WEBVTT Kind: captions Language: en 00:00:00.060 --> 00:00:01.985 Hello and welcome to No— 00:00:02.312 --> 00:00:03.240 hold on a second. 00:00:03.240 --> 00:00:04.241 [clap clap] 00:00:04.750 --> 00:00:07.717 Hello and welcome to No Effort November, 00:00:07.717 --> 00:00:12.269 a series of videos for the month of November where I try my best to not try so hard. 00:00:12.760 --> 00:00:16.601 These days, it’s pretty trendy to turn on the lights by yelling out 00:00:16.601 --> 00:00:19.329 “howdy goolexa, turn on the lights!” 00:00:19.329 --> 00:00:25.001 and after a few data packets bounce back and forth between your house and the servers of who knows how many tech companies, 00:00:25.001 --> 00:00:30.955 yet more data packets eventually find their way to a light switch that has a Wi-Fi radio in it because why not 00:00:30.955 --> 00:00:34.562 and if you’re lucky and the stars align and you’re still in the good graces of Daddy— 00:00:35.326 --> 00:00:37.010 it will turn on some lights. 00:00:37.410 --> 00:00:38.792 Or you could just do this. 00:00:38.882 --> 00:00:40.199 [clap clap] 00:00:41.600 --> 00:00:44.128 That not enough for you? How ‘bout this? 00:00:44.128 --> 00:00:45.627 [clap clap clap] 00:00:46.864 --> 00:00:49.020 Ooh! A different thing! 00:00:49.529 --> 00:00:51.657 That’s right, we’re talking about 00:00:51.657 --> 00:00:52.899 ♫ The Clapper ♫ 00:00:52.899 --> 00:00:58.452 Perhaps the original smart switch (so long as you don’t count X10 which, for the record, I’m not), 00:00:58.452 --> 00:01:01.914 this classic gadget was brought to you by Joseph Enterprises, 00:01:01.914 --> 00:01:04.177 who also brought such classics to market as 00:01:04.177 --> 00:01:06.034 The ‘Ove’ Glove, 00:01:06.034 --> 00:01:07.679 the Chia Pet, 00:01:07.679 --> 00:01:09.743 and let’s not forget 00:01:09.743 --> 00:01:12.130 The Creosote Sweeping Log. 00:01:13.040 --> 00:01:13.884 I am not - 00:01:14.393 --> 00:01:15.380 I am not- 00:01:15.744 --> 00:01:17.032 I’m not kidding, by the way, 00:01:17.032 --> 00:01:22.908 these are all products made by the same company and in hindsight that probably should have been obvious. 00:01:23.344 --> 00:01:31.835 Sadly, the Joseph behind Joseph Enterprises, Joseph Pedott, passed away earlier this year but his legacy will surely live on. 00:01:31.835 --> 00:01:38.920 And I’ll help with that a tiny bit by expressing my honest opinion that the ‘Ove’ Glove is actually a great product 00:01:38.920 --> 00:01:41.188 (despite its rather ridiculous name) 00:01:41.188 --> 00:01:45.384 and gets my vote as the one of the best as-seen-on-TV things ever. 00:01:45.930 --> 00:01:49.228 But we’re not talking about the ‘Ove’ Glove today, we’re talking about 00:01:49.228 --> 00:01:50.700 ♫ The Clapper ♫. 00:01:50.700 --> 00:01:52.948 If somehow that’s not ringing a bell, 00:01:52.948 --> 00:01:55.495 and the gist of the intro escaped you, 00:01:55.495 --> 00:01:59.933 the Clapper is a little plug-in device with a couple of switched electrical outlets. 00:01:59.933 --> 00:02:03.961 A microphone onboard listens for sharp bursts of sound energy, 00:02:03.961 --> 00:02:05.785 like someone clapping, 00:02:05.785 --> 00:02:11.893 and if it detects two claps in a row within a short timespan, it will switch one of its electrical outlets on 00:02:11.893 --> 00:02:14.208 (or off if it was already on). 00:02:14.208 --> 00:02:20.305 The second outlet will respond to three claps, allowing you to control two different things with one clapper. 