Technology news and discussion on TalkFuse.
Home Assistant’s Aux-2 connects Bluetooth, radios and serial devices
Nabu Casa has launched the Home Assistant Connect Aux-2, a compact device that helps connect more kinds of equipment to a Home Assistant smart home. A hands-on test found it useful and easier to set up than expected, potentially reducing some of the effort that can make Home Assistant difficult for people to adopt.
The $69 unit supports Bluetooth bridging, USB-connected Zigbee or Z-Wave antennas, serial control of equipment such as TVs and solar inverters, and audio streaming to older speakers or amplifiers. It runs on ESPHome and uses Home Assistant integrations; its serial feature is already available, while the audio software is still being developed. The tester used it to connect Bluetooth temperature sensors and explore using previously unused in-wall speakers.
In short
- Home Assistant’s $69 Aux-2 connects several types of devices.
- It supports Bluetooth, USB antennas, serial control and audio.
- Setup was easier than the tester expected.
Read the full article at the source →
Originally published by The Verge as “Hands on with Home Assistant’s new ‘smart home multi-tool’”.