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A living-room PC that behaves like a console.

Designing the experience around one-action wake, automatic television control, reliable suspend, and recovery without a keyboard.

My role
Experience, architecture, and validation
Scope
Operating system, network, and hardware
Focus
Reliable everyday behavior

The user should not need to manage the system.

I designed a PC-based living-room system to behave like a dedicated console: intentional wake from a controller or remote, television control, the correct input, and predictable suspend.

The work spans operating-system sleep services, network television control, Wake-on-LAN, an HDMI-CEC listener, and USB wake hardware. The product requirement stays simple even when the implementation crosses several systems.

Finding the unexpected wake path.

When the PC began resuming immediately after suspend, I used system telemetry, protocol analysis, and controlled hardware tests to isolate an unexpected CEC wake path.

I implemented a persistent fix while preserving intentional controller and remote wake behavior. Correct behavior had to be established in the physical setup, where the operating system, television, and connected hardware interact.

AI agents supported protocol research, source analysis, hypothesis comparison, and test planning. I defined the product experience, set the architecture and constraints, directed the investigation, and established the physical evidence required to consider the system reliable.

A fix has to preserve the behavior people wanted in the first place.

Tools and systems: Python, Linux, systemd, HDMI-CEC, webOS, Wake-on-LAN, ESP32, and USB.

Let's talk.

Interested in building a product, improving an operating model, or discussing a leadership role?

I'd welcome a conversation about what you're working on and where I could help.