Hestia Hacker

https://www.tindie.com/stores/eternalsunshine/

I am the lead maintainer of the HestiaPi, an open source thermostat.

Public Key

npub1ydhmq6k7zshd5chdfrmpqpy44jyn02z7amw98knaqascw2flnpzq5serpq

Profile Code

nprofile1qqszxmasdt0pgtk6vtk53assqj26ezfh4p0wahznmf7swcv89yles3qpz3mhxue69uhhyetvv9ujumn0wd68ytnzvuqs7amnwvaz7tmwdaehgu3wd4hk6lnmw9j

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Author Public Key

npub1ydhmq6k7zshd5chdfrmpqpy44jyn02z7amw98knaqascw2flnpzq5serpq

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Last Notes

2026-09-14 13:51:58 UTC

If anyone wants to make some extra money, you could clone the look of this closed source thermostat integrate it with HestiaPi.
This person says they'd "be willing to sponsor a non-trivial amount of money if I knew I'd have something that looked exactly like the mysa."
https://mastodon.social/@purpleidea/117268192300911455

2026-09-14 05:20:04 UTC

I'm getting desperate. I just ordered three Banana Pi Zero 2W boards for a total of $200.
There are three things that I want to try:
1. direct replacement for the pi Zero 2
2. Try the model with 4GB RAM using the latest version of OpenHAB
3. Same as #2, but with the 2GB RAM model
The GPIO pins are different, but it looks like the power rails, ground, and i²c pins all match up. It will also require setting up a different SD card image. But with enough software mods, it might work... 🤞
And for the record, yes, this **is** me blowing all the money I earned on this project this year on the R&D budget. Concordantly, I hope it pans out and I strike gold.

2026-08-06 21:39:20 UTC

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Short answer: with a different ribbon cable and case, yes.
The Zero and the Zero 2 are the ones that will fit in the case and not interfere with the LCD connection.
From a software point of view, nearly any Pi would do (certainly the 3/4/5 models), but it's mechanically troublesome. The latest revision of the board uses a ribbon cable for the LCD, which would let you route around the larger form factor Raspberry Pi. It could even use the stock SD card image.
There are also the raspberry pi knock offs such as the orange pi and banana pi. They are not quite as compatible as they first seem. In theory, they should be able to work if you build a custom SD card image. I tried once and failed, but that was years ago and I've learned a lot since then.
If the supply problem doesn't clear up soon, I might have to take another stab at that. It's just that... I want to spend my time building awesome hardware and putting it in the hands of people. Getting another board working seems like a side quest that detracts from my mission.

2026-08-06 20:44:46 UTC

I can make HestiaPi thermostats where people need to bring their own pi. It does just plug into the socket for the 40-pin header.
It's just not as nice as being able to buy something that is all ready to go, has been tested, and doesn't require you to solve the problem I couldn't solve (buying a pi zero 2).
I guess there's that one shop who will let people buy one at a time though. At least for now.

2026-08-06 20:39:14 UTC

I'm pretty impressed with Nostr. I got 6 boosts and a couple replies over here, as compared to one boost and no replies on Mastodon.
No solutions, but it's not for a lack of trying. I appreciate people trying to help out. 🥰
#nevent1q…kzwz

2026-08-06 20:36:33 UTC

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No, not entirely anyway. ☹️
All the stuff I make is open: PCB designs and manufacturing files, BOM, etc. It's the best I can do.
There's a new model in the works (the Hestia32) which requires self-hosting OpenHAB or Home Assistant which is based on an ESP-32. I'm not sure if that one is 100% open hardware, but it at least has multiple vendors to choose from, specifically because of supply issues like this.

2026-08-05 20:10:14 UTC

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Please boost 👆. I'm in a pickle here.

2026-08-05 20:01:41 UTC

Does anyone have a lead on where I can get a batch of Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W boards? I need these to continue making HestiaPi thermostats available (smart thermostat, open source hardware & software, no 3rd party servers, no need to become a sysadmin yourself).
Digikey is sold out
PiShop[.]us limits me to one board per order
The pi hut is sold out
AdaFruit is sold out
Mouser is sold out until 2027
Ordering them one at a time nearly doubles the shipping fees (plus the cost to the environment).
I'm willing to pay more than MSRP, but not like 50-100% more! And I want to buy at least 10 of them at a time to save on shipping costs.

