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June 6, 2025June 6, 2025 by Paisit Wongsongsarn - 7 Comments

Seeed Studio XIAO-2CH-EM Review: 2-Channel Wi-Fi AC Energy Meter with two CT clamps, ESPHome preloaded

XIAO 2-channel Wi-Fi AC Energy Meter Review

We have received a review sample of an energy metering device from SeeedStudio called the XIAO 2-Channel Wi-Fi AC Energy Meter (XIAO-2CH-EM). This device uses a clamp-on CT (Current Transformer) method on the live wire that you want to measure, without needing to modify the existing electrical wiring. XIAO-2CH-EM comes with several key features such as dual CT sensors (CT1 and CT2), native ESPHome & Home Assistant Integration, precise measurement with factory calibration, and bi-directional power flow monitoring. While the XIAO-2CH-EM has 2 CT input ports, it will only ship with one CT clamp by default, but users can purchase an additional CT clamp if needed. The two CT channels operate independently, and each one can measure bidirectional power and supports devices using up to 100A of current. That should be enough for an ordinary home. The XIAO-2CH-EM comes pre-flashed with ESPHome firmware from the factory, meaning it can be […]

May 29, 2025May 29, 2025 by Debashis Das - 1 Comment

XIAO Vision AI Camera combines ESP32-C3 and WiseEye2 HX6538 AI MCU with 5MP camera, supports SenseCraft no-code platform

Seeed Studio has recently released the XIAO Vision AI Camera, a compact, open-source smart ESP32-C3 AI Camera that integrates the Grove Vision AI Module V2, a XIAO ESP32C3 module, and an OV5647 5MP camera in a custom 3D-printed PLA case. One of the key components of the camera module is the WiseEye2 HX6538 chip, which features dual-core Arm Cortex-M55 processors and an Ethos-U55 NPU for edge AI computing. It also comes with Wi-Fi connectivity, turning it into an intelligent IP camera that easily integrates with Home Assistant for closed-loop automation (e.g., object detection triggering lights or alerts). Its 5MP OV5647 camera can record 1080p@30fps video and has adjustable focus. These features make this camera useful for industrial automation, smart cities, transportation monitoring, intelligent agriculture, and mobile IoT devices. XIAO Vision AI Camera Specifications Main MCU module – XIAO ESP32C3 SoC – Expressif Systems ESP32-C3 CPU – Single-core RISC-V microcontroller @ […]

May 16, 2025May 16, 2025 by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 3 Comments

Satellite1 Dev Kit is an Home Assistant-compatible DIY voice assistant with ESP32-S3 module, XMOS XU316 audio processor

DIY Voice Assistant in 3D printed enclosure

FutureProofHomes’ Satellite1 Dev Kit is a DIY voice assistant comprised of an ESP32-S3 WiFi and Bluetooth board running ESPHome and an audio “HAT” based on XMOS XU316 audio processor designed for Home Assistant compatibility. It can be used as a smart speaker with a 25W amplifier, a headphone jack, and a built-in 4-microphone array, a music player, and an environmental monitoring system with temperature, humidity, luminosity, and presence sensors. The HAT can also be used with a Raspberry Pi with a 40-pin GPIO header, and two extra 40-pin connectors are reserved for future accessories. Satellite1 Dev Kit specifications: Wireless SoC – Espressif Systems ESP32-S3 CPU – Dual-core 32-bit LX7 processor running at 240 MHz Memory – 512 KB SRAM, 8 MB PSRAM. Storage – 16 MB Flash Wireless – WiFi 4 and Bluetooth 5.x Audio Processor – XMOS XU316 (XU316-1024-QF60V-I32) 16-core 32-bit RISC processor running at 800 MHz with […]

May 15, 2025May 15, 2025 by Paisit Wongsongsarn - No Comments

SmartWings Smart Shade Review – An outdoor, solar-powered Matter shade tested with Apple HomeKit and Home Assistant

Recently, we received a custom-made-to-order smart shade from SmartWings for review. We never heard about SmartWings before, but the company claims to have been in the smart blind/shade and home automation industry for over 15 years. Their standout feature is the high degree of customisation they offer—whether it’s the type of shade, custom size up to almost 3 meters in width and height, various fabric styles, and compatibility with major Smart Home platforms like Amazon Alexa, Google Home, Apple HomeKit, Samsung SmartThings, Home Assistant, and Hubitat. SmartWings asked us to select a location in the house where we wanted to review the smart shade. We wanted to review a solar-powered outdoor shade, so we selected a windowed door with direct sunlight. We carefully measured the dimensions following the instructions on the company’s website to understand the process. We had to select the shade type, privacy level of the fabric (openness), […]

