Ninja Blocks
Hardware
home automation
SHOW HN2012
149points
89comments
#128of 1,677 in 2012
Top 8%of 2012 by points
How HN took it
MixedNo clear lean
10 positive, 18 neutral or asking, 2 mixed, 16 critical, out of 46 comments about the project. Thread score -0.09.
Idea: 3 for, 5 againstExecution: 2 for, 2 againstDesign: 0 for, 3 againstDocs: 0 for, 3 againstPricing: 3 for, 0 against
The thread, comment by comment
Each row is a top-level comment and its replies, in HN's order. Select a cell to open that comment on HN.
positive neutral or mixed critical about another commenter or something else the maker
What HN said
What people liked
Interoperability and open API approach
From 2 comments
Hey @windexh8er, from the sounds of it you are already well automated! I'm not sure how much NB offers you today, however ... Ninja is ultimately (read: not yet) a meta-platform…
askpete on HNHi Windexh8er, (Ninja Marcus here) Thanks for your feedback and questions! 1) Nope, no monthly fee. 2) We don't support this today. We think most of the value actually occurs in…
schappim on HN
Good hardware value for the price
From 2 comments
The hardware package alone makes this look like a really good deal. Why isn't the "remaining" number going down?
notum on HNI've never wanted $200 more than I do right now :(
mikegioia on HN
Objections
Relies on cloud connectivity
From 3 comments
Marcus, Thanks for your response. I'd, kindly, disagree with you on #2. I'm a serious home automation user - and have it deployed in multiple locations for myself and family. I…
windexh8er on HNOne of the few areas where I will not use cloud services at all is as soon as they are tied in with real world hardware. 'value' for you occurs in the cloud, to me it is a…
jacquesm on HNTotally agree. My home automation system (a pretty extensive Control4 installation) works completely fine when my internet connection is down (except remote access of course),…
wallywax on HN
433MHz only, no Z-Wave or Zigbee yet
From 2 comments
So... A problem here - there's a lot of startup in the home automation space right now. I've been using MiCasaVerde for over a year now and it's awesome. Fully controllable and…
windexh8er on HNIt's not (see second to last paragraph - Q #3, and answer follows from the NinjaBlocks site). Z-Wave and Insteon are the defacto standard, if it doesn't support it - it's not…
windexh8er on HN
Wireless security concerns
From 1 comment
1) I don't want wireless at all. Too easily hacked without detection. Wired Ethernet is pretty cheap these days, and power line signaling is also available. 2) Like Twine,…
jwatte on HN
Requests
Support Z-Wave and Zigbee
From 2 comments
Lots of good questions here, but I think the critical question is whether it's compatible with any of the other emerging standards like Z-Wave. Can someone from Ninja Blocks…
onethumb on HNIt's not (see second to last paragraph - Q #3, and answer follows from the NinjaBlocks site). Z-Wave and Insteon are the defacto standard, if it doesn't support it - it's not…
windexh8er on HN
Work with existing sensors and standard cameras
From 1 comment
Just bought one- Will be replacing my Lowes Iris system if it works decent enough. Will this work with the existing lowes iris sensors? edit- It does not support the sensors :(…
DanBlake on HN
Support industry protocols like BACnet
From 1 comment
Any plan to use industry standard protocols? I work in HVAC controls and I'm always surprised by how the 'home automation' folks seem to just ignore what's already out there. My…
Frozenlock on HN
Questions
Does it work without internet?
From 1 comment
Marcus, Thanks for your response. I'd, kindly, disagree with you on #2. I'm a serious home automation user - and have it deployed in multiple locations for myself and family. I…
windexh8er on HN
Is there a monthly fee?
From 1 comment
So... A problem here - there's a lot of startup in the home automation space right now. I've been using MiCasaVerde for over a year now and it's awesome. Fully controllable and…
windexh8er on HN
Can it connect over 3G?
From 1 comment
how does the central computer connect to the internet ? can it use a 3G sim card for example ?
level09 on HN
Alternatives named
MiCasaVerde Vera
From 1 comment
So... A problem here - there's a lot of startup in the home automation space right now. I've been using MiCasaVerde for over a year now and it's awesome. Fully controllable and…
windexh8er on HN
SmartThings
From 1 comment
So... A problem here - there's a lot of startup in the home automation space right now. I've been using MiCasaVerde for over a year now and it's awesome. Fully controllable and…
windexh8er on HN
Twine
From 1 comment
I backed the 'wireless sensor readings to internet' device Twine (http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/supermechanical/twine-listen-to-your-world-talk-to-the-internet) so I'm…
drsim on HN
Spark
From 1 comment
So... A problem here - there's a lot of startup in the home automation space right now. I've been using MiCasaVerde for over a year now and it's awesome. Fully controllable and…
windexh8er on HN