The Open Home Foundation adds HACS, microWakeWord, and Music Assistant open-source projects

Open Home Foundation adds HACS, microWakeWord, Music Assistant

HACS, microWakeWord, and Music Assistant projects have joined the Open Home Foundation launched a few months ago to manage open-source projects related to Home Assistant and Smart Home applications in general separating them from Nabu Casa’s commercial activities. Note the HACS, microWakeWord, and Music Assistant projects will not operate directly under the Open Home Foundation’s umbrella, but they are external projects that the foundation collaborates on since it believes those are projects worth investing in to further develop the Smart Home ecosystem. Let’s have a quick look at the three projects. Home Assistant Community Store (HACS) is the most used custom integration for Home Assistant and allows users to easily install custom integrations, cards, and themes. Music Assistant gives users control over their media players and audio files handling both local music collection and music streaming services so that users can play any tune anywhere in their house without restrictions. […]

SONOFF SWV Review – A Zigbee Smart Water Valve tested with eWelink and Home Assistant

SONOFF SWV Smart Water Valve review

Today, we are going to test and review another new Zigbee product from SONOFF, the SONOFF Zigbee Smart Water Valve (SWV). This is the first water valve built by SONOFF. When it comes to devices related to water control, whether watering plants or opening and closing valves in tanks or pools, many people might be familiar with the SONOFF 4CHPro model, which is a WiFi smart switch that controls solenoid valves with DC or AC power (valve sold separately). The SONOFF SWV is an all-in-one device that integrates both valve control and IoT functionality in one. It is ideal for plant watering around the house or controlling water filling into pools or tanks. Besides being able to set schedules for opening and closing valves, it also has other interesting features. Let’s look at the details. Unboxing the SONOFF Zigbee Smart Water Valve Inside the box, you will find the valve […]

Qsen-07 multi-sensor wireless board can detect CO2, VOC, temperature, humidity, ambient light, and attitude

qsen 07 multi-sensor board

The Qsen-07 multi-sensor board is an ESP32 wireless development board that combines several useful sensors into one device, making it easier to control, monitor, and enhance your home environment. It is a recent product from Maker Go, a China-based hardware company, which claims the board is “fully integrated with ESPHome and Home Assistant“. But as noted in a reader’s comment below, ESPHome on ESP32-C6 is still a work in progress, and the YAML configuration file for the board has yet to be provided by the company. The Qsen-07 multi-sensor board is “designed for health-conscious and tech-savvy homeowners” and can monitor air quality and other environmental variables to ensure a safe and smart living space. It features up to seven sensors, including two air quality sensors, a temperature and humidity sensor, an ambient light sensor, a barometric pressure sensor, an attitude gyro sensor, and an optional radar sensor. The Aosong AGS10 […]

SONOFF SNZB-05P review – A Zigbee water leak sensor tested with eWelink and Home Assistant

SONOFF SNZB-05P Zigbee Water Leak Sensor review

Today, we will review another new sensor from SONOFF, the SNZN-05P Zigbee water leak sensor. This is SONOFF’s first-ever water leak detection sensor. In the past, we have reviewed other Zigbee sensors that were upgraded from previous models. SONOFF enthusiasts will likely be pleased because a water leak detection sensor is something that should have been part of the SONOFF ecosystem for a long time. That is a bit late in the game, but it has a unique feature: an Extended Detection Cable that can detect water leaks. Let’s take a look! SONOFF SNZB-05P Water Leak Sensor Unboxing Inside the box, you’ll find the sensor, an Extended Detection Cable (2m), cable clips, and a small manual. The SNZB-05P is water-resistant with an IP67 rating (submersible up to 1 meter for 30 minutes). It uses a CR2477 battery, similar to other SONOFF Zigbee sensors, which should last several years. Both terminals […]