2026-07-09 03:58:27 UTC

I sell about one thermostat a month, and every single one I ship feels like another victory for #opensource #hardware and #software
These are smart thermostats that respect people's sovereignty and privacy. They can't get turned into dumb thermostats years down the road. That's not a promise that you're trusting me to keep, it's just a fact basef on how it was designed.
They don't tend to break. They're upgradable. Expandable.
If you like to tinker, they can interoperate with other IoT devices that use standard protocols. It's the type of smart home future I want, which is why I put in the hours to make it easily available to people!
https://www.tindie.com/products/eternalsunshine/hestiapi-one-silent/

2026-06-01 22:41:20 UTC

A little insight into the sustainability of selling sustainable, privacy-respecting smart thermostats...
To earn the same as a full time minimum wage job, I'd need to sell about 172 thermostats per month. That's 171/mo more than I sell now.
Of course, to accomplish that, I'd also need to have marketing budget, which means even more sales.
And if I want to be paid for my work maintaining the software, and pay the projects I depend on, more money or less time per thermostat.
It's not pretty.
That's why most people don't spend their precious time on things like this and instead go out and get a job as an engineer for a large corporation.
And I think that's unfortunate.
It's why most of the goods available are made by big corporations and not individuals
I am going to be the change I want to see in the world. While I might never be able to make a living at it, at least the open source products will be available beyond the DIY community
I'll keep working to show people a better way.
Oh, and BTW, I'm currently giving all the profits to Microsoft to advertise on DuckDuckGo (and presumably Bing). I basically break even for the cost of the hardware.
And if they don't bring in enough sales to cover their costs, I'll bail on them.
If you think you can do better, I'd be happy to have the profits go to an individual instead. But do realize we're currently talking $15/month.
If you want to spread the good word of open hardware, partner up with me. You'll get paid for results.

2026-06-01 18:00:44 UTC

How long does it take me to build a thermostat and ship it?
Today it took 2.5 hours. Usually it takes about 1-1.5 hours, but if there's a problem that I need to troubleshoot & fix (as there was today), it takes longer.
The value that I'm adding is not just the soldering time, skills, and consumables (solder, flux, soldering iron tips, etc.), it's that you get a fully tested, ready-to-go, #OpenSource thermostat. It's peace of mind. You won't have to deal with these issues.
#OpenHardware #IoT #SmartHome #FreedomTech

2026-04-27 22:14:01 UTC

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The v1.5 SD card image brings heat pump compatibility to all devices, even those that are 5+ years old. This includes support for stage 1 and 2 heating, and stage 1 and 2 cooling.
If combined with the latest PCB design, it also adds stage 3 heating.
It's proof of work. We're not only still supporting old devices, we're still giving them more features. No subscriptions. No 3rd party servers or clouds.
These are the differences between a community project and a corporate product.

2026-04-27 22:05:44 UTC

Just published all the latest schematics for new PCB design. 🥳
1. Added a 5th relay
2. Switch to a ribbon cable, and
3. Replaced the reset switch (which only works with the original Pi Zero) with a power switch (which works with all Pi Zero boards).
If anyone out there has a device and can test the new v1.5 SD card image, I'd love to get enough feedback to make that an official release.

2026-04-27 02:07:57 UTC

I made a lot of progress with building open source hardware today. Took several hours (and is still ongoing).
I'm not talking about the sexy, fun, development work. No, I mean I hand assembled several units and I test every single one before I ship it out.
I rarely find any defects, but I don't want a single customer to get a unit that has any issues. Reputations take a long time to build and are so easy to damage, it's worth the extra time investment.
#OpenSource #hardware #OpenHardware #FOSS

2026-03-10 08:15:06 UTC

It's not every day that I order $300 worth of Raspberry Pi Zero 2 boards. 😅
People think these boards cost the MSRP of $15/each. The truth is one board is $25.82-$29.64 after tax and shipping. That's not with a power supply, SD card, case or anything. Just the board, and the higher side of that price range includes headers.
This is why I order in bulk. While it does nothing about the sales tax, it does help with shipping costs. I then pass those savings on to people who want to buy a #HestiaPi

2026-02-27 18:12:03 UTC

If you want to try out a HestiaPi without buying anything, as long as you have a Raspberry Pi lying around, you can!
Here's a sneak peek of the upcoming release there needs tessted:
https://community.hestiapi.com/t/debian-12-bookworm-image-testing-v1-5-dev/2104/40
Obviously it won't control your heating and cooling without the relay board, and you won't be able to see the LCD UI without the 3.5" LCD, but you can run the software and interact with the web interface.

2026-02-16 04:52:32 UTC

I've been bustin' my hump for a couple weeks now, but I think I'm getting close to final testing.
Yeah, testing.
That's the part where we make sure everything works before we ship new code. I know, what an old-fashioned concept!
I'm super excited about this next release. New features after over 5 years. Try getting that from a corporation. Ha!

