The best TV simulators, compared.
Top pick: Miangerrn USB TV simulator Best value: XGHDPBM USB fake TV light – Best value if you can supply a USB adapter and sit the unit on a shelf. The adapter is not in the box, and the adapter line says so in one direction. Updated October 2026.
A TV simulator is a small LED unit that shifts colour and brightness so a curtain or blind looks, from outside, a bit like a TV that is on. You buy one as an occupancy cue for an evening out or a holiday, not as an alarm or a lock. West Police name a fake LED TV simulator next to a timer switch, and they still put locks and alarms first. The useful differences are power, whether a mains adapter or a pass-through socket is included, and whether the title matches the specification. Modes here are off, always on, and dusk plus about 4 or 7 hours, not a seven-day timer. The [TV simulator buying guide](/hub/diy-supplies/tv-simulator/sub/tv-simulator-buying-guide) sets those checks on their own. Ask the Police gives the same advice for lights or radios on a timer.
A TV simulator is a small LED unit that shifts colour and brightness so a curtain or blind looks, from outside, a bit like a TV that is on.
42 products checked · 58 hrs invested · +21,400 readers
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Personal buying guide
Question 1 of 2
Is a UK socket close enough to aim at the window?
The Miangerrn Y-126 is a 5 V USB unit listed at about £22.60, with 24 lights in the field and a stated 5 W. amazon.co.uk showed 5.0 from 2 reviews, and both texts are marked United Kingdom. One calls the changing glow believable once it is on. The other says the sensor was not working. The product title says with motion, while the bullets describe a flickering TV glow and a timer, not a sensor that detects a person. The hour steps for that timer are not printed. The box line lists the security light unit, not a mains adapter, and a specification field prints an E26 bulb base on a USB light. A 5.0 from two ratings is too small a sample to rank above listings with a larger United Kingdom review set.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A 5 V USB lead on a shelf, only if you already know you are not buying a person sensor.
Less suitable: A first order that needs printed 4-hour and 7-hour steps, or a movement sensor.
Specifications
Common questions
Does the Miangerrn title’s motion claim appear in the bullets?
The title says with motion. The bullets describe a flickering TV glow, USB power, and a timer. They do not describe a person sensor. Treat that PIR claim as absent.
What power does Miangerrn print?
Voltage is 5 V and the wattage field is 5 W. Included components list the security light unit, not a mains adapter.
How many United Kingdom reviews are on the listing?
The listing line is 5.0 from 2. Both texts are marked United Kingdom, and one says the sensor was not working. That sample is too small to treat as a rank.
The top pick is the Defender EL00240 when a UK socket sits near the window and you still want to use that socket. It plugs into a 240 V socket, aims 9 LEDs at curtains or blinds, and leaves a pass-through socket on the front of the plug. amazon.co.uk showed 4.5 from 102 reviews at about £16.95 on 15 October 2026, and 50 of the review texts are marked United Kingdom. Reviewers often say the dusk sensor and the 4-hour or 7-hour timer come on after dark, and that the glow has made a neighbour think a TV was left on. The same texts say a socket across the room is useless, and a floor-level socket throws the light at the carpet. One review describes the timer modes as two static LEDs rather than a changing pattern, and another says the housing ran warm. The mounting field says ceiling mount, while the bullets and the installation line say plug-in. Defender’s instructions say the front socket stays live with the wall socket.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A street-facing window with a UK socket close enough to aim at the curtains, when you still want to use that socket.
Less suitable: A high shelf with only a USB lead, a floor socket aimed at the carpet, or a 12 V caravan outlet.
Specifications
Common questions
Does the Defender unit leave the wall socket free?
The title and bullets say it has a built-in outlet so another appliance can use the same socket. The listing does not print a load rating. Defender’s instructions say the front socket stays live with the wall socket.
What timer settings does Defender list?
Always on, 4-hour, 7-hour, and off. The bullets also print a light sensor at 0.5 lux. The instructions say blue means dusk plus 4 hours and green means dusk plus 7 hours.
Is the Defender unit for outdoor use?
The listing says indoor and not water resistant. The bullets name homes, caravans, or motorhomes, and the voltage field says 240 V, so a caravan still needs a mains socket rather than a 12 V outlet.
