5 ms·

Haha. Imagine a light switch that becomes obsolete like your wireless router.

by vachina 1y ago

lotsofpulp 1y ago
Why can’t it keep working via manual control?
- gorgoiler 1y ago
  These types of switches will always retain manual control. It is common to separate the user facing switch from the actual electronics and everything still works manually. This means you can take any new or existing switch furniture and make it smart: https://sonoff.tech/products/sonoff-mini-extreme-wi-fi-smart-switch-minir4 https://sonoff.tech/products/sonoff-mini-extreme-wi-fi-smart... This is good because manufacturers of well built physical switches are usually rubbish at technology, and high tech electronics manufacturers are rubbish at making aesthetically pleasing, durable switches. Separating them gives you the best of both of worlds. The obsolescence is in the radio integration whereby one day you can control it remotely, the next day you cannot.
- bluGill 1y ago
  IF they design it to work that way it can. Do you trust the manufacture to do that though? This is not only do they need to design it that way, but also that they need to ensure it works in all the edge cases. I've been in software long enough to know there are a lot of weird edge cases nobody thinks of that are then missed for years.
  - lotsofpulp 1y ago
    If you toggle or otherwise manually manipulate a light switch, surely it is physically disconnecting the circuits? I don't see how that mechanism could ever not work, absent mechanical issues.
    - bluGill 1y ago
      A smart switch cannot be a toggle. It needs a relay of some sort so that it can be controlled by software. There is a switch you control, then something, then the relay. That something needs to work.
      - lotsofpulp 1y ago
        Oh, I see. Thanks!
  - cheeze 1y ago
    > Do you trust the manufacture to do that though? ... Yes? I use Lutron so I'm less concerned about obsolescence... but yeah. Pretty much every smart light switch I've ever used is just a normal light switch with additional networking capabilites.

Haha. Imagine a light switch that becomes obsolete like your wireless router.

lotsofpulp 1y ago

Why can’t it keep working via manual control?

gorgoiler 1y ago
These types of switches will always retain manual control. It is common to separate the user facing switch from the actual electronics and everything still works manually. This means you can take any new or existing switch furniture and make it smart: https://sonoff.tech/products/sonoff-mini-extreme-wi-fi-smart-switch-minir4 https://sonoff.tech/products/sonoff-mini-extreme-wi-fi-smart... This is good because manufacturers of well built physical switches are usually rubbish at technology, and high tech electronics manufacturers are rubbish at making aesthetically pleasing, durable switches. Separating them gives you the best of both of worlds. The obsolescence is in the radio integration whereby one day you can control it remotely, the next day you cannot.
bluGill 1y ago
IF they design it to work that way it can. Do you trust the manufacture to do that though? This is not only do they need to design it that way, but also that they need to ensure it works in all the edge cases. I've been in software long enough to know there are a lot of weird edge cases nobody thinks of that are then missed for years.
- lotsofpulp 1y ago
  If you toggle or otherwise manually manipulate a light switch, surely it is physically disconnecting the circuits? I don't see how that mechanism could ever not work, absent mechanical issues.
  - bluGill 1y ago
    A smart switch cannot be a toggle. It needs a relay of some sort so that it can be controlled by software. There is a switch you control, then something, then the relay. That something needs to work.
    - lotsofpulp 1y ago
      Oh, I see. Thanks!
- cheeze 1y ago
  > Do you trust the manufacture to do that though? ... Yes? I use Lutron so I'm less concerned about obsolescence... but yeah. Pretty much every smart light switch I've ever used is just a normal light switch with additional networking capabilites.