Home Assistant 2024 - How To Add Bluetooth Proxy & Sensors

Summary

This video script discusses the process of integrating Bluetooth devices with Home Assistant through Bluetooth proxy, highlighting the ease of use with Shelly products that support autodiscovery. It covers various methods, including using Shelly plugs and modules, and delves into more technical setups with ESP32 devices, emphasizing the simplicity and effectiveness of Bluetooth proxy in enhancing smart home capabilities.

Takeaways

• 🏠 The video discusses upgrading a home assistant to integrate new Bluetooth devices seamlessly into Home Assistant.
• 📦 The Shelly Bluetooth temperature and humidity sensors are highlighted as easy-to-set-up devices that support autodiscovery in Home Assistant.
• 🔄 The concept of Bluetooth proxy is introduced as a method to incorporate various Bluetooth devices into Home Assistant, including those from brands other than Shelly.
• 🛠️ The video outlines multiple methods for setting up Bluetooth proxies, catering to different user preferences and technical expertise levels.
• 🔍 For users seeking simplicity, the Shelly plug or modules with Bluetooth capabilities are recommended, requiring no additional software or configuration beyond connecting to Wi-Fi.
• 🔒 The video mentions that some devices like Switchbot locks use encryption but can still be integrated into Home Assistant via Bluetooth proxies.
• 📈 The number of Bluetooth proxies needed may depend on the size of one's home, with Home Assistant capable of handling multiple proxies without duplicating device entries.
• 🔌 The video suggests using ESP32 devices for Bluetooth proxy, noting that ESP8266 and some other chipsets do not support Bluetooth.
• 🌐 It is mentioned that Wi-Fi and Bluetooth proxies can interfere with each other due to the shared 2.4 GHz frequency, and using Ethernet can help avoid this issue.
• 🛡️ The Shelly devices come with built-in Bluetooth Gateway functionality, allowing them to be easily added to Home Assistant without the need for additional apps or software.
• 🔄 The video provides a step-by-step guide for setting up a Bluetooth proxy using ESP Home, emphasizing the ease of installation and configuration.

Q & A

What is the main issue the user is facing with their home assistant?

The user is experiencing frequent device connectivity issues, possibly due to interference or the need for an upgrade to accommodate new devices.

What type of sensors did the user order and receive in the mail?

The user ordered Shelly Bluetooth temperature and humidity sensors.

How does the user plan to integrate these new sensors into their home assistant system?

The user plans to use Bluetooth proxy to integrate the new sensors, allowing for autodiscovery and easy setup in Home Assistant.

What is the easiest way to add Bluetooth devices to Home Assistant according to the user?

The easiest way is by using a Shelly plug or module with Bluetooth capabilities, which can be set up via Wi-Fi without needing additional software or configuration.

What are some of the devices that can be integrated into Home Assistant using Bluetooth proxy?

Devices like Shelly plugs, Goie life temperature sensors, Switchbot buttons, temperature sensors, and Switchbot locks can be integrated using Bluetooth proxy.

What is a Bluetooth proxy and how does it work?

A Bluetooth proxy is a device, typically an ESP32, that runs software to relay Bluetooth packets to Home Assistant, effectively acting as a bridge between Bluetooth devices and the Home Assistant system.

Why might the user need multiple Bluetooth proxies in their home?

Multiple Bluetooth proxies might be needed to cover a large home or to avoid interference, especially if the home has a lot of Wi-Fi traffic that could interfere with Bluetooth signals.

What are some of the ESP32-based devices the user recommends for Bluetooth proxy?

The user recommends devices like the TTGO ESP32, M5 Stack ESP32 with USBC, and the WiSE Plug Outdoor, which are all capable of running Bluetooth proxy software.

How can the user ensure that their Bluetooth proxy devices do not interfere with each other?

Home Assistant is smart enough to handle multiple Bluetooth proxies and will deduplicate the packets, so the user does not end up with multiple devices for a single Bluetooth device.

What are some of the challenges the user might face when setting up Bluetooth proxy devices?

Challenges might include dealing with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth signal interference, ensuring stable firmware on the ESP32 devices, and managing the heat generated by some devices like the OEX.