The best value is the XGHDPBM if you can supply a USB adapter and sit the unit on a shelf. It is a USB fake-TV light with 12 red, blue, green and white LEDs, a stated 2 W, and a dusk timer for constant running or 4 or 7 hours. amazon.co.uk showed 4.4 from 17 reviews at about £10.49, and the six review texts are all marked United Kingdom. Reviewers describe colour moving on walls and curtains, and they call it a holiday gadget that is bright once the room is dark. One of those reviews says there are not enough colour changes to look fully like a TV. The bullets include a USB cable and say the mains adapter is not in the box. The indoor/outdoor field says outdoor, while the listing also says the unit is not water resistant. You put it on a shelf or table when the lead reaches the window and you already have an adapter.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A shelf by the window when you already own a USB adapter and want the lower price for a stated USB kit.
Less suitable: A buyer who needs a UK 13 A plug in the box, or any outdoor fitting.
Specifications
Common questions
Does the XGHDPBM box include a mains adapter?
The bullets say the USB cable is included and the power adapter is not included. You need a spare USB supply before it will run.
Does this listing describe a motion sensor?
A listing question asks about a motion sensor. The bullets describe a dusk sensor and do not describe a movement sensor. Treat a person sensor as absent.
How many LEDs does XGHDPBM print?
The number-of-lights field says 12, in red, blue, green and white. Stated wattage is 2 W.
The GAOUTO listing at about £16.50 names 12 LEDs, 2 W, and three programmes: dark plus 4 hours, dark plus 7 hours, or on. amazon.co.uk showed 4.4 from 15 reviews, and the four review texts are marked Spain, Germany, France, and Italy, so that star line is not a United Kingdom review file. The power field says solar powered, while the bullets describe a light sensor and LEDs and do not mention a solar panel. The switch field says motion, while the bullets describe the blue and green dusk programmes. The image matches Behogan B0DWXTSTKL, so the photograph does not separate the two ASINs. A Spain review says the unit could not be programmed and had to be switched on every day. You would be ordering a dusk-timer description that the specification fields do not support. This page does not treat the unit as solar powered.
Pros
Cons
Best for: Only a shopper who will ignore the solar and motion fields and trust the dusk-programme bullets alone.
Less suitable: Anyone who read solar or motion as the product they are ordering, or who wants United Kingdom review text.
Specifications
Common questions
Is the GAOUTO unit solar powered?
The power field says solar powered. The bullets describe a light sensor, 2 W LEDs, and three programmes, and they do not mention a solar panel. This page does not treat it as solar.
What do the blue and green lights mean on this listing?
The bullets say blue is the after-dark plus 4-hour setting and green is the after-dark plus 7-hour setting.
Are the GAOUTO reviews from the United Kingdom?
No. The four texts are marked Spain, Germany, France, and Italy. The 4.4 from 15 is the amazon.co.uk star line, not United Kingdom review text.
The YZRDCXM unit lists 12 LEDs, 3 W, and a dusk choice of constant, 4 hours, or 7 hours, at about £9.99. amazon.co.uk showed 4.0 from 16 reviews. Seven of the nine review texts are marked United Kingdom, and they include praise for a TV-like glow that comes on at night. One United Kingdom review says the 4-hour and 7-hour settings came on at dusk and did not switch off. Another says there is no rechargeable battery, so it has to stay on a USB socket. The bullets say the adapter is not included, and the included-components field says a power adapter is included. Italy and Sweden texts also say no charger arrived. A control field says remote and a connectivity field says ethernet, and neither appears in the bullets. It is not the best value, because the adapter lines contradict each other.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A shelf USB setup only after you have checked whether the current box actually contains a charger.
Less suitable: A buyer who needs the run to end after 4 or 7 hours, or who needs the adapter question settled on the page.
Specifications
Common questions
Is a mains adapter in the YZRDCXM box?
The included-components field says a power adapter. The bullets say the USB cable is included and the power adapter is not. Italy and Sweden reviews also say no charger was supplied.
Does it have a battery?
A United Kingdom review says it only works when plugged into a USB socket and has no rechargeable battery.
Did the timer switch off in the reviews?
One United Kingdom review says the 4-hour and 7-hour settings came on at dusk and did not switch off.
The Behogan listing at about £18.13 puts 24 LEDs in the title and 12 in the number-of-lights field, with 2 W and three programmes: dark plus 4 hours, dark plus 7 hours, or on. amazon.co.uk showed 3.9 from 4 reviews. The two review texts are marked Germany and France, not the United Kingdom. The France review says the unit had 12 LEDs, not 24, and was not very powerful. The Germany review says the programme start was confusing and that the light came on in daylight. Mains power appears in that Germany text, not in the specification fields. The image matches GAOUTO B0F5H3SXL4. The LED count is the fact you would be guessing if you ordered from the title. The 3.9 from 4 is the amazon.co.uk star line only.
