How many GE engineers does it take to reset a light bulb? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: rgarito
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: June 21, 2019, 02:48:58 am
content: The sad part is this isn't a joke....Dave needs to do a video on this one...

author: MrMobodies
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 21, 2019, 02:58:05 am
content: It would make an interesting video.https://www.eevblog.com/forum/chat/how-to-reset-to-factory-defaults-your-ge-light-bulb/msg2498517/#msg2498517Quote from: MrMobodies on June 21, 2019, 01:29:22 am

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: June 21, 2019, 03:10:27 am
content: Quote from: rgarito on June 21, 2019, 02:48:58 amUploading to EEVblog2 now, but it's not what you expect. The render took 3 hours and I hope it works...

author: wraper
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: June 21, 2019, 03:35:38 am
content: It's certainly way easier than getting iphone into DFU or recovery mode which might seem simple but in practice you might need ten or more attempts before succeeding. What is a joke is people shocked by that and suggesting adding a reset button to the bulb thinking it's a great idea.

author: MrMobodies
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 21, 2019, 04:08:56 am
content: I have found one that does have a reset button but it also a wifi booster as well.Sengled Boost Dimmable LED Light Bulb with Integrated Wi-Fi Repeaterhttps://www.homedepot.com/p/Sengled-Boost-Dimmable-LED-Light-Bulb-with-Integrated-Wi-Fi-Repeater-A01-A60NAE26CL/206313284#product_descriptionhttps://support.sengled.com/hc/en-us/article_attachments/360034483774/LED_with_Wi-Fi_Extender__Boost__User_Manual.pdfThere is an adaptor that has a reset hole:https://homekitnews.com/2018/09/30/incipio-commandkit-smart-socket-review/I could see that being inconvenient and difficult if it was inside a spotlight enclosure and it didn't stick out far enough or if it was too high up to reach.

author: wraper
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: June 21, 2019, 11:04:20 am
content: Quote from: MrMobodies on June 21, 2019, 04:08:56 amI don't think that adapter would even fit in many fixtures because it's too wide at it's lower part. Another problem is that bulb electronics are not insulated from mains voltage, so making a hole for a pin would be really dumb.

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: June 21, 2019, 02:41:03 pm
content: Enjoy, all 20 hours of it...

author: SiliconWizard
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 23, 2019, 02:07:34 pm
content: Is that why GE is cutting so many jobs?

author: Ysjoelfir
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 23, 2019, 02:43:14 pm
content: Turn off for 2 secondsTurn on for 8 secondsTurn off for 2 secondsTurn on for 8 secondsTurn off for 2 secondsTurn on for 8 secondsTurn off for 2 secondsTurn on for 8 secondsTurn off for 2 secondsTurn on for 8 secondsTurn off for 2 secondsTurn on for 8 secondsTurn off for 2 secondsTurn on for 8 secondsTurn off for 2 secondsTurn on for 8 secondsTurn off for 2 secondsTurn on for 8 secondsTurn off for 2 secondsTurn on for 8 secondsTurn off for 2 secondsTurn on for 8 secondsTurn off for 2 secondsTurn on for 8 secondsTurn off for 2 secondsTurn on for 8 secondsTurn off for 2 secondsTurn on for 8 secondsTurn off for 2 secondsTurn on for 8 secondsTurn off for 2 secondsTurn on for 8 secondsTurn off for 2 secondsTurn on for 8 secondsTurn off for 2 secondsTurn on for 8 secondsTurn off for 2 secondsTurn on for 8 secondsAre you kidding me? After the second repetition my wife was like "what stupid ass shit are you watching!? Is this some kind of joke?stop that please, it is annoying as hell!" and I can totally understand why.

author: wraper
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: June 23, 2019, 02:50:56 pm
content: Quote from: Ysjoelfir on June 23, 2019, 02:43:14 pmActually it's a great video for doing the actual job. You can watch the video and repeat after it and get the thing done on a first try. You just need to repeat the same thing every 10 seconds for several times. On the other hand when I tried getting iphone into DFU mode which required only a few button presses, I succeed only after more than 20 attemps.

author: Ysjoelfir
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 23, 2019, 03:00:07 pm
content: That is true, but why has it to be so annoying? Why can't it be like "switch the bulb off. press a toothpick into the little hole we have conveniently placed somewhere. the bulb will now reset the next time it is powered on"?

author: wraper
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: June 23, 2019, 03:05:59 pm
content: Quote from: Ysjoelfir on June 23, 2019, 03:00:07 pmStick your hand into a fixture located on ceiling and stick a (most likely metal) pin into device where all electronics are under mains voltage. Sounds easy and completely safe. Nothing can possibly go wrong. I'd prefer wiggling switch on a wall for one minute instead.