2026-02-01 19:49:43 UTC

I had an insane push this weekend to get #HestiaPi & #OpenHAB to be compatible with a heat pump HVAC system. I'm testing it by running LEDs through the relays to see when they flip on.
I have one prototype that I manually configured. I have the basics down: heating, cooling, ruining the fan, 2-stages for both heating and cooling.
Next up, boosting and tons of regression testing. I rewrote huge parts of many of the roles and made serious logic/flow changes.
I need sleep too!

2026-01-31 23:14:51 UTC

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OK @nprofile…2m0q, I decided to take a stab at supporting heat pumps (building off the unreleased v1.5 image). It's a beast. So many rules need updated... heating, cooling, fan, humidity, hot water, sensor/setpoint changes, all the checks and protections, the initialization routine. Those are just what I found so far, there are probably more. 😮‍💨
When I'm done, I'm going to need a lot of help testing this, and not only with heat pump systems. This will require full regression testing for HVAC and EU (aka generic) modes too.
#nevent1q…wtd2

2026-01-26 05:53:24 UTC

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I'd love to add support for heat pumps. Their efficency is making them a lot more popular nowadays.
There's just a lot to do. The new release candidate is stuck in testing with one person having problems, I'm unable to reproduce any of those problems, and I haven't heard back from anyone else.
Then there's also the desire to have an option to run juat the UI on the thermostat and have the automation on another server.
And another O/S upgrade.
And the heat pumps
And another hardware revision
I'm going the best I can, but I'm only one person. 😮‍💨

2025-12-29 22:46:30 UTC

We're getting close to releasing a maintenance update. No functional changes, but it will extend the security updates for another two years.
There's more testing to do, but hopefully that will go smoothly.
I hope to have another update out soon after that, which will be the same deal: no functional changes, but yet ANOTHER two years of security patches!
When I say long term support, I mean it!
And I'm big on stability too. No arbitrary changes for no particular reason, no breaking stuff or taking away features. It juat works. Day in and day out.
#HestiaPi #thermostat #IoT #OpenHardware #electronics #OpenSource #FOSS

2025-12-20 00:11:21 UTC

So it's going to be one of those days, huh?
Went to assemble a new unit and after soldering in a few pins, I discovered the bin of 1x20 header pins was labeled incorrectly. They're all 1x18 pins. Whoops!
At least I didn't get all the way to the end before I noticed. A couple pins lost, most were salvaged.

2025-12-01 07:13:56 UTC

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Nice! It's unfortunate that the person running that website is collecting people's email addresses when clicking the "getting started" button. Glad to see there is a self-hosted option buried on the github page. Not sure why there is any other option... ☹️

2025-11-26 19:57:43 UTC

A rare look at the #EU version of the #HestiaPi with the 240V AC -> 5V DC power adapter (the black rectangle in the photo).
https://image.nostr.build/42e577b8250dae28335eea2af3667f92da36faafea655f645dceec70807b9fc1.jpg
Everything else is the same hardware. It also uses the same software, just different settings.
I hate to ship these across the ocean, but there's literally not a single person, #hackerapace or #Makerspace in the EU who is willing to build these #OpenSource #thermostats. So I make them available, and ship them all the way from America.

2025-10-29 17:11:46 UTC

I just found the @nprofile…pvzu episode about sovereign smart home!
https://fountain.fm/episode/r8I8AbFqwJc5f8Y0UvCF
Brilliant work lads!
If you want an easy to use recommendation for getting started, I maintain an open source (hardware and software) smart thermostat. Just connect it to the wall and go through wifi setup like any corporate device except everything remains private. Very good for those family members who don't want to feel like they have to run a server and be an IT pro.
The HestiaPi runs OpenHAB out of the box, but you could build an SD image to run HomeAssistant if you prefer that. For those who do like to tinker, the forums are full of people who have customizations.
Build the hardware yourself, pay someone at your local hackerspace to build one, or if neither of those work, I guess I could ship across the ocean for ya. I normally only ship to North America, but I could make an exception.

2025-10-29 06:08:01 UTC

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If you're still in the market, the HestiaPi has this feature. You decide how far off from the set points is tolerable.

2025-10-29 06:00:02 UTC

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I make smart thermostats and they don't require the internet. They'll work fine when your local wifi is down too.
This is the kind of reliability people should be able to expect from everything they buy, but it seems to only exist in open source projects.