Pros
Cons
Best for: Only if you are content to order a 12-LED dusk timer and ignore the 24 in the title.
Less suitable: A buyer who chose it because the title says 24 LEDs, or who wants United Kingdom review text.
Specifications
Common questions
How many LEDs does this Behogan listing claim?
The title says 24. The number-of-lights field says 12. A France review says the unit had 12, not 24. That review is not marked United Kingdom.
What are the three programmes?
After dark plus 4 hours with a blue light, after dark plus 7 hours with a green light, and on.
Are the reviews from the United Kingdom?
No. One is marked Germany and one France. The 3.9 from 4 is the amazon.co.uk star line.
The QYOEGSQ dusk-timer light is listed at about £9.99, with 2 W and modes for constant running or 4 or 7 hours after dusk. amazon.co.uk showed 3.8 from 4 reviews, and all four texts are marked United Kingdom. Three of those reviews are short praise. One says the unit is too small and not fit for purpose, and that a battery source is needed. The dimensions line prints 10 x 10 x 10 millimetres next to a weight of 300 g, which cannot both describe one housing. The lumen field prints 800 beside a 2 W claim. There is no included-components line and no plug type, so the listing does not show whether a lead is in the box. The same image is used on Generic B0HJ4S2MBZ.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A low-cost trial only if you can return it when the housing does not match that size complaint.
Less suitable: A window that needs a known size, or a buyer who needs the mains lead confirmed before ordering.
Specifications
Common questions
What size does QYOEGSQ print?
The dimensions line says 10 x 10 x 10 millimetres. The weight line says 300 g. One United Kingdom review calls it too small. Those size lines cannot both describe one housing.
Does the listing include a mains lead?
There is no included-components line. One United Kingdom review says a battery source is needed. Plug type is not stated.
Is it described as waterproof?
The listing says not water resistant. The indoor/outdoor field says indoor and outdoor. Do not fit it outside.
The Behogan remote listing at about £19.99 prints 24 LEDs in both the title and the lights field, a stated 2 W, and a remote in the included-components line. The settings bullet lists off, dark plus 4 hours, dark plus 7 hours, and on, while the title says 3 programmes. amazon.co.uk showed 3.0 from 2 reviews, and there is no review text, so there is no praise or complaint to quote. The power field says corded electric and another field says cordless yes. Voltage is not printed. You can see a remote and a 24-LED count on the page. You cannot see whether the unit plugs into the mains or runs from a battery. At about £19.99 that missing power line is the reason to wait for a clearer listing.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A desktop unit only after you have confirmed corded or cordless on the current listing.
Less suitable: A buyer who needs one power method on the page, or a review file with written comments.
Specifications
Common questions
Is a remote included?
Included components say LEDs and a remote control. The switch type field also says remote.
Is it corded or cordless?
The power field says corded electric. Another field says cordless yes. Both are printed, so the page does not settle the power method.
How many LEDs are printed?
The title and the number-of-lights field both say 24. Wattage is 2 W.
The URJWAN listing at about £36.99 puts 12 LEDs and four programmes in the title and says the unit is complete with a power adapter. A bullet then says the USB cable is included and the power adapter is not. The bullets name constant running or 4 or 7 hours after dusk, which is three run modes rather than four programmes. There is no customer-reviews line and no review text. Item weight is printed as 1 kg, with a package of 12 x 10 x 5 cm, and voltage is blank. At this price the adapter question is the whole order, and the page answers it both ways. You would need a written confirmation of the box contents before about £36.99 meant a complete kit. This is a high price on a thin listing, not a measured premium.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A buyer who has written confirmation that the adapter is in the box and still chooses to pay about £36.99.
Less suitable: Anyone who can use a cheaper USB listing that states, in one direction, that the adapter is not included.
Specifications
Common questions
Does URJWAN include the power adapter?
The title says complete with power adapter. A bullet says the TV simulator can be powered by USB, cable included, or a power adapter, not included. The page answers the box both ways.
How many programmes are named?
The title says 4 selectable programmes. The bullets name constant running, 4 hours, and 7 hours after dusk.
What weight is printed?
Item weight is 1 kg. Package dimensions are 12 x 10 x 5 cm. There is no star line on the listing.
