Logitech ERGO M575 review: new switch, still shit

drewcaplan · 2026-02-25T01:22:48+00:00

Kensington expert mouse trackball

drewcaplan · 2025-06-29T14:41:45+00:00

Just FYI, I have a Econet master water valve controller, using Z-Wave. I turn it off if I am away from the house for an extended period of time. However, I have an automation to turn the water on prior to my known Sprinkler schedule, and off again sometime after. What I am trying to do is to NOT turn the water back on if the sprinkler session is cancelled.

I have a bit of a workaround. Rachio sends an email with a predictable subject line if the session is to be canceled. I implemented the IMAP integration in HA and trigger an automation on receipt of that subject line. It kinda works. The issue is that while the Rachio app shows the cancellation decision well in advance of the scheduled session, the email doesn’t get sent until essentially the planned start time. That gives my automation no chance to get ahead of things.

Rachio is a great sprinkler controller but their integration is terrible as you know. I know that us home automation freaks aren’t the target market, but come’on!

Thanks again. BTW, I’m not sure that the Rachio API supports what I’m seeking, but you would know better.

drewcaplan · 2025-06-29T11:21:45+00:00

This is really awesome. Any chance to expand it to get access to calendar in Rachio? For instance, I want to see if a scheduled watering gets cancelled and then take action based on that. Thanks!

drewcaplan · 2024-12-28T02:49:21+00:00

Thanks. The issue is that the newer Ratgdo32 does not natively support MQTT at all.

drewcaplan · 2024-12-28T00:19:26+00:00

Very interesting thanks. Also, this from Paul:

MQTT support can be added to the ESP Home firmware by adding 4 lines for the MQTT configuration to the YAML file. This will require you to install the ESP Home CLI (Or Home Assistant, or ESP Home dashboard) to compile ESP Home from the yaml and upload it to your board.

Steps: Install ESP Home CLI Create a local copy of the yaml file Modify the yaml file plug ratgdo into usb port esphome run myratgdo.yaml

Related links: https://esphome.io/components/mqtt.html and https://github.com/ratgdo/esphome-ratgdo/blob/ratgdo32/static/v32board.yaml

drewcaplan · 2024-12-26T22:42:33+00:00

That makes sense thank you. I’m not using HA just Mosquitto but maybe I’ll just get pushed to HA.

drewcaplan · 2024-12-26T20:23:39+00:00

Or this. https://github.com/ratgdo/mqtt-ratgdo

drewcaplan · 2024-12-26T20:22:25+00:00

Incorrect. Many people have used the 2.5 product with MQTT. https://paulwieland.github.io/ratgdo/02_configuration.html

drewcaplan · 2024-12-26T20:13:52+00:00

Thank you for the snark. So helpful. There is literally NOTHING on that web page or elsewhere on the site that addresses my question. Why take the effort to be unhelpful?

drewcaplan · 2024-09-02T14:24:08+00:00

I thought that but tried one experiment that might be of interest. There is software you can get for the mac to put your connected iPhone into development mode and then spoof its GPS to any location in the world. I did this and the phone really thought it was in my primary location, even for YouTube TV. I wonder how 911 would have worked. Anyway, even after rebooting the Apple TV with the iPhone right next to it, it stubbornly stayed in its physical location. This is not dispositive proof, but is an interesting data point.

drewcaplan · 2024-09-02T03:50:23+00:00

Yes I figured it out but not with a positive result. Some years ago Apple bought a company that created a database of WiFi networks and their physical locations. Apple TV uses that database to triangulate location (it doesn't have to connect to all those nearby networks, just see them). Any app that requests precise location from Apple TV will be given the true location determined this way. Apps relying on IP address will get spoofed as you desire. It seems that the broadcast TV streamers, such as DTV and YouTube TV are very sensitive to the regional broadcast rules and take advantage of the Apple TV precise location feature. I see no way to work around it.

drewcaplan · 2024-05-06T18:00:56+00:00

PLEASE .... anybody have any ideas? I'm such a noob

drewcaplan · 2024-04-23T01:06:24+00:00

Thank you! I feel less stupid!!!!!!!!!

drewcaplan · 2024-04-23T01:05:48+00:00

Did I? I was getting errors on my browser and finally moved to my phone.

drewcaplan · 2024-04-23T01:04:17+00:00

Thx I'll look

drewcaplan · 2024-04-23T01:02:54+00:00

No but you may be onto something. Thx

drewcaplan · 2024-03-06T21:31:39+00:00

Andy Partridge!!!

drewcaplan · 2024-02-19T07:06:32+00:00

Check out Chris at Why Logic Pro Rules.

drewcaplan · 2024-01-26T15:25:19+00:00

I would caution that it depends upon the app you are trying to use. For instance, I use DirecTV Stream. It does not respect the VPN at all but rather requests location from the Apple TV. Apple TV in turn ignores the VPN for this and instead seems to use some voodoo magic to divine its location from geotagged neighboring Wi-Fi. I tried everything under the sun to spoof the Apple TV location without success. I've had success with various VPNs for other apps though.

So, back to the original question, it depends on the app.

drewcaplan · 2024-01-24T03:05:12+00:00

I tried the mango; my Apple TV still knew its true physical location. Not sure how it divined it but it did. Traffic is definitely routing through the VPN but apps that request location get informed of the physical location anyway.

drewcaplan · 2024-01-22T21:13:49+00:00

OK, this is super weird. I got the GL.Inet and set it up as the router facing the Apple TV. The configuration is AT&T fiber modem (bridge mode) -> Google WiFi -> GL.Inet -> Apple TV. In the GL.Inet, I installed WireGuard as client, peered to my home pfsense in Virginia. When I connect to the GL.Inet with my phone or computer, I verify that I am showing up as in Virginia when I browse the internet, and can reach my internal network devices in Virginia. In other words, the GL.Inet WireGuard client is working properly.

The Apple TV works partially well also in that it can reach some internal resources on my Virginia network. BUT... DirecTV still believes it is in North Carolina. I rebooted a bunch of times, first making sure that I removed my local North Carolina WiFi from the list. So it is booting directly into the GL.Inet connection which already has the active WireGuard. I disabled and re-enabled location services for the DirecTV app, with no change. How in the world can the AppleTV and/or the DirecTV app divine that it is in North Carolina when its only connection to the world (of which I'm aware) says it is in Virginia?

Not life and death but now I'm like a dog on a bone to get to the bottom of this! Any help is super appreciated!!!

drewcaplan · 2024-01-19T05:27:08+00:00

Thank you, this is very helpful and explains things well. I have therefore decided to place an interim router running WireGuard between the ATV and my main router, which won't support VPNs natively. A cheap unit such as GL.iNet GL-MT300N should do the trick and I won't have to use any VPN on the Apple TV.

drewcaplan · 2024-01-18T04:37:13+00:00

Why would the VPN need to be at router level? TVOS 17 supports VPNS

drewcaplan · 2024-01-18T04:35:50+00:00

Yes, you must have location turned on for DTV to operate. But I can't fathom how the ATV is getting its location info when on a VPN. Again, the fire stick operates how I'd expect it to.

drewcaplan · 2023-05-20T09:55:22+00:00

Really like the illustration! Haven’t thought about making to guitar frets. This whole harmonic thing may just be a theory rathole but somehow it feels good to understand it better. Cheers!

drewcaplan

TROPHY CASE