2025-10-29 05:56:16 UTC

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The only smart home thing I have is the thermostat, and that's only because it's not corporate made

2025-10-29 05:53:47 UTC

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I approve

2025-10-29 05:53:01 UTC

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HestiaPi

2025-10-29 05:45:17 UTC

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Couldn't agree more about local control and breaking free of the big tech overlords!

2025-10-14 22:13:52 UTC

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Yes. It can be used without network capabilities.
The software works with an ethernet connection using a USB on-the-go adapter and USB ethernet adapter, and that's how I do development.
Unfortunately, there is a mechanical limitation that prevents the models that I make over ethernet. The connector for the LCD screen blocks access to the USB micro port.
If you go without a screen, you could use an USB ethernet adapter.
It'd be pretty weird to have a thermostat with no UI and it'd put you in a weird situation where a network outage would stop you from adjusting the thermostat, but it's doable.
In summary you've got three options for a WiFi-free HestiaPi:
- dumb thermostat
- screenless thermostat
- DIY hardware and using the HestiaPi software
By default the pi will serve up a wifi access point for the initial setup, but if you hop on the community forums, we can help you disable that.

2025-10-14 20:19:45 UTC

What do #Nest owners think about #Google's decision to not only kill support, but also make the smart thermostats into dumb thermostats?
Is it fair for them to take away the features you paid for?
Will you get another smart #thermostat from the same company again?
Are you in the market for alternative #smart #thermostats?
#IoT #tech #technology #PlannedObsolescence #waste #recycle #repair #repurpose #reuse

2025-10-13 19:56:38 UTC

Help wanted: test the latest release of the #HestiaPi SD card image.
https://community.hestiapi.com/t/debian-12-bookworm-image-testing-v1-5-dev/2104
If you have a device, plea help. We're trying to get more people to test this out. The new image should work just like the previous version except it'll get another 2 years of security updates.
No new features, just stability and long term support.

2025-10-12 21:55:20 UTC

Less than 2 weeks left until the old #Nest #thermostats go through their metamorphosis to become dumb thermostats.
Honestly, it might be a win for the owners in terms of #privacy. But if they want a wifi enabled thermostat that is open source and will never abandon them like this, please suggest a #HestiaPi.
You can make one yourself, buy a kit, or buy a prebuilt unit. If it ever breaks you can #repair it. If it doesn't do what you want, you can customize it. #FOSS #OpenSource #OpenHardware ❤️
https://support.google.com/googlenest/answer/16233096?hl=en

2025-10-01 21:57:26 UTC

It warms my heart to hear from people who were about to build their own thermostat from scratch and then found out about the #HestiaPi project.
Now they can get a leg up on their #thermostat and just focus on the thermostat rules instead of the #hardware, #software and so forth.
Meanwhile, we get another collaborator and hopefully can integrate the new code that implements the additional features they want.
win-win!
#OpenSource is awesome.

2025-09-30 05:58:23 UTC

Today I built and tested 4 thermostats and it took me well over 4 hours. Usually I'm faster, but an hour per unit is probably still a fair estimate.
Off the top of my head, I'd say it's somewhere around 130 solder joints. The new board design allows using Pi Zero 2 boards with pre-soldered headers. That that'll cut out 40 pins that I have to do by hand once I'm through my current stock.
If I sold more devices, I'd try creating a 3D printed jig to hold all the parts in at the same time. It just doesn't make much sense to do that when I sell so few units per year.

2025-09-26 05:36:34 UTC

Just made a breakthrough in getting the v1.5-dev image created. It's now fully functional out of the box!
Next I need to manually poke around and make sure the unnecessary services have been turned off. After that I'll send it to the community for review and testing. Once any issues identified are fixed, then it will be sent to the project creator for final approval.
To people who expect software producers to dictate what users will get, this process may seem bureaucratic, but it's democratic!

2025-09-22 04:28:29 UTC

Getting close to an updated firmware image based on bookworm. I have a #thermostat running with it, but I want to make sure the build process can be replicated in an automated fashion. When I die, I want others to be able to easily pick up my work. Plus, it'll be handy for the next O/S upgrade.
After it's reproducable, it will still need to go through community testing. If everything goes smoothly, I should have a final release in the next few weeks.

2025-09-20 06:40:19 UTC

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Yes. In fairness, they did support it for a decade, but the design decisions made in 2015 sealed their fate. They're not going to keep running their servers forever.
That's why the HestiaPi doesn't connect to any remote servers. It's all run locally so nobody can cut you off, not even me. That's simply a superior design.

