Successfully Configuring Google Coral USB with Frigate and Home Assistant on ProxMox

General
1

I’m thrilled to share my journey of setting up Google Coral USB, Frigate, and Home Assistant on ProxMox! This setup has transformed my home security system, and I wanted to document the process in case it helps others.

Background

After struggling with a VMware setup that couldn’t pass through the USB Coral device, I decided to switch to ProxMox. The goal was to leverage the Coral’s edge computing capabilities for efficient video processing with Frigate, all while integrating seamlessly with Home Assistant.

Configuration Steps

  1. Installing ProxMox and Home Assistant:

    • I started by installing ProxMox 7.1 on my server. The process was straightforward, and I quickly had a stable environment.
    • Next, I set up Home Assistant in a VM, ensuring it had access to the necessary resources. This involved creating a VM with specific hardware configurations and attaching the pre-downloaded Home Assistant .qcow2 image.

  2. Setting Up Docker and Frigate:

    • I created a privileged LXC container to run Docker, which was essential for passing through the USB Coral device.
    • Within this container, I installed Docker and Portainer for easier management. This step was crucial for deploying Frigate efficiently.
    • Configuring Frigate involved setting up the Coral USB device in the container and adjusting the Frigate configuration file to utilize the Edge TPU. This significantly boosted inference speeds, making the system more responsive.

  3. Integration with Home Assistant:

    • I installed the Frigate NVR Proxy add-on in Home Assistant, which allowed seamless integration. This setup enabled me to view live feeds and recordings directly within Home Assistant.
    • The integration was a game-changer, providing a unified interface for managing both security and home automation.

Results

The setup has been running smoothly for several months. Frigate’s inference speed, boosted by the Coral USB, is between 8-10 FPS, which is excellent for real-time monitoring.

Known Challenges

  • USB Device Pass-Through: Initially, the Coral USB device wasn’t detected in the Docker container. After some troubleshooting, I realized the importance of correctly configuring the LXC container to pass through the USB bus.
  • Privileged Containers: Running the Docker container as privileged was necessary but required careful consideration to ensure security.

Final Thoughts

This project has been a rewarding experience, combining the power of edge computing with the flexibility of Home Assistant. I’m excited to see how this setup evolves with future updates and integrations.

Thank you to the ProxMox, Frigate, and Home Assistant communities for their invaluable resources and support! If anyone has questions or tips, I’d love to hear from you.

Cheers,
[Your Name]