorder has to be worth considering.

• Very common style of smoke alarm with built in recording system (no Smoke alarm function)
• Great for deployment in a room audio surveillance situation at home or in the office
• Audio recording system functions and is powered separately to the smoke alarm system
• Recording system is cleverly incorporated in a totally discreet way – no external giveaway lights or audible signals
• Voice (sound) activation as standard – no wasted memory space with no audio
• Very high quality audio recording capability with auto level control
• Records at MP3 format at rate of 64 Kbps
• Time and date reference for each recorded file
• Incredible standby time of over 166 days (that’s 5.5 months!)
• Impressive recording mode battery life of up to 160 hours
• Audio recording memory capacity of 288 hours (8 GB)
• Sensitive microphone with up to 10 metre (33 feet) sound pick up radius
• In-built lithium battery – Charge time of 6 to 8 hours
• Compatible with Windows and Mac computers – No special software required
• Programming time/date function can only be done on a Windows machine
• Perfect for long term room surveillance in a building where a Smoke Alarm would fit into the environment
• Supplied with a spare fully functional smoke alarm of the same design to assist acceptance and charge removal occasions

Will the normal smoke alarm function still work?

No, the smoke alarm functionality has been completely removed and the recording system installed in its place.

How long will the device record for?

The device can remain in standby for up to 166 days, although rather like a mobile phone has call time and standby time, when the unit records it uses more power, so it will depend on how much per day the unit records.

Is the device silent in operation?

Yes, the device is digital and there are no moving parts or sound alerts that would alert attention.

Do the recordings have a time and date stamp?

Yes, each recorded audio file has a time and date reference.

How can the recordings be played back?

The Smoke Alarm needs to be removed from the wall/ceiling mount plate. The smoke alarm body can then be connected to a computer using supplied USB lead and the files played back using the computer media player through the speakers.

Are the any external signs that the device is anything other than a Smoke Alarm?

There is nothing exposed to give the secret away. Because the Smoke Alarm naturally has vents in, then no additional holes have to be added for microphones, etc. However, when opened up it does not resemble a normal Smoke Alarm.

You will need to consider the following to use this equipment:

• This is a Non-working smoke alarm system. The smoke alarm circuitry has been removed and replaced with the recording system.
• A smoke alarm of the same exact design which hasn’t been tampered with is also supplied as part of the surveillance package.
• You will need a computer with speakers attached if wishing to playback recordings through your PC or Laptop. Although is is possible to now play recordings back on your mobile phone with the correct on-the-go cable (available)
• You will require media player on the computer for playback of audio files. It maybe worthwhile downloading a free media player. We use VLC Media Player at Spy Equipment UK.