Home assistant usage

[Fabien]

@jeffeb3

Personally, I like using the HA dashboard almost as is. I installed a nice color scheme and a couple of custom plug ins. I would only install anything maintained by HACS. The more wild they get, the more likely an update will break them.

Yeah, I started configuring a dashboard, but is there any way to have something like a collapsable sidebar with quick shortcuts? or hiding the menu and top bar? Some kind of top bar with status icons?

The goal is to have a clean / non-cluttered dashboard for daily use

@jeffeb3

It would be cool to change the screen saver to a digital photo frame. I think that would have to be in the android tablet settings or the full kiosk settings (or find an alternative).

FullKiosk has a “screensaver” setting if you get the liscence
There are numerous screensaver apps for android, but I’d like to have some HA-related states displayed on top (much like the alexa echo show screensaver)

@jeffeb3

What hardware are you using?

I bought a Redmi Pad SE, nothing fancy, just wanted a “not too old” device

The support is from aliexpress/banggood
https://www.banggood.com/fr/Magnetic-Wall-Mounted-Wireless-Charger-Wall-charging-Socket-Tablet-Magnetic-Bracket-Holder-for-Universal-Tablet-Android-p-2031434.html

[Fabien]

Previously, I used an NSPanel (EU) mounted in a 3d-printed support

I liked the clean simple look and configuration, but it really lacks flexibility
But as a glorified remote, it was just great

I’m looking for something similar for my dashboard

I put this one in my son’s bedroom so that he can play with led’s colors

[Tylas (Ty)]

Nice wall tablet! Have a couple in my house as well and the family approves and uses daily. I am big HA nut and retrofitted the majority of the house to suit when we built our addition.

Take a look at Bubble Cards, one of the best dashboard elements in Home Assistant today. It is being actively developed by one guy that is very responsive to the community. Pretty straight forward with as many dynamic elements as there are, and in my view perfect for a wall tablet. I use it on my work desk with a little Samsung tablet, and when someone pulls up I have the camera pop up in full view.

Bubble Card - Reddit

[Tylas (Ty)]

@jeffeb3

It would be cool to change the screen saver to a digital photo frame. I think that would have to be in the android tablet settings or the full kiosk settings (or find an alternative).

You can use Wallpanel if you want HA to control the screen saver. Haven’t used it in a little while since it was a bit fiddly to start, but I think they have come a long way to make it useable.

Should try it again actually.

[Fabien]

@Tylas

Take a look at Bubble Cards, one of the best dashboard elements in Home Assistant today.

Took a quick test drive and I like it
Very sleek design, and it’s focusing on use-ability, I like that

Now if only I could git rid of those side/top bars…
Also, it would be great if I could have some media card in this style too (I can already use sliders for volumes I guess)

Also, it seems like I cannot install bubble-card-tools somehow… I get an “incompatible ha version” error >_<

[Tylas (Ty)]

@Fabien

Now if only I could git rid of those side/top bars…

That is easy, download Kiosk Mode in HACS then there are just a couple of adds on the YAML:

For media themes and other adds, the Bubble Card community is pretty active on Reddit r/bubblecard.

I haven’t run into the “incompatible HA version” issue, but asking a question there or in the HA community forums can help. Be sure to give all the info - HA version, OS version, Bubble Card version, etc