Echo Show 15 hybrid Home Assistant Wall Panel

[deepspacedave]

By default yes, but there’s another add-on you can use to work around that in HACS called “Wallpanel.” I’ll send a screenshot shortly! After a week of testing this, it works most of the time. I think it fails when our (rural), internet drops momentarily, but that can be anything between once a day or a couple days. Either way it beats 10 minutes!

Also for the full screen thing, I found another HACS frontend thing that lets you go to full screen with one click ----> http://homeassistant.local:8123/hacs/repository/452251255

I downloaded it for the keep awake function, but that doesn’t work on silk. Flicking up slightly towards the top of the silk window also hides the address bar for me, but this one button is easier : ). SO this plus the other Wallpanel thing have it full screen.

[deepspacedave]

Sorry about the reflections! I keep the html file local, but it still calls the creators .js on its host site. I’m going to see if I can eventually sort this out so all the file are locally stored, which may solve that intermittent issue if our Internet hiccups. I am NOT a programmer of any kind so it’s a bit more googling for me to sort through that stuff ; ) On my dashboard, the iFrame is actually the last “button” on the left side. If it’s not on it just says “CLICK HERE” in red text, and looks as it does in the pic once it is.

[deepspacedave]

I’m also testing a simple html file in an iFrame that auto plays the same (or any) mp3 file automatically and on a loop. I’ll post here if that works as it would be even easier if the .js isn’t part of it. So far my screen has been active for over two hours with just the html. If anyone else wants to try it, here’s what I did. You can see the path in the image. Ignore the other files (they were me playing with the .js), in this scenario I’m only using the keepactive.html and media.mp3 files. This would be way too easy if it works, which is why I’m very cautiously optimistic. Right now I have it showing on my dashboard (also pictured) just for testing purposes. I want to see that it’s playing without me touching it etc. If it works, I’ll hide that or set the ratio so that it’s at the very bottom and not noticeable. Fingers crossed.

Was still good the next morning, then, went to screensaver twice in an hour. Other factors at play. I may even use both together as a redundancy.

[CBY]

@Deepspacedave, love it!

Newbie here. Your efforts are encouraging. I will try your route in a few weeks!

[Freestyler]

@deepspacedave this is excellent. Got my show 15 set up and going yesterday night. Works like charm. I was gutted after getting one for prime day and realising it is locked now.

[deepspacedave]

So glad to hear that!! Mine tents to hiccup once a day or so, but it’s certainly tolerable! All I have to say is “Echo (Alexa) open Silk” and it’s right back there. That’s how I felt too after the same prime day deal!

[Benjam (Ben Crundwell)]

I’m in the same boat, but noticed that the fire TV functionality seems to let you install Fire TV apps including some browsers. Are any of them better than silk at staying on screen?

I noticed there is a Hubitat App. I wonder if HA could get an official fire tv app through?

[kilopter (Kiloptero)]

and… its working now? Echo Show 15 is a good design to be part of the house

[CBY]

Works beautifuly.

Thanks to @deepspacedave - he did the leg work.

I’m a total newbie ( a few weeks in) and am just barely starting to understand (automation, triggers, cards, etc.). I built a verrry basic dashboard and followed a similar path (Dave) and it works quite well.

I have a error message on the screensaver for weather in my zone but that’s for a future fix. I tried to understand and fix but gave up for now.

Aside from that it’s full screen, no return to home (Alexa show), has a screensaver.

You don’t need any side loading (which means less support & risk). It just works quite well.

(You get a fully functional streaming tv when you need it too… )

[brywithawhy]

Well done getting this working in Silk. I may bite the bullet and get a 2nd one now

You could make some custom routines that are called with the Alexa Media integration from HACS to achieve the same hybrid functionality where the dash closes (“alexa close silk”) when a motion sensor detects no movement, and then another to reopen (" alexa open silk") when it detects someone nearby

[CBY]

Good idea. Not there yet

[DrBando]

Hi, I have it working using kiosk mode and the fullscreen card in my dashboard. However, while I managed to enter the dashboard on the echo show 15 in kiosk mode, I always have to touch the fullscreen button in order to enter the “final” stage. Am I just blind or is there no way to enter fullscreen on default? Any hints? Thanks in advance.

[heffneil (Neil H.)]

Was there any luck getting everything to run locally and not rely on the other outside website for the sound files etc? I tried some stuff and its not working as I had hoped so I am sure it is something I did wrong.

[heffneil (Neil H.)]

that would be nice - but doubtful. instead, you can talk to your HA implementation

[jpvetter]

Did you ever figure out the weather issue? I’m getting an error “entity not available weather.home” on my dashboard and then it goes to screensaver immediately.

[ramdisk]

I also would like to get this to work, will have to try this work around. Thanks hopefully this will work.
I got the Sill browser working how do you add the script to keep it running. Maybe, can you post the steps that you took to get this to work full screen and not time out? Or if anyone else got it to work post the steps. I’m a little confused that this point

[CBY]

Hi @jpvetter,

First of all, thank you for asking me if I got it running.
Why thank you ? Because you gave me the motivation to fix these little things that were bugging me:

• media folder on or off my NAS was not working
• the weather info was not fixed (your question)
• couldn’t get my pix to be used for the screensaver

Remember, I’m a newbie (only a few weeks in, maybe a month now) and all these were bugging me and should be very simple. The problem is, IMHO, that it’s all very simple for someone who knows and has been at this for quite some time… It wasn’t for me.

Enough said: Your answer = Yes, and it’s quite simple.

1. Find the weather integration of your choice (Enviro Canada, for me)
   

   

2. Look at the entity for “Forecast”

3. Replace in my snippet where it says entity - and you should be good.

4. The snippet goes to the very very very top in {Raw configuration editor}

Everything works like a charm.

wallpanel:
  enabled: true
  hide_toolbar: false
  hide_sidebar: false
  fullscreen: true
  idle_time: 10
  image_url: /local/myhasspix/ss
  image_order: random
  cards:
    - type: custom:weather-card
      details: true
      forecast: true
      hourly_forecast: false
      name: Weather
      entity: weather.sainte_catherine_forecast
      current: true
      number_of_forecasts: '3'
  info_animation_duration_x: 30
  info_animation_duration_y: 11
  info_animation_timing_function_x: ease-in-out
  info_animation_timing_function_y: ease-in-out
  info_move_pattern: random
  info_move_interval: 0
  info_move_fade_duration: 2

Learn something - everyday!
Hope it helps you and other newbies like me.

PS: Don’t forget to add a card for keeping Silk alive.

[ramdisk]

I’ve read this several times, I’m lost. I know I’m missing something, can you please explain the steps to silk running. I got the full screen to work, how do I keep it running all the time?

[oclk]

Yeah, i would also really appreciate if you could post something like a step by step guide on how to get it running.

[heffneil (Neil H.)]

do you have to add the web card

 type: iframe
 url: https://dagammla.gitlab.io/keep-silk-open/test.html
 aspect_ratio: '100'

to every page within the dashboard? I am assuming so? I was trying to add the code for the keep.js as a resource but I didn’t have any success but I will continue to play. Thanks and hopefully the above helps the other folks a little.