Nabu Casa, the commercial arm of the Open Home Foundation, has released the Home Assistant Connect Aux-2. This multi-function device is priced at $69 and is designed to integrate various peripherals into a smart home ecosystem.
The hardware is roughly the size of a deck of cards and features 2.4GHz Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Ethernet, USB-A, and USB-C ports. It also includes a digital/analog audio jack, a Grove port for sensors, and two RS-232 serial ports.
The device functions as a Bluetooth proxy and supports external Z-Wave or Zigbee antennas via USB. It allows for serial control of equipment like TVs and solar inverters, and enables audio streaming to older speakers through an amplifier.
Built on the ESPHome platform, the Aux-2 utilizes existing Home Assistant integrations. Setup is managed through the Home Assistant interface, with power options including USB-C or Power over Ethernet.