Outlines

00:00

🏠 Home Assistant Upgrade and Bluetooth Devices

The speaker discusses the need to upgrade their home assistant system due to the addition of new devices, possibly influenced by a neighbor's actions. They mention receiving Shelly Bluetooth temperature and humidity sensors and the ease of integrating these devices into Home Assistant through autodiscovery. The speaker also plans to delve into various methods of Bluetooth proxy setup in Home Assistant, starting with a simple method that doesn't require configuration flashing, soldering, or any complex steps. They highlight the convenience of autodiscovery, where devices in the mailbox were detected and added to Home Assistant without any manual intervention.

05:02

🔌 Easy Bluetooth Integration with Shelly Devices

The speaker introduces a straightforward method for integrating Bluetooth devices into Home Assistant using Shelly products, specifically the Shelly Plug US, which has Bluetooth capabilities. They emphasize the simplicity of setting up these devices, mentioning that no software or configuration is needed beyond connecting them to Wi-Fi and enabling a few settings. The speaker also mentions other devices like the Goie Life temperature sensors that can be easily integrated, and they provide a brief guide on how to add these devices to Home Assistant, including disabling access point mode for better efficiency. They encourage viewers to check the specifications of Shelly devices to ensure Bluetooth compatibility.

10:03

🛠 Exploring Different Bluetooth Proxy Options

The speaker explores various options for setting up Bluetooth proxies, starting with Wi-Fi enabled ESP32 devices. They discuss the potential interference between Wi-Fi and Bluetooth on the 2.4 GHz frequency and suggest using an ESP32 with Ethernet as a workaround. The speaker reviews different ESP32 models, including the TTGO T-Beam, and provides a brief overview of their features and limitations. They also mention the M5 Stack, a portable ESP32 device with USB-C support, and discuss its suitability for Bluetooth proxy tasks. The speaker advises on the ease of using Shelly devices as Bluetooth proxies without needing to flash custom firmware.

15:05

🌐 Bluetooth Proxies for Wi-Fi and Ethernet

The speaker continues discussing Bluetooth proxies, focusing on the use of Shelly Plug US and other Shelly modules with built-in Bluetooth capabilities. They highlight the ease of using these devices as Bluetooth proxies by simply plugging them in and connecting them to Wi-Fi, without the need for additional software or firmware changes. The speaker also mentions the benefits of upgrading the firmware on Shelly devices for better integration with Home Assistant and the ability to block internet access for enhanced security. They discuss the versatility of Bluetooth proxies in various locations, including outdoor and battery-powered devices.

20:06

🔧 Setting Up ESP Home for Bluetooth Proxies

The speaker provides a detailed guide on setting up ESP Home for Bluetooth proxies. They start by discussing the process of installing Bluetooth proxy software on generic ESP32 devices and mention the need for a USB-to-serial adapter for flashing. The speaker guides viewers through the process of connecting to the ESP32 device, installing the Bluetooth proxy software, and configuring Wi-Fi settings. They emphasize the ease of use, as the process does not require manual access point mode configuration or YAML files. The speaker also mentions the autodiscovery feature of Home Assistant, which simplifies the integration of new Bluetooth devices.

25:10

📡 Discovering New Bluetooth Devices with ESP Home

The speaker concludes by demonstrating how new Bluetooth devices are automatically discovered and integrated into Home Assistant once the ESP Home Bluetooth proxy is set up. They show how devices like Inkbird sensors and Switchbot devices can be detected and added to Home Assistant without manual configuration. The speaker encourages viewers to explore other Bluetooth proxy devices and share their experiences, inviting them to join a Discord community for further discussions. They wrap up the video by reminding viewers to engage with the content through likes and comments and express interest in further tutorials on ESP Home and Bluetooth proxy setups.

Keywords

💡Home Assistant

Home Assistant is an open-source home automation platform that can be used to control a variety of smart home devices. In the video, it serves as the central system for integrating and managing various Bluetooth devices, showcasing its capability to auto-discover and incorporate new devices into the smart home ecosystem.

💡Bluetooth Proxy

A Bluetooth proxy is a device or service that acts as an intermediary for Bluetooth devices to connect with systems like Home Assistant. The script discusses different methods to set up Bluetooth proxies, emphasizing the ease of expanding the smart home network without direct integration from the devices themselves.