May 8, 2025 by Debashis Das - 1 Comment

Everything Presence Lite ESP32-based mmWave presence sensor tracks up to three targets simultaneously

Designed by Everything Smart Home, the Everything Presence Lite is a compact, ESP32-based mmWave presence sensor designed to be easily integrated with Home Assistant open-source home automation framework via ESPHome firmware. This sensor features a 24GHz mmWave sensor designed to track up to three targets simultaneously with real-time distance, speed, and positional data (X, Y coordinates). It supports dynamic zone customization, ambient light sensing using a BH1750 sensor, and acts as a Bluetooth proxy to extend Home Assistant’s Bluetooth range. The sensor comes in an injection-molded case, and the company also provides 3D-printable STL files, which you can customize according to your needs. Key applications include human presence detection, smart lighting automation, home security zone monitoring, HVAC efficiency control, fall detection for the elderly, and much more. Everything Presence Lite specifications: Wireless controller – ESP32-WROOM-32E WiFi and Bluetooth module with 4MB Flash mmWave Sensor Built-in Hi-Link HLK-LD2450 24 GHz ISM […]

May 7, 2025 by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 3 Comments

Pironman 5-Max tower PC case for the Raspberry Pi 5 gets dual M.2 PCIe sockets, programmable RGB LEDs, new black design

Pironman 5-Max is an update of the Pironman 5 tower PC case for the Raspberry Pi 5 with a new sleeker design made of black aluminum and semi-transparent black acrylic panels. Other improvements include a new dual NVMe PiP expansion board for two M.2 NVMe SSDs in RAID 0/1 configuration, or one NVMe SSD and one AI accelerator module, a Tap-to-Wake feature for the OLED information display, and programmable RGB LEDs for the two fans. Pironman 5-Max specifications: Designed for the Raspberry Pi 5 and compatible SBCs Storage Pironman 5 Dual NVMe PiP supporting 2x M.2 2230, 2242, 2260, or 2280 NVMe SSDs at up to PCIe 2.0 x1 speeds due to switch used; RAID 0/1 support MicroSD card slot equipped with a spring-loaded socket for easy card removal Video Output – 2x full-size HDMI ports Display – 0.96-inch OLED Display showing Raspberry Pi’s CPU usage, temperature, disk usage, IP […]

May 3, 2025May 3, 2025 by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 21 Comments

Walnut Pi 2B is an Allwinner T527 octa-core SBC with Raspberry Pi 5 form factor and interfaces

Walnut Pi 2B is a single board computer (SBC) powered by an Allwinner T527 octa-core Cortex-A55 SoC with a built-in 2 TOPS AI accelerator that closely follows the Raspberry Pi 5 design for compatibility with most HAT+ expansion boards and accessories. The Walnut Pi 2B SBC ships with 1GB to 4GB LPDDR4 RAM, an optional 32GB eMMC flash, and features a microSD card slot, gigabit Ethernet, four USB ports, a WiFI and Bluetooth module, MIPI DSI/CSI connectors, and the same PCIe FFC connector as found on the Raspberry Pi 5, and a 40-pin GPIO. One of the most obvious differences is that it only comes with one micro HDMI port instead of two on the Pi 5. Let’s check out the specifications to find other changes. Walnut Pi 2B specifications: SoC – Allwinner T527 CPU Octa-core Arm Cortex-A55 processor with four cores @ 1.80 GHz and four cores @ 1.42GHz […]

May 1, 2025May 29, 2025 by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 6 Comments

XIAO 2-channel Wi-Fi AC Energy Meter runs ESPHome on ESP32-C6 module, comes with two 100A CT clamps

Seeed Studio’s XIAO 2-channel Wi-Fi AC Energy Meter is an ESP32-C6 (XIAO ESP32-C6) powered power meter with two independent CT clamp (Current Transformer clamp) connectors to safely measure power consumption when placed around one of the wires from an AC cable. We reviewed the SONOFF POW Ring single-channel WiFi CT clamp power meter with eWelink and Home Assistant last year, and before that, we also covered models supporting multiple CT clamps, up to 16 clamps with the Emporia Vue Gen 2 energy monitor. The XIAO 2-channel Wi-Fi AC Energy Meter offers a middle ground with support for two CT clamps measuring up to 100A per channel. XIAO 2-channel Wi-Fi AC Energy Meter specifications: Wireless module – XIAO ESP32C6 board Wireless MCU – Espressif Systems ESP32-C6 CPU Single-core 32-bit RISC-V clocked up to 160 MHz Low-power RISC-V core @ up to 20 MHz Memory – 512KB SRAM, 16KB low-power SRAM Storage […]