There are also performance implications (a Zigbee coordinator can easily handle 100 devices, while many routers would struggle with that amount of clients), power saving (especially for battery powered sensors) - some Zigbee sensors can last years on a single coin cell battery.

I’ve been using Zamel MEW-01 (https://supla.zamel.com/product/monitor-energii-elektrycznej-wi-fi-3fn-mew-01/) for about 3 years now. I think that would also match your needs? Works really great, connects to MQTT and has 3 versions (they differ by antenna type).

That’s just Home Assistant OS packaged in OVA.

Have you looked up what “planned obsolescence” is?

I’m using a WH2650A weather station, and I believe it does not need an internet connection to work at all, and I have been able to connect it to HA locally.

Yeah, that would definitely help

How does running your music service through a VPN improve privacy?

Why do you need to be behind VPN?

Maybe if you’d read the replies to your question you wouldn’t be creeped out. There are a lot of good use cases and I haven’t even though how it could be misused before you brought it up.

Can one change iOS focus modes from home assistant?

Turn on the lights in the bedroom based on presence sensor, but only if the bed occupancy sensor detects no one is in bed.

This. I bought a few myself, but didn’t have time to put them together with ESP32/program them with ESPHome

You can buy these at around the same price or less, so no point in doing that

Im not sure what you meant by the nabu part that’s not a component and you can’t find it in source

That highly depends on the language you’re using and therefore the model you’re going to settle on. If you’re using English you’re obviously lucky in that regard, but not everyone (including me) does. I’m not sure what do you mean it’s not open source, because Micro Wake Word and Voice Assistant are. Check the link I’ve posted it has both source for the software and hardware design

None of them required many cloud specifically, but you have to provide it with STT and TTS engines. You can use other 3rd party or run it on your own hardware, but to do it effectively (have it transcribe your voice in a second instead of 20) you need a GPU.

I am using a few of self-built assistants using https://github.com/formatBCE/Koala-Satellite/tree/main - which was heavily inspired and uses a lot of very similar hardware to HA Voice. I have to say my speakers turned out pretty great.

Because then we would still have Stalin and the Red Alert scenario. Somehow I believe that would be worse.

Some of the stuff doesn’t need that much building, and some of it makes your life better (and there’s no alternative available in the market), that it makes it worthwhile.

They’re pretty cheap for something you’re not ordering from China too. If not reliable they’re from Ikea, so good customer service and they’ll replace them if something breaks (had it happen with Somrig).

As for a rotary I’ve ordered and I’m going to try this one.

ESPHome is a really good thing to look into if you’re a bit more advanced user, and CYD is a steal for what it is (even with the resistive touch screen it has).