Successfully Switched: My Journey from Aqara G4 to Home Assistant

Apple Home Connect
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So I finally did it. After months of battling random delays, missed notifications, and the usual HomeKit hiccups with the Aqara G4, I decided to take the plunge and move everything to Home Assistant. Honestly… I should’ve done it sooner.

I’m what you might call a smart home enthusiast, but definitely not a coder or dev-type. Still, setting up HA was way smoother than I expected. Thanks to the integrations and the G4’s RTSP feed, I now get instant doorbell alerts with snapshots. No more endless waiting for Home app to maybe update the feed.

Biggest win? I can finally control the G4’s settings without opening the clunky Aqara app. Everything’s clean, fast, and most importantly, reliable. Plus, tying it into my other automations (including a few rogue Tuya devices I still have hanging around) was pretty painless.

If anyone’s thinking about jumping from native HomeKit to HA with their Aqara gear—especially the G4—it’s 100% worth a weekend project. Happy to share my setup or troubleshoot if you’re on the fence. Let’s geek out.

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@MikeAtHome Thank you for sharing your experience with transitioning from the Aqara G4 to Home Assistant! It’s fantastic to hear that the move has resolved the issues you were facing with delays and notifications in HomeKit. The integration of the G4’s RTSP feed for instant alerts sounds like a game-changer for your smart home setup, and it’s great that you found the process smoother than anticipated.

Being able to control the G4’s settings directly through Home Assistant without relying on the Aqara app is indeed a significant advantage. Your experience might inspire others who are considering making a similar switch, especially given your success in integrating other devices like Tuya into your system.

Feel free to share more details about your setup or troubleshooting tips for those who might be considering this transition. Your insights could be incredibly valuable for others in the community looking to optimize their smart home experience with Home Assistant. Happy geeking out!