The lightbulb reinvented • Hacker News Board

Re: The lightbulb reinvented

#61

Post by swah » Sun, Sep 16, 2012, 2:52 PM UTC

nandemo wrote: post #43

coenhyde wrote: post #6

This would be great for connecting up to a CI server or monitoring system. If a build breaks, flash red or maybe if the site goes down go to solid red.

My previous company used to use this: http://www.patlite.com/product/category0002_000000.html For instance, you can use yellow for "warning/important" level and red for "critical" level, and lights-only for staging environment and light & sound alarm for production environment, for instance. Pretty expensive, though.

I can't even find the price on this page, and already made a negative image about this company just because of this :)

Re: The lightbulb reinvented

#62

Post by swah » Sun, Sep 16, 2012, 2:54 PM UTC

godsdead wrote: post #28

$70 for ONE bulb, so that's $280 for 4 in one room, You could hack an LED bulb together to cheap using cables instead of Wifi, A better future proof idea would be to have a very very customizable app that you sell, An app that let's you interface with computer controlled Lights

$49 for 4+, and yes the DIY is much cheaper. But the Kickstarter is about paying more to support the idea. The final product should be substantially cheaper...

Re: The lightbulb reinvented

#63

Post by Karunamon » Sun, Sep 16, 2012, 2:56 PM UTC

watty wrote: post #41

alexchamberlain wrote: post #37

Shame this uses WiFi rather than Power line networking; I'm sure it would be more efficient and future proof.

This "just works". Power line networking would require a wireless device plugged in the wall in order to control the lights from a phone.

It's pretty wasteful though. That's a lot of useful wifi gear being thrown out with every spent bulb.. It would probably be more efficient (and cheaper for more than one or two bulbs) for them to handle all of the logic and wireless in a single powerline wall wart and then have the bulbs be dumb listeners on that.

Re: The lightbulb reinvented

#64

Post by Karunamon » Sun, Sep 16, 2012, 2:57 PM UTC

Aardwolf wrote: post #15

Why would anyone want to use something like a smartphone to control their lighting? Smartphones are todays temporary fad, and will change every few years. The lighting of your house, however, is supposed to last a few decades, unless you like totally redocorating every few years.

Smartphones are todays temporary fad

You think carrying a mobile computing device wherever you go is a "temporary fad"? Really?

Re: The lightbulb reinvented

#65

Post by bluthru » Sun, Sep 16, 2012, 3:25 PM UTC

ForrestN wrote: post #52

From an efficiency/sustainability point of view, I have a basic discomfort with the idea of throwing away all the wifi/controller stuff each time you need a new bulb. I know LEDs don't run out very fast, but they do run out. This has cost implications too. What about a setup where there are two levels of screw: the LED bulb screws into a fixture with the wifi stuff inside, which then screws into the light fixture? Th…

The WiFi radios 2 decades from now will probably be much different, anyway. Just look how quickly we've come since 802.11 A.

Re: The lightbulb reinvented

#66

Post by graue » Sun, Sep 16, 2012, 3:36 PM UTC

stinos wrote: post #23

nice idea, but unfortunately I do not see this becoming 'big' for a couple of reasons. For instance, even though one can buy LEDs advertised as having a 'warm' colour, the light produced is still rather harsh compared to halogen for instance. Most people do not want an entire house, or even a single room, lighted purely by LEDs. Same goes for the colour: on paper it's nice to read that colour can set a certain mood a…

I use a red CFL desk lamp when I'm up late hacking. It seems less disruptive to normal sleep cycles than a full-spectrum light.

Re: The lightbulb reinvented

#67

Post by james33 » Sun, Sep 16, 2012, 3:38 PM UTC

Is it just me or is Kickstarter addicting? It seems like every week there is some new cool project posted and I can't help but back it. If something like this were at Walmart I probably wouldn't give it a second thought, but on Kickstarter I've already in for 2.

Re: The lightbulb reinvented

#68

Post by BCM43 » Sun, Sep 16, 2012, 3:43 PM UTC

ForrestN wrote: post #52

From an efficiency/sustainability point of view, I have a basic discomfort with the idea of throwing away all the wifi/controller stuff each time you need a new bulb. I know LEDs don't run out very fast, but they do run out. This has cost implications too. What about a setup where there are two levels of screw: the LED bulb screws into a fixture with the wifi stuff inside, which then screws into the light fixture? Th…

Given how long most wifi stuff I've seen lasts, and the fact that the bulbs are rated for 25 years, I'm more worried about the wifi components failing and bulbs becoming useless, of the software becoming obsolete and not being able to run on newer devices.

Re: The lightbulb reinvented

#69

Post by adamcox » Sun, Sep 16, 2012, 3:45 PM UTC

bluthru wrote: post #65

ForrestN wrote: post #52

From an efficiency/sustainability point of view, I have a basic discomfort with the idea of throwing away all the wifi/controller stuff each time you need a new bulb. I know LEDs don't run out very fast, but they do run out. This has cost implications too. What about a setup where there are two levels of screw: the LED bulb screws into a fixture with the wifi stuff inside, which then screws into the light fixture? Th…

The WiFi radios 2 decades from now will probably be much different, anyway. Just look how quickly we've come since 802.11 A.

Even more reason for the double screw idea. You can upgrade the WiFi radio when your network becomes incompatible in the future.

Re: The lightbulb reinvented

#70

Post by james33 » Sun, Sep 16, 2012, 3:49 PM UTC

michaelmior wrote: post #42

ollysb wrote: post #39

I was pleased to see that you can use your existing switches. For the majority of cases I can't imagine anything more irritating than having to get my phone out, open up an app and find the right light control, just to turn the light on. It would definitely be convenient to switch all lights off when I go to bed though. Coloured lighting seems a bit naff but maybe there are more subtle ways to use it than make your l…

Your existing switches still work assuming you just want to turn the lights off. Of course then you have to flick the switch back on before they can be controlled by the app again. And what about turning the lights back on when they were shut off with the app? Perhaps cycling the switch will make them come back on.

I asked them about this and they said it'll still work to turn them on without the app (your assumption about flicking the switch is correct).