💡Autodiscovery

Autodiscovery is the process by which a system automatically detects and recognizes new devices. In the context of the video, Home Assistant's autodiscovery feature allows newly added Bluetooth devices to be automatically recognized and integrated into the system without manual configuration.

💡Shelly Sensors

Shelly Sensors are Bluetooth-enabled devices that can measure temperature and humidity. The script mentions them as an example of devices that can be easily added to Home Assistant through the Bluetooth proxy feature, highlighting their readiness to go and seamless integration.

💡ESP32

ESP32 is a series of low-cost, low-power system-on-a-chip microcontrollers with integrated Wi-Fi and Bluetooth capabilities. The video script discusses using ESP32 devices as Bluetooth proxies to extend the range and capability of the smart home system.

💡Smart Plugs

Smart plugs are devices that can be controlled remotely and often include features like energy monitoring. The script refers to smart plugs, particularly the Shelly Plug US, as an easy way to add Bluetooth proxy functionality to Home Assistant with minimal setup.

💡Bluetooth Gateway

A Bluetooth Gateway is a device that allows non-internet-connected Bluetooth devices to communicate with the internet. In the script, it is mentioned that certain Shelly devices have Bluetooth Gateway capabilities, enabling them to connect to Home Assistant via Bluetooth.

💡ESP Home

ESP Home is a system that allows users to configure and control their ESP8266 and ESP32 devices. The video script describes using ESP Home to flash Bluetooth proxy software onto ESP32 devices, enabling them to function as Bluetooth proxies for Home Assistant.

💡Power over Ethernet (PoE)

Power over Ethernet is a technology that allows network cables to be used to simultaneously provide electrical power and transmit data. The script mentions ESP32 devices with PoE capabilities, which can be placed anywhere in the home and powered through the network cable, simplifying the setup process.

💡Smart Home Automation

Smart home automation refers to the use of technology to control and automate various aspects of the home environment. The video script is centered around this concept, demonstrating how Bluetooth proxies can be used to enhance automation by integrating a wide range of Bluetooth devices into Home Assistant.

Highlights

The need for a Bluetooth proxy to integrate various devices into Home Assistant due to frequent device additions and potential interference from neighbors.

Introduction of Shelly sensors that support Bluetooth and autodiscovery feature in Home Assistant, simplifying the integration process.

Discussion on the ease of setting up Bluetooth proxies without complex configurations, flashing, or soldering.

Explanation of how Bluetooth proxies work in Home Assistant to automatically discover and integrate new Bluetooth devices.

The capability of Home Assistant to handle multiple Bluetooth proxies without device duplication.

Recommendation of using Shelly devices with Bluetooth capabilities for a simple setup process.

Demonstration of how to add a Shelly plug to Home Assistant using its Bluetooth Gateway feature.

Highlighting the importance of turning off access point mode on Shelly devices when not using their app.

Description of the process to configure Shelly devices for active Bluetooth scanning to include two-way device support.

The advantage of using ESP32 for Bluetooth proxy due to its dual-core stability compared to other chipsets.

Mention of the M5 Stack ESP32 as a user-friendly option for Bluetooth proxy with USBC connectivity.

Warning about the heat issues associated with certain Bluetooth proxy devices and the importance of case design.

Introduction of the process to flash ESP Home onto a Bluetooth proxy device using a USB flasher.

The convenience of ESP Home's auto-configuration feature for Wi-Fi and Bluetooth proxy setup.

The ability to use Bluetooth proxies for battery-powered devices and outdoor automations.

Encouragement for viewers to share their Bluetooth proxy experiences and discover new devices.

Invitation to join the creator's Discord community for further discussions on Home Assistant and Bluetooth proxy.