00:02:20.305 --> 00:02:22.098 But wait! There’s more! 00:02:22.098 --> 00:02:25.015 The device features three different operating modes: 00:02:25.015 --> 00:02:29.189 two different sensitivities can be chosen for the clap on clap off function, 00:02:29.189 --> 00:02:31.822 and we’ll get to why that’s needed in a minute, 00:02:31.822 --> 00:02:38.800 and there’s also an “away” function which will turn on the lights for a brief duration whenever it detects any noise. 00:02:38.800 --> 00:02:42.761 This can be useful for, say, turning on a lamp as you enter your home 00:02:42.761 --> 00:02:49.515 or perhaps possibly deterring theft if the would-be burglar is fooled into thinking someone just so happened to turn on a light 00:02:49.515 --> 00:02:53.041 at the exact moment they broke a window or opened a door. 00:02:53.041 --> 00:02:58.303 The clapper’s history is somewhat convoluted as covered by my friend Ernie Smith over on Tedium. 00:02:58.303 --> 00:03:04.362 Joseph Pedott wasn’t so much of an inventor but a marketer who found interesting products and was really good at 00:03:04.362 --> 00:03:05.477 ♫ se se se selling ♫ 00:03:05.477 --> 00:03:06.683 them. 00:03:06.683 --> 00:03:10.709 In the case of the Clapper, its original inventors approached him with the product 00:03:10.709 --> 00:03:17.335 (which, according to this archived interview they may have called the Great American Turnoff which… 00:03:17.335 --> 00:03:18.485 wow) 00:03:18.485 --> 00:03:21.875 and his company would go on to help get it patented. 00:03:21.875 --> 00:03:25.015 And also rename it something less weird. 00:03:25.015 --> 00:03:28.801 However, the original design was not super good. 00:03:28.801 --> 00:03:31.909 Built using very rudimentary logic circuitry, 00:03:31.909 --> 00:03:37.432 the original Clapper was way too sensitive and prone to being triggered accidentally. 00:03:37.432 --> 00:03:39.866 This would simply be an annoying behavior, 00:03:39.866 --> 00:03:43.168 but it was marketed as though it could be used for anything, 00:03:43.168 --> 00:03:45.291 including a television set. 00:03:45.291 --> 00:03:52.371 [Just plug in The Clapper and a television, lamp, stereo, almost anything you want to clap on and off.] 00:03:52.371 --> 00:03:56.410 And since television sets are famous for making noises, 00:03:56.410 --> 00:04:01.866 not just through their loudspeakers but perhaps clicky and clunky sounds as they power down, 00:04:01.866 --> 00:04:07.493 well the original Clapper could get stuck in a loop where it repeatedly switched it on and off. 00:04:07.493 --> 00:04:12.572 Electronic devices generally don’t like having their power repeatedly applied then taken away 00:04:12.572 --> 00:04:15.288 and the upshot was that it broke stuff. 00:04:15.288 --> 00:04:16.673 Not good! 00:04:16.673 --> 00:04:21.577 That, combined with a dispute between Joseph Enterprises and the original inventors, 00:04:21.577 --> 00:04:24.947 led to the hiring of Carlile R Stevens. 00:04:24.947 --> 00:04:29.573 His task was to make the clapper actually work somewhat goodly. 00:04:29.573 --> 00:04:33.581 Which he promptly accomplished with circuitry that was a little smarter. 00:04:33.581 --> 00:04:36.854 The Smart Clapper was released in 1987 00:04:36.854 --> 00:04:39.789 and it’s pretty much what this thing is. 00:04:39.789 --> 00:04:46.124 The idea was exactly the same, but with a control chip that could actually discern different durations of noise 00:04:46.124 --> 00:04:49.407 as well as recognize the pacing of two discrete pulses. 00:04:49.407 --> 00:04:52.394 Or three for controlling a second device. 00:04:52.394 --> 00:04:57.066 This later version added LEDs to show when it detects a noise it thinks is a clap - 00:04:57.066 --> 00:05:00.568 and also when it rules out something as a non-clap. 00:05:00.568 --> 00:05:01.391 [Naah! 00:05:02.464 --> 00:05:03.394 Nuuhh? 