I’ve been diving into the world of OpenHAB and smart home automation, and I wanted to share my recent success with integrating Broadlink devices. For those who might not be familiar, Broadlink devices like the RM Mini and A1 sensor are fantastic for adding IR control and environmental monitoring to your smart home setup. However, getting everything working smoothly can be a bit of a puzzle, especially with the newer versions of OpenHAB.
My journey started with the Broadlink add-on provided by @themillhousegroup. It worked perfectly for sending IR commands and reading temperature data from my A1 device. The captured IR codes were stored in a file called broadlink.map, which I kept in my configuration directory. Everything was running smoothly until I upgraded to OpenHAB 3.4.
At first glance, it seemed like the previous add-on was no longer compatible, and I was a bit worried about losing all my configured devices. But then I discovered that there’s a new Broadlink binding in OpenHAB 3.4 that supports RM Mini devices. This was a relief, but there was a catch: the new binding doesn’t use the broadlink.map file for storing IR codes. Instead, it creates a directory called broadlink/infrared_commands, but this directory remained empty after I set everything up. I was puzzled—where were the codes being stored, and how could I transfer them to a different instance of OpenHAB?
After some digging and experimentation, I figured out that the captured IR codes are stored in the OpenHAB configuration directory, but not in the broadlink/infrared_commands folder as I initially thought. Instead, they’re stored in a JSON file within the OpenHAB user directory. This was a bit of a learning curve, but once I located the file, I was able to manually transfer the codes to my backup OpenHAB instance. I also discovered that the codes can be retrieved through the OpenHAB REST API, which is incredibly useful for scripting and automation.
Another challenge I faced was getting the A1 sensor to work properly. While the RM Mini integration was mostly straightforward, the A1 sensor wasn’t functioning as expected. I reached out to the OpenHAB community and found that there’s an existing issue regarding A1 sensor support. It seems like the feature is on the roadmap, but for now, I’ve had to rely on workarounds to get the sensor data into my setup.
Despite these hurdles, I’m thrilled with how everything is coming together. The Broadlink RM Mini is now seamlessly integrated into my OpenHAB setup, and I’ve been able to create some really useful automations. For example, I’ve set up the RM Mini to learn and send specific IR codes for my TV, air conditioner, and other appliances. This has completely transformed how I interact with my home entertainment system and climate control.
If you’re looking to integrate Broadlink devices into your OpenHAB setup, here are a few tips I’ve learned along the way:
- Documentation is your friend: Take the time to thoroughly read through the OpenHAB documentation for the Broadlink binding. It’s a bit technical, but it contains a wealth of information that can save you hours of troubleshooting.
- Experiment with the UI: The OpenHAB UI is incredibly flexible, and you can customize it to suit your needs. I’ve found that using the
oh-input-cardwidget is a great way to streamline the process of learning and saving IR codes. - Don’t hesitate to ask for help: The OpenHAB community is incredibly supportive. If you run into issues, don’t hesitate to post on the forums or join the Discord server. Someone is almost always willing to help.
Overall, my experience with integrating Broadlink devices into OpenHAB has been incredibly rewarding. It’s been a great way to expand the functionality of my smart home, and I’m excited to see how the integration evolves in future updates. If you’re thinking about giving Broadlink devices a try, I’d highly recommend diving in—it’s a fantastic way to add some serious firepower to your smart home setup!
Cheers,
Lionello