Transcripts

I probably gota upgrade home assistant

for the 10th time this week new devices

BT

home okay well maybe something the

neighbor may have put in their house

we'll give it a shot wait temperature

and humidity sensor Bluetooth oh those

are those Shelly sensors I ordered hey

OG yes sir go get the mail

what it was was the Shelly new little

Bluetooth temperature humidity thing

they come ready to go and as you could

see autodiscovery right in the freaking

home assistant so uh but how did we get

there let's jump back because we're

going to talk about Bluetooth proxy and

how to do that in a home assistant in

many ways and one of them is super

simple without any config flashing

soldering or anything but you know the

channel we are going to go into depth

and show some additional ones as well

because everybody does everything

differently and has their own likes and

dislikes so uh let's see how we got to

this first so how do you exactly get

these various devices and a whole lot

more into home assistant and yeah you

saw it was just autodiscovery I mean the

damn things were in the mail box across

the yard and picked up really confused

me at first I was like what are these

new sensors and then yeah it really

dawned on me that they were sitting in

the mailbox and there's no battery tabs

on those so they're just sending out the

Bluetooth broadcast and my home

assistant Bluetooth proxies picked them

up brought them in boom that's it now

they're going to go over a bunch of

different ways to do this but I know a

lot of you out there are probably going

well hey I don't have time for this I

don't have time for your long ass videos

Digi I just want something you tell me

the best tell me the easiest way to do

this and yeah I want to jump to the end

right well I'm going to make a chapter

just for you if you want something super

simple go grab you like say a Shelly

plug this is the Shelly plug us that has

Bluetooth capabilities now there are

newer little Shelly modules as well that

have Bluetooth you can use those in wall

Etc there's no software there's no

nothing I'll show you that one it's

stupid simple it just put it on your

Wi-Fi click a few little check boxes and

boom you're in home assistant autois

discovering all different devices

including even stuff like the goie life

little temperature sensors that are

great they run on aaa's and yeah you can

see it's not as Shelly branded so it's

not just having to stick to all this

Shelly stuff I have a list of stuff that

I have tested and checked out on my

website but again it's not the

exhaustive list of all of that there's

so much more that happens with Bluetooth

there's all the switchbot stuff the

little switchbot button pushers the

temperature sensors even the switchbot

locks will be popped in using Bluetooth

they are do a little encryption but

they're not hard to add in there how if

you want to dig into a little bit more

of you know hey I don't want to do just

a Shelly device I want my own software

on it because again yeah you're the

supervisor is basically we're going to

be throwing Bluetooth proxy software

from ESP home on this little ESP 32

we're going to do it on a couple

different things I did a different video

again on the the wise outdoor plug

that's esp32 so it's becomes Bluetooth

proxies outside and leading into that

well how many Bluetooth proxies do you

need well how big is your MC Mansion do

you have this 6,000 squ foot thing and

you want to have all these different

sensors well you may need several

Bluetooth proxies and no worry about

them overlapping because if you just

want to put one in every damn room go

right ahead because home assistant is

smart enough it takes and D duplicates

all of those packets and everything you

won't end up with 10 different devices

because you know 10 different proxies

picked up that one Bluetooth device it's

pretty damn slick stuff just pops in

change the name and call it a day now

what exactly is a Bluetooth proxy did

you well think of this this is the

little ESP this is going to be you know

the little antenna has Wi-Fi and it has

a capability of doing Bluetooth now you

can't do this with the

esp8266 that does not have Bluetooth and

also the beckan chipsets that we've gone

over with TOA Cloud cutter that's not

Bluetooth on those as of yet I haven't

seen anything come out for that on the

ESP home side yet now what a Bluetooth

proxy is going to do you put the

software on there we're just going to go

to a web page and you'll see in a later

chapter is we'll just take and load the

soft Ware on the proxy it's going to

take all the Bluetooth packets and

shoves it back to home assistant and

home assistant does its thing there so

it's kind of just a dumb pipe per se of

things for Bluetooth now you say well

Bluetooth is 2.4 GHz well so is Wi-Fi

now you start to see the issue there

where you may be stepping on each other

and that's the issue with some of these

Wi-Fi ones is they switch back and forth

they do a Wi-Fi then Bluetooth Wi-Fi and

we go back and forth so you may have

have some little delays there or you may

have a lot of Wi-Fi traffic now how can

you get around that well absolutely you

can get around that using an ESP 32 with