00:05:03.394 --> 00:05:04.449 Eh-ehhh! 00:05:05.431 --> 00:05:06.476 Ehhhhehh!] 00:05:06.476 --> 00:05:08.654 This is useful for learning how best to use it - 00:05:08.654 --> 00:05:12.376 which, indeed, there’s a learning curve here. 00:05:12.376 --> 00:05:15.835 You wouldn’t think so, but there is. It’s… 00:05:15.835 --> 00:05:16.990 finicky. 00:05:16.990 --> 00:05:18.543 Let’s just put it that way. 00:05:18.543 --> 00:05:22.214 And that’s part of why it has two sensitivity settings. 00:05:22.214 --> 00:05:26.344 The LEDs help to show the threshold of noise with which it will react, 00:05:26.344 --> 00:05:30.966 and you might want more or less sensitivity depending on where you place this thing 00:05:30.966 --> 00:05:35.792 and how tolerant you are to false triggers and/or hand pain. 00:05:35.792 --> 00:05:38.076 Inside we find a few surprises. 00:05:38.076 --> 00:05:39.885 Firstly, would you look at that, 00:05:39.885 --> 00:05:48.042 the contacts that engage with the plugs actually have bumps on them to mate with the holes found on most US plugs. 00:05:48.042 --> 00:05:53.301 The first time I’ve ever actually seen this in use and it’s in the friggin’ Clapper of all things. 00:05:53.301 --> 00:05:59.992 But, I suppose that extra bit of plug grabbiness is useful since the plugs you plug into this will hang straight down. 00:05:59.992 --> 00:06:05.828 The second surprise is that what I thought were amber LEDs to show the status of the switch 00:06:05.828 --> 00:06:09.967 are in fact the glass tips of neon indicators! 00:06:09.967 --> 00:06:14.796 I don’t think I’ve ever seen them used like this before and that’s a fascinating hack. 00:06:14.796 --> 00:06:19.754 But perhaps the biggest surprise in here is the switching component they elected to use. 00:06:19.754 --> 00:06:24.696 These are triacs, the same solid-state switching devices that gets used in dimmer switches 00:06:24.696 --> 00:06:30.096 to chop up the AC waveform and reduce the power available to light bulbs. 00:06:30.096 --> 00:06:35.682 In this case they’re being used as simple on/off switches and aren’t chopping up the waveform, 00:06:35.682 --> 00:06:39.396 but to me they’re a very odd choice. 00:06:39.396 --> 00:06:44.268 They continued to market this thing as useful for switching radios and television sets, 00:06:44.268 --> 00:06:49.523 and using a semiconductor component in-line with the power supplies of those things feels risky 00:06:49.523 --> 00:06:53.340 both to the thing it’s controlling and the triac. 00:06:53.340 --> 00:06:57.502 They did protect the outlets with a fuse but I’m still puzzled by this, 00:06:57.502 --> 00:07:05.435 and purportedly some devices (like compact fluorescent light bulbs) wouldn’t work with this Clapper or could be damaged by it. 00:07:05.435 --> 00:07:08.023 The rest of this, though, is pretty unremarkable. 00:07:08.023 --> 00:07:13.456 The control chip is hiding under this blob, although it is interesting that it’s on a little daughterboard. 00:07:13.456 --> 00:07:20.129 I’ll bet this was a cost-cutting revision and that the original chip was in some sort of square component package. 00:07:20.129 --> 00:07:24.889 Then we have some support components to create a power supply for the chip and the triacs, 00:07:24.889 --> 00:07:28.222 and of course we have the microphone to detect sound. 00:07:28.222 --> 00:07:34.920 Some versions of the Clapper also came with a wireless remote control allowing you to use it without clapping. 