I’ve been diving into the world of smart home integration lately, and I wanted to share my journey and some of the challenges I’ve encountered. My goal is to create a seamless evening routine that combines relaxation with technology, but it’s been quite the adventure!
One of the key components of my setup is a Raspberry Pi 4 running Kodi (via LibreELEC), which I use for media playback. I’ve set up custom folders on my NAS to organize meditation and yoga videos specifically for my wind-down routine. However, I’ve noticed that these custom folders don’t show up in the Home Assistant media browser, which is a bit frustrating. I’ve tried disabling metadata retrieval and enabling file name use, but no luck so far. I’m hoping someone in the community has a workaround or a different approach they’ve used successfully.
Another area I’ve been exploring is integrating different smart devices from various brands. For instance, I’ve been experimenting with Shelly devices for controlling my lights and rollershades. The Shelly 2.5 unit has been a bit of a puzzle for me, especially since the power measurement feature isn’t working as expected. I’ve done a firmware update, but the issue persists. I’m curious if others have encountered this and if there’s a setting I might have missed to enable this functionality.
On the automation front, I’ve been trying to create a smooth transition from day to night. My evening routine starts with a notification on my phone, followed by the TV turning off, lights dimming, and a reading light turning on. I’d love to add media playback to this sequence, but getting Kodi to recognize my custom folders has been the sticking point. I’m considering whether there’s a way to integrate Plex into the mix without overloading my system, but I’d prefer to keep things streamlined.
I’d also love to hear from others who’ve successfully integrated multiple brands or solved similar issues. Whether it’s tips on media browser configurations, power measurement troubleshooting, or automation workflows, your insights would be invaluable!
Let’s keep the conversation going and help each other create those perfect smart home setups. Happy integrating! 