ethernet now there's a couple different

ones out there and I guess it would help

if I have my all my props ready I had

this one in use is there's a couple

different ones out here this is just a

little case I did I printed it out I

think it was on maker world or something

like that and um this this is the TT go

but you can see there's an ESP 30 chip

right here and then has power over

eithernet so you could put these

anywhere in the home throw a case on it

call it done same thing for those

there's a couple different ones now this

one I don't really like but um tons of

different ways to do all your Bluetooth

proxy and again if you're one of those

ones that just want to do the Shelly

plug and not have to deal with anything

else and you can just plug these around

the house or these modules just skip to

that next little chapter there and of

course you'll find all the links to all

this crap down here and they possibly

most of them will be affiliate links and

the way those do work there's no

additional funds to use so uh yeah let's

jump to that chapter and then we'll skip

to doing some of this other stuff how's

my hair doing doing okay all right so

the simple way is yeah if you want to

just grab some Shelly stuff

just be mindful of which ones you get I

know they've had some previous models

but say like the Shelly plug I cannot

speak for the plugs like over across the

pond but do take a look on your Shelly

stores over there but do make sure it

actually says it'll say like Bluetooth

it look like in the specifications see

how this one shows Bluetooth protocol

right here then also if you want to look

at this is course this is covering all

the countries pretty much given that

these the cool little in wall power

monitoring without relays really love

those things they also talk about

Bluetooth Gateway so pretty much any

device that's Shelly you can just take

it out the box and it if it has the

Bluetooth Gateway you can do exactly

this basically once you take the plug

and you just add it to your Wi-Fi you

don't need to use their app or anything

just plug it in it's going to come up as

an access point and then you can go in

and add it to your network um it's

pretty simple to do I'm not going to go

through all of that here on the web

interface you don't even need to go

toggle any of the Bluetooth stuff I do

recommend though which I probably will

show the interface turn off the access

point mode if you're not using their app

but you don't need it blasing blasting

that access point mode all the time so

basically it's autodiscovery in home

assistant for the most part if you're

network is

normal can't speak this evening if you

hit configure and you can see and this

is even going across my VLS I have no

issue picking them up I'm grabbing that

because I want to go to the web

interface and then just hit submit it's

not battery powered and then it's going

to say Shelly plug us or whatever it is

whatever module hit finish and then go

down here and you should see Shelly now

and if you go to Shelly you see we got

right now the Shelly plug us and it's

configured now I want to go over here

and

we can visit it if we go to this one

this should bring us up to the interface

actually on the actual plug itself or

relay module or whatever one thing I

wanted to point out is do make sure and

click this access point and turn off the

access point mode if you notice it's on

um I've seen them just get stuck on now

you'll notice Bluetooth is is I think

it's on but you can't don't have to go

toggle it because home assistant does

that for you from what I found go back

to your Shelly

integration and you may have multiple

devices and I'm not configuring this one

this is on my little test box this is

actually in the pool pump and stuff I

guess I could if I wanted to but you if

you hit configure is you'll see it says

Bluetooth scanner mode now if you just

want passive that's totally fine but if

you want to get into some of those

two-way things like say some of the you

know the switchbot locks and different

things um you can do the active I like

to do the active I haven't found it

makes a big impact or anything on some

of the devices but it forces it kind of

a pole for them so if you're really

worried about batteries and using a lot

of coin sales stuff maybe leave it on

passive and then if you find something

that doesn't work and then switch it to

active if you need it I'm just going to

go ahead and hit active on mine just

Boss Hog through it right hit submit and

then hit finish and then you could go

back and you should start to see all

your various devices that are going to

pop into you know showing as new devices

so like you can actually see there's

some stuff popping in now um there's

this ink bird stuff I've got this Thermo

Pro thing and they're pretty much there

so if just like before if you wanted to

hit configure now the problem is I will

tell you when you get a bunch of stuff

at one time and it's just going to come

in as just these weird random names A

lot of times this will be the Mac ID

that is like say the last you know 4

b295 may be on that device not everyone

is like that you may have to go find

them they may not even have the Mac ID