This Generic listing asks about £53.99 for bullets that say a light sensor, 3 W, and continuous, 4-hour, or 7-hour running. There is no customer-reviews line, no LED count, and no voltage. Model A-1 is also printed on B0HKFK1GJM at about £10.99, with a different part number, so the model string does not identify one product. The same bullets describe a night light for hallways, bedrooms, and staircases, which is a different job from a curtain glow. The image on the listing is a small thumbnail rather than a large product photograph. The price sits at the top of this set without a specification that explains the gap. You would be paying a high shelf price for a short dusk-timer paragraph.
Pros
Cons
Best for: No ordinary order in this set, unless a seller confirms it is a different product from the about £10.99 model A-1.
Less suitable: Anyone comparing it with the about £10.99 listing that prints the same model number.
Specifications
Common questions
What does this about £53.99 listing specify?
Bullets say a light sensor, 3 W, and continuous, 4-hour, or 7-hour operation. LED count, weight, and voltage are not on the listing.
Is model A-1 unique to this ASIN?
No. Model A-1 is also printed on Generic B0HKFK1GJM, listed at about £10.99, with a different part number.
Is there a star rating?
No customer-reviews line and no review text.
This Generic listing at about £10.99 puts four modes, a timer, and a dusk sensor in the title, and the bullets say 2 W and a light sensor that stands by in brighter light. The four mode labels are not printed. Voltage, LED count, weight, and dimensions are empty, and there is no customer-reviews line. Model A-1 is the same model string as Generic B0HK6Q23KY, which is listed at about £53.99 with a different part number. The bullets also mention offices and shops, which does not tell you the plug. You are looking at a short dusk-sensor description without the measurements or the review texts that the fuller rows have. About £10.99 is the shelf price on 15 October 2026, and the rest of the order is not specified.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A buyer who only needs the 2 W dusk-sensor sentence and will not treat model A-1 as a unique product.
Less suitable: Anyone matching a model number, or anyone who wants a stated plug and a review text.
Specifications
Common questions
What wattage does this Generic listing state?
The bullets say 2 W. Voltage, LED count, and weight are not on the listing.
How does the sensor behave in the bullets?
They say it goes to standby in brighter light and comes on in darker light. The four mode labels are not printed.
Are there reviews on the listing?
No customer-reviews line and no review text.
The Generic listing at about £12.99 uses a title and bullets for a 2 W dusk-timer TV light, with continuous, 4-hour, or 7-hour running. The included-components line instead lists a 39-inch LED strip, adhesive, and a wireless remote. There is no customer-reviews line and no review text. The image matches QYOEGSQ B0DWMVC4Y6, and the model string contains STRI. You cannot tell from this page whether the parcel is a simulator or a strip light. The wattage and the timer live only in the bullets that describe the simulator. Until those lines agree, the about £12.99 price is not a specification you can order from.
Pros
Cons
Best for: Only someone who has already confirmed the parcel contents with the seller, not a first order from the title.
Less suitable: Anyone choosing from the title alone, because the components line describes a different product.
Specifications
Common questions
What does the components line say is in the box?
It says a 39-inch LED strip light, 3M adhesive, and a wireless remote. The title and bullets describe a TV simulator. The page does not show which parcel you would receive.
What timer do the bullets name?
Continuous operation, or 4-hour or 7-hour modes after the light sensor sees dusk. Wattage is 2 W.
Is there a star rating on the listing?
No customer-reviews line and no review text.
Scores follow the published method for these twelve amazon.co.uk listings from 15 October 2026. Review evidence is marked out of 35, the specification you can order from out of 40, and value for a stated job out of 15. Listing faults are then deducted. A 5.0 from two reviews is not a rank, and a star line whose texts are all marked outside the United Kingdom is not treated as United Kingdom evidence. There was no laboratory light test and no street check. The four weights below add up to 100.
Review evidence
35%The amazon.co.uk star line and whether the review texts are marked United Kingdom. No customer-reviews line scores low. More than 30 reviews, with United Kingdom texts, score higher. A 5.0 from two reviews is not treated as a rank.
Specification you can order from
40%A printed 240 V plug-in scores above a USB listing. Named 4-hour and 7-hour dusk modes, one LED count, and a stated wattage add points. An adapter that is both included and not included, or a motion title with no person sensor, scores less.
