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Controlling Philips Hue with Fibaro Home Center Lite via Node-RED Raw TCP

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If you have a home automation setup running on a Fibaro Home Center Lite (HCL) controller, you may have run into a common limitation: native integration with modern smart lighting systems like Philips Hue can be tricky. While full Fibaro gateways (like the HC2 or HC3) support LUA scripting to make direct HTTP API requests, the HCL relies exclusively on Virtual Device buttons sending raw TCP strings across local sockets. By using Node-RED running on a local server (such as a Raspberry Pi or Docker instance) as a lightweight middleware translator, you can seamlessly connect Fibaro HCL Virtual Devices to your Philips Hue Bridge without writing complex code. The Architecture Overview Instead of forcing Fibaro HCL to handle modern HTTP headers and authentication tokens, HCL dumps simple text commands over a raw TCP socket. Node-RED listens for these incoming raw TCP streams, parses the command parameters, and triggers the target light using local Hue APIs. [ Fibaro HCL Virtua...
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Korg SQ-1 with Arturia Microbrute

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 So I bought an SQ-1 without actually knowing what it does or how to incorporate it into my bleeping rig. The main thing I wanted to do was to sync the Arturia Microbrute with my Korg Volcas. Granted that it's probably easier and makes sense to get a MIDI interface with multiple ports on it and program everything through Ableton live, I thought it would be be interesting to just do everything via hardware as an option to muck around. What I found the easiest that works is to plug the Midi out of the SQ-1 directly to the Midi in of the Microbrute and use the SQ-1 to replace the use of sequencer on the Microbrute and plug the sync out of the SQ-1 to the Volca's Sync In (which is chained to the other Volcas) so that all the sound modules can play at the same time. Each volca  will however use it's own onboard step sequencers. Programming the 16 steps on the SQ-1 is quite interesting with the knobs doing the adjustment to the pitch so it might not be accurate or practical if yo...
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Studio Setup

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  Setup for guitarists who want to play ambient electronica post rock The images are the actual equipment I use and will post sounds of what this will sound like.
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Mackie ProFX6v3 USB 3-4 as a 2nd device within the same computer

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When you want to remove the Ableton instruments from the phones output for headphone monitoring while keeping the instrument recording into the main master output:  1. In the Ableton audio settings, "Channel Configuration" select Output config and enable Stereo outputs 3/4. 2. Close the settings and go back to the main panel.  3. In the track panel and look for the "Audio To" setting. Set "Audio To" output to "Ext. Out" 4. New options will appear below. Selecting drop down "3/4". This will make that track like the external line 5-6 input. If there isn't any sound, also check mac has enabled the output 3/4. In the Mac utilities folder, go to the Audio Midi Setup app in audio devices and check that Analog output 3 and 4 is enabled.
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Understanding Line 5/6 on a Mackie ProFX 6v3

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The short version, Line 5-6 is the same channel as the USB 3-4 computer output. Line 5-6 is a line input that is shared to the 2nd USB 3-4 outputs from the computer. This input is sent to the Main out regardless.  When the "to phones" button is pressed, Line 5-6 will not go to the phones output. Only the 4 mixer inputs will be channeled to the phones. "To Phones" will also ignore the mixer level knobs at the bottom of the mixer.  To be split to mixer 1-2 inputs and line 5-6 between phones and main out.  1. Press the "To Phones" button  2. Release the USB 3-4 button  3. Turn Level knobs on inputs 1-2 down. Phones will play Input 1-2 and Main out will play all the levels as mixed, including Line 3-4 and Line 5-6. You can use the phones out as fall back for musicians on input 1-2 while recording live and playing back to the audience on the Main out. In my recording setup, my ProFX6v3 is connected to my mac and I use Line 5-6 for iPad or another computer so...
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setting up Wacom Intuos S with Ubuntu 20.04

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Install the wacom software from ubuntu software Plug in the wacom tablet.  $ xsetwacom --list devices  There was 2 listed for me. $ xsetwacom --list devices  Wacom Co.,Ltd. Intuos S stylus id: 13 type: STYLUS  Wacom Co.,Ltd. Intuos S eraser id: 14 type: ERASER  But after reading https://askubuntu.com/questions/1269297/wacom-co-ltd-intuos-bt-m-stopped-working-corectly I pressed the first and fourth button together for a few seconds until the light lit up, it started working fine. These 4 should pop up when the command is run again   Wacom Intuos S Pen stylus id: 13 type: STYLUS   Wacom Intuos S Pen eraser id: 14 type: ERASER   Wacom Intuos S Pen cursor id: 15 type: CURSOR   Wacom Intuos S Pad pad id: 16 type: PAD  Other recommendations about pressure sensitivity was to set: xsetwacom --set "Wacom Co.,Ltd. Intuos S stylus" PressureCurve 0 20 80 100
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Installing Ubuntu 20.04 on old intel macbookpro

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After gettting a new last of the intel macbook air, I decided to install ubuntu on my older mac. The setup was fairly simple after downloading the lastest iso from ubuntu and using a windows machine to create the bootable USB drive. On rebooting, hold down on the option button and select the USB icon partition. Oddly, mine said "windows". After a few clicks and ubuntu was installed. I realised that wireless wasn't available because it's a proprietary driver and you need internet to enable it. kinda like a catch 22. But bluetooth works, so I paired my android phone and used my android phone as a bluetooth modem which gets it's internet from the wireless network. It was a bit confusing to keep trying to use mac shortcut keys and the right click didn't work. apt install server-xorg-input-synaptics Go to startup applications and add add the command synclient RightButtonAreaLeft=1 To update the graphics driver apt search nvidia-driver sudo apt install ...
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