Not to take away anything from the article but what does this have anything to do with IoT?
it was an IoT product (internet-connected LED sign)
That's just a display not an IoT project. The display did nothing as a thing.
Taking over a Dead IoT Company
151–160 of 213 posts
Re: Taking over a Dead IoT Company
#152Often when showing off something cool I built for fun, people say "you should make those and sell them!"
This company is a great example of why I don't.
Mad respect for the author though. It'd be cool enough to just get one sign working, but to take over the API and domain is pretty awesome.
Re: Taking over a Dead IoT Company
#153Towards the end of the article the author mentions not wanting to pursue this as a business as there are so many cheap programmable signs out there already. As someone who would love to buy one of these and customize it for myself does anyone have experience or recommendations with any of these?
Some experience. The cheapest and easiest route is to buy a pre-made sign from AliExpress and just use the serial/usb interface to send data to the sign. That's somewhat limited, as you can't really control each pixel in a real time way, and you're limited to sending a series of "screens" as either text (in their limited choices of fonts) or images, defining some linger time, transitions, etc. With some visual disrup…
You can use a colorlight card to control the panels, they can be had for $15 and connect to the nerwork using gigabit ethernet ( must be gigabit ). You then send then data using the windows software or you can use a Pi/computer running FPP software to send whatever you want.
This would reduce cost to:
2x panels
1x colorlight card
1x power supply
Misc cables / case
Edit: The card can handle an 8x8 matrix of panels ( IIRC ) and the cards can be chained together to make larger displays. I dont recall the max size. The biggest I’ve made is 5x5 for a xmas display.
Re: Taking over a Dead IoT Company
#154Often when showing off something cool I built for fun, people say "you should make those and sell them!" This company is a great example of why I don't. Mad respect for the author though. It'd be cool enough to just get one sign working, but to take over the API and domain is pretty awesome.
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Re: Taking over a Dead IoT Company
#155Earlier quoted context omitted.
Used to work on an iptv set top box user interface (html+js on opera embedded) back in the days. BOM for the board designed in my country... 150$. Chinese manufacturer proposed a redesign 100% compatible with the same features... BOM at 15$ IIRC
How did you find a Chinese manufacturer to redesign it for you?
it was foxconn, they had some capacity :)
Re: Taking over a Dead IoT Company
#156Very interesting read. Based on our experience developing and manufactoring air quality monitors, making a customized PCB should be done as early as possible in the developing process. With easy to use editors (e.g. easyEDA) and cheap and fast PCB production/assembly (even for small quantities), there is no reason to use overized MCUs/mini computers like the Pi and expensive modules e.g. from Adafruit. Also, BOM comp…
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Re: Taking over a Dead IoT Company
#157Earlier quoted context omitted.
Some experience. The cheapest and easiest route is to buy a pre-made sign from AliExpress and just use the serial/usb interface to send data to the sign. That's somewhat limited, as you can't really control each pixel in a real time way, and you're limited to sending a series of "screens" as either text (in their limited choices of fonts) or images, defining some linger time, transitions, etc. With some visual disrup…
You can use a colorlight card to control the panels, they can be had for $15 and connect to the nerwork using gigabit ethernet ( must be gigabit ). You then send then data using the windows software or you can use a Pi/computer running FPP software to send whatever you want. This would reduce cost to: 2x panels 1x colorlight card 1x power supply Misc cables / case Edit: The card can handle an 8x8 matrix of panels ( I…
Interesting. Can you interact in a sort of live/api way, or is it limited to writing configuration and "launching" it?
Edit: Ahh, that's a great option...assuming that reverse engineered way to send frames is stable, etc.
Re: Taking over a Dead IoT Company
#158This was really interesting - a well deserved spot at the top of the front page. It's rare to see an article that combines the technical and business analysis so well. It's amazing to me how quickly the company loaded itself up with staff. Being kinda familiar with ESP32 development, I thought at the beginning that the company would have 4-6 people - 1-2 technical, 1-2 production, 1 business/sales/marketing, 1 admin.…
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Re: Taking over a Dead IoT Company
#159Earlier quoted context omitted.
The entire project looks like the result of a high school student's first Instructables. It's hilariously under-engineered and it's clear that these folks had absolutely no idea of how to build a product, IoT or otherwise. Hint: if your product plans involve a raspberry pi, you probably fucked up.
How would you get a quick MVP of PCB + needed interfaces? I'd love to know if there is a PCB design as a service + manufacturer that allows small size of order (as a 3rd party integration). I think they definitely exist .. I just have to figure out who to talk to first.
I don't know of people who do PCB design, but I'm sure the usual suspects (Fiverr, Upwork, etc.,) will have them. I can do it, but I avoid that kind of work unless absolutely necessary.
However, for small-quantity, high-quality PCBs at a great price, once you have the design done, it's hard to beat OSHPark and OSHStencils for solder stencils. I highly recommend both.