author: Ysjoelfir
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 23, 2019, 06:06:50 pm
content: I don't know how the latvian lighting systems work, but here in germany we usually have Edison screw sockets. If you unscrew the bulb you can reach live circuitry, sure, but the outer contact of the fixture is usually neutral, so to reach "live" wiring you would somehow have to be able to poke your metal toothpick (what strange toothpicks do you have? don't they hurt?) through the screw mount sleeve, shorting it out if trying to do so.That is also the reason why I wrote "conveniently placed somewhere". I thought about - for example - somewhere on the actual edison screw. So to reach that hole you HAVE to unscrew the bulb, so there is no chance to fry yourself. And if I am capable to install the light bulb in the first place without making a nice shish kebab out of myself I would assume that I can also safely unscrew that thing. If not - edison screw mounts would have been banned in germany a long time ago ;-)For the argument of convenience of climbing to the ceiling to reach that thing: Well, that might be a point, I have to admit. But on the other hand, if a company as big as GE isn't able to build a smart lightbulg that doesn't require a hardware reset every 2 hours I would be suprised, since even my cheap Won Hung Lo brand smart devices didn't loose connection since installation - which is in some cases way over a year. And I personally would prefer to climb up there and poke a stick into the lamp instead of making a fool out of myself fiddling with the light switch - which is, by the way, a smart switch in my case, so no "precise" timing possible here :/ And my Echo would think that I am totaly nuts asking it to rapidly switch my lights on and off.All in all, this is basically a question of personal preference.I like to have it more "direct" instead of relying on a programm to recognise it's reset pattern, which, in case of a firmware hiccup, could be a potential problem.

author: bd139
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 23, 2019, 06:51:27 pm
content: I think I'd go and get the cricket bat from behind the front door and solve it that way

author: wraper
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: June 23, 2019, 07:28:27 pm
content: Quote from: Ysjoelfir on June 23, 2019, 06:06:50 pmEVERYTHING inside such bulbs are under mains voltage. It's the same as making hole for poking on the primary side of SMPS. As of taking bulb out and then pushing a switch won't work well as it either requires energy storage inside the bulb or latching switch which would require unscrewing the bulb again after reset and returning that switch to original position.QuoteIt's not for resetting when bulb glitched. It's for situations when bulb was already paired but is no longer accessible for some reason. Say control hub it was paired with failed.

author: Siwastaja
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 23, 2019, 10:34:33 pm
content: Stupid people would probably generate less negative publicity if they removed the possibility of the resets completely and forced people to buy a new one instead whenever the need arises. That's something we are used to, anyway.

author: Ysjoelfir
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 24, 2019, 05:18:26 am
content: Quote from: wraper on June 23, 2019, 07:28:27 pmsure it is. But if you build it so that you could reach live circuitry while poking into that hole - you just designed an unsafe product. such a hole would have to be shrouded on the inside right to the point it touches the plunger of the switch.QuoteNo, it's not.QuoteSupercap? Would be plenty of power for setting a simple "reset me when I leave deep sleep mode" flag in the memory.QuoteWell, isn't that some kind of glitch? But beside that: If this isn't also for resetting a glitching bulb - what is? Am I supposed to dispose of my expensive smart bulb only because of a firmware hiccup?

author: bitseeker
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 24, 2019, 05:39:11 am
content: Solution = dumb bulb.It just works.™

author: Ysjoelfir
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 24, 2019, 06:44:45 am
content: That is the prefered method, indeedI combine dumb bulbs with smart switches, which give me more flexibility overall, at least in those aspects that are important to me.

author: bd139
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 24, 2019, 06:50:26 am
content: I just get up off my ass when I want to turn the light on or off. Or ask a passing teenager

author: Ysjoelfir
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 24, 2019, 06:54:01 am
content: Quote from: bd139 on June 24, 2019, 06:50:26 amIsn't that some kind of smart switch? I mean, sure, it depends vastly of the "smartness" of the teenager, but,....

author: bitseeker
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 24, 2019, 06:59:14 am
content: Yep, I was the parents' smart TV remote when I was a kid.

author: bd139
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 24, 2019, 07:03:56 am
content: Yeah me too. I was Alexa too. Alexa put the kettle on. Alexa get the post. Alexa clean the dog crap on the lawn. Alexa take your sister to school.

author: Moshly
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: June 24, 2019, 08:33:22 am
content: I used to fix Viewsonic CRT monitors that had a similar bullshit way of getting into factory mode.99% of brands just use hold menu button while powering up (or some other front panel button).

