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UPDATED: How to: Reset C by GE Light Bulbs

GE Lighting, a Savant companyCited 5× on HN, 2019–2023
YouTube
tutorial · general · 2019–2023 on HN

GE Lighting's official how-to for factory resetting C by GE smart bulbs, using a long sequence of precisely timed on and off cycles.

HN cites it as a prime example of absurd, user-hostile IoT reset procedures.

Consumer devices & gadgetsUX & UI designEmbedded systems & DIY electronics#smarthome#iot#ge#factoryreset

5 comments from Hacker News

@robswc2023-09 · in “The Philips Hue ecosystem is collapsing into stupidity”

Not to high-jack but I too would like to lament (and hopefully humor HN) about "smart home" gadgets and the companies behind them. I bought a "Cync" bulb from GE and had to reset it, I couldn't for the life of me. This is their official video on how to do it: ▶ this video You have to repeat a sequence with near perfect timing, that takes about a minute straight. Since we moved, I had to do this for 4 lights and wanted to tear my hair out, lol. I've found that for whatever reason, "smart home" stuff is some of the worst designed and managed products out there.

Critical View on HN
@runlevel12022-02 · in “Thousands of Mazdas in the Seattle area are stuck on a single FM radio station”

> turn the car on, stick the first key in the one port, remove it, open the driver side door as an indicator and then finish with the second key I'm reminded of the farcical firmware reset procedure for C by GE Light Bulbs: ▶ this video Though, in GE's defense, light bulbs do have a pretty limited interface.

Critical View on HN
@undersuit2020-09 · in “I can’t upgrade the firmware of my toothbrush because I once did jailbreak”

> How did you go about even initiating that? This video about reseting a GE bulb shows how you reset a device with "one" button. I love it. ▶ this video

Critical View on HN
@phone86753092020-05 · in “GE switches off light bulb business after almost 130 years”

Given the following video on GE Lighting’s YouTube account, I would imagine that what’s next after (smart) LEDs is a better company that cares about the end user producing a better product at a fraction of the price: ▶ this video

Critical View on HN
@robertelder2019-08 · in “GE's smart light bulb reset process is a masterpiece of modern techno-insanity”

Here is the instructional video referenced on how to reset the bulb: ▶ this video It reminds me of the 'cinco' product line: link link link

Cites View on HN

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