Talking alarm - cool or not?
Discussion
Well that was it really. I already have a tracker and a Clifford which 'farts' if you get too near (using microwave) but was wondering what your collective thoughts were.
The problem is the car attracts young kids too much and when I come back to the car it often has sticky fingerprints all over it
If it were sticky women I wouldn't mind 
So a cool British sounding "Please move away from the car" I thought would be pretty cool, especially as my mates call it the Bat-Mobile..but it's not black
Or a Clint Eastwood Alarm "Go ahead punk..make my day" 
Have I lost the plot??
The problem is the car attracts young kids too much and when I come back to the car it often has sticky fingerprints all over it
If it were sticky women I wouldn't mind So a cool British sounding "Please move away from the car" I thought would be pretty cool, especially as my mates call it the Bat-Mobile..but it's not black
Or a Clint Eastwood Alarm "Go ahead punk..make my day" Have I lost the plot??
Well that was it really. I already have a tracker and a Clifford which 'farts' if you get too near (using microwave) but was wondering what your collective thoughts were.
The problem is the car attracts young kids too much and when I come back to the car it often has sticky fingerprints all over it
So a cool British sounding "Please move away from the car" I thought would be pretty cool, especially as my mates call it the Bat-Mobile..but it's not black
Have I lost the plot??
Simon, methinks the sticky fingerprints will be there regardless of the linquistic prowess of your alarm.
Very nice car! That being said, I did have the Viper alarm in my '94 Dodge Stealth (basically a Mitsu 3000GT/GTO that was rebadged for Dodge). It got on my nerves afer a few months. No problem as I gave the car to my fiance (now wife) and bought myself a 95 Mitsu 3000GT/GTO sans talking alarm
ErnestM
Cheers Ernest. My mate also had an imported Dodge Stealth - in black and very nice too. His didn't have a talking alarm tho.
Did you get fed up with it because of the quality of the voice/accent? or just because you found the whole concept of a talking alarm was a bit "tacky"? After all I presume you could turn the talking bit off like the with the wife? (mine!)
Dare I say to you in the US..a talking alarm is a bit reminiscent of Knight-rider?
Seriously tho, I would like a Clint Eastwood sampled car alarm. That would be one original alarm system.
Now if I could find an audio sample of a few systems...
Did you get fed up with it because of the quality of the voice/accent? or just because you found the whole concept of a talking alarm was a bit "tacky"? After all I presume you could turn the talking bit off like the with the wife? (mine!)
Dare I say to you in the US..a talking alarm is a bit reminiscent of Knight-rider?
Seriously tho, I would like a Clint Eastwood sampled car alarm. That would be one original alarm system.
Now if I could find an audio sample of a few systems...
Not sure they work though - is it really going to stop a kid that wants to touch, or is it going to encourage them even more? Certainly whenever I've walked past a car that has had a talking alarm, my initial reaction is of annoyance.
Reminds me of the bouncer's volvo 244 in Phoenix nights, which had a talking alarm that said "F*ck off you b*astard, I'll break your legs"
Reminds me of the bouncer's volvo 244 in Phoenix nights, which had a talking alarm that said "F*ck off you b*astard, I'll break your legs"
Well that was it really. I already have a tracker and a Clifford which 'farts' if you get too near (using microwave) but was wondering what your collective thoughts were.
The problem is the car attracts young kids too much and when I come back to the car it often has sticky fingerprints all over it
So a cool British sounding "Please move away from the car" I thought would be pretty cool, especially as my mates call it the Bat-Mobile..but it's not black
Have I lost the plot??
Si, have a lie down mate. Don't go devaluing your motor with gimmicks like that.
Of course, flame throwers are fine (if you look, there are two pointing out the back of the vehicle
)A friend of mine brought a car which had one of those Clifford alarm systems with a voice module installed. I guess the previous owner thought the same as you.
But it attracted more attention, on one particular occasion I was with him when we returned to the car. To find a few yoof's hanging around. One of them was about to lie on the bonnet
until he shouted. They werent being vandals, just wanted hear the novelty speaking "move away from the vehicle" voice again and again.
But it attracted more attention, on one particular occasion I was with him when we returned to the car. To find a few yoof's hanging around. One of them was about to lie on the bonnet
until he shouted. They werent being vandals, just wanted hear the novelty speaking "move away from the vehicle" voice again and again.
markda said: Yep, there a little bit of a NO NO. Ask yourself, when the Clifford gives it's final warning before triggering the alarm;
"final warning! Please step away from the vehicle"
Now what yoof is going to be able to resist that temptation....
My point exactly. Only better written!
Simon...
It was the "Viper Armed" and "Viper Disarmed" every time that I had to make a run to the local grocers that got to me. It was cool for about 2 seconds and then I got over it.