00:07:34.920 --> 00:07:36.328 And if you’re thinking, 00:07:36.328 --> 00:07:38.646 doesn’t that defeat the point? 00:07:38.646 --> 00:07:41.769 Well… see here’s the problem. 00:07:41.769 --> 00:07:46.199 As clever as this idea is and as useful as it can be, 00:07:46.199 --> 00:07:48.485 it’s still far from perfect. 00:07:48.485 --> 00:07:54.383 It doesn’t know what a clap actually is, it just responds to quick bursts of sound energy. 00:07:54.383 --> 00:07:55.643 [thump thump] 00:07:56.589 --> 00:07:59.256 So lots of things can trigger this accidentally - 00:07:59.256 --> 00:08:03.652 like, for instance, pets or children making noise as they play. 00:08:03.652 --> 00:08:06.256 Even things outside your home can trigger it. 00:08:06.256 --> 00:08:10.355 If you reduce the sensitivity, that can help alleviate false triggers 00:08:10.355 --> 00:08:12.390 but it means you gotta CLAP. 00:08:12.390 --> 00:08:17.423 The most effective thing, in my experience, is to only use the three-clap side. 00:08:17.423 --> 00:08:19.907 But that reduces the functionality of the device 00:08:19.907 --> 00:08:23.612 and goes against the jingle which is devastating. 00:08:23.612 --> 00:08:29.112 Adding a remote control functionality to the device was a pretty big admission that… 00:08:29.112 --> 00:08:31.426 it doesn’t work all that well. 00:08:31.426 --> 00:08:38.739 Now, in fairness, a different read would be that perhaps some folks want to control the lights with The Clapper when others are asleep 00:08:38.739 --> 00:08:40.225 and two loud claps 00:08:40.225 --> 00:08:41.330 [clap clap] 00:08:42.167 --> 00:08:44.505 might wake somebody up. 00:08:44.505 --> 00:08:49.452 Adding a remote gives the best of both worlds depending on need and situation. 00:08:49.452 --> 00:08:55.667 But it still doesn’t fix the problems with false triggers, sore hands, and product incompatibility. 00:08:55.667 --> 00:08:57.462 It’s just a value add. 00:08:57.462 --> 00:09:02.776 Not necessarily a bad one, mind you, but it does feel kind of antithetical to the point, 00:09:02.776 --> 00:09:04.178 at least to me. 00:09:04.178 --> 00:09:07.038 But, through the magic of fifteen years passing, 00:09:07.038 --> 00:09:12.140 I have a more modern version of the Clapper which fixes one of its problems. 00:09:12.140 --> 00:09:17.257 Rather than use triacs as the switching components, this fella uses relays. 00:09:17.257 --> 00:09:23.345 That means it’s safe [asterisk] to control practically anything with this (so long as it’s within the rated current) 00:09:23.345 --> 00:09:25.690 without worrying about it being damaged. 00:09:25.690 --> 00:09:29.406 The only downside is that now you’ll hear a click with each activation. 00:09:29.406 --> 00:09:31.504 But that’s not much of a downside. 00:09:32.032 --> 00:09:32.761 [click] 00:09:33.870 --> 00:09:37.969 [Asterisk] all the other weird quirks of this fella are still there, though, 00:09:37.969 --> 00:09:44.858 so while you can plug most anything into this without worrying about that thing getting damaged by it, 00:09:44.858 --> 00:09:49.792 you could also plug in, like, a small space heater or a coffee maker 00:09:49.792 --> 00:09:53.135 or something that really should not be used unattended 00:09:53.135 --> 00:09:56.365 and since false triggers are a continuing problem, 00:09:56.365 --> 00:09:59.745 that would be very bad and unwise. 00:09:59.745 --> 00:10:03.688 To be fair, they warn explicitly against this on the device itself 00:10:03.688 --> 00:10:08.542 and they’ve left the rated wattage at 200 watts for each outlet. 