2025-09-20 06:35:49 UTC

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Thanks for helping spread the good word. There's no ads for HestiaPi, no marketing budget, no sponsoring podcasts... just everyday people like you telling others.
I'd much rather give people a lower price and have word of mouth advertising than charge more and have a marketing budget.
The grassroots style fits with who I am, and I am NOT a startup founder, going into debt get explosive growth. I want something sustainable, not an exit strategy. If it limits my impact, so be it.

2025-09-20 06:27:53 UTC

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Big news: Permanent price drop & international shipping!
Down to $150 fully loaded, assembled, flashed and ready to plug & play in North America.
Also, I've enabled shipping to Canada and Europe. I hope I don't regret that. 😅
https://www.tindie.com/products/eternalsunshine/hestiapi-one-silent/
I'm ready to help people kick #Nest & #Google to the curb. 💪 Lets do this!
#nevent1q…f4h2
#FOSS #OpenSource #hardware #OpenHardware #electronics #FLOSS #RaspberryPi #HestiaPi #privacy #freedom #FreedomTech #thermostat #BigTech #DIY

2025-09-15 23:02:18 UTC

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The joke's on me. I already have it priced ay $149.99 for the kit.
Oh what the heck, I'll drop it another $15 so the assembled version is $149.99. #yolo
Get it now before I realize I literally can't afford to keep doing this. LOL
#nevent1q…f4h2

2025-09-15 22:24:23 UTC

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And before anyone asks "what, are they supposed to run their servers forever without compensation?" 😭
No, they should design their products so they don't need to run a server forever for a bloody thermostat to work! 🔥
But if they want to push this flawed design, give people the option to subscribe to the service or not, and make it clear subscribing might not always be an option in the future so people understand what they're signing up for. 🧐
And if they can't do any of that, and it's cloud service of no changing the temperature with your phone, then yeah, I expect them to keep running the service until nobody uses it anymore. If that's 50 years later, well maybe they should have thought of that at design time. If they pick a flawed design, they should live with the consequences.

2025-09-15 22:16:57 UTC

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What's especially messed up about the Google Nest thing is that these are thermostats people paid $100+ for and they own them. They shouldn't get the rug pulled out from under them like this.
#nevent1q…kgdj
Customers should be able to expect that their thermostats will work as well as they did when they bought it. At a bare minimum, Google should release the server side source code so people can run their own server to maintain the ability to connect to their thermostat over wifi.
Yeah, they've got my panties in a bunch by pulling stunts like this. This is rancid!

2025-09-15 19:33:05 UTC

Next month, Google is going to make some Nest thermostats not-so-smart.
https://www.tomsguide.com/home/smart-home/google-announces-end-of-support-for-1st-and-2nd-gen-nest-thermostats-what-you-need-to-know
This can never happen with a #HestiaPi. It's not even possible because it doesn't depend on some third party cloud service. Everything is run inside your home, and it's yours, forever. ❤️
The HestiaPi is also #repairable and #upgradable. In summary, it's better by design.
#OpenSource #hardware #OpenHardware #FOSS #diy #electronics

2025-09-15 19:12:22 UTC

Once the current batch of components arrive, I plan on running the numbers to see if I can make a permenent price reduction.
I've been getting killed on shipping prices, but ordering in larger quantities helps mitigate that.
The other persistent problem is finding components in stock within 5-10% of the regular price. Building out a bigger inventory helps here too.
I'm optimistic. My goal is to get down to $150. Stretch goal is to hit $129.99 (the same price as Google's cheapest Nest)

2025-09-13 21:24:48 UTC

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Thanks, but I'm not into the "buy & sell bitcoin to make a profit" thing.
I'm not making these thermostats to try to get rich. I'm doing it so people have an alternative to the big companies who hoover up everyone's data, try to lock them into subscription services, and then end-of-life their products 3-5 years later.
The only reason I started selling HestiaPi units is because the one person who was building them was unable to continue dedicating the time and effort to make them available to the world. My choices were to limit the project to people with the skills, time, and inclination to build their own, or start building them myself. You can see the path I've chosen and I don't regret a minute of it.
I'm fine with being paid in bitcoin. I'd be happy to buy components in bitcoin. I'm just not into the trading thing.

2025-09-13 21:11:44 UTC

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Interesting idea and I think it could work well if I do a crowdfuning style marketing campaign to get a bunch of sales at once. Right now I sell about 1 thermostat per month, but it is not at all consistent. I might get 2-3 orders in a week and then nothing for months on end.
I think the real answer is to dedicate more of ny time and effort to this project.
If the volume was higher, I could keep making bigger orders, and drop the price as a result. I'm already doing that now, but very slowly.
Thanks for the suggestion and inspiring me to think more about this.

