Automate old tablets as WiiM screen? (Experimental)

[Wiimer]

--[Related Posts]--------------------

• Routine for turning on tablet screen and playing preset 1 in Google Assistant. (5 Mar 2025)

-----------------------------------

Hi,

Today is a national holiday in my country, yet it is snowing(First of the season!), so I was at home all day experimenting.

I have one Android tablet that don't use much and am trying to figure out how to use it as a WiiM screen.

So far, it looks like this .


# This is a video that starts right after I say "play music" to the Echo dot, and the Echo glows and voice controls my tablet, and play Amazon music with AlexaCast.

View attachment 1000002465.mp4
(There was a delay in lyrics only at the beginning. I'm trying to determine the cause..)


#This is a video that starts right after I tell the Echo to "stop music" and the Echo turns off the music and the tablet screen.

View attachment 1000002464.mp4


# I have confirmed the operation of the WiiM remote by connecting it to the tablet via Bluetooth.

View attachment 1000002468.mp4

(Only the power and volume buttons are practicable .)


[Overview of the linkage]

1. When music starts on WiiM, the tablet screen is turned on and the "Now Playing screen" of the Amazon music app (AM) is displayed (And Show lyrics).
2. When the music stops, close AM and turn off the screen.

[How does it work?]

1) When startmusic.

1. I ask to Alexa on the Echo "Play music".
2. Alexa's routine causes the Echo to play AM on the WiiM and voice control the Google Assistant (Gemini) on the tablet.
3. When the Gemini on the tablet is activated, the screen turns on and the automation opens the AM app.
4. The Macrodroid app detects the AM app startup and executes a routine to switch the AM app screen to the "Now Playing screen".

2) When stopping music.

1. I ask to Echo "Stop music".
2. Echo will voice control the Gemini after stop music.
3. Gemini turns off the screen after closing the AM app and showing the home screen.

[Devices and App]
WiiM Ultra
Amazon Echo dot (4th Gen)
Android Tablet (Xiaomi pad 6)
Android Phone
And 1 extra WiiM remote

Alexa app
Google home app
Macrodroid app (Paid ver)
Amazon music app

<These are useful to have>
Charger and Cable
Smart plug (manages regular charging)
Magnetic Charging Adapter

# Lite version that works only with tablet is here.


Tips:
If you want to display the WiiM home app on your tablet, do not need an Echo device.
(You can voice control Gemini directly on your tablet. )
So you can use the Macrodroid app and the WiiM api to control your WiiM device. e.g., you can preset playback.


Remarks:.
These are not new methods, but I have tried to automate them by combining several means. In order to work properly, they require tablet setup, voice match, and the most tedious routine creation.

Disclaimer:
The Voice control is done in Japanese, so phrases may need to be modified for other languages.


These are still being tested. If you have any prime ideas or advice, please let me know.

I may post the setup procedure later.. Well, maybe I am just wasting effort to make things a little easier, but it was fun, so no problem .

 

[Wiimer]

The WiiM ecosystem by me for me is almost complete .

I ask the Echo dot to "put of music" and Alexa commands the Gemini. And my tablet display shows AM app. (I can stop here, but I split the screen to show the clock.)
View attachment 1000002624.mp4


This is a floor chart of the sequence of operations.



When I ask Alexa to "turn off the music," the music stops and the tablet screen returns to the clock display. (Of course, can also turn off the screen.)

View attachment 1000002627.mp4



The most significant change is to change the Google Assistant action to "Do not disturb mode (DND)." This almost eliminated the operating error.

When using Google Assistant routines on Android, I can automate control of the tablet. There is only so much can do, but I chose to use it to trigger Macrodroid by turning DND on/off on my tablet.

This is the Automation Creation screen (Actions) in Google Assistant.







And these are the main routine settings for running this system.

[01 Alexa routine (start playing)]



[02 Alexa routine (stop playing)]

#Alexa Routine Setup Points." In "Alexa says" put lots of spaces after "OK Google" to create a silent gap. This increases Gemini's recognition rate. And the "Alexa says" action is also used when performing a Google Assistant voice match.



[01 Google Assistant (start playing)]



[02 Google Assistant (stop playing)]



[01 Macrodroid macro (start playing)]



[02 Macrodroid macro (stop playback)]




Gemini activated by Alexa voice control puts the tablet in DND mode (off). This executes Macrodroid. When music is stopped, DND is turned on and Macrodroid is executed in the same way.

 

[Wiimer]

I also decided to use my old phone (Huawei nova lite 2) as a WiiM remote.

So I am trying to use Macrodroid's "Webhook Trigger" to control the WiiM device and the tablet at the same time with the phone .

In brief, a Webhook trigger allows a tablet to be remotely controlled from another phone.

First, I created 12 presets and music control buttons on the phone Macrodroid. (Using widget triggers.)



It works like this.
View attachment 1000002647.mp4


This is a flowchart.


Tapping the phone's preset button activates the tablet's Macrodroid to play music via the WiiM API. At the same time, the WHA is displayed on the tablet. The phone will display WHA after issuing a command to the tablet.

Also, since Spotify is registered in my preset 12, just pressing this button will switch to Spotify connect.

View attachment 1000002649.mp4


Unfortunately, the MRM is currently deactivated when playing Spotify as the smart presets do not support persistent groups . Hopefully the @WiiM Team will resolve this in the near future.


I will post instructions for creating preset buttons in Macrodroid after this.
Thanks.

