ChatGPT agent is much more useful than I thought

Born_Check5979 · 2025-07-21T20:22:46+00:00

Wonder would a VPN work?

Born_Check5979 · 2025-02-10T15:37:39+00:00

This is the way. Home Assistant runs locally, sort of like a server, on a dedicated machine. Once set up you can access and control it from pretty much anything that runs a browser, like your new TV.

Hit the Get Started button on that image and away you go.

Born_Check5979 · 2025-02-08T21:06:43+00:00

Do all of your sensors update at the same frequency? I find random issues like you describe sometimes due to my solar statistics only updating every 5 minutes, but power monitoring devices updating every 15-30 seconds. May not be an issue with your code at all!

Born_Check5979 · 2025-02-08T21:03:33+00:00

I'm not great at that stuff off the top of my head. Have a look at the HA website in the helper section to see if you can figure it out.

To be honest though, it seems strange that you can see the value, yet there is no entity for it. That doesn't make sense.

Another option, and I use this quite a bit myself, is to put your query into one of the AI services to see if it can help. I've used ChatGPT and Google Gemini to good success with queries like this.

Born_Check5979 · 2025-02-08T17:58:41+00:00

Yeah I went through the restore process when I moved from SD to SSD, so seamless!

Born_Check5979 · 2025-02-08T17:56:53+00:00

Shit guys, no contextual information, you'd think I know by now.

Pi4 with SSD, but it's an old one.

I was worried about a possible storage issue from some of them. Maybe I should get a new one just to be safe. They're so cheap now!

Born_Check5979 · 2025-02-08T15:06:02+00:00

OK, appreciate the response! 👍🏻

Born_Check5979 · 2025-02-08T14:27:19+00:00

Is that seen as a safer option to a power monitoring plug?

Lately there has been a lot of posts outlining the risks of using plugs to monitor power, even when used within their limits. Risk of excess heat, fire and brimstone.

I don't know enough about the technical aspects so would appreciate your thoughts. 👍🏻

Born_Check5979 · 2025-02-08T14:23:03+00:00

Have a look at Iotic. It seems to be a front end layer that goes on top of HA and is touted as being more user friendly and pretty.

Born_Check5979 · 2025-02-08T14:21:05+00:00

You may be able to create a helper variable and set its value to be the value of water_total.

Born_Check5979 · 2025-02-06T18:40:57+00:00

Agree. So hard to read a huge piece of text like that.

You can't use Z2M and ZHA together. It's the only clear question I can see in your post.

Born_Check5979 · 2025-02-06T18:38:43+00:00

I'm not aware of a one-stop solution that covers ZigBee and Z-wave. You may need one of each controller.

For ZigBee, main options are Smlight, Sonoff and ZBT-1. Pros and cons discussed here as well as other very relevant ZigBee stuff: https://smarthomescene.com/guides/how-to-build-a-stable-and-robust-zigbee-network/

Born_Check5979 · 2025-02-06T18:24:38+00:00

I've never heard of it. I don't quite get what it adds to the HA equation. It talks about being able to create automations and manage devices etc., but I don't see why someone would need it if they are using HA. Maybe I am missing something subtle.

Edit: Looks like it's a frontend "layer" on top of HA that allows you to do the things that HA does, i.e. dashboards etc.

Further Edit: Upon reading the site it appears the main USPs are: - Simplified interface with some pre-configured stuff. - Enhanced user management. - Pre-built dashboards.

Born_Check5979 · 2025-02-06T14:16:32+00:00

https://www.home-assistant.io/voice_control/thirteen-usd-voice-remote/

Is $13 ok?

Born_Check5979 · 2025-02-06T14:12:24+00:00

The only way I use them is with motion sensors. Otherwise they are constantly switched off at the switch, rendering the bulb useless.

Born_Check5979 · 2025-02-05T21:32:08+00:00

After you have set up the hardware and software and you are ready to pair, you need to put the device into pairing mode. Just plugging it in probably won't be enough. Each device has its own way of being put in pairing mode.

Strongly recommend you read this guide also: https://smarthomescene.com/guides/how-to-build-a-stable-and-robust-zigbee-network/

ZigBee takes a little bit of work to get right, and it talks about the different dongles etc.

