[mplewis]

This safety device is useful because other methods of closing the garage door require physical proximity, i.e. the wired button, the remote in your car. These operators are necessarily close enough to the door to see if it is clear.

But if you close the garage door over wifi, the user closing the door could be anywhere. This user may not be able to see the door or warn people nearby that it is closing.

I own a Tailwind device which implements this safety feature.

[DannyBee]

Err, no. The buttons are not wired anymore. All buttons are battery powered remotes, even wall pads. This is how it's done now - the manufacturer does not ship any hardwired buttons for these models (Genie 6170)

Not sure why everyone keeps making assertions about the setup instead of asking questions. First claims that it's a line of sight safety device (which is wrong), now weird claims about physical proximity (which are also wrong).

Zero of the manufacturer shipped mechanisms to open or close these require physical proximity. Someone can open the door while i am in there using the remote, etc. It works fine from 300 feet away, and in fact, it's quite common for it to be opened or closed while someone is 150ft away at the bottom of the driveway.

We also had a wall pad in the house that triggers the garage, also (it's no longer needed but we started with one).

Wifi is no better or worse here - So i still maintain having a device that does not trigger all the time, despite lack of physical proximity, but instead based on whether it's FSK or wifi, is confusing and pointless

It's also more unsafe.

[waste_monk]

But it would cost nothing to also have the light activate on all occasions when the door is actuated. Someone who is hard of hearing may be physically present but unaware that the door is being operated.

It seems strange to not at least have the option to choose if you want the light to operate in such cases. The manufacturers have gone out of their way to reduce safety.