Hardware "feature" request

As much as I enjoy tinkering with rpi's, tablets, Tasker, etc, and enjoy the flexibility they can offer, I can also appreciate the often easier experience offered by devices built and tested for a specific purpose with on-board software that requires little if any attention. I know, particularly with Linux-based systems, you can achieve something close to this, so it's probably not a strong argument.... But all the setup and ongoing support sits with the individual rather than leveraging the work done by others.

I don't see a profitable model trying to sell to a niche market like this. Well maybe if the price were really expensive I guess. Hard to justify all the manufacturing hoops Hubitat Inc would have to jump through and then they would have to have some assurances that they were going to sell a bunch. Also they probably have their hands full with future hubs etc.

Putting something like a Pi Zero together with a touch screen is actually not as complicated as it seems. You can get everything pretty much out of the box including pre-installed os etc. The trick is installing the software to post a webpage on startup and figuring out the best way to mount it on the wall. A techie in your life could handle the first bit and a handyman the second.

For a tablet it's even easier - Fully Kiosk Browser takes care of everything you would need. The trouble is as mentioned - internal battery could be a potential fire hazard + you'd still have to mount it on the wall.

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Yeah, even with my earlier comment, I can't see it being a viable option for Hubitat to branch out in the hardware side... Would be great if they could, but I can only imagine there would be a large element of risk.

Perhaps an alternative would be to partner with a third-party in some way. Either re-branding an existing panel or having a very well-defined setup that they endorse, removing the manufacturing overhead, but allowing them to maintain some control or input into how the device is configured or used.

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My guess is that they are about as interested in entering into a new hardware product right now as they are of getting another hole in their head.

With supply chain issues as they are right now, now would not be the time to market a new hardware product.

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I use this on 2 tablets. The fully app on HE gives battery level. I power the tablets thru smart plugs and use a rule to charge them when needed.

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There's the Facebook Portal, no battery.
But locked down OS, so not sure what you could do with it on HE...

Kinda seems like no suggestion or alternative is going to be good enough for the OP.

It's ok to what what he/she wants. :slight_smile: That is what feature (or hardware in this case) requests are all about. As long as they are reasonable about their expectations of it getting done, or not, I see no harm.

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I get it though. Like with a lot of things, I either don't have the time, skill, or the patience to do a lot of this. Take Node Red, and MQTT as a couple examples, they sound neat, and could probably help integrate a few things I want to do, but they are way over my head. If there was something I could just plug in, and make it work, that would be great. I used to be able to work my way through things like rooting a phone, but the last few years I just can't handle it.

And there is a lack of decent size "control panel" type things dedicated to home automation. There is the super expensive and quite small display Brilliant, with a closed ecosystem. Or the stupidly slow, old, and tempermental Wink relays.

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If only we could change the echo show 15 OS easy as the fire tablet.

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Hummm would someone theoretically be able to do something like this using the wires for the keypad from a no longer in service alarm? Then of course just mount the tablet where the keypad was.

Sure.. why not? You still have to figure out how to power it.. but a right angle usb helps keep the cable inconspicuous, maybe the panel already had a low voltage power source you could adapt. If going the PI route - the Zero could fit in the breakout box.

I think it was a low voltage line from the transformer for the alarm in our bed room. There's just a small red and black wire to the old panel, and similar red and black wires were also attached to the transformer.

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You might have to check to see what you are getting voltage wise then maybe a buck converter w/usb or something like that...