Value for a stated job
15%Price counts only when the listing states what you are paying for. A 240 V plug-in with a pass-through socket, named dusk modes, under £20, and more than 30 reviews scores highest. A high price on a listing with no review text scores lowest.
Listing consistency
10%Points come off for a printed clash: adapter both ways, a title LED count against the field, solar against LED bullets, a strip light in the components line, a shared image, or a timer a United Kingdom review says did not switch off.
Start with the socket and the box, not the star average. A unit that plugs into the wall has to suit a UK socket. A USB unit often arrives with a lead and no adapter, and some pages say the adapter is both included and not included. The modes you can read in this set are off, always on, and dusk plus about 4 or 7 hours. A title that says motion still usually describes a dusk sensor in the bullets. Shelf prices on 15 October 2026 run from about £9.99 to about £53.99.
A TV simulator is a small LED unit that shifts colour and brightness so a curtain or blind looks, from outside, a bit like a TV that is on. It is an occupancy cue for an evening out or a few days away. It is not an alarm, not a lock, and not a camera. West Yorkshire Police name a fake LED TV simulator next to a timer switch, and they still put locks and alarms first. Ask the Police gives the same advice for lights or radios on a timer.
The glow has to read from the street, and the unit itself should stay hidden. ERA’s install notes say hide it and do not treat it as a guarantee. A housing you can see from outside is the unit, not a TV.
These listings describe a dusk sensor, not a person sensor. Defender prints 0.5 lux. Trying it in a bright room and calling it faulty misses the mode. Titles that say motion still usually describe that light sensor in the bullets.
XGHDPBM says the cable is included and the adapter is not. YZRDCXM and URJWAN print the adapter as included and as not included. Read the title against the bullets before you order, and do not use a floor socket so the light hits the carpet.
Power is the first split, because it decides whether the unit can sit at the window you care about. A plug-in unit has to suit a UK socket. Under the Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations 2016, regulation 35, a device that plugs straight into a UK socket has to be compatible with BS 1363. In this set that is the Defender EL00240: 240 V, a pass-through socket, and a dusk sensor printed at 0.5 lux. Its instructions say the front socket stays live.
The pattern in this set is off, always on, dusk plus about 4 hours, and dusk plus about 7 hours. That is not a seven-day timer. Defender’s instructions say blue means dusk plus 4 hours and green means dusk plus 7 hours. A title that says motion still describes a dusk sensor in the bullets, or it does not describe a person sensor at all. Treat a PIR claim as absent unless the text says the unit detects a person.
Three typical situations, each with a recommendation from this comparison.
You want one street-facing window to look occupied after dark, and the socket is close enough to aim at the curtains. The Defender EL00240 is a 240 V plug-in with a pass-through socket, so you can still use that socket. A floor socket throws the light at the carpet.
The socket is across the room, but a lead can reach a shelf by the glass. The XGHDPBM states 12 LEDs and dusk plus 4 or 7 hours, and the bullets say the adapter is not in the box. You need a spare USB supply before it will run.
Only the Defender listing mentions caravans or motorhomes, and the voltage field says 240 V. It needs a mains socket, not a 12 V outlet. The listing says indoor and not water resistant, so it is not an outside light.
The top pick is the Defender EL00240 at about £16.95. It is a 240 V plug-in with a pass-through socket, 9 LEDs, and dusk plus 4 or 7 hours, with 4.5 from 102 reviews. It fits when a UK socket sits near the window and you still want to use that socket. A socket across the room, or a floor socket, is the limit reviewers describe. The best value is the XGHDPBM at about £10.49 if you can supply a USB adapter and sit the unit on a shelf. The adapter is not in the box. YZRDCXM at about £9.99 does not take that place: the adapter lines contradict each other, and a United Kingdom review says the timer did not switch off.
XGHDPBM USB fake TV light
Best value if you can supply a USB adapter and sit the unit on a shelf. The adapter is not in the box, and the adapter line says so in one direction.
Editorial
Peter F. is the editor for DIY & tools at productscompared.co.uk. Comparisons in this category are checked against amazon.co.uk listings, review evidence and public UK sources.
Guides on what to look for, how to use a product, and common mistakes.
Public UK sources on occupancy lighting, BS 1363 plugs, product marking, and the Ofgem price cap. Prices are the amazon.co.uk shelf prices for these ASINs on 15 October 2026. They move. Page updated 17 October 2026.
This page contains affiliate links to amazon.co.uk. If you buy through them, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Scores compare published listings and review counts. They are not a laboratory test.
