u/Lost_Significance_33

I wanted a few wall-mounted tablets running home-automation dashboards, but every "on-wall" tablet mount I found was **$180 and up**. So I built my own. The mounting hardware comes out to **about $5 per tablet**, the tablet snaps right onto the wall and charges while it's there, and it pulls off cleanly whenever I want to use it in my hand.

It's dead simple: a recessed channel magnet on the wall, two steel plates stuck to the back of the tablet, and a short right-angle USB-C cable for charging off a USB light switch. That's it. They look clean and they just plain work.

## Parts list

1. Tablet — ~$32 (Walmart) onn. 8" Tablet, 2024 model, 32GB, Android 15. I got clean refurbs for $32 each and they're surprisingly fast. https://www.walmart.com/ip/onn-8-Tablet-32GB-2024-Model-Indigo/5168235223

2. Wall magnet — ~$17 for a 6-pack (~$3 each) Neodymium channel magnet, **65 lb pull**, 3.25 x 1/2 x 1/4" rectangular pot magnet. Part # MCLN-325TH

I tested 80 lb, 65 lb, 45 lb, and 25 lb pull versions. **The 65 lb is the sweet spot** — not too hard to pull off, and not a violent snap when you put it back. The 80/95 were too aggressive; the 25 was too weak. https://www.magnet4sale.com/65-lb-pull-3-25x1-2x1-4-threaded-hole-neodymium-channel-magnet-rectangular-pot-magnet/

3. Steel plates for the back of the tablet — ~$9 for a 16-pack

SALEX replacement metal plates, 16-pack. Big enough, and I trusted the 3M tape they ship with. I use **2 per tablet**. The 3M is holding fine so far. (I keep liquid nails on standby as a permanent backup in case the tape ever lets go — that would deface the tablet forever, so it's a last resort.)

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09B6XGTWL/

4. Light switch with USB ports — ~$26

These are real rocker switches — they don't look like it, but they're not those mushy push-button ones. Behind it I dropped in a **Shelly dimmer**, replacing my old X10 dimmer, and it works great with LEDs. - https://www.ebay.com/itm/227229404549

- Legrand / Pass & Seymour TM83USBWCCV4 Decorator: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=Legrand-Pass-Seymour-TM83USBWCCV4-DECORATOR-VISION

I didn't do inductive charging on this build. - **Alternative USB switches:**

- https://www.auselectronicsdirect.com.au/vertical-single-gang-wall-plate-switch-with-2.1a-u

- Tuya smart Wi-Fi touch switch with USB + USB-C: https://www.expert4house.com/en/smart-home/wi-fi-switches/tuya-smart-wifi-white-touch-switch-with-usb-and-type-c-port

5. Short USB-A to USB-C cable

aceyoon 2-pack coiled USB-C cable, 90-degree (right-angle) USB-A to USB-C. The right-angle end keeps it tidy against the wall. https://www.amazon.com/s?k=aceyoon+90+degree+coiled+usb-c

So what does it actually cost? The honest breakdown, because I know someone will ask:

- The **mount itself** — what replaces the $180+ commercial on-wall mount — is just **1 channel magnet (~$3) + 2 steel plates (~$1)**, so roughly **$4–5 per tablet**. That's the headline number.

- The tablet (~$32), the USB light switch (~$26), and the cable are things you'd need anyway for any wall-mounted, always-charging tablet setup. They're not part of the "mount" cost.

So: ~$5 for the actual mounting hardware, vs. $180+ for the off-the-shelf equivalent.

Notes / lessons learned

Magnet strength matters more than anything.** 65 lb pull was the Goldilocks zone for an 8" tablet. Heavier tablets may want a bit more. Two plates per tablet - spreads the hold and keeps it from pivoting. - The 3M tape has held fine, but if you're nervous, plan a permanent adhesive backup.

inductive charging - Done right, the cable disappears entirely and the whole thing feels like magic. That's the supernova version.

https://preview.redd.it/v2pgh50wd89h1.png?width=700&format=png&auto=webp&s=f37aea6e994647e048bf25da914a7878e108473c

inductive charging - Done right, the cable disappears entirely and the whole thing feels like magic. That's the supernova version. Happy to answer questions. Hope this saves someone $175.

Built a tool that I think folks here will find useful. It reads IR/RF backup files and converts them to 8 other formats+— so you can migrate your codes to whatever hardware you're moving to, without relearning a single button.

→ https://readyware.net/signal-transporter.html

How it works: drop a source file on the left, drop a target file (Flipper .ir, LIRC conf, Pronto Hex, BroadLink, Global Caché, GIRR XML, .irc, CSV, or JSON) on the right, click-pair the buttons (or hit auto-match), and download. Runs entirely in the browser — no install, no account.

