HomeToys Tips & Tricks
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Home Tech Innovations Contest - To enter, just fill in the form with your tip, trick or idea on the topic for the contest. Include photos and diagrams to enhance your entry. Reader votes will determine the winner so you are out to impress them. Voting will stay open for two weeks after the closing date and then the prize will be awarded.
Way Back - Tips & Tricks Contest Archive Index
The Tips & Tricks Archive is a compilation of the best entries in the HomeToys Tips and Tricks Contest.
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Tips & Tricks Archive
Warning - Alterations to electrical equipment is not recommended unless carried out by qualified personnel. HomeToys does not accept any responsibility for the safety of the ideas presented herein.
- Denotes Winning Entries
Miscellaneous Contributions
X-10 Jammer! - Stephen Buol
X10 Wants - Don Kleppinger
Using X10 to Control CD Player - Mark Elzinga
2002 Contest Entries
May 2002
Entry 1 - Zoomkat's "El Cheapo" video/audio webcam switcher
Entry 2 - Wire Gauge Caution
Entry 3 - Speaker Mounting Options Flexibility
Entry 4 - Automation of HomeAccent Lighting
Entry 5 - Remote X-cam to see the other side of the wall
March 2002
Entry 1 - Self sufficient xcam
Entry 2 - The cheapest 16 digitals INPUTs card
Entry 3 - Whole House Audio for WELL Under $50
Entry 4 - Coordinating X10 Switches With Home Automation Systems
Entry 5 - Mailbox sensor out of wireless doorbell
Entry 6 - Laundry Room Washer & Dryer Automation
Entry 7 - Improving the X10 signal at low to no additional cost
Entry 8 - Bedside
Atomic Clock
January 2002
Entry 1 - Voice Recognition Thermostat
Entry 2 - Homeseer watchdog timer using Ocelot
Entry 3 - Home Networking "Future Proofing"
1999 Contest Entries
December 1999
Adding
a watchdog timer to the Lynx10 Kit
Hawkeye for Temperature Control
Holiday and Front Lights Controller
September 1999
August 1999
Use Appliance Module as In-line Module
June 1999
Double Devices on RF Transceiver
Appliance Module to Control Heater
Using Palm Pads to Control Winamp or DVD Player
FM Wireless Intercoms on Phone Lines
April 1999
Getting around limitations of "ALL ON" and "ALL OFF"
February 1999
Save Hot Water - Heating Energy Use
Easy on the eyes ramping lamps
1997 Contest Entries
December 1997
Final Word on "Is my garage door closed"
THE ENTER BUTTON (AUTOMATIC FRONT DOOR OPENER)
Outdoor Christmas Light Control
October 1997
Advanced Healthy Lighting Techniques for Arboretum/Solarium
'High Line' X-10 features using inexpensive controllers!
August 1997
Ultimate Garage Door Automation
Add dimming control to a Keychain Remote
June 1997
I Know the Doors are Closed, but Are They Locked...?
Detecting If Someone Has Approached Your Home
April 1997
February 1997
2000 Contest Entries
June 2000
Entry 1 - Automating Draw Curtains
Entry 2 - Secure X-10 Without Extra Hardware
Entry 3 - Convenient remote tuning of automated sprinklers.
Entry 4 - Make a Switched Outlet control X-10 devices
Entry 5 - Control Multiple House Codes With Palm Pad
April 2000
Entry 1 - Bedroom Assistant
Entry 2 - Automatic Dog Door
Entry 3 - Broken, but not worthless
Entry 4 - Remote Controlled Church
Entry 5 - Using Active Home and X10 parts in the nursery.
Entry 6 - Entry andExit Notification
Entry 7 - Across-the-room Infrared control
Entry 8 - Easy Call Forwarding And Other HA Phone Line Tricks.
Entry 9 - Cheap Two Zone IR Output
Entry 10 - Alarm System Status
Entry 11 - Turn an old Mac into a dedicated Home Automation controller & defeat the memory limits of Activehome.
Entry 12 - How to end sleepless nights when you have a new baby
Entry 13 - You Got Mail!
Entry 14 - Automate your sprinklers
Entry 15 - Automate your computers MP3 playback, or any other function, without RS-232, from your intelligent controller
Entry 16 - Adding NIC Cables in finished house
Entry 17 - RF to IR to X10 control
Entry 18 - Smart Electric Strike Timer
Entry 19 - X-10 troubleshooting tip
Entry 20 - Little Tykes
Entry 21 - Cheap Talk - An X-10 Controlled Speech and Sound Player
Entry 22 - Accurate X-10 Thermostats
Entry 23 - X-10 Trigger
Entry 24 - Change House/Unit Code without screwdriver
Entry 25 - Use your X-10 remote to have your Mac read the weather
Entry 26 - CPU-XA activated miniblinds
February 2000
Double the functionality of the Key-chain Remote!
TSpaces include Java, Palm Pilot & X10 support
An even easier way to run wires and cables through heating ducts
1998 Contest Entries
December 1998
Keep Alive Signal to the CM11A
Automated Window Air Conditioners
Triple the range of the X10 wireless remote.
Activehome with Conditional Control
Christmas Automation at the
Dome House
Doorbell and Intercom connection
October 1998
High Water Level / Power Failure Alarm
Auto Control of your Window Air Conditioner
August 1998
Inexpensive Way to Monitor X10 State Changes
Automated Severe Weather Alert
Drip irrigation - Home automation that pays for itself
Inexpensive Automatic Lawn Sprinkler
False Trigger resistant outdoor motion sensor
Rain, rain, go away, come again some other day!!
Automatic call for WATER DELIVERY…
Modifications for the MS-12A Occupancy Sensor/Motion Detector
June 1998
Trouble Shooting with your ears
Recording Radio Shows/Programs
How to arm/disarm your X-10 alarm system using standard X-10 codes.
April 1998
Open Garage Door Detector and Remote Closer
R511 motion sensor floodlight 24 hour motion sensing and Christmas light controls
February 1998
Salt Water Aquarium Automation
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