posted on them which can be a problem

but once you start to add in a bunch of

them go in and rename them because

you're going to get lost I like to also

if I don't have the Bluetooth thing on

there I may like put my own designation

or put a sticker on it or something like

that cuz you will get them confused but

pretty much just hit configure and

that's it and hey pick your area if you

want boom it's done you get Bluetooth BT

home there's humidity and temperature

from the Shelly sensors and that's it

you can start to do all your automations

build your cards do whatever it's

there's no loading software there's no

doing anything just click all the check

marks and plug them in go buy you a

bunch of damn Shelly and put it

around the house and call it a day and

there's the easy way to add Bluetooth

proxy to home assistant and you don't

have to watch my whole damn video but if

you want to check out the other esp32

stuff hang out now what proxies do I

like to use um there are a couple ones

let's start with the Wi-Fi ones first so

you've seen some of these little boards

before there's like the ESP 32 right

here this is the little Dev boards you

just plug them in through the little USB

port just plug them in through the

little USB port and program them

straight using the ESP home web page and

nothing else to them but keep in mind

you will need to figure out a case to do

your own thing like if you want to do a

little soap box for them or something

like that and you will need like a

little phone charger same thing Dev

boards all come in different shapes and

sizes I do prefer really the stability

of the regular esp32 they'll see like d

o WD like dowed it's kind of how I

remember them um that's like this right

here I'll say d0o or dowed like well in

that's the stupid way I remember which

ones are the ones for the dual core um

and these are great little boards I got

these off of AliExpress they're cool

they are

USBC and they're like weact and

something like that now you really don't

need the 8 megabyte flash or yeah 8

megabyte and you can do 4 megabyte it's

fine and I've used these on little phone

chargers no issues um it just pops right

in now this ESP P 32 C3 M super mini I'm

not a big fan of this guy um in the

esp32 C3 for Bluetooth proxy is just not

really a good choice at this time um I

prefer the stability of the old school

dual core ESP 32 now of course these are

all going to be Wi-Fi so the problem is

it's going to also incumber your Wi-Fi

with that Bluetooth traffic so how do we

get it off of oh and I want to skip

don't want to forget this one this is

the M5 stack this M5 stack is ESP 32 has

USBC comes in a plastic case and yeah

you can just throw it on top of a little

phone charger and plug it in behind a

couch or something like that really cool

little devices here um I just have mine

thrown on this little GPS module and I

actually have it outside playing around

with some of the GPS stuff so all great

little choices as as well as if you want

something outside have to zoom out on

this one I've done the wise plug outdoor

y'all link that video down in the

description a great plug it's

esp32 there's no solder methods that I

do for flashing ESP home and then you

get power monitoring and two plugs and a

great little package for outdoor too bad

these aren't on closeth out anymore at

Home Depot they were like going for $5 a

pop that's a damn steal but you can

still get them like around I don't know

$15 $20 for this power monitoring plug

and also do Bluetooth proxy I know we

talked a little bit about the Shelly

stuff the Shelly plug us the little

Shelly modules here the new ones that

have Bluetooth you can bring those in

using the stock software you do not have

to change the firmware on these the

stock firmware from Shelly works great

works with home assistant Pops in they

become Bluetooth proxies for all the

things how awesome is that you can buy

this damn plug take it out the box you

don't even need Shell's app you can pair

it up using the access point mode bring

it into your Wi-Fi that could not even

have internet access and then bring it

in home assistant now I would recommend

upgrade the firmware on it use the

little farm upgrade thing and home

assistant and then you really could

block it from the internet again how

awesome is that that you can do that

with an off this you know shelf product

such as Shelly that they've done with

their pretty cool that hats off to them

for doing those but those are again

that's going to be Wi-Fi so what if I

don't want to do Wi-Fi let's start off

with the one I don't like so I did like

the M5 stack of the wifi one this was

the M5 stack it's out of the case there

is a little plastic case

um somewhere yeah you can see I stuck it

in this bag for now um you're saying

well what the hell is this other thing

on it well the problem is with this guy

is you do need to take it apart and then

you use the little pin headers on the

side here and you do have to get a

flasher so if you don't have a TTL USB

flasher well you may not be part of this

channel if you don't have one yet but um

yeah you do need to flash it manually

then the other part is well they

expected you to use it over either net

well there's no intent on it so you have

