alt Hacker NewsShow HN: Free noise evidence generator for tenant complaints
I built a free, no-registration noise evidence generator for tenant noise complaints.
Features: - Supports 27 US cities with accurate noise ordinances - Real-time recording + professional court-ready PDF reports - 100% local processing (no data upload, privacy-first) - Auto day/night noise limit detection - Completely free (10 PDF generations/day)
Why: As a tenant dealing with noise issues, I was frustrated that existing tools either required subscriptions or uploaded data to servers. This tool is: - Totally free, no hidden costs - No registration or installation required - All processing happens locally on your device
Website: https://noiseevidence.com
Feedback welcome!
Comments
If I may give constructing feedback then, "noise evidence generator" sounds like you're creating fake noise proof to fool courts. The name needs to be revised.
"recorder" might feel less like it's inventing things.
More justification for my mortgage for my well-insulated, single family home with air and distance from my neighbors. Me and my subwoofers escape litigation facilitated by this SaaS.
How do we know microphones on different devices are calibrated to record the same power readings? Do you have court-ready documents to show this?
Congratulations on building a nice-looking app that addresses a legitimate need.
I'd like to see some proof that this is able to accurately measure noise level across a range of devices. The CDC have a sound meter app [1] which has been tested to 2db accuracy, and they only make that available on specific Apple devices because calculating noise level depends on the hardware.
I'm sorry to ask, but I'm seeing many cases of AI apps making accuracy claims based on the author’s ‘reasonableness spot checks’ but with no statistical testing that the outputs are accurate.
The NIOSH app on my iPhone matches the calibrated meter I have so it’s feasible. However the app has the appearance of vibecoding. The proof of the pudding is in the eating so that doesn’t matter if it works. Have you tried using it?
How do you calibrate?
I mean, the sensitivity of the microphones varies a lot.
Legal proof needs a metrological chain of trust.
I'm guessing you vibe-coded this and let the model hallucinate the decibel thresholds? I randomly googled a couple (Philly and Fort Worth) and the limits shown in the UI don't match up with any law I could find. Philly doesn't have a specific decibel threshold (the law is based on decibels above standard background noise) and Fort Worth's is 70 / 60, not 60 / 55, with higher limits in non-residential areas.
So it's safe to assume that most of the other limits hardcoded in the tool are wrong as well. Pretty irresponsible to release this without even taking the few minutes to research the laws yourself.
A few more concerning claims:
- "US One-Party Consent": This is not a thing, it varies by jurisdiction. Many states are two-party consent.
- "Standards database updated quarterly from public records": It would not appear that way!
- "Not Legal Advice": You are giving legal advice, and it's incorrect.