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Netflix Switch – dim lights, turn on the TV, order food, and silence your phone

makeit.netflix.com

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Re: Netflix Switch – dim lights, turn on the TV, order food, and silence your phone

#41

Post by smtddr »

hugh4 wrote: post #9
daenz wrote: post #2

It's really great to see a company's engineers given the time and resources to do some fun tech project like this. Sometimes it seems like unless a project is about directly increasing revenue, its incredibly difficult to get buy-in from management. These projects are great for culture.

Is it really just a fun project? Or is Netflix trying to use this as the nose of the camel to get into the house automation business? I've always thought house automation was cool, but a lot of trouble and likely to wind up a waste of my time and effort once I stop using it in three years because whatever standard I was using became obsolete. But if Netflix can start automating my house one bit at a time and slowly s…

Well, here's something that definitely has no market value: http://www.nbcnews.com/tech/gadgets/8-bit-binge-hack-puts-ne... ;)

Re: Netflix Switch – dim lights, turn on the TV, order food, and silence your phone

#43

Post by throwaway39201 »

johnhkg wrote: post #33
daenz wrote: post #2

It's really great to see a company's engineers given the time and resources to do some fun tech project like this. Sometimes it seems like unless a project is about directly increasing revenue, its incredibly difficult to get buy-in from management. These projects are great for culture.

Netflix seems like a great company to work for. Recommend reading Reed Hasting's presentation on their culture: http://www.slideshare.net/reed2001/culture-1798664

For another perspective (perhaps a more nuanced/less flattering one), NPR's Planet Money recently did a great episode on Netflix's work culture [1]. I'm not so sure I'd want to work there, but I'm sure it is great for some.

[1] http://www.npr.org/sections/money/2015/08/28/435583328/episo...

Re: Netflix Switch – dim lights, turn on the TV, order food, and silence your phone

#44

Post by jacalata »

blazespin wrote: post #11
hugh4 wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Is it really just a fun project? Or is Netflix trying to use this as the nose of the camel to get into the house automation business? I've always thought house automation was cool, but a lot of trouble and likely to wind up a waste of my time and effort once I stop using it in three years because whatever standard I was using became obsolete. But if Netflix can start automating my house one bit at a time and slowly s…

I honestly can't attribute any profiteering here. This is pure geek fun. Reminds me of the days of the Netflix Prize. http://www.netflixprize.com/

That's a weird couple of sentences, given that the Netflix prize was entirely trying to improve their core business?

Re: Netflix Switch – dim lights, turn on the TV, order food, and silence your phone

#45

Post by jon-wood »

SEJeff wrote: post #17

FYI for the DIYers, there is a little project that I contribute to on the side for fun. I also use it to do things just like the title suggests: https://home-assistant.io/

That looks fantastic, I've been hunting for a home automation controller with a modern architecture for ages, and I think you've just pointed it out.

Re: Netflix Switch – dim lights, turn on the TV, order food, and silence your phone

#46

Post by DannyBee »

chrissnell wrote: post #35

Any ideas what they might be using to mill the wooden enclosure? I have a few projects that need enclosures and it's been a few years since I looked but the CNC mills were still thousands of dollars.

Why do you believe that wooden enclosure needs a CNC mill?

It requires a few miter cuts and a good chamfer bit.

That's it.

Heck, you could do it with all handtools pretty darn quickly.

(If for some reason, you really want to CNC mill it, and are in the bay area, contact me and i'll mill it on my CNC mill for you)

Re: Netflix Switch – dim lights, turn on the TV, order food, and silence your phone

#48

Post by PascLeRasc »

joeevans1000 wrote: post #47

My guess is that this was the result of an internal hackathon. Makes me think working at Netflix could be fun.

Yeah, they've had other hackathons before with good results: http://thenextweb.com/apps/2015/03/10/a-netflix-hack-day-pro...

Re: Netflix Switch – dim lights, turn on the TV, order food, and silence your phone

#49

Post by blazespin »

jacalata wrote: post #44
blazespin wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I honestly can't attribute any profiteering here. This is pure geek fun. Reminds me of the days of the Netflix Prize. http://www.netflixprize.com/

That's a weird couple of sentences, given that the Netflix prize was entirely trying to improve their core business?

Yeah, maybe. I don't think they ever used it though. I think it was just the hacker / experimenter part of Reed that wanted to do it.
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