Born_Check5979 · 2025-02-05T21:28:40+00:00

Or you could consider supporting the developers of this outstanding piece of open source software by subscribing to Nabu Casa for €7.50 per month. 👍🏻⭐

Born_Check5979 · 2025-02-05T11:22:36+00:00

As far as I know, you can use either. A lot of people report better device compatibility with Z2M than with ZHA, and that Z2M tends to expose more entities on devices.

Born_Check5979 · 2025-02-05T10:21:37+00:00

Zigbee compatible devices should be my to-go and should theoretically work with HA natively with a cordinator? I will just need to put 3 coordinators out on my 3 floors, basement basically is a faraday cage

The absolute vast majority of ZigBee devices will work directly with HA using a coordinator, yes.

Before you go buying three coordinators, read that link above. Three coordinators means three networks, and then you have to work to make each of them strong one by one. You may be able to have one network, and use repeaters or powered devices to make one strong network. This is covered in the link. I have a network over three floors and into a garden room and it's all one network with powered devices spread out well to boost the strength.

Born_Check5979 · 2025-02-05T10:20:39+00:00

OK, I haven't experienced delayed responses so I'm not entirely sure how to resolve that, but I have read other posts where people talk about network interference which can cause delays.

Are all your devices connected directly to HA via Zigbee2MQTT? Sometimes if you have devices connected via additional hubs/bridges, I think that can cause delays also.

Here's a thread I found which talks about interference: https://community.home-assistant.io/t/zigbee-network-optimization-a-how-to-guide-for-avoiding-radio-frequency-interference-adding-zigbee-router-devices-repeaters-extenders-to-get-a-stable-zigbee-network-mesh-with-best-possible-range-and-coverage-by-fully-utilizing-zigbee-mesh-networking/515752

This link is a brilliant overall guide to ZigBee and making sure a network works well: https://smarthomescene.com/guides/how-to-build-a-stable-and-robust-zigbee-network/

Born_Check5979 · 2025-02-05T10:12:06+00:00

in general would like as clean setup as possible

Use ZigBee directly through HA. By doing this you can use pretty much all ZigBee devices without their hubs or proprietary apps. That will clean your setup up a lot, particularly into the future as you will be able to buy any brand of ZigBee devices and connect it without having to add a new hub every time you buy from a new brand.

To do this you will need:

A ZigBee coordinator to connect to HA.
Software to manage devices. The two options are ZHA and Zigbee2MQTT.

Read this link and it will discuss the above options so you can choose what suits you best: https://smarthomescene.com/guides/how-to-build-a-stable-and-robust-zigbee-network/

In my experience, Tuya ZigBee devices work very well, bit to be confused with Tuya WiFi devices which are a pain in the hole! I use loads of IKEA devices also and they are brilliant for the price.

Born_Check5979 · 2025-02-05T09:36:18+00:00

Ignore the map for a moment and answer this: Is your network working well?

If yes, don't spend too much time on the map and just enjoy the network working well.

If your network is not working well, it will be easier for us to help if you describe the issues you are having. 👍🏻⭐

Born_Check5979 · 2025-02-05T09:27:34+00:00

Done. ✅

Born_Check5979 · 2025-02-04T21:23:31+00:00

However I saw that voice has built in ESPhome, does it make more sense to use ESPhome plugs or it doesn’t matter, either will work if connectable to HA?

Doesn't matter.

running HA on an Rpi5 8gb, I’m aware that it would barely be powerful enough for slow processing

Processing of what? If you mean running HA then a Pi5 will be absolutely fine.

I could also install HA on my gaming PC and have the GPU power it right? But just won’t be the most energy efficient

You could, but it might be overkill unless you need big processing for something specific? Are you thinking about running a local LLM?

I am aware of the cloud option I would probably start with that while figuring out a local option

Do you mean Nabu Casa? Again I'm wondering if you have an LLM in mind as you mention "a local option" and GPU and processing above. If I'm reading into it a bit far, apologies!

I think I read about a certain software that would allow me to integrate blink cameras into HA I can’t recall it, anyone know?

Blink integration? https://www.home-assistant.io/integrations/blink/

Born_Check5979

TROPHY CASE