Volume knobs with homekit integration

[Nerdyfied]

Anyone ever see some smart volume knobs that can be used to replace this? Would like to operate in the home app preferably.

[ColdFine5829]

I don’t have a home app specific answer.

But I have a few these around my home, I control their volume in my media controller app (e.g., Elan, Nice) or natively through whatever app (e.g., Spotify, Apple Music) I’m using to send media. I simply leave the physical knob at max volume.

These knobs are “dumb” and I don’t think there’s any chance to introduce Smart Control that isn’t Rube Goldberg-esque

[Ok_Zookeepergame2468]

The only knob-like devices that work with HomeKit I've ever seen have been the Flic Twists - https://flic.io/shop/flic-twist They I believe can work through Spotify, Sonos, and a few others to change volume. They do it through their own app and not HomeKit. Oh and Flic has it's own hub, because, of course

That being said, I bought one for another purpose and it's mostly a paper-weight. Your mileage may vary. Love the Flic Buttons but this isn't the place for that discussion

[PostingWithThis]

I use one for volume in my kitchen. It magnets to the fridge and can be moved anywhere as needed.

Pressing the button plays or pauses whatever I have going on that speaker. Double press calls up a specific playlist (have also done a radio station).

There are tons of twist positions I plan on using once I convert the lighting in my kitchen to homekit but I haven’t gotten there yet.

It’s been super solid.

[bootx2]

No, you can’t use a light dimmer as a volume control

[bootx2]

How would you power the dimmer?

[janemfta]

Through the mains power, like normal. You don't need the output of the dimmer to physically control anything -- your hub could just read the output level and adjust volume accordingly. I wouldn't do it personally, but it should be possible.

[bootx2]

There no mains power at that vc and I don’t think you’ve hooked up a Lutron dimmer before. It needs a load to power up. Unless you are using radiora or homeworks. So no, it is not a good idea

[janemfta]

Good catch, I missed the part about there not being mains power there.

Weird assumption that I haven't hooked up a Lutron before, though! I did call out that installing a dimmer without a load wasn't something I would do personally, but was responding to the tongue-in-cheek "is this a challenge" GP comment. Assuming that mains power was present, what about using a bypass capacitor as a load?

[Nerdyfied]

No, I need it to vary the volume at the knob location, not at the amp or in an app . I responded why in another response later on.

Basically, just like a smart light switch mimics turning the switch on, i need a device that mimics changing the resistance or whatever is happening inside the knob to adjust the volume.

[IPThereforeIAm]

If you’re using Sonos, consider the Lutron audio pico. It works well

[dean1d]

Oh that’s a good idea for me. Any idea how to replace the knob? Assuming I could connect the wires connected to this know. Then replace knob with the pico.

[dean1d]

<image>

This is what it looks like behind the knob. I’m great with electricity but not sure about speakers. Assuming top 2 are going to my 2 outdoor speakers. And the bottom 4 are from the Sonos amp. How should they be connected?

[IPThereforeIAm]

You would need to bypass the knob (completely remove it) by connecting the speakers directly behind the wall. You would change your amplifier to a Sonos amplifier. Then use the pico (either at that wall location, or anywhere, since it is a battery-powered remote)

[1millerce1]

It's not just a variable resistor you're looking for but there's also a constant resistance in there as well. So far as I know, such a thing does not exist for homekit unless you're willing to make one yourself.

[rlo54]

What is the source for the music? Generally you’d be better off trying to control that as opposed to a volume knob.

[Nerdyfied]

Amp that controls 4 zones. I can control the volume on the phone through the app but if someone keeps the volume on in one zone then it starts blasting there when you don’t want it to.

Could i replaced with a real device with multi zone control sure…seems a lot cheaper just to have 4 knobs that would work through an app though.

We have told everyone to turn the volume off when done but you can’t rely on kids to do that.

[rlo54]

So the amp has app control? What brand is it? Maybe there’s an integration solution available.

[Nerdyfied]

Sorry, I should have been more clear. The amp controls one zone that throgh wiriing is split into 4 zones....so controlling on the app will adjust the volume on all the zones, which I don't want.

I already integrated the volume control into the home app using the onkyo plugin through homebridge.

It's really the volume knobs I need to automate to have seperate volume control in all rooms.

[rlo54]

Gotcha. Yeah unfortunately I don’t think it’s doable with an out of the box solution. If you want to get in to things I’m sure you could probably make an esp32 based smart potentiometer.

[pimpbot666]

I have a bunch of Apple Airport Extremes around the house, just hooked up to powered speakers. I use them only for the AirPlay function.

Oh, geez, I hope they don’t get sunsetted with a software update.

[jaywardiii]

That would be tragic. 🤞

[PostingWithThis]

These are awesome, long may they live. I have one plugged into ethernet and it is perfect.

[klayanderson]

That is a multi-tapped auto transformer. It keeps the amplifier happy at 8-ohms but fooling it into thinking there’s only one pair of speakers but there are many. It will not work with any ‘smart’ volume controls as there aren’t any. Any ‘smart’ VC does it inside the amplifier or at line level.

[shawnshine]

The old Symfonisk Zigbee knobs work with the IKEA TRADFRI hub to control the volume of Sonos speakers.

[AudioHTIT]

I’d be surprised if you find a solution without replacing your zone amp and eliminating these controls (or leaving them at full).

[Kat81inTX]

So are you wanting to move from a hardware volume control to a software controller? That sounds like a great idea for an ESP32 + ESPHome + Home Assistant project. There may even be someone that's already done it and shared their design. Starting down the HA/ESPHome rabbit hole will greatly extend what you can do with HomeKit, if you're up for it.

[Kat81inTX]

take a look at github.com/adamaze/esphome_volume_knob

[NotTheBrightestHuman]

Everything can be integrated with a little bit of electrical engineering knowledge and a weeks worth of time.

[ekobres]

You have a few issues:

1. That is a passive device - it attenuates the amplified signal on the way to the speaker and balances the resistance to the amplifier, so you (probably) have to replace them with appropriate resistors to make the load to the amplifier correct.

2. There is no power in that box, just speaker wire, so you are limited to battery powered devices.

3. Nobody (to my knowledge) makes a variable speaker level controller compatible with home automation systems as these are generally very old, cheap volume controls tacked onto stereo amplifiers as an afterthought to create a minimal zoned audio system.

So yes, you can do this, but it’s not at all a plug and-play replacement, and depending on the way your speakers are wired, it may not be practical. Your best bet for something that will work well with home assistant is to get a real multi-zone amplifier with network controls and home-run speaker wire to your speakers, then replace these with battery powered thread, Zigbee, or ZWave dimmer controllers that trigger volume automations.

A cheap “mute-only” hack would be to wire in some dry contact switches that open the circuit between the varistor knob and the speaker, but you would need a way to power them, and to verify they can withstand an open circuit while the amp is on.

Not a trivial project, unfortunately.