Hey everyone,
I’ve been diving into the world of smart home automation lately, and I must say, it’s been an exciting journey! One of the challenges I’ve faced is integrating devices from different ecosystems, specifically Broadlink and Zigbee, into a cohesive system. I wanted to share my experiences and some tips that might help others who are tackling similar projects.
First off, I’ve been using the Echo Show 15 as my primary voice control hub. It’s fantastic for handling routines and providing visual feedback, but I wanted to expand its capabilities to include my Broadlink devices. Broadlink supports a wide range of protocols, which is great, but getting them to play nicely with Alexa wasn’t straightforward at first.
I stumbled upon the Conbee II dongle as a solution for Zigbee integration. Setting it up with Home Assistant was a breeze, thanks to the zigbee2mqtt add-on. However, integrating my Broadlink devices posed a different challenge. After some research, I discovered that using Broadlink RM Pro alongside the Conbee II was the way to go. The RM Pro acts as a universal remote, bridging the gap between Broadlink and Zigbee devices.
Here’s a quick rundown of what I did:
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Setup Zigbee2MQTT: Installed the add-on in Home Assistant and paired all my Zigbee devices. The setup was pretty much plug-and-play, which was a huge plus.
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Broadlink Integration: Configured the Broadlink RM Pro using the Home Assistant add-on. It recognized my Broadlink devices almost immediately, which was a relief.
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Alexa Integration: Used the Alexa Media Player add-on to link everything to my Echo Show. This allowed me to control both Broadlink and Zigbee devices through voice commands.
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Automation Magic: Created some simple automations, like turning on my Zigbee lights and Broadlink air conditioner when I say, “Alexa, good evening.” It’s these little conveniences that make the whole setup worthwhile.
What I found most rewarding was how seamlessly everything worked together once configured. The ability to control diverse devices from a single interface is incredibly empowering. It definitely required some trial and error, but the satisfaction of a fully integrated system is worth it.
If anyone has tips or alternative methods for integrating Broadlink and Zigbee devices, I’d love to hear them! It’s always great to learn new approaches and maybe discover even better solutions.
Happy automating! 
Note: This post reflects my personal experience and is meant to inspire and assist others in their smart home projects. Always ensure you’re following best practices for security and compatibility when integrating different devices.
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