kindly share your experience so it may help others too
1 Like
After just over an hour of using HA on iHost, I will present some of my “blitzkrieg” observations:
- I downloaded the HA image from Releases · iHost-Open-Source-Project/ha-operating-system · GitHub
- With the help of Balena Etcher (https://etcher.balena.io/) I flashed the TF card with the downloaded HA image.
- I inserted the TF card flashed HA into iHost.
- I turned on the iHost and pressed the mute button several times, after which a blue flashing light appeared on the LED indicator.
5 in the web browser via the IP address 192.168.1.3:8123 (iHost was pre-assigned a static address on the router 192.168.1.3), I accessed HA, where I was greeted by the initial screen with the notification that HA preparation is in progress, which can take 20 or more minutes. - After a little more than half an hour, HA was ready for use, I created a user, defined the location of the house, set the system parameters,… etc.
- What I noticed about HA, I mention “blitzkrieg”:
- the system works smoothly and it seems to me that it does not “eat” resources
- available devices can be seen without any problems
- there are Add-ons, although some add-ons are not enabled (Studio Code - use File editor, NODE-RED, EPSHome Device Builder), but this will not significantly reduce your functionality
- OS version 14, the current version is 15, but that won’t be a problem for you either, because I hope it will be updated at Releases · iHost-Open-Source-Project/ha-operating-system · GitHub
- HA is trying to update automatically, but it doesn’t work because it’s the iHost Open Source Project, I hope that will be resolved as well.
- unfortunately I haven’t tried to use the internal Zigbee, but I hope it can!
5 Likes
Nice summary, thank you. Keep us posted please.
I would also be interested in:
- is this the only HAOS image that can be flashed?
- does the onboard ZigBee chip work?
- does the onboard Bluetooth chip work?
- when you put back the old TF card with the different docker images and switch back to CubeOS does everything work as before? I recall some warnings not to take out TF card etc
- what can the USB port be used for outside of plugging in a ZigBee dongle that could be mounted?
To get back to CUBE, I put back the old card with all the docker images that were on it.
I followed the instructions:
“① Power cycle iHost;
② Press the mute button (♪) once;
③ iHost will switch back to CUBE OS, with the indicator showing a red light flowing from top to bottom.”
However, the LED light did not want to be red flowing from top to bottom, but the LED light just flashed red. Somehow I did not get the feeling when the mute button was pressed.
After a few repetitions of the procedure (pressing the mute button) the LED light lit up red, flowing from top to bottom, after which the CUBE booted.
By going back to CUBE, all the docker images and all the settings were completely restored!!!
I think this is the only HAOS image that iHost can flash, because it is customized and purpose-built to support the iHost hardware.
I don’t see any reason why others would use the image since the frame is completely wooden, and I hope it will be updated and improved. I also think we need to help the developer with suggestions and proposals…etc.
1 Like
Thanks for the report, it’s a relief to know that the old TF card can be reinserted with the dockers without any issues. Hopefully, a user or someone from the team can confirm whether the internal Zigbee and Bluetooth chips work smoothly in Home Assistant or if a dongle is required.
Yes, they work correctly without any problems. The only thing that doesn’t work is the matter server.
1 Like
It is very good that you brought iHosta Home Assistant, but the problem is that zigbee ultra and pro do not support LAN mode and they do not work when there is no internet.
Isn´t there an official page or log regarding the HAOS instalation? with some Q&A.
I think this a major capability that should be explaned better.
Yes, I agree with you!
Unfortunately, the documentation does not exist, I expect the developers to put it on github.
As far as it seems to me, this is only a beta version, although it works very stably.
I also notice that the developers work hard. I see that they have created Add-ons that support hardware iHost buttons and led strip via MQTT!
2 Likes
One big doubt from my side, the HAOS release must be the ihost adapted one? or can it be the main branch release. I remember that only 32bits apps can round above iHost and the main branch is 64btis.
Indeed, it must be that one.
Hello, I have a question. I have successfully installed HA, and everything is working fine—ZHA, HACS, and Bluetooth. Now, an update has appeared. Can I install it directly within HA? If not, how can I do it?
What update are you fefering?
