i have been using ewelink and sonoff devices for some time but am now looking for a single platform to display and control all my home automation devices… i thought i could use the new cast app to create a single interface but cant access my homekit, TADO, google, smartlife, nest, ring IMOU devices.
is there a way to bring all these together or is it best to look for another platform to centralise on?
Buy a Raspberry Pi 3B+ or later and install Home assistant OS on an SSD. I don’t have TADO but know all the rest works. The Google/Nest integration requires the Google Cloud so you can’t stream directly from a camera locally and some devices are not supported. Would not be surprised if the Ring service is the same. My nest protect smoke alarm isn’t, but my video doorbell and learning thermostat are etc. Have a quick look to check there is a Tado integration for Home Assistant and check your specific critical devices are covered for other stuff, but most things are covered so you’re probably okay. I think it is also possible to run Home Assistant in a docker image on the Sonoff iHost but I have no experience of that. I’ve run Home Assistant on a Raspberry Pi 3B and 4 though. The 3B+ is the first that can be booted automatically from an SSD so that is why I said that. The 3B can run from SSD but you have to install a micro SD card to tell it to boot from the SSD. And don’t boot from a micro SD card as it’s really really annoying when they die.
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For voice control, my favorite is Alexa, and Google seconds.
I use HA for a hub of all brands but its WebUI really took a while to load up, which was a little bit annoying, especially while I was away.
thanks for this. very helpful.
I was hoping to use sonoff cast as the user interface but I’ll need to switch the HA one. I see it has a companion app too. so should be fine.
im not sure what sonoff are aiming for as they seem a little directionless on their purpose. good integration with other systems and good hardware but developing a user interface without the ability to take data feeds from the other large platforms makes their interface a little pointless.
as for tado, it links to apple home so should be able to pick it up that way although convoluted…
thanks again.
I have an iHost, the advanced plan and Home Assistant. I can see what they’re aiming for. You can connect the advanced plan to IFTTT via Webhooks and from there to TADO etc, but this requires a subscription to eWelink and IFTTT. That is the expensive but easy option and maybe you could do it briefly while you are setting up the RP/HA. Aldo if you want more complicated automations you will end up also paying for an Apilio subscription. I think the iHost is aimed to be a less capable but easier version of the Home Assistant OS, but at present it isn’t easier. HA OS is a pain in the neck to maintain. I think I currently have 3 updates waiting. They release several a month. If the iHost was user friendly it’d be well placed. Lots of stuff has an MQTT option so even if it can’t connect you can still connect it via Node Red on the iHost. For example I have my Electricity meter, Gas Meter and Boiler all on the iHost via this.
The Home Assistant companion app is free locally but if you want to use it globally it is either:
- pay subscription (although it is open source, otherwise free and cheap)
- jump through some hoops to set up securely and follow the many online guides.
I personally pay because I like them, but I have jumped through most of the hoops already.