author: DDunfield
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: June 25, 2019, 03:00:05 pm
content: Quote from: rgarito on June 21, 2019, 02:48:58 amA few cars back, I had a van which had a few "semi-permanent" options you could set. Things like if the windshield wipers were speed sensitive or not, or it the windshield defrost setting automatically activated the air conditioner or not (the latter was a lie ... if you turned it off, the A/C light would not longer automatically turn on, but the compressor still ran and it blew cold air -- but I digress).To enter the special setup mode you had to activate a specific sequence of the internal sensors.I don't have the car or it's manual any more, so I don't remember the exact details, but it went something like (I kid you not):Turn the key off then on three times within 2 seconds.Lift your ass off the seat and sit back down twice.Buckle and unbuckle your seatbelt three times.Tap the brake.Open and close the drivers door twice.Lift your ass off the seat and sit back down.Press the A/C button.But ... my FAVORITE part was the notice at the end: "DO NOT ATTEMPT THIS SETTING WHILE THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION".Dave

author: bitseeker
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 25, 2019, 04:39:28 pm
content: I remember a car that had a similar operation to get it into diagnostics mode to see various ECU values and change settings. It wasn't quite convoluted, but did require a complex sequence of ignition key, brake, accelerator and other inputs to trigger.Conclusion: Light bulbs are being made by automotive systems designers.

author: m98
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 26, 2019, 11:30:53 am
content: The few chinesium smart light bulbs I have just require you to flick the switch fast for a few times until they start blinking. Seems a lot more user-friendly.

author: wraper
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: June 26, 2019, 12:01:00 pm
content: Quote from: m98 on June 26, 2019, 11:30:53 amUntil user needs to reconfigure them repeatedly because of false activation.

author: NiHaoMike
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 26, 2019, 02:31:21 pm
content: Quote from: wraper on June 26, 2019, 12:01:00 pmIf an app is required to set them up, why not require the same app to complete the reset procedure?

author: wraper
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: June 26, 2019, 02:53:58 pm
content: Quote from: NiHaoMike on June 26, 2019, 02:31:21 pmBecause this factory reset is for situations when this cannot be done. Say control hub failed, lost password, etc... The only way making it possible in those cases is making bulbs insecure so anyone can connect to them.

author: rrinker
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 26, 2019, 03:32:20 pm
content: Quote from: bitseeker on June 25, 2019, 04:39:28 pmA lot of cars have that. My first car that had that sort of thing (that I knew about) was a 1997 Dodge Neon. My 2012 BMW has a secret way to access sensor data on the dash - I can get readouts from things not normally visible like water temp (dash gauge is oil temp), but it requires a specific button press plus entering the last few digits of the VIN.However - this is NOT the normal or required process for any of these cars, it's jut a back door put in for whatever reason. Plugging the correct tool into the ODB port allows access to all this same information and more, without odd key on/off sequences or holding down certain buttons.

author: NiHaoMike
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 27, 2019, 02:22:02 am
content: Quote from: wraper on June 26, 2019, 02:53:58 pmIt could be implemented so that to enter the reset mode, the switch must be cycled 3 times or whatever. Then to complete the reset, it has to receive a special packet from the smartphone within 10 seconds or so, otherwise it just goes back to working as it normally does. If a bit more security is desired, it could flicker a random code and use the smartphone camera as a challenge/response system.

author: Black Phoenix
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 11, 2019, 09:56:32 am
content: Or the software from the actual app in the phone or other equipment you are using to connect to the bulb and change his values have a button that says, unpair this device or reset pairing in the bulb, and then the bulb enters factory defaults ready to be used with another equipment.

author: BrianHG
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 15, 2019, 12:21:21 am
content: I'm disappointed... You should have begun the video, then stitched the core of the 2 reset sequences together, omitting the video intro and the completion of the reset with the bulb blinking 3 times, looping for 20 hours never getting anywhere until the last 30 seconds where you get turning on the bulb 1 last time, then blinking 3 times.Quote from: EEVblog on June 21, 2019, 02:41:03 pm

author: oddbondboris
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: August 30, 2019, 02:14:30 pm
content: Quote from: wraper on June 21, 2019, 03:35:38 amdfu mode is incredibly easy and if it takes more than one try you're doing it wrongplug in phone hold power and home or whatever the buttons are for the phone at hand for >10 seconds, make it 20 if you're worried about screwing it up, let go of power buttonit literally never fails as long as you actually plug in the phone and hold for long enough.

author: wraper
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: August 30, 2019, 02:43:11 pm
content: Quote from: oddbondboris on August 30, 2019, 02:14:30 pmIIRC if you don't release button in time, you screwed up. EDIT: According to your instructions, you failed entering DFU:Quote