I did a write up on this .. check it out.
But first I need a tablet
can use any old android tablet
Yep, I understand…
I want an “always on” display. Does that alter the decision?
In Android it is possible to tell the tablet to keep the screen on so long as it is plugged in.
I purchased a cheap 8" Android tablet from this brand and it has been OK for basic stuff. It's also Google-compliant and comes with the Play store so you don't have to mess with sideloading.
Here's a 10" version for about $70. I cannot exactly vouch for this exact tablet, but if I had to buy a 10" tablet today for a Hubitat dashboard, I would try this one based on my experience with the other one that I have.
https://www.amazon.com/UMIDIGI-G1-Tab-Quad-Core-Processor/dp/B0D1KB5144
Now here's hoping someone will have an even better option!
I've read you should cycle the charger so the battery doesn't swell, destroy itself, whatever.
I don't know details though, obviously .
I have always used the Amazon HD Fire tables. They are a little more pricey, but they work very well with HE. Yes, I use Fire Toolbox to clean them up and add Google Play.
That shouldn’t be a problem to do. Any idea if HE can get the tablet’s battery level?
You can use Tasker to do this, via Maker API. I use it on my tablet I have sitting on a side-table displaying either the EcoWitt Dashboard or a clock, depending on the time of day.
If you go with Fully Kiosk browser, they have an API that provides a lot of data. I never used @gavincampbell driver, and I don't think he is maintaining it, but Fully Kiosk didn't make significant changes in years, so this driver might work well:
Thanks for all the suggestions and advice. I have no, zero, interest in using the tablet for anything other than a dashboard device hung on the wall.
So I am looking for the option that best enhances the WAF, I.e., cheap but not cheap looking.
I have used iPads for years, but switched to a Galaxy Tab8 a few years ago and can't be happier.
With Fully you can push the dashboard page you want when you approach the wall, and then keep a screensaver when no one around. Having a wall tablet has increased WAF for sure. Is not used for control per se, that is done automatically, but more for status, weather forcast, notifications, and so on.
I saw a movie yesterday, The Fall Guy, where a smart home display made a fleeting appearance. It looked pretty slick and was in a high end apartment. The hero, whose apartment it isn't, presses "living room", or some such thing, and a suitably cool scene is activated. That's all I got, lol.
If you need a mount, I recommend mbmounts. I use their recessed mounts.
Thanks for your suggestion. I have 6 Macs, 3 Apple TVs, 4 HomePods,2 each, iPad, iPhone, and Apple Watch.
I suffer with a small PC to run my wife’s embroidery and quilting software. It is also useful for removing zwave ghosts.
So does anyone have good/bad things to say about the ~$45 10” android 12 tablets on Amazon? Like most Amazon reviews they are both wonderful and useless crap at the same time.
If you are only looking to display a dashboard, I can't imagine many of the negatives being too much of an impediment, such as laggy performance or lack of support for any apps, etc. I have an old Android 4 display that I used to mount on the side of my fridge to display HE dashboards in Chrome, so almost anything will do the job I expect. If you want to branch out into other stuff like Tasker, etc, even then, most modern tablets of any quality would do, I expect.
Link?
I use a 7" ONN (Walmart brand) tablet as my Home theater remote and works great so far. It is about $50-$60.