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Continue reading →: Getting (other) applications to work with mControl
Some applications that I have mControl run via macro work just fine using the “Run App” without modification. However, there are others that just won’t run, most likely an issue related to permissions/security settings within Windows 7. A perfect example is a command-line program I use for text-to-speech. It works…
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Continue reading →: Additional mControl Enhancements (using macros with Run Application)
mControl provides the ability to run third-party applications via macro triggers. I’ve enabled text notifications to my phone using Growl, growlnotify, and Prowl. In addition, the system can speak text notifications or play a song in iTunes. I hope to provide additional details regarding how these were implemented in the…
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Continue reading →: ActiveHome Pro re-install messed up mControl (temporarily)
Even though I’m using mControl for home automation I re-installed ActiveHome Pro to tinker with accessing particular modules that are not yet supported by mControl. What I did not know was that during the re-install the X10 software updated the CM15A interface and changed the monitored house code. This effectively…
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Continue reading →: Home Automation with mControl
I’ve been implementing home automation using X10 products off-and-on for almost a year, since we moved into our house. Initially, I used the ActiveHome Pro software from X10. However, I had major problems with getting it to handle conditions and flags properly. Eventually, I purchased another product called mControl (by…
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Continue reading →: X10 Slimline Switches (Part 2)
I got tired of moving two remotes around between a few rooms so I added several X10 Slimline Wall Switches. The annoying thing about these switches is that only the first button can be directly programmed to a specific House/Unit code. The next two automatically increment the unit number based…
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Continue reading →: Sending DirecTV to Two Televisions (Part 3)
Updated 05/25/2011: Save yourself time, money, and frustration by checking out my latest solution. The new hardware arrived. Yesterday afternoon I ran two CAT5E cables under the house from the living room to the bedroom, which replaces the coax that I was using to send audio and video from our…
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Continue reading →: X10 Slimline Wall Switches
I found a deal on the X10.com Website in which I could buy seven slimline wall switches for $20. They arrived today and I plan to install them this afternoon. I’ve discovered one con to these devices – only the first button can be assigned to a specific House/Unit code.…
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Continue reading →: Home Automation
Over the past year I’ve been implementing home automation using X10 modules and a Windows-based desktop system acting as a server. Eventually, I may move on to Insteon devices but for now the X10 is working fine. Initially, I was using the software that came bundled with the CM15A. However,…
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Continue reading →: Apple programs not talking to each other on a new Mac? (iMovie to iDVD)
In this case we had a problem with iMove not sending videos to iDVD on a new MacBook Pro. My wife struggled for a while trying to figure out the problem and so did I. Then, I realized the problem was one that I had created. For my wife’s birthday…
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Continue reading →: Sending DirecTV to Two Televisions (Part 2)
Updated 05/25/2011: Save yourself time, money, and frustration by checking out my latest solution. Earlier this week I finally ordered the components I need to upgrade the connection from the DirecTV DVR to the bedroom television. In a previous post I described how I was sending the signal in SD…
Hello,
I’m Mike
Welcome to my blog, which I have maintained for several years, off and on, to share things that I’ve learned from numerous projects and various problem solving escapades. This is my way of giving something back to the online communities that have helped me learn more about a wide variety of topics.
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