Zigbee Coordinator CC2652P7 1.0 runs open-source firmware, works with Zigbee2MQTT, Home Assistant, and ioBroker

codm zigbee coordinator

The cod.m Zigbee Coordinator 1.0 (CZC 1.0) is a hybrid ZigBee coordinator that can be used to connect devices over a network (Ethernet/Wi-Fi) and USB. The ZigBee Coordinator version 1.0 is an upgrade of version 0.2 released in 2022. The CZC 1.0 replaces the Texas Instruments CC2652P2 chip with the much more powerful CC2652P7 chip, uses an ESP32-WROOM-32E module instead of the USR-K6 chip, and adds compatibility with Home Assistant (ZHA integration). It can create a Zigbee network and pair Zigbee devices over Ethernet, WiFi, or Serial (USB). It features the same Texas Instruments CC2652P7 chip as the SMLIGHT line of Zigbee Ethernet/WiFi/USB coordinators and USB dongles. There are two models of the CZC 1.0: a Power over Ethernet model and a model that can only be powered via USB-C. cod.m Zigbee Coordinator specifications: Zigbee SoC – Texas Instruments CC2652P7 Arm Cortex-M4F microcontroller @ 48 MHz with 704 KB flash, […]

SONOFF ZBMicro Review – A Micro Zigbee USB Smart Adapter tested with eWelink and Home Assistant

Sonoff Micro ZB USB Smart Adapter Cover

We’ve just published the review of the SONOFF Zigbee Bridge Ultra, and as promised the next one will be the SONOFF Micro Zigbee USB Smart Adapter (ZBMicro for short). When we first received the device we wondered what improvements could be made beyond the first Wi-Fi version as it’s so small. However, after using it for a while, we found it to be a pretty good product. Besides functioning as a smart USB switch for turning devices on and off, it supports fast charging, data transfers, and can act as a Zigbee router. Additionally, it can be used with other platforms that adhere to the Zigbee 3.0 standard. From our market observations, competing devices similar to the ZBMicro lack features like fast charging or switching capabilities, making the SONOFF USB adapter more appealing compared to competitors at a similar price point. Compared to its predecessor (WiFi version), the ZBMicro has […]

$20 Zigbee & Z-Wave mPCIe module targets Home Assistant gateways

Mixtile Zigbee Z Wave mini PCIe module

Mixtile’s “2-in-1 Zigbee & Z-Wave mPCIe module” is a relatively inexpensive way to add Zigbee and Z-Wave connectivity to a Home Assistant server without having USB dongles sticking out of the server and taking some of its spare USB ports. The module is compatible with any computer, gateway, or SBC with a spare mini PCIe socket featuring a USB 2.0 interface such as Rockchip RK3568-powered Mixtile Edge 2 Kit gateway. You’ll also need some way of mounting the antennas after connecting them to the IPEX-1 antenna connectors on the module, the Edge 2 Kit comes with multiple antenna holes. Mixtile 2-in-1 Zigbee & Z-Wave mPCIe module specifications: Wireless MCUs Silabs EFR32MG24 Arm Cortex-M33 @ 78.0 MHz with 256 kB RAM, 1536 kB flash Radio Frequency – 2.4 GHz (802.15.4 radio) TX Power – up to +19.5 dBm RX sensitivity – -105.4 dBm at 250 kbps Protocols – Zigbee, Matter, Thread […]

SONOFF Zigbee Bridge Ultra Review – eWelink app, Matter Bridge, Turbo Mode for extended range, and Home Assistant

SONOFF Zigbee Bridge Ultra Review

We have received two more Zigbee smart home products from ITEAD to review. It appears that SONOFF has strategically introduced a variety of Zigbee devices in the first half of this year. The first one we will be reviewing is the SONOFF Zigbee Bridge Ultra, which we believe will eventually replace the Zigbee Bridge (2020) and Zigbee Bridge Pro (2022) and comes with additional features, such as being a Matter Bridge. The second device we’ve received is the SONOFF Micro Zigbee USB Adapter for which we’ll post a review in the next few days, But first, let’s dive into the SONOFF Zigbee Bridge Ultra review. Overview SONOFF Zigbee Bridge Ultra (Ultra for short and also called SONOFF ZBBridge-U) is a multi-functional device. Compared to its predecessor, the Zigbee Bridge Pro, the Ultra shows big improvements in features and hardware specs. It boasts a much more powerful chip (Rockship RV1109 vs. […]

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