5 ms·

Not so funny with modern IoT, maybe firmware upgrade is needed or restart wireless router :)

yetihehe 6y ago
After debugging configuration error for last 7 days, where even logs didn't help because manufacturer decided to use reference clock from different pin which was not documented officially to be able to do this - moder IoT sucks, because chip manufacturers release documentation as confidential and then firmware is implemented by hardware guys. As a programmer who can design some simple digital circuits, I could very mean things about HW guys doing SW/Fw, but I can see how much my HW skills suck and how funny my designs look from the other side.
- jankotek 6y ago
  In IoT only one person is needed to change a light bulb. But it will take 7 days of soldering, debuging and reverse engineering :)
  - drran 6y ago
    Clean room reverse engineering requires two.
    - clankyclanker 6y ago
      Don’t forget the lawyer required to vet the process.
      - folmar 6y ago
        I have a rubber stamp so I can vet anything myself.
- rusk 6y ago
  What I’m finding is the components themselves are so cheap ... if you’ve a little knowledge you can rig up your own IOT setup that you actually have control over for pennies. Raspberry Pi is a great place to start.
  - yetihehe 6y ago
    You are VERY underestimating knowledge required to do this. Most people don't even know what is an ip address (and google wants to even remove url bar). How will they setup a server to control their devices?
    - rusk 6y ago
      I’m not talking most people. I’m saying what little knowledge I have on this topic has saved me hundreds if not thousands on my home setup and I have complete control over it
bombcar 6y ago
People used to laugh that "reboot your phone/car" was humorous, now "reboot your lightbulb" is a real action that has to be taken at times.
- segfaultbuserr 6y ago
  One quote from the list of BOFH excuses (of the early 2000s, https://gist.github.com/chuckwagoncomputing/ff980f81482b5894c824 https://gist.github.com/chuckwagoncomputing/ff980f81482b5894...) was: > Firmware update in the coffee machine It isn't funny any more... > https://support.smarter.am/hc/en-us/articles/115005135369-My-machine-is-stuck-in-update-mode- https://support.smarter.am/hc/en-us/articles/115005135369-My... > In case your Smarter Coffee machine has become stuck while updating, please follow the steps below to manually perform the firmware update... - Turn product off at the wall. - Press and hold the 2 left buttons on the control panel. - Turn the power on at the wall and keep holding the two buttons for 10 seconds. - The "Update" screen should then appear. (Check this has appeared on the screen, good news if it has!) - Connect to the "Update" network and wait for it to connect. (Check that the signal bars at the top of the iPhone screen are there, this can take up to 55 seconds) - Open the Smarter app - Select "update" firmware either via the 'pop-up' or from the 'About' page - Select 'next', it will take you to the page where it tells you to connect to update network. - Close and open the app ONCE. - Press next - It should update... - Once it reaches 100%, the coffee machine screen will say "Loading" while it reboots.
  - keeganpoppen 6y ago
    alright, that's it-- can we just burn it all down to the ground and start over?
    - yetihehe 6y ago
      Regarding that burning - my home wood pellet furnace needed software updates after installation to start fully working. Good luck that I had mobile internet available.
      - 6y ago
coldpie 6y ago
Given the state of modern software, it blows me away that anyone is dumb enough to buy that junk. I work with computers all day, the last thing I want is more of that hassle in my life.
djeiasbsbo 6y ago
Oh you get to control your IOT smart lamps with a command line tool and not a proprietary iOS app with a login gate? Fancy.
- rusk 6y ago
  My house came with a prehistoric Lightwave setup that lets me send commands to my lights over UDP. Glorious stuff.

After debugging configuration error for last 7 days, where even logs didn't help because manufacturer decided to use reference clock from different pin which was not documented officially to be able to do this - moder IoT sucks, because chip manufacturers release documentation as confidential and then firmware is implemented by hardware guys. As a programmer who can design some simple digital circuits, I could very mean things about HW guys doing SW/Fw, but I can see how much my HW skills suck and how funny my designs look from the other side.

jankotek 6y ago
In IoT only one person is needed to change a light bulb. But it will take 7 days of soldering, debuging and reverse engineering :)
- drran 6y ago
  Clean room reverse engineering requires two.
  - clankyclanker 6y ago
    Don’t forget the lawyer required to vet the process.
    - folmar 6y ago
      I have a rubber stamp so I can vet anything myself.
rusk 6y ago
What I’m finding is the components themselves are so cheap ... if you’ve a little knowledge you can rig up your own IOT setup that you actually have control over for pennies. Raspberry Pi is a great place to start.
- yetihehe 6y ago
  You are VERY underestimating knowledge required to do this. Most people don't even know what is an ip address (and google wants to even remove url bar). How will they setup a server to control their devices?
  - rusk 6y ago
    I’m not talking most people. I’m saying what little knowledge I have on this topic has saved me hundreds if not thousands on my home setup and I have complete control over it

bombcar 6y ago

People used to laugh that "reboot your phone/car" was humorous, now "reboot your lightbulb" is a real action that has to be taken at times.

segfaultbuserr 6y ago
One quote from the list of BOFH excuses (of the early 2000s, https://gist.github.com/chuckwagoncomputing/ff980f81482b5894c824 https://gist.github.com/chuckwagoncomputing/ff980f81482b5894...) was: > Firmware update in the coffee machine It isn't funny any more... > https://support.smarter.am/hc/en-us/articles/115005135369-My-machine-is-stuck-in-update-mode- https://support.smarter.am/hc/en-us/articles/115005135369-My... > In case your Smarter Coffee machine has become stuck while updating, please follow the steps below to manually perform the firmware update... - Turn product off at the wall. - Press and hold the 2 left buttons on the control panel. - Turn the power on at the wall and keep holding the two buttons for 10 seconds. - The "Update" screen should then appear. (Check this has appeared on the screen, good news if it has!) - Connect to the "Update" network and wait for it to connect. (Check that the signal bars at the top of the iPhone screen are there, this can take up to 55 seconds) - Open the Smarter app - Select "update" firmware either via the 'pop-up' or from the 'About' page - Select 'next', it will take you to the page where it tells you to connect to update network. - Close and open the app ONCE. - Press next - It should update... - Once it reaches 100%, the coffee machine screen will say "Loading" while it reboots.
- keeganpoppen 6y ago
  alright, that's it-- can we just burn it all down to the ground and start over?
  - yetihehe 6y ago
    Regarding that burning - my home wood pellet furnace needed software updates after installation to start fully working. Good luck that I had mobile internet available.
    - 6y ago

coldpie 6y ago

Given the state of modern software, it blows me away that anyone is dumb enough to buy that junk. I work with computers all day, the last thing I want is more of that hassle in my life.

djeiasbsbo 6y ago

Oh you get to control your IOT smart lamps with a command line tool and not a proprietary iOS app with a login gate? Fancy.

rusk 6y ago
My house came with a prehistoric Lightwave setup that lets me send commands to my lights over UDP. Glorious stuff.