Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Home Assistant blocked from integrating with Garage Door opener API

home-assistant.io

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

41–50 of 655 posts

Re: Home Assistant blocked from integrating with Garage Door opener API

#41

Post by RobotToaster »

nijave wrote: post #32
api wrote: post #25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The problem is that these require some kind of server. Get one that just talks to HA over your local network. Why in the hell does a garage door opener need a server? Oh, data collection. And subscriptions. Nothing for the user. I avoid any home automation thing that has any cloud backing that's not strictly optional. It's a strong anti-feature. In home stuff cloud means it won't work when the Internet is down, it sp…

You can access the device when you're away from home if it's internet connected. Of course, the server doesn't need to be doing much besides proxying connections.

Why would you need to access a garage door opener when away from home?

Re: Home Assistant blocked from integrating with Garage Door opener API

#42

Post by rft »

darkwater wrote: post #26
rft wrote: post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> all smart home devices had to go through a hub I fully agree, this is the reason I mostly buy Zigbee devices for my smart home. The problem with this rule is that there is already a device on the market that complies with it on paper, but not how you intended: Amazon Echo devices act as Zigbee gateways. While I never tried it, I bet it will not turn on your lights without calling the mothership. If this rule were t…

> If this rule were to become reality, vendors would just sell your their "mandatory" hubs that handle the calling home part. Smaller vendors would no longer be able to offer their ESP based devices, even though I can easily decloud them via ESPHome etc, if even necessary. No, what should become the reality is that only HARDWARE vendors that make a living off the hardware and some corollary service will have the ince…

Yeah, I agree that this is what SHOULD happen. But I am far too cynical at this point to believe it WILL happen.

In our current system I see two ways to try to make this reality: 1) economic factors and 2) regulation. 1) will not happen, because the data is worth enough to big players that a small competitor can not compete on the hardware/software/service margins alone. You need to become as big and integrated as the current players to be able to offer similar features and prices. Sure, it is more choice, but the option is just as bad.

2) will not happen due to regulatory capture problems as I already stated. A big player can shoulder the burden of compliance easier than a small shop. Maybe, just maybe, there is hope if anti-trust actions split up the existing big players, but I am not holding my breath.

The third way, one small group of indomitable Gauls^Wnerds still holds out against the invaders, is what we currently have and what offers a little bit of hope to me. But I fear this will never become the norm.

Re: Home Assistant blocked from integrating with Garage Door opener API

#43

Post by ourmandave »

api wrote: post #25
TeMPOraL wrote: post #7

From company statement: > Our customers rely on us to make access simple without sacrificing quality and reliability. Unauthorized app integrations, stemming from only 0.2% of myQ users, previously accounted for more than half of the traffic to and from the myQ system, and at times constituted a substantial DDOS event that consumed high quantities of resources. Yeah, that sounds plausible, because: - Home Assistant u…

The problem is that these require some kind of server. Get one that just talks to HA over your local network. Why in the hell does a garage door opener need a server? Oh, data collection. And subscriptions. Nothing for the user. I avoid any home automation thing that has any cloud backing that's not strictly optional. It's a strong anti-feature. In home stuff cloud means it won't work when the Internet is down, it sp…

In the updated fairy tale, the 3rd little piggy actually perishes, because his house got bricked by the Big Bad Wolf IoT service.

Re: Home Assistant blocked from integrating with Garage Door opener API

#44

Post by heartbreak »

RobotToaster wrote: post #41
nijave wrote: post #32

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You can access the device when you're away from home if it's internet connected. Of course, the server doesn't need to be doing much besides proxying connections.

Why would you need to access a garage door opener when away from home?

To let in your cat sitter.

Re: Home Assistant blocked from integrating with Garage Door opener API

#45

Post by eknkc »

RobotToaster wrote: post #41
nijave wrote: post #32

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You can access the device when you're away from home if it's internet connected. Of course, the server doesn't need to be doing much besides proxying connections.

Why would you need to access a garage door opener when away from home?

Check if you left it open? Let someone in remotely?

Re: Home Assistant blocked from integrating with Garage Door opener API

#46

Post by [deleted] »

RobotToaster wrote: post #41
nijave wrote: post #32

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You can access the device when you're away from home if it's internet connected. Of course, the server doesn't need to be doing much besides proxying connections.

Why would you need to access a garage door opener when away from home?

[deleted]

Re: Home Assistant blocked from integrating with Garage Door opener API

#47

Post by LeifCarrotson »

ekianjo wrote: post #28

Why does a garage door need an API?

Two reasons:

1. My wife can check that we didn't forget to close it instead of driving 20 minutes back home to quell her nerves.

2. We can let a friend or neighbor into the garage (or into the house if we use the smart lock on the door inside the garage) when we're not home. Without giving permanent access to a key or PIN code.

Re: Home Assistant blocked from integrating with Garage Door opener API

#48

Post by PurpleRamen »

ekianjo wrote: post #28

Why does a garage door need an API?

Maybe so people will get alarmed when the garage opens, while they are not at home? Or for them to open the garage remotely for deliveries, workers or visitors. Does this system support this?

Re: Home Assistant blocked from integrating with Garage Door opener API

#49

Post by malermeister »

PurpleRamen wrote: post #37
TeMPOraL wrote: post #7

From company statement: > Our customers rely on us to make access simple without sacrificing quality and reliability. Unauthorized app integrations, stemming from only 0.2% of myQ users, previously accounted for more than half of the traffic to and from the myQ system, and at times constituted a substantial DDOS event that consumed high quantities of resources. Yeah, that sounds plausible, because: - Home Assistant u…

> - Home Assistant users are power users, thus more likely to actually use the devices in question; >50% traffic from 0.2% of the users is far too big of a discrepancy to just explain it away with powerusers. Customers too have to follow a fair level of usage. > designed to discourage effective use (while maximizing data collection). What valuable data can they collect, if nobody is using it?

This thing probably phones home every time you open or close your door, no matter if you do it via their smart portal or manually.

Re: Home Assistant blocked from integrating with Garage Door opener API

#50

Post by malermeister »

sokoloff wrote: post #36
kubik369 wrote: post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Unfortunately, this is just wishful thinking. Take an example where a company is going under. If such a law existed, it would be unenforceable as the company does not have the resources and know-how how to do such a thing. After they file for bankrupcy, there is no point in punishing them.

Software escrow processes could (partially) solve this, at an upfront cost for every company developing and selling such a device (meaning, at a price that will ultimately be paid by consumers).

Some government agency could be doing the escrow, at no charge to the company.
Post reply on HN