to buy and add another antenna right

here which is kind of stupid so let's

not do that one um what about you have

another one did you well let's talk

about another bad one the oex it's not

too too bad but damn these things get

hot dude uh check this case out so I

printed this

case and I've been using it for maybe 6

months you can see already right here

it's like burnt the case already it's

cracked and everything you can even see

on the back here this thing gets super

hot on the back of this o mechs um they

they use like 2 and 1/2 Watts according

to the switch they do work and you can

just take and plug in boom bring it into

the little ESP home flasher and boom

you're done you know and it pops right

in it's all fine and dandy it's great

they do work power over eithernet

but the heat the heat issue so I printed

this case out now this one's a little

different differently and I'll leave the

link to this one as well I kind of like

this one um because of the form factor

and it runs freaking cool as hell um it

only used like one watt or so on the

according to the switch and the only

downside is you do need to make sure and

buy there a little flasher but all you

got to do is just hold it in you all you

do is you hold it in the the pins right

there and it's their little flasher and

plugs in USB micro or natat whatever it

is the older School wi and then you also

USBC options and then you can Flash the

firmware right onto it I'll leave the

link down for this one I did have to do

the little different firmware for this

guy here the pins are a little different

but it's not bad and of course you could

add other stuff to this I'm not I'm just

using it for Bluetooth proxy it does

have the antenna if you can see right up

there off the board and it will pick up

all the Bluetooth things so um yeah and

then it goes in a nice little case

if you have a 3D printer or you could

throw it into something else and call it

a day if I can figure out how to put the

case back on like an idiot and pretty

slick little device

there so hopefully you got a bunch of

different things about choices and

everything

now not going to go over all of the

devices and everything what you can pick

up with Bluetooth proxy and everything

there's just stuff getting added all the

time but the awesome part is once you

throw in a bunch of Bluetooth proxies

into your home assistant stuff it just

is quite awesome you just take stuff out

the box like these new little sensors

and they just pop right into home

assistant and you don't have to do any

like configuring and yaml crap and

everything it's pretty damn awesome what

they've done with Bluetooth proxy and

you can just drag stuff around I got as

you could see Bluetooth proxy all the

way in the front I got Bluetooth proxy

stuff all the way in the backyard in the

chicken Coupe that runs automations on

battery power devices and just using

like I've got an outdoor plug on the

back patio and it picks up and I also

pick up the pool temperature of one of

the little floating pool temperature

things from Ink bird another thing if

you want to put stuff in your freezer

and use AAA batteries in your freezer

please and you can do your freezer

refrigerator temperatures right off of

Bluetooth proxies and they have no

issues picking that up in the

refrigerator and freezer so there's

other products out there definitely let

me know about them and see what other

ones are I like to see all the cool

Bluetooth proxy stuff that pops in I

really have loved it I've been using it

since it came out for what probably a

year or two or more um I'm not can't

remember it's been a really great asset

to home assistant so um let's go jump

into putting ESP home on some of these

just do the cool stuff right so what you

want to do yep go ahead and plug in

really different difficult USBC to USBC

you can even do usba a to c on your own

computer if you don't have USBC plug

them in you may have to go load some

drivers like the

cp2102 but we'll get to that in this

little segment here so where do you get

the software to put on those guys well I

like to just come to ESP home.io just

type in proxy and boom we got Bluetooth

proxy

so then go to the proxy installer site

and there it is I want a Bluetooth proxy

yep sure do I've got a generic ESP 32

absolutely there's the M5 stack there's

the oex that I really don't really like

it says not for esp32 c3s again remember

that Dow that doubl owed that's that

dual core just remember that and yeah

it's really stupid but you'll probably

never forget it what did you calls the

esp3 too well endowed so hit connect

there is the serial port and we'll hit

connect so going to install Bluetooth

proxy yep it's going to erase whatever

is on the ESP 32 chip so you probably

don't have anything on there if you do

go buy another one I left the links for

you hit install in that pretty much

should be it don't navigate away from

the screen let it do the installation

it's going to go through and erase the

chip if you do get some errors on there

like hey it can't connect NE you you're

missing the driver they do have kind of

a walk through for some of the drivers

but if you go look for just Google for

like

cp2102 um there's a couple different

