All posts by mmillmor

Power Controller

Power Controller

Power Controller allows you to control all of your Z-Wave, Bye Bye Standby and Domia devices from your mobile phone.

  • Add a list of devices, and just click on them to turn them on and off.
  • Add a list of zones to group your devices by room or region in your home
  • Add widgets to your desktop to control your devices and to see which ones are on and off at any one time
  • Turn all devices off at once
  • Integrates with PowerControllerMCE to import all of your devices without re-typing (requires version 2.0 or later)
  • Integrates with PowerControllerMCE to display the status of all of your devices, no matter how they are controller – remote, PC, or this application (requires version 2.0 or later)

If you have a phone running Android 2.2 or later, you can also get PowerControllerMCE or PowerControllerWHS to use Google’s Cloud Messaging to send you instant updates of device status changes (without this, your phone will poll your PC every minute when on wifi to find out device status, so cloud messaging is a faster way of getting updates). Cloud messaging requires you to have a google account set up on your phone too.

Requirements

BBSB

To make use of this, you need to have one or more Bye Bye Standby plug sockets, and the Bye Bye Standby Controller. If you are looking to buy some, Nigel at the Smart Green Shop has been very helpful sourcing different items for me, and has the best price I have seen on the Online Controller. If you want some plug sockets, the best price I have found is online at Currys at £19.99 for three, plus you can get 3% cashback on that at TopCashback, and pick them up in store for instant gratification too!

Z-Wave

Z-Wave integration requires a USB Z-Wave controller, such as the Aeon Labs USB controller. That must be plugged in to a PC that is always on – typically a media center PC or a home server. That PC must be running the free companion software to control the devices.

How to get it

Android app on Google Play

Court Search

Court Search

Court Search is a fantastic new App for your mobile phone or tablet, which gives you access to details of every court in England and Wales. Just choose the court name to get it’s full details;

  • full address and postcode
  • Map view
  • Driving Direction
  • Nearby parking
  • Opening Hours
  • Contact names, phone numbers
  • Court e-mail addresses
  • Crown Court case details (live from XHIBIT)
  • Daily lists for the High Court and above
  • Daily lists for tribunals

An invaluable application for any Barrister, Solicitor or Legal Executive to have on their phone. Available now to download from the Android Market, Apple app store or BlackBerry World.

How to get it

Android app on Google Play Court Search on iTunes 

This app uses data under the Open Government Licence with data from HMCS.

Spinner

Spinner

 

Got a board game that needs a spinner? Lost the spinner, or just want something more high tech? This spinner will go round and round and then randomly stop in any segment. Ideal for your favourite board games or for spin the bottle.

Select any number of spinner segments from 2 to 24 to match your board game. Enter custom text (e.g. person names, actions, anything you like). Show no numbers at all if you want. Then shake or click to make it spin.

How to get it

Android app on Google Play 

Android Spinner App

I have just created my first android app, Spinner. Why? Playing board games with my son, and the damn spinner wouldn't spin. Decided to make my own software version. It's free (with ads), so if you have an android phone why not give it a go. Here's the QR code;

MCE LoveFilm Upgrade

How to upgrade your license to cover multiple computers

If you have already purchased a license and you want to enable it for use on multiple computers, you can upgrade your license here.

NOTE, you must have already purchased a license for this to work. You cannot buy a license from this web page.

Upgrade Type

Once you have completed the upgrade, you can apply your license file to one other computer for the 1PC to 2PC upgrade, or to multiple computers in your household for the 1 PC to household option.

MCE LoveFilm Versions

MCE LoveFilm is available as either a free version which has access to basic LoveFilm controls, or a premium version which has access to all features.

  Free Premium
Browse Films By Genre Yes Yes
Search For Films By Name Yes Yes
View Rental List Yes Yes
View Current Films At Home Yes Yes
Add Films To Rental List Yes Yes
Watch Films Online No Yes
Watch Trailers Yes  Yes
Remove Films From Rental List No Yes
Browse more than 25 films in a list No Yes
Local Favourites Yes Yes
Online Favourites No Yes
Cost Free £9.99

When you attempt to use a premium feature in the application, you will be prompted to upgrade within the application. You can purchase the upgrade quickly and easily through paypal, either by credit card or with a paypal account. Once you have completed the purchase, simply return to MCE LoveFilm and click the button to complete the upgrade. Your license key will automatically be installed.

 

How to buy a license

To buy an MCE LoveFilm license, you must purchase the license from within the application by either going to the Settings page, or attempting to use a premium feature. This will then take you to a paypal checkout to pay for your license, and automatically enable it on the PC you are using

How to upgrade to multiple computers

If you have already purchased a license and you want to enable it for use on multiple computers, send an e-mail to sales@milliesoft.co.uk for instructions.

MCE LoveFilm

IMPORTANT NOTICE

Unfortunately Amazon have changed the way videos are played, and we can no longer work with it. MCELoveFilm no longer works. Thanks for your support over the years though. Martin.

LoveFilm for Media Center allows you to watch streaming movies from Amazon Prime Instant Video, list, all from your Media Center PC. It is compatible with amazon.com, amazon.co.uk and amazon.de*.

Windows 8 – MCE LoveFilm is compatible with both Windows 7 and Windows 8. If you are upgrading to Windows 8, you can use your original MCELoveFilm license which was e-mailed to you when you purchased your license. Don’t forget to upgrade Silverlight in Internet Explorer before playing videos.

 

Thanks to Matt Matthias who came up with the excellent screen designs.

Continue reading MCE LoveFilm

Major new version of TunerFreeMCE

A major new version of TunerFreeMCE has just been launched. It includes a huge number of new features that people have been asking for;

 

  • A new popup screen for managing the TV programs, allowing you to play the program, set a timer recording to record other showings of the program if you have a TV tuner configured, and if the program supports it you can add it to a playlist or download it (the last two work for BBC WMV programs, but not flash).
  • When playing flash content, sometimes the mouse didn't click in the right place. Now you can mode the cursor round the screen with the remote by pressing the cursor keys, and OK to click. This allows you to play even the most troublesome programs.
  • The interface is now touchscreen enabled, so if you have a touchscreen media center you can easily navigate through the screens.
  • Plugins are now directly available within the application. When you go to preferences you will see a list of plugins. When you pick one, the system will take care of installing and updating it to keep you up to date with your favourite content.
  • MSN has been removed. This is because there is now a native media center app to support MSN.
  • Improved memory management – only one instance of TunerFreeMCE will be active at any one time

 

 

This new version of TunerFreeMCE is for Windows 7 only. The reason is that Vista Media Center doesn't support some of the code that I needed to make these improvements happen. Before making this choice I did look at the number of existing TunerFreeMCE users who are still using Vista (when the system checks for new versions, it sends the OS version so that we know what file to send). Those statistics show that just over two thirds of active TunerFreeMCE installations are already using Windows 7, so this update is applicable to the vast majority of users. For the third of users still on Vista, it's important to remember that while you don't get these latest features, TunerFreeMCE will keep working, and you can keep watching all your favourite programs streamed straight to your media center.

My Media Center integrates with TunerFreeMCE

A new version of My Media Center has been released today which completes the full set of content for Media Center by integrating TunerFreeMCE content along with the existing Recorded TV, Video and DVD content. My Media Center now allows you to watch all of your content in one single place, without having to worry about where it comes from. The addition of TunerFreeMCE content also allows you to control exactly which streaming content your kids can access.

 

Download version 2 now for this great integration.