Rpi connected to a monitor showing habpanel in fullscreen, project!

[Kim_Andersen]

Sorry if this has been asked and answered before… I searched but could not found any clear answer on this. Most threads is about using an tablet and a browser, which I do as well…

I wonder if I could make use of these spare Rpi 3B´s ´ve got, and then a 22" FullHD montiors connected to the monitor using HDMI. Then run some software unattended which will show happanel from my openhab server on the monitor in FullHD (full screen)?

The Rpi would have to run WiFi, but I guess thats not the main issue… The problem is the software to use and perhaps how to set it up. Since Im´no good at Linux I need some advice and howto on this one. I´m convinced it´s possible, and probably have already been done by someone.

Why I need it to show Habpanel is because I have created an SVG floorplan with several items for openhab… I would like this montior to become somekind of main-home-monitor of the house. Notice, its not suppose to be an controller of anykind, just a screen showing the habpanel (SVG).
This is an need to have feature, and therefore the main question.

A nice to have feature would be, if I could use this Rpi as an audio sink from the openhab server, and passing on voice TTS. (I´m using Google TTS). I know this would require speakers to the monitor or perhaps using the audio output of the Rpi.
Another nice to have feature would be, if this Rpi could be a chromecast device as well, and a Google Home device, so it could receive voice commands. But this is probably not an easy task, and most probably impossible. At least the Rpi would need an mic.
A way to handle this, is to install a Google Home device close to the screen, and it would sort this matter. This I intend to do for an start. (already got the spare Google Home device as well).

As mentioned, I´m convinced someone has already done something simular… I just cant find any threads about it. Hopefully someone knows or got ideas on how to.

[rpwong (Russ)]

Would the easiest solution be to set up a typical Debian on the RPi and run HabPanel in a browser? Or are you looking for something more sophisticated?

Alternatively, you could run Android and then use the openHAB app, but I don’t know how well that works on a Raspberry Pi.

[Kim_Andersen]

Thanks, but I would prefere something running unattended, as I´m not planning to hook up a keyboard/mouse.

[Marijn_Oudijk]

When you use Raspbian on the pi you have a browser which you can auto start. Put your habpanel as startpage.
You have to install openhab but the docs describe very well how to do it. When installed you won’t need mouse or keyboard anymore

[rpwong (Russ)]

I don’t think Kim even needs openhab, since it’s just meant to be a client. Raspbian Lite with a browser will do it. Might even be able to cast to it with Raspicast, but I don’t have any experience with that.

[Kim_Andersen]

Correct, I just need it as an client.
So Rasbian Lite with an Browser. Is it possible to have it auto start from boot with the browser going to the habpanel like @Marijn_Oudijk suggest?

[rlkoshak (Rich Koshak)]

@Kim_Andersen

I wonder if I could make use of these spare Rpi 3B´s ´ve got, and then a 22" FullHD montiors connected to the monitor using HDMI. Then run some software unattended which will show happanel from my openhab server on the monitor in FullHD (full screen)?

Sure, most browsers, including Chromium, support running in kiosk mode. Just install a full Raspbian with the graphical environment, configure it to make Chromium to start automatically in kiosk mode and set your HABPanel as the home page.

@Kim_Andersen

A nice to have feature would be, if I could use this Rpi as an audio sink from the openhab server, and passing on voice TTS. (I´m using Google TTS). I know this would require speakers to the monitor or perhaps using the audio output of the Rpi.

I believe that HABPanel will act as an audio sink, though I don’t know if you can specifically target a specific HABPanel. You may only be able to send audio to ALL HABPanels.

@Kim_Andersen

Another nice to have feature would be, if this Rpi could be a chromecast device as well

You can make it an AirPlay device easily. You can make it an DNLA/UPnP receiver easily. But you can’t make it a Chromecast receiver as far as I’m aware, though OrangeAssist - Google Assistant Integration might work. I’ve never been able to get this fully working so I don’t know for sure.

@Kim_Andersen

and a Google Home device, so it could receive voice commands. But this is probably not an easy task, and most probably impossible. At least the Rpi would need an mic.

This part isn’t so hard actually. See [WIP] Google AIY Voice with openHAB. Keep in mind, that won’t make it a fully functional Google Home, but it will do the things you are asking for.

[Kim_Andersen]

@rlkoshak

Sure, most browsers, including Chromium, support running in kiosk mode. Just install a full Raspbian with the graphical environment, configure it to make Chromium to start automatically in kiosk mode and set your HABPanel as the home page.

Thanks Rich…
Is that the Raspbian Buster with desktop and recommended software or the
Raspbian Buster with desktop?

@rlkoshak

I believe that HABPanel will act as an audio sink, though I don’t know if you can specifically target a specific HABPanel. You may only be able to send audio to ALL HABPanels.

I think I read somewhere, that habpanel only supported webaudio… As far as I understand, I cant have both Google TTS and Web Audio at the same time, or?

@rlkoshak

This part isn’t so hard actually. See [WIP] Google AIY Voice with openHAB. Keep in mind, that won’t make it a fully functional Google Home, but it will do the things you are asking for.

I´ll take a look.

[rlkoshak (Rich Koshak)]

@Kim_Andersen

Is that the Raspbian Buster with desktop and recommended software or the
Raspbian Buster with desktop?

Either one would work I suppose. I’ve not installed a graphical environment on an RPi in years. It might be worth starting with Jessie until they work the bugs out of Buster though.

[luckymallari (Lucky)]

@rlkoshak

using the audio output of the Rpi.

I believe that HABPanel will act as an audio sink, though I don’t know if you can specifically target a specific HABPanel. You may only be able to send audio to ALL HABPanels.

