Family Dashboard

A self-hosted DAKboard replacement using Home Assistant, featuring: - Clock and date display - Google Calendar integration - Weather widget - BVG Berlin transit departures - Alexa timer display (new!) - Shared grocery list with voice commands (new!)

Architecture

┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│                    WALL DISPLAY (Pi)                    │
│  ┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────┐   │
│  │     Home Assistant Lovelace Dashboard           │   │
│  │  ┌──────────┐ ┌──────────┐ ┌──────────────────┐│   │
│  │  │ Calendar │ │ Weather  │ │  BVG Departures  ││   │
│  │  └──────────┘ └──────────┘ └──────────────────┘│   │
│  │  ┌──────────────────┐ ┌───────────────────────┐│   │
│  │  │  ALEXA TIMERS    │ │    GROCERY LIST       ││   │
│  │  │  🍳 Eggs: 4:32   │ │    ☐ Milk            ││   │
│  │  │  🍞 Bread: 12:00 │ │    ☐ Eggs            ││   │
│  │  └──────────────────┘ └───────────────────────┘│   │
│  └─────────────────────────────────────────────────┘   │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

Prerequisites

• Raspberry Pi 4 (4GB recommended, 2GB minimum)
• MicroSD card (32GB+)
• Display with HDMI input
• Amazon Echo device (for Alexa timers)
• Google account (for calendar)
• OurGroceries account (free)

Quick Start

Phase 1: Install Home Assistant

1. Download Home Assistant OS from https://www.home-assistant.io/installation/raspberrypi
2. Flash to SD card using Raspberry Pi Imager
3. Boot the Pi and wait ~20 minutes for initial setup
4. Access at http://homeassistant.local:8123
5. Complete the onboarding wizard

Phase 2: Add Core Integrations

Google Calendar

1. Go to Settings → Devices & Services → Add Integration
2. Search for “Google Calendar”
3. Follow OAuth flow to authenticate
4. Select calendars to sync

Weather

1. Settings → Devices & Services → Add Integration
2. Search for “OpenWeatherMap” (or your preferred provider)
3. Get free API key from https://openweathermap.org/api
4. Configure location (Berlin)

Phase 3: Alexa Timer Display

See docs/alexa-timer-setup.md for detailed instructions.

Summary: 1. Install HACS (Home Assistant Community Store) 2. Install Alexa Media Player via HACS 3. Install card-alexa-alarms-timers custom card 4. Add to dashboard

Phase 4: Grocery List (OurGroceries)

1. Create account at https://www.ourgroceries.com
2. In HA: Settings → Devices & Services → Add Integration → OurGroceries
3. Enter your credentials
4. Test voice commands: - “Hey Siri, add milk with OurGroceries” - “Alexa, add eggs with OurGroceries”

Phase 5: BVG Transit

1. In HACS, add custom repository: vas3k/home-assistant-berlin-transport
2. Install Berlin Transport integration
3. Restart Home Assistant
4. Add integration via Settings → Devices & Services
5. Configure your station and walking time

Phase 6: Dashboard Setup

1. Copy ha-config/lovelace/wall-dashboard.yaml content
2. In HA: Settings → Dashboards → Add Dashboard
3. Name it “Wall Display”
4. Edit dashboard → Raw configuration editor
5. Paste the YAML
6. Save

Phase 7: Pi Kiosk Mode

# Run the kiosk setup script
chmod +x scripts/kiosk-setup.sh
sudo ./scripts/kiosk-setup.sh

# Configure autostart
chmod +x scripts/autostart.sh
mkdir -p ~/.config/autostart
cp scripts/autostart.sh ~/.config/autostart/

# Reboot to apply
sudo reboot

Configuration Files

Voice Commands

Alexa

• “Alexa, set a 5 minute timer”
• “Alexa, set a timer for eggs for 10 minutes”
• “Alexa, add milk with OurGroceries”

Siri

• “Hey Siri, add bread with OurGroceries”
• “Hey Siri, add bananas to my grocery list” (if OurGroceries is set as default)

Verification Checklist

• [ ] Alexa timer appears on dashboard within 30 seconds
• [ ] Voice-added grocery items appear on dashboard
• [ ] Calendar events sync from Google
• [ ] BVG departures show real-time arrivals
• [ ] Dashboard auto-loads on Pi reboot
• [ ] Screen stays on overnight (no blanking)

Troubleshooting

Alexa timers not showing

• Check Alexa Media Player is authenticated (may need re-auth periodically)
• Verify the timer sensor entity exists in Developer Tools → States
• Ensure your Echo is selected in the card configuration

Grocery list not updating

• Verify OurGroceries credentials are correct
• Check the shopping_list entity in Developer Tools
• Restart the OurGroceries integration

Dashboard not loading on boot

• Check autostart script permissions
• Verify chromium-browser is installed
• Check HA URL is accessible from Pi

Screen blanking despite settings

• Check both DPMS and screensaver are disabled
• Verify xset commands in autostart
• May need to edit /etc/lightdm/lightdm.conf

Cost Comparison

Future Enhancements

• [ ] Add smart home device controls
• [ ] Add family member location/presence
• [ ] Add package tracking
• [ ] Add meal planning integration
• [ ] Add photo slideshow from Google Photos

Resources

• Home Assistant Docs
• HACS
• Alexa Media Player
• Berlin Transport Integration
• OurGroceries Integration