00:10:08.542 --> 00:10:11.831 The relays they used are rated to handle 15 amps 00:10:11.831 --> 00:10:16.077 but this little fuse here, which I think is 4 amp but the label’s kinda hard to see, 00:10:16.077 --> 00:10:19.587 will put a stop to any funny business should you try it. 00:10:19.587 --> 00:10:27.580 Honestly I think the clapper is pretty much only useful for controlling lights and the other use cases are pretty contrived. 00:10:27.580 --> 00:10:30.697 And apparently the makers now agree: 00:10:30.697 --> 00:10:34.680 the modern version no longer suggests a television would be a good fit 00:10:34.680 --> 00:10:37.232 (plus of course we don’t use TVs like we used to) 00:10:37.232 --> 00:10:41.176 and instead sticks to lights and Christmas lights. 00:10:41.176 --> 00:10:46.431 But at least now you can control any kind of light like LEDs driven by a power supply 00:10:46.431 --> 00:10:51.837 without worrying about damage being caused by triacs letting noisy power through. 00:10:51.837 --> 00:10:53.671 And that’s The Clapper. 00:10:53.671 --> 00:10:55.001 Is it useful? 00:10:55.001 --> 00:10:56.051 Maybe. 00:10:56.051 --> 00:10:57.507 Is it a gimmick? 00:10:57.507 --> 00:10:58.366 Maybe. 00:10:58.366 --> 00:11:00.385 Does it work well? 00:11:00.385 --> 00:11:01.036 Maybe. 00:11:01.036 --> 00:11:02.259 Is it iconic? 00:11:02.259 --> 00:11:03.209 You betcha. 00:11:03.209 --> 00:11:05.320 That much I know for sure. 00:11:05.320 --> 00:11:08.159 They are still for sale should you decide to get your hands on one, 00:11:08.159 --> 00:11:12.588 but to be honest this one has been sitting in a box for years. 00:11:12.588 --> 00:11:16.125 They’re fun for a while but the novelty tends to wear off. 00:11:16.125 --> 00:11:19.646 But hey, maybe if you get one and buy a nice lamp for it, 00:11:19.646 --> 00:11:23.998 you’ll finally be convinced of the value of switched electrical outlets. 00:11:23.998 --> 00:11:31.422 But not, like, the British or Australian kind where there’s a switch on the outlet itself to make sure the electrons don’t leak out or whatever the heck. 00:11:31.422 --> 00:11:33.062 Those are silly and redundant. 00:11:33.062 --> 00:11:34.059 Fight me. 00:11:34.059 --> 00:11:34.632 Kay bye! 00:11:35.469 --> 00:11:38.074 ♫ aggressively smooth jazz ♫ 00:11:40.101 --> 00:11:43.823 …by Joseph Enterprises, who also brought such classics to market - 00:11:43.823 --> 00:11:45.620 I forgot to get all the stuff ready! 00:11:45.620 --> 00:11:47.453 [a sing-songy throat clear] 00:11:47.453 --> 00:11:50.173 …and who knows how many servers. 00:11:50.173 --> 00:11:51.233 Ep- nope! 00:11:51.233 --> 00:11:55.577 …which will turn on the lights for a brief durATion whenever it detects any noise. 00:11:55.577 --> 00:11:58.400 I said duration pretty weirdly there. Too bad! 00:11:58.400 --> 00:12:03.597 That can be useful for, say, turning on a lamp as you enter your home. 00:12:03.597 --> 00:12:10.108 Or perhaps possibly deterring theft if the would-be burglar is fooled into thinking someone just so happened to hern… 00:12:11.691 --> 00:12:14.696 haa, well, two flubs in a row. 00:12:16.224 --> 00:12:18.766 And apparently the makers agree. 00:12:18.766 --> 00:12:21.137 The ma-- I forgot the box. 00:12:22.901 --> 00:12:23.401 [inhales] 00:12:24.739 --> 00:12:26.033 What a fakeout. 00:12:28.653 --> 00:12:30.875 I still can't quite get over that new logo. 00:12:30.875 --> 00:12:33.607 Like, I think it's supposed to be an artist's palette, which I could get behind, 00:12:33.607 --> 00:12:35.992 but they need the little grabby hole there to make it more obvious. 00:12:35.992 --> 00:12:38.803 Plus then it would look more like a P! 00:12:38.803 --> 00:12:40.626 What a missed opportunity.