Comment by knz | Hacker News Reader

Comment by knz | Hacker News Reader

The title is a bit sensationalist.

I have < $1,000 invested in home IoT (security sensors, a couple of light switches, garage door opener, thermostat, and the hub) and have been very happy with it.

Personally I see IoT as augmentation not total replacement. Don't replace lights/switches for the sake of it - wait until you have a valid use. Buy devices that use commonly used standards and you should avoid vendor lock in issues.

IoT threads always get the "Why would you need a smart house" answers...

Some of my use cases so far...

- Remotely control home heating - peace of mind when on vacation and being able to sit at DIA and come home to a warm house is awesome

- Used "smart lighting" when I had infants in the house during the frequent middle of the night trips to the kitchen/laundry etc

- Remotely open the garage door - useful if a family member calls in to pick up something when no one is home. Useful when HomeLink in the car fails for some reason.

- Security system - we've had issues with neighbourhood kids trying to get into an external hot tub. The security system turns on external lights when there is motion and notifies me. If someone tries to open a door/window is sets off an alarm and turns on a small lamp so I don't wake up in pitch black conditions.

- Water sensors under sinks and by the sump pump - our house was destroyed by a leak several years ago. The peace of mind from having this monitored is worth it alone for my family.

- Lighting - external holiday lights. Also hooked up the security system to give anyone prowling around a festive surprise (my long term goal is to combine this with opensprinkler...)

The water sensor one is a good use case but the others seem a bit weak.

They seem like the kind of technology I could have developed or even bought off the shelf in 1980. I was talking to one guy who says the security sensors to detect footfall were better decades ago.

These are the kinds of use cases I'd like to see:

1. If my house is broken into, I want intruders isolated such that they have to break down every door before they can be in contact with me. Bizarre that my internal doors should work for my ax-murderer/burglar.

2. I want my countertops/bathroom to be given a targeted UV wash. Same with handles of doors/fridges etc.

3. A complete inventory of all food in my fridge and cupboards. I could then try out new recipes depending on what I had in stock. I imagine this is within reach with present day technology.

4. Funnel daylight into fibre optic cables and into my lights so I don't use electricity for light during the day. Full colour spectrum too, can't beat free.

One smart house application I liked was smart glass which was able to alter itself depending on whether you wanted to accept radiant heat or reject it. I think these are still prototypes.

The other one I liked was the Toto Intelligence Toilet which analyzed your health from your stool/urine. Having an intelligent cupboard/fridge controlling your inputs and the toilet analyzing the outputs could genuinely put a dent in Western lifestyle diseases. I see no progress on this front except for one presentation from Toto in Japan. They don't appear to sell this anymore.

That magic mirror shit is very visually impressive. The commercial interpretations I've seen are frankly unimpressive. The hobbyists we see on Reddit and HN are doing a great job. Every bathroom and hallway mirror ought to have those abilities.

To date I don't see much that is 'smart' about smart houses. I hope to be proven wrong!

>The water sensor one is a good use case but the others seem a bit weak. They seem like the kind of technology I could have developed or even bought off the shelf in 1980. I was talking to one guy who says the security sensors to detect footfall were better decades ago.

Sure they aren't cutting edge but they work and add a minor amount of value/security at home for little cost. I do some hobby things on the side (ads-b tracking etc) but other family members get the most value from the simple IoT functionality.

All of your ideas would be great but the technology isn't affordable it mature enough for consumers currently.

> Sure they aren't cutting edge but they work and add a minor amount of value/security at home for little cost. I do some hobby things on the side (ads-b tracking etc) but other family members get the most value from the simple IoT functionality.

Sure, I'm not really knocking what you're doing, it's just that there's a point at which you start to think "Wait, I've heard this before". Perhaps you become a cynic. I think it was the multicoloured light bulbs for the low low price of 200 dollars 99 cents for a pack of three that did me in. https://imgflip.com/i/1fqj14

> All of your ideas would be great but the technology isn't affordable it mature enough for consumers currently.

I don't really understand why it has to be so expensive. It's so expensive it's easier to roll your own magic mirror or whatever. I know the raw ingredients like sensors are cheaper than ever.

I don't disagree re the Hue bulb. Personally I went for the GE link ($10-15 on sale for a z-wave LED bulb).

Those are actually ZigBee, not Z-wave.

For what it's worth, #4 is a relatively old concept, and one that's currently implemented for lots of different reasons. I've heard them called "sun pipes," but there are all kinds of variants; basically sky lights that can be aimed other places. Companies like this one: http://www.solatube.com have been around since at least the '80s, and got their designs from earlier attempts.

Ditto on the water sensors. I have a Samrtthings hub and the no-name Zwave water sensors from Lowes placed behind all the toilets, along with a Zwave valve on the main supply line. Works great. Had a toilet tank break a few years ago; came home to water pouring from the ceiling.

I don't think the title is sensationalist. If the guy regrets it then he regrets it.

For sure. But the implication from these articles if often that ALL "smart" systems are a waste of time/money.

> I have < $1,000 invested in home IoT (security sensors, a couple of light switches, garage door opener, thermostat, and the hub) and have been very happy with it.

Gee I hope you can give those to your grandkids one day at that price. Why would you ever approach $1000 for simple lights and controls?

It's probably closer to $700. Considering this includes a home security system without any monthly fees, it's not expensive at all.

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