KNX visualization on a tablet: control panel on the wall

Tablet or fixed control panel?

Both approaches have their merits. A permanently installed panel is part of the installation and is usually planned together with the electrician. A tablet in a wall mount is more flexible: it can be retrofitted, swapped for another model, and besides the KNX visualization it can also show a calendar, music or an intercom function as needed. Which way suits your house depends on planning, budget and personal taste. This guide describes the tablet route.

Which tablet for the KNX visualization?

Many KNX visualizations run in the browser or as an app for iPadOS and Android. This leaves the choice of tablet comparatively open: a device with 10 to 11 inches has proven itself as a control center in the hallway or living area, a more compact model around 8 inches is suitable as a control panel next to the door. Check in advance with the provider of your visualization which systems and browsers are supported, and test the view on the tablet while it is still in your hand. Detailed guidance on choosing a device is in the guide Which tablet is suitable for the wall?.

Fixed to the wall: the enclosure line

For a KNX control panel, the tablet usually stays in its place permanently. That is what the enclosure line is intended for: a screwed frame holds the tablet, the display remains freely usable, the side buttons are covered by the frame, and removal is designed to require tools. This makes the tablet look like a fixed control element on the wall rather than a device that was put down. If the tablet should look more like a picture in the living area, the picture frame mount is an alternative; if it should occasionally go to the kitchen with you, the slide-in line fits. All lines can be installed in portrait or landscape.

Power from the wall: plan it into a new build

In a KNX installation, the power supply is usually already in the wall. For a wall tablet it is worth providing a flush-mounted box at the planned position: a suitable USB power adapter sits in it later, the charging cable runs from there concealed into the mount, which covers a standard flush-mounted box. No cable is visible from the outside. Have the electrical installation carried out by your electrician and agree on the position with them before the wall is closed. If the tablet is added to an existing wall later, the cable can alternatively be routed via a nearby socket. The options in detail are shown in the guide Tablet wall mount with charging function.

Setup: full screen instead of home screen

A control panel should show only one thing: your visualization. Depending on the tablet, there are built-in features or kiosk apps for this that restrict the device to one app or website and hide the status bars. On the iPad this is usually Guided Access, on Android tablets kiosk browser apps take over. What this looks like in detail is shown using Home Assistant as an example in the guide Setting up a tablet as a wall panel; the steps can be transferred to a KNX visualization. It has also proven useful to choose the position of the panel along the central walkway, for example in the hallway at the entrance, and the height so that the display is comfortable to operate.

The right mount for your tablet

Our mounts are made in Germany for the respective tablet model. Whether there is a matching mount for your device is shown by the model finder; all models are in the overview Tablet wall mounts. And if you are still considering where in the house the panel makes the most sense, the practical guide Tablet as a smart home hub on the wall helps with planning.

All brand and product names mentioned belong to their respective owners. They are used solely to describe which devices our mounts are intended for.