 

[alaios]

wow nice. Can you put the tablet to never sleep but turn off the monitor when music is not playing?

 

[Wiimer]

wow nice. Can you put the tablet to never sleep but turn off the monitor when music is not playing?

By monitor, do you mean a PC display?

You can always display the clock app, etc. without putting the tablet to sleep after music is stopped.

There are countless features in the Macrodroid app that can send notifications to the PC, so it is probably possible to trigger that on the PC side to turn off the monitor.

Sorry if I misunderstood your question .

 

[Wiimer]

[Automation Lite Version]

If you use a split screen on your tablet to display the clock at all times, it can be configured in a much simpler way.


View attachment 1000002481.mp4

This is the method I used to use and it is very easy. However, your tablet must be able to have 2 apps active at the same time when splitting the screen. (If this is not possible, using the tablet's default clock app may solve this problem.)

No other devices or apps are needed as this works on the tablet alone(no Echo, Gemini, Macrodroid needed). Just install a third party clock app on the tablet, and have your favorite music app(or WiiM app) displayed in split screen mode and it will work.

Many clock apps have a screen sleep setting, so you can choose whether to display the tablet screen always or use a timer.

 

[Erebus]

No other devices or apps are needed as this works on the tablet alone

This is very intriguing. Does it only work with an Ultra when connected to a PC? Sorry, I don't really understand how this works, but it looks great!

 

[Wiimer]

This is very intriguing. Does it only work with an Ultra when connected to a PC? Sorry, I don't really understand how this works, but it looks great!

No PC is used .
All you have to do is use the clock app to keep the tablet screen displayed at all times.
There is nothing difficult about it .

However, this method cannot turn the tablet screen on/off in conjunction with music playback/stopped. This is for always display.

 

[DG77]

Great work @Wiimer!

Now if there only was an easy way to get my "Google Nest Hub" to actually display some content I want to see on it's useless display!

 

[Erebus]

No PC is used

Thank you, but it's only for Ultra or will it work with other WiiMs?

 

[Wiimer]

Thank you, but it's only for Ultra or will it work with other WiiMs?

Of course, it can work with all WiiMs.

Great work @Wiimer!

Now if there only was an easy way to get my "Google Nest Hub" to actually display some content I want to see on it's useless display!

Thanks

I'll see what I can do with my old Google speaker. (No screen though...)

 

[castalla]

Of course, it can work with all WiiMs.




Thanks

I'll see what I can do with my old Google speaker. (No screen though...)

Don't forget the firetv, android tv & echo screens!

 

[Erebus]

Of course, it can

I see. I shall have to study this and try to work out what to do. I don't understand about needing a clock app as I can set my tablet screen to Never sleep. But what app is actually shown on the screen and why would it be different to the WiiM app device screen? (Sorry for not understanding.)

 

[Wiimer]

I see. I shall have to study this and try to work out what to do. I don't understand about needing a clock app as I can set my tablet screen to Never sleep.

Yes, if the tablet can disable sleep, there is no problem without a clock app. However, e.g., clock app can be used to turn off the screen only at night.

But what app is actually shown on the screen and why would it be different to the WiiM app device screen? (Sorry for not understanding.)

My tablet is showing the Amazon music app.

 

[Erebus]

My tablet is showing the Amazon music app.

Okay. So I guess you prefer that to the WiiM App tablet screen? But I still don't understand what the difference is and why doing what you have described is any different to viewing the WiiM App device screen showing what is playing. What am I missing?

 

[Wiimer]

Okay. So I guess you prefer that to the WiiM App tablet screen? But I still don't understand what the difference is and why doing what you have described is any different to viewing the WiiM App device screen showing what is playing. What am I missing?

I usually open and control the WiiM app on my phone. My tablet is placed near the audio and used as a display, so I prefer shows the music app instead of the WiiM app. And sometimes I also control it with the tablet.

When you split the screen to display the WiiM app and the music app, you can control both apps at the same time. This is my procedure to split the screen on my tablet. (I don't know if this will be useful for you.)

Left:WiiM app, Right:Amazon music.
View attachment 9fb4316d-0a55-4300-87da-28a34f17221a-1_all_7289.mp4

 

[Erebus]

Left:WiiM app, Right:Amazon music.

Thank you for the excellent video. So if I understand correctly, this process is for displaying two separate apps playing different content? I only have one set of speakers so I can only play one source at a time.

Edit: I can do this:

 

[Wiimer]

Thank you for the excellent video. So if I understand correctly, this process is for displaying two separate apps playing different content? I only have one set of speakers so I can only play one source at a time.

Edit: I can do this:View attachment 17957

Yes, you can do that, and everyone has their own way of using it. Your tablet screen would have WHA on the left side and Spotify on the right side; you could play Spotify on one WiiM device while adjusting EQ on WHA, or play other music sources from WHA.

Also, if you have multiple WiiM devices, you can switch between connected devices on the Spotify side, and switch groups on the WHA side.

In my case, I may display Spotify and Amazon music, and play them alternately.

 

[RyanWithWiiM]

Thanks for sharing Wiimer! This is awesome.

 

[gazza1101]

Great work @Wiimer!

Now if there only was an easy way to get my "Google Nest Hub" to actually display some content I want to see on it's useless display!

If you stream to your Wiim via chromecast and add wiim and the hub in a group it will actually show what's playing, I did this for a good while but often had to restart the hub as it would leave the group.