HabPanel subscribes to an item that you define under the settings page. If that item changes, HabPanel will “speak” the item.state

[Kim_Andersen]

@luckymallari

HabPanel subscribes to an item that you define under the settings page. If that item changes, HabPanel will “speak” the item.state

The idea I have is to use rules to send “say” commands. This is what I use Google TTS for…
Like when someone at the front door, a notice (say) command is send to one of my Google Home devices. I dont think HabPanel can do this unless using Web Audio.

[luckymallari (Lucky)]

You can proxy out the say command such that it updates an item then actually calls the say command. Every room in my house either has an Alexa or GH device. Every room gets the same broadcast from OH.

[Kim_Andersen]

@luckymallari

You can proxy out the say command such that it updates an item then actually calls the say command.

I use it the other way around.
When a specific item updates, openhab sends a say command from a rule, to a specific Google Home Device… (Ie, when my motionsensor at the frontdoor triggers, it sends a say command to the Google Nest Hub placed in our kitchen. “Someone at the frontdoor”. (When I´m not at home, it sends a pushover message to my mobilphone).

My idea with the Rpi and the monitor was to use the Rpi to receive and speak the say command, rather than the Google Home device… But this is just a nice to have feature, cause the monitor/Rpi will probably be placed closed to the Google Nest Hub anyway (in our kitchen). Just need to make sure the monitor is working the way it should.

[Kim_Andersen]

Short update…
I got the Rpi up running Raspbian with desktop last night. (It´s really strange and funny to see a Linux with an dekstop GUI. I havn´t seen that in about 15 years or something like that, back when I tried a Linux called RedHat or something like that ).

Now I need to figure how to get it to auto-start the chromium browser with the habpanel as an startpage in kiosk mode, without the use of keyboard/mouse. Any advice where to read about things like this?

[rlkoshak (Rich Koshak)]

https://raspberrypi.stackexchange.com/questions/69204/open-chromium-full-screen-on-start-up should get you started.

[Kim_Andersen]

Thanks Rich… Looks pretty straight forward…

[Kim_Andersen]

Just tried the solution, but the path to the autostart is either not correct, or something is wrong. When I try to save the file, I get an error that the folder or file doesnt exsist.

[rlkoshak (Rich Koshak)]

This is completely outside of the scope of OH so you might have better luck with this on an RPi or Raspbian forum. There are a very few users on this forum who might chime in but there are not many.

[Kim_Andersen]

I know… I´m just searching for some help where ever I can.

[Kim_Andersen]

I found the solution… I´m not sure why this is needed, but fact is, there are some missing dirs which needs to be created first… How come only a very few is mentioning this part, could be that the dirs maybe get created during another install or anything… From a stock Raspbian with Desktop (not full), the dirs are not there.

So if anyone runs into the same problem. Here is the solution:

1. First of all, the autostart file is not at the location cause /lxsession/LXDE-pi/ does not exsist. user will have to create these folders first…

mkdir -p /home/pi/.config/lxsession/LXDE-pi/

2. When 1 done, now you need to copy the autostart from another place to the new created dirs.

cp /etc/xdg/lxsession/LXDE-pi/autostart /home/pi/.config/lxsession/LXDE-pi/autostart

After this, it is now possible to edit the autostart with:

nano /home/pi/.config/lxsession/LXDE-pi/autostart

and insert:

#@xscreensaver -no-splash  # comment this line out to disable screensaver
@xset s off
@xset -dpms
@xset s noblank
@chromium-browser --kiosk http://point to your habpanel_dashboard/  # load chromium after boot and point to the habpanel in kiosk fullscreen mode.

Important note - When running Chromium in fullscreen kiosk mode, its only possible to exit using ALT-F4. Keep that in mind… I just hammered on my keyboard for several minutes trying to exit kiosk mode with F11, ESC etc… It wont work, and probably not at all, if you continue to hammer your keyboard like I did

Status right now:
Got the Rpi up running and it starts chromium from boot in kiosk mode showing the dashboard from habpanel. (It is slow as hell though, but thats probably the Rpi).
Then I came to think about the screensaver and the idea I had of not having a keyboard/mouse connected… In short - Using screensaver while having no keyboard and mouse, thats NOT such a great idea anyway. I cant get out of the screensaver, ofcouse (stupid thinking )…

So now I´m in a splitted situation… Somehow I need to turn off the screensaver when I want to look at the monitor, without using keyboard/mouse… I wont accept not having a screensaver, but it makes no sense, if I cant turn it off… And having a 22" monitor turned on showing a floorplan 24/7 is fare for a great idea. So thats my next hurdle in this little project…
And as usual - Any ideas is most welcome, thanks…

EDIT:
An important note about the habpanel speed i Chromium. It seems like size matters. Screen size (resolution) that is…
While setting up this little project, I´m using my 27" 2K monitor. Raspbian seems to use a high resolution by default, (I cant tell how much, since I cant find any utility to show. Setup just say “prefered size”). When I have my floorplan running in habpanel showing in Chromium, there´s about 10sec from an item change to the change show on the floorplan, which in my opinion is way too much. Opening the same habpanel dashboard on my workstation, (Quad core Intel I7 CPU with 32GB RAM and SSD drive, using the same 27" 2K monitor) there is no delay at all. When I forced the resolution of the Rpi to 1920 x 1080, the delay came down to something like 3-4 seconds. Still enough to annoy me though.
So this is unfortunatly a matter of size (resolution) and computer power.

Since 1920 x 1080 is the resolution I´m planning to use om my 22" monitor I probably have to live with this delay untill I get a faster Rpi/SBC. I have an Odroid C2 on its way, when it arrives it will take over from my Rpi 3B+ running openhab server. But I doubt the Rpi 3B+ is that much faster than the Rpi 3B in this matter. Perhaps a Rpi4 could come in hand anyway.