Features:

• Reads IR/RF backup files and code databases, including Harmony XML and other supported formats.

• Harmony XML support is read-only by design. Logitech ended the platform in 2021, so this is mainly a way to preserve and migrate your codes into formats that still have a future.

• Auto-match by name handles most buttons (Power = On/Off = Standby, Vol+ = Volume Up, etc.), with manual click-pairing for anything unusual.

• Convert between Flipper Zero .ir, LIRC, Pronto Hex, Global Caché iTach sendir, GIRR XML, BroadLink, .irc, CSV, and JSON.

• Codes transfer exactly. Macros and events are preserved where the destination format supports them.

Disclosure: I'm the developer. Built this because I had years of IR/RF codes spread across different devices and wanted a simple way to move them around. The tool is free forever and runs entirely client-side — your files never leave your browser.

Feedback welcome, especially on:

• Edge cases and files that don't parse cleanly.
• Auto-match synonyms — the dictionary can always grow.
• Requests for additional output formats.

How many times have you torn the house apart for the original remote just to reprogram one button? Now multiply that by the Harmony shutdown, where a whole community lost their setups when the cloud went dark. Gamers don't accept that — they dump a game once and it's preserved forever. Our remotes deserve the same.

That's the idea I built around. The web tools are free and need no account:

Signal Transporter moves your codes from an old remote file onto a new layout — click-pair or auto-match, no re-learning. Built specifically for people migrating off Harmony.

A signal editor/converter that eats 11 formats (Flipper Zero, LIRC, Pronto, BroadLink, etc.) and an online remote builder.

The largest remote database online — 700,000+ codes, 7,800+ brands — for when the original remote is long gone.

Everything saves as a small .irc file you actually own — back it up, share it, trade it. No cloud, no lock-in. Works with a cheap $7 USB-C blaster, your phone's IR, or a BroadLink.

There's a paid companion app too (one-time, no ads, no subscription), but the preservation tools above are free — start there.

Heads up that I made this, so I'd love honest feedback more than anything: what would you want before you trusted it with your whole remote setup?

Heads up that I made this, so I'd love honest feedback more than anything: where does the .irc standard fall short for your setup, and what would make the HA side actually useful to you?

Like a lot of people here, I got hit when Logitech killed Harmony. The official BroadLink, Sofabaton, Tiqiaa USB-C, ElkSmart/Smart Blaster, and SmartThings apps all do the basics, but I wanted something fully customizable that worked across every blaster I own. So I built READYWARE.

Two free things you can use right now without installing anything:

🔧 Free online IR/RF signal converter & editor

- Paste any format — Pronto Hex, LIRC, Flipper Zero .ir, BroadLink Base64, Arduino, Global Caché, GIRR, raw µs, Harmony XML — auto-detected and converted to all 17 output formats at once.

- Live waveform editor: click any µs value to edit, normalize, fix-signal, AGC zone display, spectrum view.

- Bulk file import — drop a Flipper directory, Harmony export, IRDB, or LIRC remote, all buttons auto-listed.

- Bluetooth → IR bridge: map Apple TV / Google TV / Fire TV remote HID keys to IR signals.

- Home Assistant YAML auto-export, MQTT publish/subscribe, webhooks.

- 700,000+ codes searchable. No account. Works in any browser.

📱 Live demo of the universal remote app (no install)

(Click into Living Room → IPTV to see the live-wallpaper feature.)

The full app for Android/iOS adds:

- BroadLink RM, Tiqiaa USB-C IR, ElkSmart / Smart Blaster, Ocrustar, phone built-in IR, Wi-Fi transmitters — one app, every blaster.

- Fully customizable canvas. Drag, drop, resize, rotate, recolor every button. Custom icons, custom wallpapers, custom shapes. Make a remote that looks like your actual A/V rack — not a generic grid of buttons.

- Live wallpaper behind buttons. Security cam, weather radar, YouTube, HLS/RTSP streams play under your buttons while you control the TV. I haven't seen any other remote app do this.

- System overlay. Buttons float over Netflix, YouTube, any streaming app. Hit pause without leaving the show.

- Open .irc file format. Backup, share, edit in a text editor. Your remotes aren't trapped in someone's cloud.

- Cross-device renderer — same profile on phone, tablet, or 4K TV.

- One-time purchase. No subscription. Free updates for life. Use it on every device you own.

Sites: https://readyware.net · https://readyware.com

Full disclosure: I'm the developer. The signal editor is free forever no matter what — built it because I needed it and figured others would too. The phone app is paid. Genuinely interested in feedback on hardware support gaps. What do you use that I should make sure works? TY.