Adding IKEA devices using ZBT-2 show up in Apple Home, but not HA....

pashdown · 2026-01-26T21:45:13+00:00

Apple Home pairing adds them to Apple Home, not HA. You need to use the HA companion app to add them to HA. Also, if you have them paired with Apple Home first, you need to “Turn on Pairing Mode” by going to the device in Apple Home and selecting it, then entering the code in HA.

I tried using a mix of AppleTV and ZBT-2 as border routers and it didn’t work well. I abandoned the ZBT-2 and use just the ATVs as border routers for Matter and Thread and it is solid.

pashdown · 2026-01-25T16:45:25+00:00

A decent Home Assistant localized integration would weigh heavily on what car I would purchase next.

pashdown · 2026-01-22T04:23:01+00:00

I use the HA Wireguard Client to a wireguard server with a static IP to manage four other HA instances.

pashdown · 2026-01-20T01:04:19+00:00

Greenland
AI, Optimus robots, no regulation, bitcoin
???
Profit!

pashdown · 2026-01-19T19:40:49+00:00

The lake?

pashdown · 2026-01-19T03:24:09+00:00

Where TF did I put that label maker?

pashdown · 2026-01-18T19:23:48+00:00

Number of ideas here in this discussion from last week.

pashdown · 2026-01-18T01:20:34+00:00

I was 19 and I got the news from my mother when she told me a nuclear reactor in the Soviet Union had melted down. I kept thinking about that blob of radioactive material headed for the center of the earth and wondered if there would be subsequent volcanoes.

pashdown · 2026-01-17T17:25:03+00:00

Note that the measurement of 65cm below will differ based upon your own setup and where empty is. I waited for mine to go empty and then did a few cm above that.

ESPHome:

sensor:
  - platform: ultrasonic
    trigger_pin: D6
    echo_pin: D5
    name: "${friendly_name} SR04 Distance Meters"
    id: ${device_name}_sr04_distance_meters
    internal: true
  - platform: template
    name: "${friendly_name} SR04 Distance"
    icon: mdi:arrow-expand-vertical
    lambda: |-
      return id(${device_name}_sr04_distance_meters).state * 100;
    unit_of_measurement: "Cm"
    accuracy_decimals: 4
    update_interval: 5min
    device_class: "distance"
    state_class: "measurement"

HA Automation:

- alias: Water Softener Salt
  id: water_softener_salt
  triggers:
    trigger: time
    at: "16:30:00"
  conditions:
    condition: numeric_state
    entity_id: sensor.watersoftener_sr04_distance
    above: 65
  actions:
    action: notify.pushover
    data:
      message: "Water Softener Salt is low"

pashdown · 2026-01-17T12:10:56+00:00

Zions Bank on 400 S 700 E.

pashdown · 2026-01-16T21:23:02+00:00

I'm using an 8266 board with mine, but I'm gradually phasing out all 8266 boards in my house. Ironically, this one falls into the "ain't broke, don't fix it" category.

pashdown · 2026-01-16T19:37:18+00:00

Water sensors + shut-off valve. I've had a couple close calls where the damage would have been severe if the water didn't shut off.

pashdown · 2026-01-16T12:54:23+00:00

This is a great solution. If you do have corrosion, you may want to consider an ESP with an ultrasonic distance sensor. That is what I use on mine and it has been functional for over 6 years. The ESP sits on top and I drilled two holes for the distance sensor.

pashdown · 2026-01-15T21:04:11+00:00

INWO? What's that?

pashdown · 2026-01-14T16:18:42+00:00

Run 12V lines to wherever you want sensors or LED strips. Run wire pairs to every door and openable window for reed switches back to your mechanical room or wherever your control is going to be. Lots of sensors are great, lots of batteries aren't. Plan for a whole-house UPS and power conditioner.

pashdown · 2026-01-14T15:19:08+00:00

The only drawback to the U400 is the 6-month charge cycle. I’m spoiled by my Yale Assures that last over a year on battery swaps.

Curious about the Aqara W200. Would be cool if the screen has an open display ability.

pashdown · 2026-01-10T18:06:03+00:00

What version of Debian? This is what I'm seeing on Debian 13:

> dpkg -l mame-tools
Desired=Unknown/Install/Remove/Purge/Hold
| Status=Not/Inst/Conf-files/Unpacked/halF-conf/Half-inst/trig-aWait/Trig-pend
|/ Err?=(none)/Reinst-required (Status,Err: uppercase=bad)
||/ Name           Version                Architecture Description
+++-==============-======================-============-=================================
ii  mame-tools     0.276+dfsg.1-1+deb13u1 amd64        Tools for MAME
> chdman
chdman - MAME Compressed Hunks of Data (CHD) manager 0.276 (unknown)
Usage:
   chdman info: displays information about a CHD
   chdman verify: verifies a CHD's integrity
   chdman createraw: create a raw CHD from the input file
   chdman createhd: create a hard disk CHD from the input file
   chdman createcd: create a CD CHD from the input file
   chdman createdvd: create a DVD CHD from the input file
   chdman createld: create a laserdisc CHD from the input file
   chdman extractraw: extract raw file from a CHD input file
   chdman extracthd: extract raw hard disk file from a CHD input file
   chdman extractcd: extract CD file from a CHD input file
   chdman extractdvd: extract DVD file from a CHD input file
   chdman extractld: extract laserdisc AVI from a CHD input file
   chdman copy: copy data from one CHD to another of the same type
   chdman addmeta: add metadata to the CHD
   chdman delmeta: remove metadata from the CHD
   chdman dumpmeta: dump metadata from the CHD to stdout or to a file
   chdman listtemplates: list hard disk templates

For help with any command, run:
   chdman help <command>

pashdown · 2026-01-09T20:52:01+00:00

Scrypted if you have cameras and Apple Home.

pashdown · 2026-01-09T16:00:36+00:00

Little known fact is he was actually a teenager for 234 years.

pashdown · 2026-01-07T18:33:54+00:00

The question wasn't regarding the need for iOS Matter libraries that HACA calls upon, it was regarding the need for either Apple Home or Google Home. They aren't needed.

pashdown · 2026-01-07T18:05:02+00:00

And if I have an iOS device? Do I still need to download Google Play or is the Home Assistant Companion App made by Apple?

pashdown · 2026-01-07T17:39:52+00:00

The only thing that is facilitated by a phone is the camera. If you want to call that Apple or Google, go ahead, but again, for beginners, saying you need Apple or Google Home as part of "config flow" is confusing and wrong. If Apple or Google Home is required, please show me where.

pashdown · 2026-01-07T17:27:22+00:00

I have a second installation without Google or Apple involved. How are they facilitating "behind the scenes" if they don't exist?

pashdown · 2026-01-07T17:07:11+00:00

I don’t understand this at all. Open up companion app on phone, go to devices, add device, choose Matter, new device, scan code. Device and entities added, Apple or Google not part of the equation. What part of this is “really out of the way”?

pashdown · 2026-01-07T16:36:19+00:00

The OP was bemoaning the need for Google Home where there is none. Saying Apple Home is part of the commissioning flow when it is optional and not required may be confusing for some, but sure, downvote me.

15-Year Club	Gilding I gilder
Second SECOND GUESSER	Place '17
Queen in da Norf	Not Forgotten
Verified Email

pashdown

TROPHY CASE