The lightbulb reinvented • Hacker News Board

Re: The lightbulb reinvented

#131

Post by ianlevesque » Mon, Sep 17, 2012, 7:19 AM UTC

mikeash wrote: post #108

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…

It's funny, I had the exact opposite worry. With a rated life of 25 years, the WiFi components are likely to become obsolete long before the bulb itself quits. If I buy one of these, am I going to end up maintaining an obsolete WiFi network in the 2030s just to run my household lights?

The bulbs communicate with their master bulb using 802.15.4, so you'd just need one replacement master that supports whatever new wifi standard emerges. Of course the company itself also needs to still exist in 25 years...

Re: The lightbulb reinvented

#132

Post by [deleted] » Mon, Sep 17, 2012, 7:26 AM UTC

ChuckMcM wrote: post #126

pbhjpbhj wrote: post #113

Earlier quoted context omitted.

When I saw http://www.smarthome.com/2672-222/INSTEON-LED-Bulb/p.aspx up-thread I wondered immediately whether the ribs were functional as they otherwise might be infringing on a design patent for the bulb, looks very similar to me. If there are patents on the Insteon implementation seems highly likely they'd be generalised to independent wifi networked devices. Looks like the Insteon needs a controller but you can ha…

Wow, that light looks very similar, I wondered if there was a design patent so I just did an 'Insteon' search on the USPTO database [1]. Could be a challenge ahead [2]. [1] http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO2&Sec... [2] http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO2&Sec...

[deleted]

Re: The lightbulb reinvented

#133

Post by dakrisht » Mon, Sep 17, 2012, 8:10 AM 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…

This is a brilliant idea

Re: The lightbulb reinvented

#134

Post by Aardwolf » Mon, Sep 17, 2012, 8:52 AM UTC

Karunamon wrote: post #64

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 ?

No, I do not. However, today's specific implementation is. Are you really convinced that you'll be able to run an iPhone app from today in 10 years?

It's just that, I'd love to have a fancy lighting system, but please with its own specific remote(s), not a device you replace and that changes every few years.

Re: The lightbulb reinvented

#135

Post by RobAley » Mon, Sep 17, 2012, 11:57 AM UTC

ScottBurson wrote: post #123

JoshTriplett wrote: post #109

I'd find this potentially interesting if I had any confidence that it wouldn't burn out in a few months like every other "lasts for years" bulb I've tried.

I've been using CFLs for a decade, and the vast majority have lasted for years. (I think I can remember one that burned out in a few months.) As with many things, buying the very cheapest is not the way you're most likely to have a good experience.

6 years ago I moved into my current house and bought new CFLs for all of the fittings, all of them are still going. All were the very cheapest the supermarket had to offer. Even if they all go tomorrow, I've saved way more in electric costs than the cost of the bulbs, but they show no sign of going yet. At least over here in the UK, the price doesn't seem to dictate the life time. The higher priced ones only seem to "add value", things like better appearance, different colour warmths etc.

Re: The lightbulb reinvented

#136

Post by waxjar » Mon, Sep 17, 2012, 2:15 PM UTC

drifkin wrote: post #102

waxjar wrote: post #101

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You could achieve a f.lux for your house with a timed dimmer, I think.

Lowering the brightness helps, but there's more to it than that. Changing the color temperature is one of the cool features of both f.lux and this bulb. The idea is a warmer color temperature at night acts less like the sun.

Ah, I hadn't thought about that. I was about to write off this bulb as utterly ridiculous, but this might actually be useful for people with sleep problems.

Re: The lightbulb reinvented

#137

Post by tlrobinson » Mon, Sep 17, 2012, 3:27 PM UTC

zarify wrote: post #121

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…

From an efficiency point of view, what about all of these bulbs which will now be drawing power 24/7 for the wifi components, along with everything else in the house that has a standby function? Just get LED bulbs and use the off switch.

Only the master bulb runs WiFi, the rest run something (zigbee?) that's lower power.

Re: The lightbulb reinvented

#138

Post by micmcg » Tue, Sep 18, 2012, 12:34 AM 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

You do understand that you aren't buying a bulb for $70 right? You are funding a startup and in return you get a reward of one of the bulbs. Kickstarter isn't a retail store, so many people miss the point of it. It's the same as when people complain about delays and say they wouldn't have "bought" the product if they'd known it would take so long.