Can U teach an old fart new thermostat tricks?

[asegal0000]

I live on fixed income and am disabled. My current thermostat doesn't work very well. I would like a way to control the A/C (I never use the Heat Pump) to make it warmer or cooler a few degrees at a time from a computer inside the house (I have Firecracker, transceiver, etc) So I don't have to get up to adjust the thermostat, and see how it reacts just to get up again and readjust (for those that remember trying to get the
volume right on the TV by actually turning a knob on the TV itself, and guessing how loud it would be when you got back to the easy chair).

I don't want to spend a ton of money, and was wondering if anyone was aware of an inexpensive (OK, CHEAP) TStat that can be controlled remotely.

Many thanks in advance!

[darren1959]

I guess the answer is no?

[dbemowsk]

X10 makes a device called a thermostat setback controller.  It is not actually a controllable thermostat.  It is a device that would mount below your thermostat that gives off a little bit of heat to fool the thermostat into thinking that it is warmer than it actually is.  I have never used one, so I cannot vouch for weather it works or not and how well if it does.  The unit costs $20 bucks from X10. 

I myself have a computer controllable thermostat where I can actually control my furnace and AC and set the temp in the house, but I paid $60 for it on ebay.  The one I have is not manufactured any more, but the company is RCS and they make a newer version.  IF you keep an eye on ebay you may be able to find something under $100, but they are not easy to find at that price.  Normally they go for between $100 and $200 on ebay.

For $20 bucks though, it might be worth checking the X10 setback controller.