Hey everyone, I just wanted to share a fun project I recently completed using an old Windows tablet I had lying around. It’s been a great way to repurpose something that was just collecting dust!
I decided to turn it into a full-screen Hubitat home dashboard touch screen. The process was surprisingly simple and only took about an hour to set up. Here’s what I did:
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Reset the Tablet: I started by resetting the tablet to its factory defaults. It ended up running Windows 8.1, which was perfect for my needs.
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Create a Batch File: I created a batch file to automatically start Chrome in full-screen mode and load my Hubitat dashboard. The batch file was straightforward—just a text file renamed to .bat with the appropriate commands.
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Modify Startup Settings: I added the batch file to the Windows startup folder so it runs automatically when the tablet boots up. This ensures that the dashboard is always ready to use without any manual intervention.
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Disable Password Requirements: To make it even more seamless, I disabled the password requirement during boot. Now, the tablet boots straight into the dashboard.
The result is fantastic! I now have a dedicated touch screen dashboard that’s always accessible. It’s been a great way to keep an eye on my home automation setup without needing to pull out my phone or laptop. Plus, it’s completely free, which is a huge bonus.
If anyone is interested in trying this out, I’d be happy to share the exact steps I took. Just let me know in the comments!
Pro Tip: Depending on your version of Windows, you might need to adjust the batch file slightly. I included both 32-bit and 64-bit versions in my setup to cover all bases.
Overall, this project has been a huge success and a great way to breathe new life into an old device. I hope someone finds this idea useful and gives it a try!