2025-09-13 18:22:11 UTC

I'm about to place an order for $700 in thermostat components. Weee.
Stocking up like this always makes me a little nervous. What if people stop caring about open source thermostats? What if I just spent all this money on parts that will just sit on my shelf?
On the flip side, what if I don't buy these parts? Then nobody can buy a pre-assembled HestiaPi, which means anyone isn't willing & able to make their own gets left behind.
And that's why I keep doing it. Leave no one behind! #FOSS #OpenHardware #hardware #OpenSource

2025-09-10 23:30:32 UTC

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I am delighted every time I see efforts like this to mobile towards software that benefits them instead of benefitting big tech companies.

2025-09-10 00:47:16 UTC

I'm working on a new release, based on bookworm (Debian 12).
Looks like I might be making some contributions to the turnkey project soon. The wifi setting aren't sticking after a reboot. Not sure if it's related to NetsorkManager or not, still investigating.

2025-07-08 22:50:42 UTC

The #HestiaPi is a #prime alternative to the corporate smart thermostats that you can buy on #Amazon.
It's also on sale from July 8-11, because I want people to invest in a #sustainable #thermostat instead of #PlannedObsolescence.
https://www.tindie.com/products/eternalsunshine/hestiapi-one-silent/

2025-06-13 22:56:49 UTC

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Really? I can just send you however many sats I would have spent with my normal supplier and you'll make the goods show up at my door?

2025-06-12 00:28:09 UTC

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Nope, just Tor Browser as usual.

2025-06-10 00:05:43 UTC

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Is the site down, or does it require some special browser?

2025-06-09 23:47:52 UTC

I'd like to try to support this #bitcoin circular economy thing.
Is there anyone who sells things like SD cards, Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W boards, the little 3.5" LCD touchscreens, and other components I might need?

2025-03-05 02:45:32 UTC

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If people want an open source thermostat to go with your high tech heating system, I build the #HestiaPi thermostats.
I'd be happy help test and maybe try to get the pi speaking zigbee, but I can't afford a $500 heater. If you're interested in collaborating, maybe I could send you a complimentary HestiaPi?
My motivation is that I want people to be able to have nice things like wifi enabled thermostats without having to give up their privacy.

2025-02-28 20:29:42 UTC

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It will increase contributions from me. Haha

2025-02-28 20:28:57 UTC

The latest release of the #AirGradient firmware removed the code that phones home to the company servers even when you check the to to explicitly tell it not to do so. This is a big win for #privacy and #SelfHosting!
https://github.com/airgradienthq/arduino/releases/tag/3.2.0
I plan on flashing this onto my device and testing it to verify nothing was missed. #tcpdump and #wireshark are my friends. 😄
#security #cybersecurity #infosec #OpenSource #OpenHardware #electronics

2025-02-28 20:22:29 UTC

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hestiahacker - Instructions has been merged into the development branch. I've submitted a PR to add some text about how to contribute back to the project.
#nevent1q…c0gm

2025-02-27 20:18:25 UTC

This doesn't have anything to do with the #HestiaPi (yet 😉), but AirGradient is one step closer to fixing their compilation instructions.
This is exciting news because once their code is modified to stop phoning home to the company's server, I plan on adding documentation to the HestiaPi project on how to configure the #AirGradient ONE to act as a remote temperature and humidity sensor.
If you've ever had a #thermostat mounted too close to the door, you understand why this is important.

2025-02-21 22:27:09 UTC

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Commercial IoT is just bananas. I fight against this with every fiber of my being.✊
I don't make beds, but I can at least give you a network accessible thermostat that doesn't spy on you or go End of Life after 3 or 4 years. 🫶

2025-02-16 19:44:39 UTC

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If this is the kind of project you want to support:
1. Build or buy a #HestiaPi
2. Tell your friends
3. Contribute: bug reports, beta testing, documentation, #code, answering questions on the forum, or #building hardware for others
We don't currently accept monetary donations (but you can #zap me personally if you'd like).
I have been supporting this #hardware for over 5 years now and want to keep doing so as long as I can.
Having more people contribute makes it easier. Having more people buy hardware let's me buy in bulk & cut prices.

2025-02-16 19:42:37 UTC

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I've spent a lot of time not just thinking about this, but living it. I've had the core of the #HestiaPi (#OpenHAB) abandon support for all versions of Java that can run in a Raspberry Pi Zero W. 😩
So now our project is at a crossroad. How do we proceed? It'll run on the Pi Zero 2 W, but what about all our original users who have a pi Zero W soldered onto their PCB?
I think I see a path forward that will let still use the existing #hardware & OpenHAB. It'll be a lot of work, but I think we can do it.

