this post was submitted on 04 Apr 2024
1293 points (99.2% liked)
Technology
59440 readers
3693 users here now
This is a most excellent place for technology news and articles.
Our Rules
- Follow the lemmy.world rules.
- Only tech related content.
- Be excellent to each another!
- Mod approved content bots can post up to 10 articles per day.
- Threads asking for personal tech support may be deleted.
- Politics threads may be removed.
- No memes allowed as posts, OK to post as comments.
- Only approved bots from the list below, to ask if your bot can be added please contact us.
- Check for duplicates before posting, duplicates may be removed
Approved Bots
founded 1 year ago
MODERATORS
you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
view the rest of the comments
These days a lot of utilities have 3 components - hardware, software and backend hosting e.g. Ring door bell - you need all three to be able to DIY it. So DIY options are so complex that only highly motivated technical folks can do it. There need to be open source glue (OSG?) to make it simple, only then we can hope to reduce enshittification.
I can put together a diy ring with shit I have on my desk in about five minutes. It won't be pretty, but a printed case would solve that. Cost would be ~10$+battery and microsd card.
And while I'm more capable than average here, I'm not much more capable than average.
I am not sure how you are thinking of building it. I am thinking you would need a server hosted somewhere that can send a doorbell or video to your phone? It needs security, server to phone push ... it gets complicated.
Why would you need any software, server or phone for a simple door bell?
Ring and a bunch of these devices are convenience machines. The doorbell itself at minimum has a microcontroller, camera and mic with WiFi access, the server controls the doorbell, stores footage and makes live feeds available over the Internet for when you are away from home, a phone app lets you see who is at the door and let them in even when you're not home.
For anyone interested, a self-hosted home assistant will get you 80% of the way there, depending on how paranoid you are you can also set up POE cams and frigate.
Or just have a pot someone can bang really loud that works too.
Thank you. So it's not just a doorbell, rather a remote controlled surveillance and communication system. That is a bit more complicated than a bell at the door.