Smart Home | tig.log

MCEC 3.0: Eyes and Hands for Agents on Windows

July 10, 2026 by tig

The Model Context Environment Controller is eyes, hands, and a safe front door for agents on Windows; and the same battle-tested remote control for smart-home systems.

Interview with Authority Mag: Homes Of The Future

January 30, 2021October 6, 2020 by tig

Jason Hartman recently interviewed me for Authority Magazine. Check it out. Homes Of The Future: “The Future Of Smart Homes” With Charlie Kindel of SnapAV Some quotes: One of the things that really motivates and drives … Read more

Smart Home + PC = Better Working from Home

March 25, 2020 by tig

Since the dawn of time I’ve considered the PC (and related devices like Macs, printers, etc…) to be part of my smart home. For some reason, most traditional smart home offerings have treated PCs et.al. as … Read more

MCE Controller V2 Released

January 30, 2021October 8, 2019 by tig

I spent some time the last few weekends hacking on a product I first developed in 2004: MCE Controller. MCE Controller lets you control a Windows Home Theater PC (or any PC) over the network. It runs … Read more

I’m Betting on Control4

February 5, 2020August 2, 2018 by tig

Previously I blogged about revamping the home control and entertainment system in my home. I decided to go with Control4. I mean REALLY go with Control4. First, I’ve been having a professional premium smart home installer … Read more

Concierge Home Technology

July 10, 2018May 24, 2018 by tig

I had written the following in my blog post announcing my departure from Amazon: I am hiring a CEDIA-level installer to completely refit my home automation system and I will project manage that. A few weeks … Read more

Goodbye GitHub: MCE Controller now on CodePlex

February 5, 2020January 1, 2013 by tig

I love git. I love GitHub. But GitHub doesn’t seem to appreciate open source projects that require hosting more than source code. MCE Controller is an open source Windows app intended to be used by non-developers. … Read more

MCE Controller 1.7 Released – Now Supports RS-232

February 5, 2020December 19, 2012 by tig

By popular demand (shocking, I know), MCE Controller now supports RS-232 in addition to TCP/IP connections. This means that you can now control any Windows PC via the serial port. MCE Controller is an open source … Read more

MCE Controller 1.5.0 Released–Send Unicode chars

February 5, 2020March 27, 2012 by tig

MCE Controller allows you to remotely control another Windows PC on your network. For example it allows you to simulate a press of any button on the Windows Media Center IR remote control from another computer; … Read more

Control Your HTPC Via The Network

February 5, 2020January 3, 2012 by tig

[UPDATED: Feb 11, 2012 – Version 1.4.0 Released] MCE Controller enables the remote control of a Windows PC over the network. It runs in the background on a Windows PC listening on the network for commands. … Read more

MCE Controller supports the Windows key

February 5, 2020October 5, 2011 by tig

MCE Controller, allows you to simulate a press of any button on the Windows Media Center IR remote control by sending a text command to a TCP/IP port on your Media Center computer. For example if … Read more

Windows Home Server makes for a happy family

August 21, 2026June 17, 2009 by tig

Once again the most amazing consumer product Microsoft has ever created, Windows Home Server, has saved my family [disclaimer]. [disclaimer: I drove the Windows Home Server concept and product development; so I’m very biased] Today I … Read more

The Wicked Witch Is Dead!

February 5, 2020July 21, 2008 by tig

From the Windows Home Server Team Blog: The team is pleased to announce that Windows Home Server Power Pack 1 has been released to manufacturing (RTM) and is now available on the Microsoft Download Center! This … Read more

Windows Home Server is actually useful!

February 5, 2020December 1, 2007 by tig

Today, instead of being the GM for Windows Home Server, I was simply a user… For the last two weeks my wife has been giving me the gears because the voicemail attachements from Vonage refused to … Read more

Book Review: Queen of Candesce: Book Two of Virga

February 5, 2020October 29, 2007 by tig

Late last year I “discovered” Karl Schroeder when I read Sun of Suns: Book One of Virga. Recently he released the 2nd book of this series titled Queen of Candesce: Book Two of Virga and I … Read more

The connections are eerie

February 5, 2020September 25, 2007 by tig

Via my regular browsing of blog searches for Windows Home Server related stuff I came across this poor guy’s extremely sad story of data loss. http://adams-allegory.blogspot.com/2007/09/weve-lost-everything.html First connection: He should have had a Windows Home Server. … Read more