I also lived in an apartment back then, and the local kids used to purposely walk to close (and touch) the car to set off the "proximity sensor" - "Protected by Viper, stand back!"
Of course the siren was penetrating when it (invariably) went off...
ErnestM
It was the "Viper Armed" and "Viper Disarmed" every time that I had to make a run to the local grocers that got to me. It was cool for about 2 seconds and then I got over it.
I also lived in an apartment back then, and the local kids used to purposely walk to close (and touch) the car to set off the "proximity sensor" - "Protected by Viper, stand back!"
Of course the siren was penetrating when it (invariably) went off...
ErnestM
We have a microwave talking alarm
on our Westfield which is definately useful as a deterrant in a soft top, however, it's probably a bit irrelevant as...
(1) Most people don't seem to be able to fit into it.
(2) You would hear it half a mile away as it was driven off.
(3) Those nasty people at Westminister towed it away last month and it didn't help
.
We do use the alarm when we're out, but switch it off when it's windy as the tonneau sets it off.
How about getting...
(1) a secretly hidden CCTV camera
instead and showing the image in a little monitor on the outside of the car?
(2) the talking alarm with a big dog barking warning, an realistic animated robotic alsation/doberman head fitted to the air vent on the passenger side.
(3) Having a racy new white/orage stripe paint job and putting a flashing blue light on the top.
on our Westfield which is definately useful as a deterrant in a soft top, however, it's probably a bit irrelevant as... (1) Most people don't seem to be able to fit into it.
(2) You would hear it half a mile away as it was driven off.
(3) Those nasty people at Westminister towed it away last month and it didn't help
. We do use the alarm when we're out, but switch it off when it's windy as the tonneau sets it off.
How about getting...
(1) a secretly hidden CCTV camera
instead and showing the image in a little monitor on the outside of the car? (2) the talking alarm with a big dog barking warning, an realistic animated robotic alsation/doberman head fitted to the air vent on the passenger side.
(3) Having a racy new white/orage stripe paint job and putting a flashing blue light on the top.
I think it would be cool to have, but I'd opt for a soothing female voice to deliver the "please step away from the car" message.
For some reason, I think it would be less confrontational and poeple might be less likely to scratch up the car due to the alarm/flashy owner factor. Psycology.
Mike
For some reason, I think it would be less confrontational and poeple might be less likely to scratch up the car due to the alarm/flashy owner factor. Psycology.
Mike
madmike said: I think it would be cool to have, but I'd opt for a soothing female voice to deliver the "please step away from the car" message.
For some reason, I think it would be less confrontational and poeple might be less likely to scratch up the car due to the alarm/flashy owner factor. Psycology.
Mike
Got a cool female voice in the X-type (the SatNav). She even speaks in English English (as opposed to Yank English). "Continue on for a quarter of a mile down the S R four one seven, luv"
Okay, so I made up the luv part, but I hear. Damned if I don't actually hear it...
ErnestM
Ok, the talking alarm is toast. But I just bought one of these
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2417124062&category=15329
and it arrived this morning and I have just run it up on a regulated 12v supply and its amazing 
So ok it's not Thatcham approved but I already have an immobiliser and a tracker so even just using it as a pager it's worth the money IMO. But just look at the list of features
Only problem is going to be installing it I used to be an auto electrician, but even I would rather pay someone else to install that lot - 42 wires in all but it's going in the Ultima and it even has a little round badge which you display in the window which says "Tap here to page the owner" !!
It also comes with it's own loom and two power relays are included. And you can make it fire up two more auxillery circuits using the remote. Hmm that will be my ejector seat and the spikes that come out of the wheels
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2417124062&category=15329
and it arrived this morning
and I have just run it up on a regulated 12v supply and its amazing So ok it's not Thatcham approved but I already have an immobiliser and a tracker so even just using it as a pager it's worth the money IMO. But just look at the list of features Only problem is going to be installing it
I used to be an auto electrician, but even I would rather pay someone else to install that lot - 42 wires in all but it's going in the Ultima and it even has a little round badge which you display in the window which says "Tap here to page the owner" !! It also comes with it's own loom and two power relays are included. And you can make it fire up two more auxillery circuits using the remote. Hmm that will be my ejector seat and the spikes that come out of the wheels
Bleep, bleep, bleep, bleep, bleep, bleep, bleep, bleep, bleep, bleep, bleep, bleep, bleep, bleep, bleep, bleep, bleep, bleep, bleep, bleep, bleep, bleep, bleep, bleep, bleep, bleep, bleep, bleep, bleep, bleep, bleep, bleep, bleep, bleep, bleep, bleep, bleep, bleep, bleep, bleep, bleep, bleep, bleep, bleep, bleep, bleep, bleep, bleep, bleep, bleep ...
"Tap here to page the owner
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