Foo - Would you trust this product?

I have no dog in this race, so this is not promotion, just an interesting device.
Secret Knock Detecting Lock (http://www.flixxy.com/secret-knock-detecting-lock.htm)

Actually that's a pretty cool device. You'd have a hard time keeping the knock pattern secret from your neighbor's though. I could see that device being useful in other locking applications.

Interesting device but many strangers who come to ones door will use that knock to be cute and end up letting themselves in when no one is around.

Next year this time, you'll be able to buy it for not $49, not $39 but $29! But wait, there's more. Call within the next 10 minutes and we'll send you two, for the price of one. And the first 100 callers will receive, free, a gargoyle door knocker.

http://redriverpak.files.wordpress.com/2009/03/shamwow_guy.jpg

It would be good for an isolated area, where many people or a certain group would need to get in and might not have a key (emergency shelter, storage unit).

It is an awesome microcontroller project... but my home's entrance is better off with a key.

It is an awesome microcontroller project... but my home's entrance is better off with a key.

simple is best sometimes

Thats pretty dang cool.

hows that work anyway?

What happens if the battery goes dead while you're gone? Do you still have a key to override it?

What happens if the battery goes dead while you're gone? Do you still have a key to override it?

http://www.gaam.com.au/__data/assets/image/0006/39381/battering-ram-full.jpg

hows that work anyway?

Batteries and stuff. (Is it ok to use punctuation and upper case letters in this thread?)

What happens if the battery goes dead while you're gone? Do you still have a key to override it?

I see safe locks get around this by two methods:

1: Key override. Bad thing is that unless the lock is a high security lock (and I'm meaning high security, not the cheap wafer tumblers used in file cabinet locks), then this will be the weakest point. Recommendation: A lock like the Mul-T-Lock Cliq or the Abloy PROTEC/Cliq. Both combine top of the heap pick resistance with an electronic part of a key.

2: A set of contacts on the outside of the lock that one can touch a 9 volt battery to as a way to open the lock if there are no batteries. I have seen some safe locks that have conductive rings around the open/denied LEDs just for this exact reason. Only bad thing is that a vandal can zap the lock with 120VAC real easily.

Me, if I made a lock that responded to taps, I'd include a high security key override.

This is indeed pretty cool.

I would use it in party contexts, other than that it seems like it could be a pain in the ass and the "secret" knock sequence could easily be identified by neighbors.