Posts by scasey 14 publicly visible posts • joined 30 Apr 2015
I'm a bit late to this party, but I'll post anyway...
A few years ago I was working with a Latvian builder. He kept saying that things needed to be mantled. I had no idea what he meant, but not being in the building game, didn't want to risk looking stupid by asking. He said 'Then they tell us to mantle this, and mantle this, then mantle that. And we do all the mantling. Then they come along and make us dismantle it all, without even using it'.
Ahhh!
I agree with your comments on IoT, solely in relation to the Cloud. However, I don't think smart building tech is a flash in the pan. I also don't think that the timescale you mention is reasonable. Several of my clients are still using smart tech ten or more years after I installed it.
I use, and install, lots of IoT devices. But, I have an immutable rule that I don't install anything that relies on ongoing Cloud services provided by third parties. So, every installation has a local server (usually a NUC. Sometimes a Raspberry Pi), that works locally whether or not there is an Internet connection. Some can even be controlled by SMS.
One of the systems that several of my clients use, and love, is the Logitech Media Server (Squeezeboxes, essentially). Whilst originally there was a Cloud option, there has always been a locally installable server (originally SlimServer). Logitech killed LMS years ago. There was a sharp intake of breath amongst their users, but they open-sourced the server code, and it is still going strong. Hopefully Hive do similar.
For 'office work' read 'just using your computer'.
I use PCs for CNC, real time audio, CAD, actual 'work' and just personal stuff. I've had issues occasionally through my computer-using life where the mouse pointer briefly freezes and/or the keyboard doesn't respond. Even if this is for a lot less than a second, it's infuriating. Even if just typing an email.
Yes! I've been using Squeezebox for over twelve years. It's a far superior solution to Sonos. Sonos still doesn't support Listen Again on BBC iPlayer in any useful way.
I still love Squeezebox, and have ten around the house. One is running on a Raspberry Pi, with half decent USB DAC and ceiling mounted speakers.
The Squeezebox's biggest problem was the fact that a local server is needed to get the best from it. That made it unattractive to the average person.
But, I still mourn the day that Logitech announced that they were killing them off. Thankfully the code is all open source, and the community have maintained a fantastic system.
Yep - piezo powered stuff is excellent. I got hold of a few development kits from a company called Enocean well over ten years ago. Really stylish switches. Very low profile, and could be stuck to a wall with a double sided pad they supplied with it. Looked like normal switch! Range was excellent, and rock solid reliable. N-way switching no problem, either.
I showed it to an electrician relative, and he said 'that's incredible. But I would never recommend, or fit, it'. I asked why - 'Because I make my money by lifting floorboards, chasing walls and running cables. If there's none of that involved, how can I earn money?' He was rather Luddite!
I think MK bought Enocean. But, I haven't seen any products as a result. They may well exist - I haven't looked.
The fact that they returned the operating current to earth really bothered me (as we generally don't have a neutral in our light switches in the UK). They stated 2mA max per device. So, in an RCD protected domestic property, any more than 15 (and probably fewer, given other things that legitimately leak to earth - like rfi filtering) will trip the RCD.
It's a difficult problem to solve, but their solution, while presumably making it through safety and compliance testing, really bothered me.
Their USP, of actually moving the rocker, was absolutely ridiculous. By all means make a switch that looks just like a 'standard' switch. It doesn't need to move autonomously. Just make it send a state change. Who wonders 'is the light on in this room?' and then looks at the switch to find the answer?
I'm not sympathetic to Den. It was a very poor solution. This could be because I'm an experienced (long in the tooth), critical thinking (jaundiced), hardware engineer. Or, it could be because it was a bad idea from the start.
I love IoT stuff. I have put lots in my home. Except it's not IoT. It's NoT - Network of Things. And I control the network. No dependence on any server outside my home. Lots of simple relay switching, with 'normal' light switches and low voltage signalling on standard twin and earth, in case anyone decides to rip it all out and go back to the simple way in the future (or if I can't sell the house!) Mains LED dimming is annoying. I'm hoping to spend some long winter nights messing with MOSFETs to solve this. Maybe I should seek some crowdfunding...
I used Ubiquiti a fair bit, until I tried Open Mesh, which was fantastic for my purposes. It's interesting that (I think) nobody has suggested Open Mesh (or Datto, as they are now) as a potential alternative. It was such a terrible shame that Datto purchased them. I haven't bought a single one of their products since the Datto announcement, and neither has anyone I encounter. I pretty much universally hear that people are ripping out their Open Mesh gear, and going to, or back to, Ubiquiti. This current issue is worrying, but I hope they learn from it.
There's nothing else on the market that hits as many of my requirements as Ubiquiti. I suppose I could be called a fan.
Impressive. I'm also an Engineer, and have had similar experiences. Isn't it interesting how us Engineers like nothing more than working weekends, and evenings, for free (or rather, just the buzz of solving a problem, which, of course, is priceless)? I don't encounter many admin people who say 'no problem. I'll take it home and have it sorted by Monday morning'.
Yes, I am a Grumpy Old Engineer.
Just an update -
As of now, the Virgin service to the ENTIRE POSTCODE of London, SW3 1LR REMAINS DOWN. It has been down now, for ELEVEN days, for 'TWO to THREE HUNDRED people'.
Sorry for shouting. There's little else I can do to ease the frustration.
Of course, the very helpful telephone support person told me that it will be back up by 'between 4pm and 5pm today'. As ever, my breath isn't held.
Any news? Anyone? Bueller?..
Are you aware that Virgin broadband has been, and remains, down in Knightsbridge, London (SW3 1LR) since April 24th? Their online service status invariably states 'Good Service', but their very helpful, polite, but ineffectual support staff inform me (every time I call, which is more than once a day) that 'the online service status information isn't necessarily an accurate indication of the service status'.
One chap, very honestly, did express deep surprise, and said, 'yes, this is very bad. I don't know how it can take this long to fix it. It is down for many people, and they are all very unhappy'.
Oh yes, sadly there is no BT fibre service to this postcode. This is a real shame.
Each time I call I'm told that the service will be back in X hours. X varies, but is always suspiciously long enough to ensure that there has been a shift change...
Some news, that isn;'t nonsense, would be very much appreciated.
The Register 
Biting the hand that feeds IT
Copyright. All rights reserved © 1998–2024
