Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[MulletGator]

Our kids are home alot over the summer.  They have a 90 minute limit on computer time but we are having a tough time enforcing it.  I'm thinking of plugging the PC monitors into an X10 controller (leaving the computers plugged in) and making them log into a laptop (with no games or internet access) to turn on their monitors with a password of some kind.  For example, kid 1 types in a password and turns on monitor 1...the program keeps track of the time until kid 1 logs off and turns off monitor if they pass 90 minutes.

I'm pretty good at VB6 (haven't tried VB express yet), so the timing and UI I can do without a problem.  This seems like it should be easy, will it be?

Has anyone done anything similar?

[Knightrider]

Mullet,
 
Not sure that x10 is the way to go here.  They're making our kids smarter and smarter these days.  I use to put my kids's TVs on appliance modules, until they realized that they could just unplug the TV from the module and plug it directly into the wall.   

I'll bet there is a way to write a VB6 app that will limit log on time to the PC directly.  That way, each child will have his or her own daily allowance of computer time, and they will set up a prison-like heirachy whereby they trade computer time for each other's chores and deserts. 

Man, I do love Summer!!!

[MulletGator]

I'll look into the direct VB control as well...

In terms of plugging directly into the wall, I did see some X10 modules that replace the wall socket all together.  I don't see them on the active home website, but would another companies X10 units still work with the SDK?

[Knightrider]

I'll look into the direct VB control as well...

In terms of plugging directly into the wall, I did see some X10 modules that replace the wall socket all together.  I don't see them on the active home website, but would another companies X10 units still work with the SDK?

As long as they are X10 compatible, yes.  X10 can refer to both the company and the signal protocol.  Some of those X10 outlets only control one socket in the duplex, so make sure you have control of both sockets before buying.

Brian H knows much about these units. Maybe he could chime in.