Build a custom HAOS image

Installation Home Assistant OS
1

Hello,

I’m new to Home Assistant, and while I’ve been searching a lot, I did not find how to solve my problem by any other means than building my own HAOS image.
Here is my concern: I’d like to use HAOS + one add-on on a RaspberryPi, but I also would like to add a display to this RaspberryPi and use it in kiosk mode.
I couldn’t find any way to do this: the only way I found was to use e.g. DietPi + Chromium in kiosk mode, but in this case, as described in the documentation, I can’t use add-ons, and the Zigbee modules I use (nodon sin-4-fb-21) are not 100% supported by ZHA, so I have to use Zigbee2MQTT, which is provided as an add-on.
So, I was wondering how hard it would be to customize HAOS so that I could use Chromium in kiok mode, as DietPi does ?
(I am an embedded firmware developper, so I am a bit used to deal with building softwares)
Could anyone give me some pointers if my idea is realistic ?
Thanks,
Alain

2

Is a HA supervised on a Debian distro in kiosk mode not a viable option? Supervised does allow use of screen…

Just guessing here, my knowledge is just intermediate :slight_smile:

1 Like
3

I think pretty much all addons can be found as separate docker containers too, so you are not locked to HAOS.
I use HAOS, so I do not know where to find them, but I know many on the forum here run HA core with docker containers, so just ask for it.

3 Likes
4

Can you not run HAOS on a VM in any os?

2 Likes
5

You can, but a Pi might be a little low on resources to run a hypervisor.

1 Like
6

Yeah at this point unless it’s a Pi4b8g, I wouldn’t attempt it. The docs say a pi3 can run HA but…

I theoretically can ride to work on a golf cart too… Doesn’t make it a good idea.

Id be very curious about what variation of pi and very careful with the load planning.

Op is there any way we can convince you not to run the head end on the HA box? It usually ends in pain for those that try.

7

Hello,
Thanks for your replies.
I am currently running HAOS on a RaspberryPi 3B+, and it does the job.
But my concern is that I would like other people than myself being able to access to Home Assistant, by using a local ‘kiosk’ (i.e. without the need of installing any app on their phone): I have been faced to an issue with the internet box which shuts downwithout any - at the moment - known reason, and in this case (happened twice), I am not only unable to driver the heaters, but nobody can do it, even locally (this HA is installed in a remote house in which we go twice a year).

I’ve seen people running a kiosk on other hardware (e.g. Esp32, or pi zero), but I’d like to avoid adding other devices

1 Like
8

You’re not telling me anything that tells me this is a good idea. It’s adding complexity and configuration that is rarely used.

IMHO you’re MUCH better off (more stable more suportable) by just using a basic haos install on the most bulletproof simple installation you can manage (haos on pi or haos on nuc) then use a commodity tablet with kiosk browser on the local Lan

My bet in this use case if you eliminate touchscreen on the Pi you suddenly don’t need the custom image. (which imho I’d avoid a supervised or core or whatever install) (and a cheap year old 7-10" tablet is probably about the same price as a display for a pi)

I mean it sounds cool but vacation home, isolated network, yeah make it less complicated not More otherwise you’re gonna be spending your vacation updating and fixing that install instead of enjoying it.

9

Put a zigvee smart plug in that internet box and a Zigbee USB radio on the HA box and make an automation to restart it when it fails.

1 Like
10

Thanks for your advices.
I already bought a 7’’ display, and was trying to deal with it on a second pi 3B+ that I have …
I think I’ll make a few more tests before using another device as suggested.
Thanks again