2025-02-16 19:41:39 UTC

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#RaspberryPi may have their own problems, but they've been solid on supporting both their #hardware and #software.
They even publish a minimum number of years they are going to keep producing each model of hardware. This allows projects to plan around that, which gives rPi a leg up when it comes time to decide which hardware to use.
I hope you enjoyed my reflections on the state of long term support and comparing commercial IoT to #OpenSource #IoT.

2025-02-16 19:41:06 UTC

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hestiahacker - LTS for hardware is brutal. CPUs get discontinued all the time. The same is true for small board computers (SBCs). For example, the oDroid SBCs looked promising but they never got their kernel patches upstreamed nor did they port their patches forward to newer kernels. So you could only run them with an old kernel that's no longer supported. They ended up abandoning those models of hardware all together. Now they have new models. How long do you think they will support those? Probably not long.

2025-02-16 19:40:59 UTC

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What can be done about the #OpenSource world to make things more #sustainable?
The biggest thing, by far, is to make things as simple as possible! That means you will inherently have fewer dependencies.
Depend on libraries that have long term support.
Contribute upstream whenever possible. Mainly code, but if you are selling #hardware, money too.

2025-02-16 19:02:55 UTC

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So what can help with the long term support (LTS)?
There's really no helping the commercial world as long as they're trying to make a profit. The limited exception would be companies who not only make this their central business model, but also establish a track record of delivering on that promise.
There are almost no business who have managed to pull this off. They used to be more common, but people are either unwilling or unable to buy the higher quality stuff these days. I could say a lot more about this, but I digress.

2025-02-16 18:48:21 UTC

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In the case of #OpenSource projects, it's a little different, and some projects are great at long term support. The challenges are that the #software and hardware that they depend on frequently stop getting supported. At that point, do they spread people thin to stay doing long term support for all the things they depend on?
If it's #hardware, that's probably not an option even if you have dozens of volunteers.
It's still a cost problem, but the cost is people's time, not #money.

2025-02-16 18:43:23 UTC

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It's also important to acknowledge that there are some places where both commercial and communuty based projects struggle, such as long term support (e.g. 10+ years).
In the case of commercial products, they have a strong financial motivation for you to buy the next model, so working to extend the life of existing products isn't a strategic investment of their time and money. Plus it takes a huge amount of sustained effort for years to build a reputation of supporting products for a long time.

2025-02-16 18:40:45 UTC

Here are some lesser known differences between an open source #IoT project and a commercial IoT appliance:
1. Support - #OpenSource projects field questions. Actual humans, taking the time to understand your questions and answer them!
2. Repair - Again, people will help you fix things
3. Less #environmental impact - Fewer things ending up in the landfill on account of the repairability, often times they have more localized production, less shipping, etc.
4. Customizability - that's something rarely found in commercial offerings

2025-02-11 05:59:01 UTC

I have one clicky edition #HestiaPi left and I'm having a blowout sale. If you were on the fence, now is a good opportunity to pull the trigger.
https://www.tindie.com/products/eternalsunshine/hestiapi-one-clicky/
#OpenSource #IoT #hardware #OpenHardware #electronics #diy #foss #floss #freedom #tech #FreedomTech

2025-02-04 22:55:51 UTC

It requires hardware modifications to both the HestiaPi and the LCD, and a little Bash script, but it's possible to have the backlight turn completely off when not in use. Tapping the screen causes it to turn back on.
There's a writeup on the community forum which I will be including in the owner's manual.
#OpenHardware should be #hackable like this. I also plan on making this possible to do without hardware modification to the #HestiaPi on the next #hardware revision of the PCB. #OpenSource

2025-02-03 01:17:47 UTC

hestiahacker - I've been trying to recreate another person's work with a more expensive LCD touchscreen that is able to turn off its backlight.
They are using different #hardware and #software, but have been very helpful in posting about their work and sharing scripts.
I think it will be possible to get it working with the #HestiaPi if I do one small hardware modification. Can't really be sure until it's tested, but I'm hopeful.
If I get it, instructions will be added to the owners manual. ❤️🙂 #FOSS #IoT #OpenSource #OpenHardware

2025-01-06 21:17:31 UTC

I shipped out an order today and thought "Gee that street name looks really familiar...". Checked my order history and sure enough a repeat customer.
Anyone should be happy to have a repeat customer, but it REALLY says something that someone bought two thermostats. It's not like a thumb drive where you could always use one more.
Presumably it's a gift, because if it broke they probably wouldn't be buying another of the same make and model. Besides, I'm pretty sure everyone who has problems reached out to me.
So I'm pleased as punch today. Thank you, customer who shall not be named. You made my day.