chipset ones out there or if you want

Windows just go to Windows update and

look for the optional updates and make

sure and hit install a lot of times that

will fix that as well to automatically

get them for you so just let this do its

thing I'm not going to talk and bore you

for two minutes I know I could about

some random crap but um yeah let's skip

past this so once it's done we'll hit

next pretty awesome part is it's you

don't have to do the access point mode

stuff it's going to start to configure

your Wi-Fi right here pick your network

go ahead and put the password in call it

a day and hit connect or you can hit

skip I think it does the access point

mode but I'm not going to do that so

don't fat finger your password there's

no little eyeball thing here you may

want to type that into notepad or

somewhere where you can see it and then

copy and paste it in there like to do

that so I can see my password I didn't

fat finger it and screw it up it's going

to try to connect and

configure pretty cool feature and then

you really want to add it to home

assistant you can but it should

autodiscover straight into home

assistant itself um I think I've got a

couple home assistants on here so I'm

not going to go that route so I'm going

hit skip when I come over here to my

test box I should oh look new device I

think I've configured this one before

now I've used this name before this is

one of my Bluetooth proxies so it's just

going to come up as the name yours will

be a little bit different um it should

just come like the ESP home we'll see

what name it pops in yeah see it just

says Bluetooth proxy yours won't see

that weact it'll say like Bluetooth

proxy and the name we just saw in the

previous flasher and then hit finish and

that's it it will start to bring in

stuff because now when you see ESP home

let me get this out the way now when you

come in here there's nothing really to

do cuz Bluetooth proxy is already

configured and everything on it for you

so you just need to let it add to home

assistant you'll notice we didn't even

have to add anything like we didn't even

have to go into ESP home or anything

like that is not having to configure any

yamoo files or whatever um just using

the Flasher off of their website and it

pops straight in even keeps firmware up

to date it'll tell you if it's behind so

if you don't want to dig off and add a

bunch of ESP home stuff you don't have

to um but I say for that lilyo TT Go

internet one Whatever Poe thing you will

need to do at this time your own ESP

home do your compiles there and of

course if you just want to do your own

devices and change things of course

you'll do that in ESP home but uh that's

a little more advanced and other things

maybe we'll show if you want to

interested in seeing how I do that let

me know down in the comments below I was

trying to keep this one somewhat short

and not doing a whole thing on ESP home

Bluetooth proxy but uh maybe we could do

that one if I get enough people that say

yeah go ahead and do that crap did you

just like before if you didn't watch the

Shelly segment one on the plug is you

should start to get notifications now

I've already done it with the Shelly

plug on this one you should start to get

notifications of various different

devices like say if you have some ink

bir stuff or some switchbot stuff it's

going to start to just pop in give it a

second it start to load in and that's it

and you would just pick configure say if

I want to configure this gooy thing or

goie however you say it I always screw

the name up right is go down pick that

boom and you can see we've got

temperature

75° 48% battery and that's it yeah there

it is so 1.8 degree Fahrenheit and yeah

you can start to do all the things you

want to do automations based on hey the

temperature gets too high and will alert

you send you notification to your phone

blast all the bulbs in the house red and

turn them off and on because the freezer

door was left open by the damn kids

getting ice cream for the 10th time

tonight so um yeah enjoy you'll find all

the links to everything go find some

other sensors and cool stuff you see all

those links for our website down below

and of course if you find some other

cool stuff and can't wait to share it

with me and don't feel like leaving a

comment join my Discord it's a blast I

promise so hopefully you were able to

figure out some devices learn a couple

things figure out bluetooth proxy it's

stupid simple of course no different

whether you're running supervisor home

assistant container whatever way you're

doing it lxc the whole 9 VM whatever

Raspberry Pi and yeah I do know that

some of them those chipsets come with

Bluetooth stuff right out the gate but

even the dev sa Bluetooth proxy is

definitely the way to go for doing your

devices in home assistant Bluetooth so

I'm looking forward to seeing what other

stuff come out I like to see that Shelly

is really embracing the whole BT home

product line of protocol and everything

and um definitely let me know down below

if you see some other stuff that we'

like to cover and do on the channel so

that'll about do it for this one y'all

know the drill press all them buttons

and y'all take care