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A simpler solution is to have ordinary plain light bulbs. Probably friendlier to the environment due to less electronics. It’s hard to hack ordinary light bulbs so they are secure.
Reset button makes sense though. Reset button are costlier for bill of materials so manufacturers save on that.
The process is the same for my Cree Connected bulbs and my GE Link bulbs, except a bit shorter (2 seconds on, 2 seconds off, repeat 4-5x). I was able to reset a dozen bulbs in just a few minutes, to pair them with a new hub, by just flicking the light switches (that control banks of bulbs each) without removing the bulbs. Having to remove each bulb and individually reset it with a paperclip would be less convenient.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
> having a procedure instead of a reset button is actually a smart idea I can't think of any user friendliness benefit for this. Are you thinking about component cost?
Reset all the bulbs in a room at once.
I remember this being brought up on reddit. Yes it's ridiculously lengthy, but having a procedure instead of a reset button is actually a smart idea. So they've taken a kernel of a good idea and went overboard on trying to protect users from accidentally resetting. Having a procedure allows you to reset bulbs in hard-to-reach places or a whole set of lights in one room can be reset using the one lightswitch.
Resetting a lightbulb. What a time to be alive.
Philips Hue is older I think and doesn't have this insanity. The bulbs have a serial number on them, you just input that serial into the app synced with a new bridge.
Could people remind me why they need these "smart" bulbs in the first place?
The use-case is not clear to me either. Is it to create atmosphere with the various colors? Have them turn on automatically to give the impression the home isn't empty when I'm on vacation (à-la "Home Alone")?
If you have kids they play with turning the light switch on and off. So I can see the need not to reset by accident. A simpler solution is to have ordinary plain light bulbs. Probably friendlier to the environment due to less electronics. It’s hard to hack ordinary light bulbs so they are secure. Reset button makes sense though. Reset button are costlier for bill of materials so manufacturers save on that.
The big failure arguably is not testing the firmware sufficiently (or building in recovery algorithms) to necessitate a reset procedure in the first place.
Resetting a lightbulb. What a time to be alive.
Yeah, I was thinking along the same lines. I mean, I'm as geeky as it gets, but I'm still "amused" by the fact that we have lightbulbs with a firmware and a reset procedure, books that need to be charged and fridges that tweet.
It’s infuriating!
Also this reminds me I need to put all my lights on a DMZ.