2024-11-30 16:48:07 UTC

It doesn't look like this tiny bag would cost over $1000 retail, does it?
https://image.nostr.build/221f1a7a05e278d7b085a19dc1836fdfe67bfa4ae4bbc81222d6f0547687cc4c.jpg
The comparable sensor from sparkfun is $21.50 (and they're sold out)!
https://www.sparkfun.com/products/13676

2024-11-30 15:17:02 UTC

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I'd suggest checking pin64's site before chiming in here. They already have lots of hardware available and more in the works!
For example, they annlunced a new IP camera last week:
https://pine64.org/2024/11/21/november_2024/#pinecam

2024-11-30 15:06:53 UTC

If I were to take on another #OpenSource #smart #IoT device project to liberate people from their technical overlords, what should it be?
I'm looking for inspiration.
I'm not ready to take on another project right now, but I might be soon. The main catches are:
I. Existing project (I'll search for one, and I'm flexible on this point)
II. Not already available for purchase
III. Something I'd personally be willing to use

2024-11-30 02:13:18 UTC

Sometimes when you take a chance, it works out. Other times, it doesn't.
I recently designed a temperature/humidity board, got PCBs made and tried to assemble them. None of them worked. Like, at all!
So I redesigned it, making it simpler and tried again. Another 100% fail.
I had someone review my design. He said it looked good. Maybe it was manufactueing errors? I'm pretty good at soldering, but yeah maybe...
So I took a big chance and dropped $250 on machine-assembled terperature sensors boards. Of my design really was good, they should work. Otherwise I just spend a bunch of money to ship e-waste half way around the world.
They arrived today and they work! Whew! I was really nervous about that one. This batch was about the same price as the cheapest pre-assembled board that I could find. If I can scale up from 50 boards to 250, I could have a very nice price. At least 10% cheaper than market prices. Of course I'd also have to pay $1200 up front and probably never sell them all to break even. So I'll probably stick to the "small" batches for now.
#electronics #manufacturing #learning by #failure

2024-11-29 15:52:05 UTC

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I'd love to see someone make a LoRa add-on for the Air Gradient Open Air. It already has the air quality, temperature and humidity. Just add LoRa.

2024-11-29 15:26:45 UTC

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The discount isn't going to get any bigger than this.
#nevent1q…e99t
#OpenSource #SmartHome #IoT #hardware

2024-11-26 15:22:25 UTC

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This idea of #decentralized #manufacturing of #OpenSource #hardware has really taken off over on Mastodon.
More than 128 boosts and I have people in Germany and Canada interested in building devices. Exciting times!
#nevent1q…ga3q

2024-11-24 20:30:48 UTC

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My suggestion would be to build one for yourself first.
If it works, and you still want to build them for other people, we can sort out the logistics.
And I'll be happy to help with any step along the way. Best way to get my attention is to post on the community forum:
https://community.hestiapi.com/

2024-11-22 16:02:15 UTC

I'm just going to put this here
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_open-source_hardware_projects
Do with it what you will

2024-11-22 02:22:34 UTC

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You still interested in building some open source smart thermostats for the people in Australia?
HestiaPi.com has the info on it and the electronics files are at https://github.com/HestiaPi/hestia-touch-pcb-dev
I'd be happy to chat if you have questions or anything. I'm pretty flexible on days & times that I can be available. Preferrably not between 00:00 and 07:00 Central Time (Chicago) though. 😅

2024-11-22 02:12:44 UTC

I hope I don't regret this, but I just put in an order for $250 worth of temperature sensors to be made with a custom designed board.
If successful, it'll lower the cost of all models of the #HestiaPi. At the same time, it will also help alleviate supply chain issues.
If unsuccessful, it's a lot of money down the drain. Go big or go home, right? #IoT #electronics #OpenHardware

2024-11-22 01:39:38 UTC

I'm having a blowout #sale on the clicky version of the #HestiaPi #thermostats! I'm posting to #nostr first because I know how much you folks love #freedom
https://www.tindie.com/products/eternalsunshine/hestiapi-one-clicky/
No #cloud service here.
No data collection.
No company who is going to discontinue the model and leave you without #security updates.
No dystopian bullshit!
#IoT #privacy #FreedomTech #cybersecurity

2024-11-17 08:01:44 UTC

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I fight against this every day by making a smart thermostat that doesn't spy on you. No 3rd party servers that can be "sunset" either. ✊
#nevent1q…d6s9

2024-11-17 07:52:59 UTC

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Yeah, I think I have it listed on there