Old Android 4.4 device as display for local Emoncms

Emoncms Installation
, ,
1

Hi,

I’ve just purchased the kit and have my local Emoncms server setup and working. My iPad can access the local emonPI with no problems, account created etc.

I want to use an old tablet as a kiosk display and have the app installed which works but the app is very limited, I really need the octopus agile view of the world so I’m trying to log into the Emoncms server from an android v4.4.2 device, however I can’t get past the login screen!

image
image2016×1512 871 KB

I can fill in username and passcode but the login button just does nothing! I don’t get error messages or anything, it just sits there doing nothing.

I’ve tried the default google browser and a mini opera browser but no difference.

Is there something special I need to do here?

Thanks,
Chris

2

It works for me with Android 4.3 (Samsung Galaxy S3) - but with Firefox as the browser. Google Chrome won’t update on mine, but it still works and logs in for me

As far as I’m aware, there’s nothing special.

3

I had the same issue with an old Galaxy Tab 2.
Wouldnt sign in on the default browser, and threw up a load of access errors in Firefox.

4

Managed to get this working by installing internet explorer browser. For some reason it doesn’t seem to like chrome or opera.

5

bumps zombie thread
Ah! I’ve just run into the same issue, I acquired an Samsung Galaxy Tab3 from my sister.
It’s Android 4.1.2, but running the latest version of Chrome available from the Play Store (though it’s only V42), and it does the same thing as above, I get the EMonCMS login screen, enter the details, click Login and nothing. It just sits there.
I’ve tried Opera, Opera Mini and Dolphin browsers too, all exactly the same. Firefox doesn’t appear to be in the app store (for Android 4.1.2 at least), so I’m kind stuck.
@Cjd000 there doesn’t appear to Internet Explorer there either, though I’m not sure why it would be!?

Anyone else run into this recently and got a solution? Single use, free, old tablets would make the ideal replacement for the junk that is the smart meters “In Home Display”…

6

OK, so I’ve had too much coffee this evening…

As Firefox is no longer available in the PlayStore for older Android devices (cuts off at Android 5), we need an old version of FF for Android 4.x which is official and not loaded with malware.
The obvious answer is Mozilla, who handily have a full archive of their old software.
We need FF55 at -
https://archive.mozilla.org/pub/mobile/releases/55.0.2/
I picked the API15 version as I’m pretty sure my Tab isn’t 64bit and it’s definitely not Intel x86.
On the tablet, load up Chrome, go to the above page, select the needed version and download the APK.
I had to allow “Unknown Sources” in the Settings / Security app first.
Once the APK is downloaded run it, it asked if I wanted to check and install it, I clicked yes, and a few moments later FF was installed.

Going to the EmonCMS page works just like it should in Firefox - Magic! :+1:
Now just need to build a stand so I can keep it powered while it’s upright.

2 Likes
7

:+1:
I was about to write “Have you looked at Firefox downloads themselves?”

1 Like